Friday, September 19, 2014

Tidepool Explorations: Where To

Maine offers hundreds of terrific spots to get your feet wet and explore tidepools.  Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorites: 

Giant Steps, Harpswell



Giant Steps is one of my very favorite places to explore the intertidal ecosystem.  Looking out over the surf crashing on the ledges and islands of eastern Casco Bay, the site has it all -- a lovely walkway along the cliff, the spectacular "Giant Steps" themselves (a geologic wonder), and wave protected as well as wave exposed sites.  The wave protected site is particularly useful if you're working with students or children, and has some truly spectacular tidepools to explore at low tide.  The wave-exposed parts of Giant Steps should only be explored using great caution, on a very calm day.  These are excellent sites to observe intertidal zonation, however, which can be seen from the Giant Steps themselves. 

The one drawback to Giant Steps is the parking situation (you will notice a theme running through this post).  There is very limited parking, located at the tiny church on Washington Road (and none on Sunday mornings).  Visit in the off-season, or early in the morning or late evening.  Alternatively, park at Mackerel Cove and walk up to Giant Steps (~3/4 mile).  Do not attempt to park on the street.

BEST PLACE TO EAT AFTER EXPLORING:  Morse's Cribstone Grill, after a stop at Mackerel Cove for a photo shoot.  Make sure you check out the Cribstone Bridge too!

Park here -- at the church.

A very low tidepool.

What a spectacular ecosystem!

These are the Giant Steps.  Too bad I'm a not able to capture them with my inferior photographic skills.

The Steps, with distinct zonation below.
A little friend to find.

Potts Point, Harpswell



There's just so much to love about Potts Point.  At high tide, Potts Point is merely an island rising a few feet above the surface of Casco Bay.  At low tide, it offers tidepools, protected sand beaches, pocket marshes, wildflowers galore, and spectacular views of boats making their way through the cut between Merriconeag Sound and Potts Harbor.  One very interesting feature of this site is a shallow pool just to the east of the island with a very dense substrate, which is home to clams that can't burrow very deep.  You can easily observe their siphons, but you can't dig them out -- that's how hard the substrate is.  (I believe it's compacted detritus from an old salt marsh.  Very interesting.)  This is an outstanding place to explore with children, with minimal wave action but lots to see.

One of the charms of Potts Point is the walk from the parking area (near Dick's Crab and Lobster Company) to the preserve.  You'll pass traditional summer cottages, owned by generations of the same family.  In summer, kids will be racing around on land and sea, and "rusticators" will be enjoying their summer homes.  Again, there is limited parking.

BEST PLACE TO EAT AFTER EXPLORING:  I'm an absolute sucker for Dolphin Marina.  This family-run operation offers the best fish chowder in the state (aided by the huge blueberry muffin that comes with every serving). 


What a spot!  Wow.

An unusual chance to see clam siphons.

Sunset, anyone?

Amazing pocket marshes!

There are lots, and lots, of dog whelks.

Wow.

Ocean Point, Boothbay



Last year, my students and I were doing some research at Ocean Point, when a woman from Germany started to chat with me.  She was on a month's holiday, and she'd been all over Maine, but she said after all that exploration, she wished she'd just stayed here the entire time.  I know exactly what she means.  This is a great place to walk along the shore, bring a lawn chair and sit for an afternoon, or enjoy the views of Monhegan and the other surrounding islands.  There is a public walk, maintained by the Ocean Point Association, and plentiful parking (miracle!).  This is another great spot to compare wave-protected sites to wave-exposed sites.  (In fact, that's exactly what my students do there every fall.)  At very low tide, there are some spectacular tidepools, full of seastars and crabs.  Use caution, of course, but enjoy the crashing surf on this peninsula. 

BEST PLACE TO EAT AFTER EXPLORING:  This is a tough one, as I've never eaten when visiting.  Any suggestions?

Ocean Point is an old summer colony.  The one percent "rusticate" here.
From the parking lot, walk to the east of the little cove.  Look for this sign.

Look at the distinct zonation apparent here.

A low tidepool.

Pemaquid Point, Pemaquid



This is one of the most spectacular, most photographed sites in the state.  The granite outcrops descending from the lighthouse are worthy of the cover of National Geographic.  But the tidepools are also a world-class resource.  Here you'll find tons of Littorina saxatilis, which thrive in the huge splash zone; tidepools full of pink coralline algae; and a variety of sea creatures.  In summer, there is a fee to park, but the lighthouse and museum are open, making it worth the price.  Bring a picnic and it'll be a fun-filled day.  This is a site where you should use extreme caution, as surf can be huge and impacts dangerous on this exposed peninsula.  If there are waves, come back another day.

