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Punta del Messinese

Messina, Sicilia · Italy

What have people found?

Potato sponge, star coral and violescent sea-whip turn up here more than at our other rock pools. Marbled crab, saint piran's hermit crab and mauve stinger are the usual finds. ~138 distinct species have been recorded here.

What is the best time to visit today?

Download the app to see the 7-day schedule.

See low tide times at Punta del Messinese for the next three days
  1. Sun 15 Novin the dark~6:00in the dark~19:30
  2. Mon 16 Nov~7:00in the dark~21:00
  3. Tue 17 Nov~8:00in the dark~22:00

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 April and May.

What should you know before visiting?

Parking is about 350 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 Punta del Messinese?

Species records from iNaturalist

Marbled CrabPachygrapsus marmoratus
Saint Piran's Hermit CrabClibanarius erythropus
Mauve StingerPelagia noctiluca
Rockpool PrawnPalaemon elegans
Phorcus articulatusPhorcus articulatus
Chocolate-band SnailEobania vermiculata
Potato SpongeChondrilla nucula
Purple Sea StarOphidiaster ophidianus
Bearded FirewormHermodice carunculata
snakelocks anemoneAnemonia viridis
Turbinate MonodontPhorcus turbinatus
Star CoralAstroides calycularis
Violescent Sea-whipParamuricea clavata
Yellow GorgonianEunicella cavolini
Mediterranean FanwormSabella spallanzanii
Scan this rock pool on your next visit.

Every organism named, every visit logged to your journal.