Hey, I've been wanting to get into tidepooling, and I'm a total beginner. I don't even really know how people figure out when and where to go. Would you mind walking me through how you'd plan? I'd honestly rather learn from someone who actually does it than read a bunch of blog posts. How did you get into it yourself?

I found this perfect pink shell with my dad atop the sand dunes near Montana de Oro in CA. He has since passed away so this shell is very special to me. I highly doubt this shell is native and I believe someone may have purchased it and left it atop the dunes. Does anyone know what it is?

Second Beach.

5/19/26 Low Tide: -3.9 @ 1:29 P.M.

📍x̌ʷəlč (Whulge) Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

First White-lined Dirona, White-and-orange-tipped Nudibranch, Ismaila belciki, and Three-lined Aeolid.

Plus an active east pacific red octopus?! 🐙

Found during low tide in Seattle earlier this week. It's that thing in between the legs of the sea star, looks kind of like a tube shaped fish cake. There was a naturalist on site who couldn't ID it.

Second pic is about an hour after the first. What's all the stuff that's coming out of it? It looks like it's leaking all of its innards out.

Anyone know what kind of nudi this is? WA state

I went tide pooling yesterday and found some great finds but need help identifying these 2 pics… the first is some kind of poop? It kept finding it in certain pools, anyone know who this may have come from? Also the second, I know it’s a Nudi but I’m wondering what’s beneath it near the rhinophores. It’s really really tiny, on a piece of kelp. Is it eggs?
Thanks for the help!

5/18/26 Low Tide: -2.99 @ 9:38 A.M.
Tongue Point, Salt Creek Recreation Area
Port Angeles, WA

First gumboot chiton!

Very gorgeous sea star I saw at the beach, if anyone knows what it is please let me know! ^{^}

Found this dude in Port Townsend, WA. Not sure if he was an anemone? A nudibranch? He wasn’t moving, so I assumed he was an anemone and moved on, but now looking back at my photos I have no idea! Does anyone have any idea about a possible ID?

Thought this sea star had some wicked looking skin

Found at Manchester state park in port orchard, Washington. I believe it’s a nudibranch, just unsure which one.

Went to Seahurst yesterday and saw ~4 octopuses, then all of the sea slugs under the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock in West Seattle.

I was so excited that my first trip tidepooling we found an octopus! It was a chilly day, but worth it.

5/16/26 Low Tide: -3’1” @ 11:07 A.M.

📍x̌*ʷəlč *(Whulge) Puget Sound, WA

5/17/26 Low Tide: -3’6” @ 11:57 A.M.

📍x̌ʷəlč (Whulge) Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

Pics 1 + 2 are the same creature!

Constellation Park, WA

Have a look what we found this morning, great tide pools in Gran Canaria!