BEST PLACE TO EAT AFTER EXPLORING:  Well, how could I resist the King Eider?  Their lentil burger is out of this world.

No wonder it's on our state quarter.

Barnacles and mussels dominate this pool.

Again, lots of zonation.  See the wide band of barnacles?

Rachel Carson Preserve, Edgecomb


Sometimes, there are heroes amongst us.  Rachel Carson was one of the great environmental heroes of the twentieth century, and like so many of us, she was inspired by Maine's spectacular coast.  Carson spent many a summer in nearby Boothbay Harbor, inspired by Maine's fog, waves, and sea creatures.  Her three books, Under the Sea Wind, The Sea Around Us, and The Edge of the Sea are classics, and well worth a visit to your local library for a check out.  The Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve, perched on the edge of Muscongus Bay, is the site where the great naturalist gathered material for the Edge of the Sea, and is today preserved in perpetuity by the Nature Conservancy of Maine (which, by the way, Carson helped found in the 1950's). 

The small tidepool at this site, merely a quarter acre, is the perfect place to introduce children to the wonders of the ocean.  At low tide, this is a site with virtually no waves, so is particularly safe.

BEST PLACE TO EAT AFTER EXPLORING:  If you've never explored New Harbor, just down the road, then a stop at Shaw's is a great idea.  New Harbor is working waterfront at its best, and lunch on the deck at Shaw's gives you a front row seat as lobstermen offload their day's catch. 

Park here.

The protected tide pool.

Schoodic Peninsula, Winter Harbor



Here's a little secret:  Acadia National Park is more than just Mt Desert Island.  So if you want to escape the crowds that flock to the island every summer, head on over to Winter Harbor, just east of Acadia.  There you'll find the Schoodic Peninsula -- still a part of the park, but much quieter.  From here you'll get a spectacular view of Mt Desert's summits across Frenchman Bay, and you can checkout some truly amazing tidepooling.  Three sites are worth a stop.  First, stop at West Pond, which is relatively protected from waves.  Here, you'll be able to find tons of crabs, seastars, urchins, and anything else your heart desires.  Schoodic Point is a spectacular stop -- but can be very dangerous.  As the National Park Service brochure tells us:  "The ocean views are spectacular, but the footing is dangerous -- people have died here.  Wet rocks are slippery, and waves can sweep you into the sea."  Let me reiterate:  PEOPLE HAVE DIED HERE.  So, don't be dumb.  Don't get too close to the edge and don't get near the shore if there are waves.  I don't want to read about you getting the next Darwin Award, got it?  A final stop for tidepooling is at Blueberry Hill.  Here, focus on the shallow sandy pool just west of the parking lot -- where you'll find sand dollars if you're lucky.  

At ALL these sites, watch the waves, and pay attention to the tides.  Go when the tide is going out, and skip the tidepools if the sea is angry.  Seriously.

A great place to find . . .

seaastars!

By the Blueberry Hill parking lot, you can find these guys in the big sandy pool.  Do NOT collect them, they are alive!

9 comments :

  1. At last the post I've been waiting for, I look forward to trying these sites!

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    1. Great! Enjoy them and if you have any additions, let me know.

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    2. Not really a tide pool, but I do love visiting docks at low tide. Lots of critters cling to the pilings. Castine and Belfast have docks which allow access to non-boaters, I'm not sure about those near Freeport.

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    3. Oh yes -- Castine has some amazing animals you can see from the docks -- nudibranchs in particular. I just spent an afternoon collecting from the local docks for our class. Fun! Maybe we need a post on cool docks.

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  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  3. I love the tide pools! Great info!

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  4. Hi, where exactly is blueberry hill for finding sand dollars? Thanks

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    1. Take a look at the map. When you get to Schoodic, ask for a map of the park. If I recall, the parking lot has a sign so that should help. DON"T COLLECT the sand dollars. They are alive, and the National Park Service does not allow any collection -- they are serious about it too! Have fun at this cool place!

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  5. Did you have the honor of knowing Mike Michael of Pacific Seacraft of Christmas Cove? One of the best sailors I ever knew. Dodge Morgan would agree. I am from Matinicus Island and live to sail. Maine’s coastline is the best. Can’t wait for May to come and roll something out to sail. I am kind of old now, but the memories are young. Thanks, Kent

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