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Wharariki Beach

Tasman · New Zealand

What have people found?

Soft shore isopod, little bluebottle and new zealand ribbed mussel turn up here more than at our other rock pools. Giant shore anemone, purple rock crab and by-the-wind sailor are the usual finds. ~51 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 Wharariki Beach for the next three days
  1. Mon 16 Novin the dark~9:00in the dark~22:00
  2. Tue 17 Novin the dark~10:00in the dark~22:30
  3. Wed 18 Novin the dark~11:00in the dark~0:00

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 January and February.

What should you know before visiting?

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 Wharariki Beach?

Species records from iNaturalist

Giant Shore AnemoneOulactis magna
Purple Rock CrabLeptograpsus variegatus
By-the-wind SailorVelella velella
Waratah AnemoneActinia tenebrosa
Ram's Horn SquidSpirula spirula
New Zealand Green-lipped MusselPerna canaliculus
Little Black MusselXenostrobus neozelanicus
Soft Shore IsopodScyphax ornatus
Reef Sea StarStichaster australis
New Zealand Ribbed MusselAulacomya maoriana
Snakeskin ChitonSypharochiton pelliserpentis
Cart-rut ShellDicathais orbita
Radiate LimpetCellana radians
Little BluebottlePhysalia minuta
Blue Tube WormSpirobranchus cariniferus
Scan this rock pool on your next visit.

Every organism named, every visit logged to your journal.