Below is the Pink-tipped Anemone ( Anthopleura elegantissima). There were a few anemones that seemed to be doing well in the little pools of water. Wrinkled Dogwelks (Nucella lamellosa) and eggs. The egg masses are commonly called sea oats because of their distinctive appearance. I knew that these were eggs but was unsure of what type of snail laid them until I found more of them and a rout of Wrinkled Dogwelks ( Nucella lamellosa) at the base of a very large boulder in the middle of the cobblestone beach. Sea Oats - the distinctive egg mass of a Wrinkled Dogwelk (Nucella lamellosa). Note the other organisms on this rock – what appear to be some bryozoans (the mesh like pattern) and some small snails. The sponge is soft and velvety to the touch. This Purple Encrusting Sponge ( Haliclona sp.) is fairly easy to identify due to its distinctive colour and prominent oscula (excurrent pores). Here’s just a few of the things that I saw on the beach this weekend: Purple Encrusting Sponge (Haliclona sp.) plus some bryozoans, a few small snails and a limpet! Walking carefully lessens your impact and you’re more likely to see some of the small things that are often missed. One of the rules of beach exploration is to move slowly. After discovering a small cast of Red Rock Crabs I ventured out toward the far edge of water. I made my way out onto a large cobblestone bar following the dropping tide. Point Holmes is always productive since it is a mix of sand and cobblestone with a few big boulders thrown in to make things interesting. With the fantastic weather of the last couple of days and the low afternoon tides it is an excellent time to be exploring the sea shore. Do not play near the surf as rocks are slippery and the under tow is scary powerful.This weekend I spent some delightful time poking around in tide pools at Point Holmes near Comox, BC. Always dress in layers as weather changes fast on the westcoast. Please do not remove anything from the beach. The park is protecting sensitive marine species. It is a loop route eventually connecting back to Botanical Beach. The other trail is a 2.5 kilometre route connecting to Botany Bay. There is a short 1 kilometre trail that directly leads down to Botanical Beach. The mist will also linger around for hours, even days, blanketing the nearby forest in a wet dew creating slippery and muddy trail conditions.īotanical Beach is accessed via two trails. This mist can sometimes hinder visibility. The Port of San Juan is very enclosed therefore creating a mist which funnels into Botanical Beach. The forests floor is covered in thick groves of salal, deadfall trees, ferns and moss. The forest surrounding the beach consists of Western Red Cedars, Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock. The large population of sea urchins living in the sandstone chisel away at the surface forming the smooth round edges. For years boulders have been tossed by storms onto the soft surface forming the tidal pools.Įach tidal pool protects a mini ecosystem consisting of Green Sea Urchins, Giant Green Anemones, Chitons, Red Sea Urchins, Hermit Crabs, Purple Shore Crabs and more. The flat rock on the coastline is made of sandstone. At low tides, the beach is a great for exploring marine inter tidal life. Arrival is best when timed with low tides. The north end of Juan de Fuca Park is home to Botany Bay and Botanical Beach. The varied ecosystem is still visited by researchers today from close a far, from University students to acclaimed researchers. The beach has always been a popular destination for real scientists since the early 1900s. Botanical Beach is also the northern trailhead entrance for the Juan de Fuca Trail backpacking adventure.Īlthough it is a hot spot for families to learn more about the marine life on the west coast. No, it is a rocky beach and it is part of a, much larger, 1,528 hectare Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. The beach and pools are located on the westcoast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada in the small Village of Port Renfrew, BC.īotanical Beach is not your typical beach with flowing white sand. There are tidal pools filled with life at low tides that reveal a whole new world. Botanical Beach is a marine research laboratory for the young.
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