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Playa Steps

Rincón, Puerto Rico · Puerto Rico

What have people found?

Giant barrel sponge, symmetrical brain coral and greater star coral turn up here more than at our other rock pools. Caribbean sea mat, purple sea fan and caribbean land hermit crab are the usual finds. ~100 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 Playa Steps for the next three days
  1. Sun 15 Novin the dark4:540.1 min the dark19:300.2 m
  2. Mon 16 Novin the dark5:470.1 min the dark20:080.2 m
  3. Tue 17 Nov6:550.2 min the dark20:470.1 m

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 May.

What should you know before visiting?

Parking is about 400 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 Steps?

Species records from iNaturalist

Caribbean Sea MatPalythoa caribaeorum
Purple Sea FanGorgonia ventalina
Caribbean Land Hermit CrabCoenobita clypeatus
Atlantic Rock-boring UrchinEchinometra lucunter
Checkered NeriteNerita tessellata
Sally Lightfoot CrabGrapsus grapsus
Lettuce Sea SlugElysia crispata
Giant Barrel SpongeXestospongia muta
West Indian Top ShellCittarium pica
Symmetrical Brain CoralPseudodiploria strigosa
Greater Star CoralMontastraea cavernosa
West Indian Fuzzy ChitonAcanthopleura granulata
Blue Land CrabCardisoma guanhumi
Mottled Shore CrabPachygrapsus transversus
Caribbean Reef SquidSepioteuthis sepioidea
Scan this rock pool on your next visit.

Every organism named, every visit logged to your journal.