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Playa Cau Cau

Provincia de Valparaíso, Región de Valparaíso · Chile

What have people found?

Red sea anemone, south american multiradiate sun star and purple mussel turn up here more than at our other rock pools. Large spiny star, peruvian periwinkle and burrowing shaggy sea cucumber are the usual finds. ~17 distinct species have been recorded here. More has been recorded at Playa Montemar, 28 kilometers away.

What is the best time to visit today?

Download the app to see the 7-day schedule.

See low tide times at Playa Cau Cau for the next three days
  1. Sun 15 Nov~10:00~20:30
  2. Mon 16 Nov~11:00in the dark~21:30
  3. Tue 17 Nov~12:00in the dark~23:00

Every low tide each day, in local time at the shore.

Plan the week in Intertidal
  • A tide chart for every day, with the best window marked
  • Identify what you find from a photo
  • An alert when a good daylight low is coming

When do people visit?

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Most observations come from June and December.

What should you know before visiting?

Parking is about 50 meters away.
Arrive 45 minutes to an hour before low tide and leave as it turns. The water comes back faster than it left.
Grippy shoes beat sandals. Wet rock and algae are more slippery than they look. Rock pool safety
A rock pool is a fragile place. Look and photograph, take nothing. The rockpooling code

What lives at Playa Cau Cau?

Species records from iNaturalist

Large Spiny StarMeyenaster gelatinosus
Peruvian periwinkleEchinolittorina peruviana
Burrowing shaggy sea cucumberAthyonidium chilensis
Chiton granosusChiton granosus
Red Sea AnemoneAnemonia alicemartinae
South American Multiradiate Sun StarHeliaster helianthus
Purple MusselPerumytilus purpuratus
Phymactis papillosaPhymactis papillosa
Phymanthea pluviaPhymanthea pluvia
striped anemoneAnthothoe chilensis
Common Light-striated Sea StarStichaster striatus
Purple Rock CrabLeptograpsus variegatus
Chilean Hermit CrabPagurus edwardsii
Paraxanthus barbigerParaxanthus barbiger
Chilean Bat StarPatiria chilensis
Scan this rock pool on your next visit.

Every organism named, every visit logged to your journal.