← Rock Pool Directory/ United States/ Cape Charles

Cape Charles

Northampton County, Virginia · United States

What have people found?

Atlantic lion's mane jelly, red beard sponge and stout tagelus turn up here more than at our other rock pools. Wharf louse, eastern mudsnail and long-claw hermit crab are the usual finds. ~64 distinct species have been recorded here.

What is the best time to visit today?

Download the app to see the 7-day schedule.

Predicted tide from Kiptopeke Beach, 12 kilometers away.

See low tide times at Cape Charles for the next three days
  1. Sun 15 Novin the dark5:590.2 min the dark18:500.2 m
  2. Mon 16 Nov6:530.2 min the dark19:370.2 m
  3. Tue 17 Nov7:510.2 min the dark20:250.2 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 July and August.

What should you know before visiting?

Parking is about 250 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 Cape Charles?

Species records from iNaturalist

Wharf LouseLigia exotica
Eastern MudsnailIlyanassa obsoleta
Long-claw Hermit CrabPagurus longicarpus
Atlantic Blue CrabCallinectes sapidus
Eastern OysterCrassostrea virginica
Thinstripe Hermit CrabClibanarius vittatus
Red Beard SpongeClathria prolifera
Broadleaf Sea LettuceUlva lactuca
Asian Shore CrabHemigrapsus sanguineus
Knobbed WhelkBusycon carica
Atlantic Ghost CrabOcypode quadrata
Stout TagelusTagelus plebeius
Atlantic Ribbed MusselGeukensia demissa
Atlantic Lion's Mane JellyCyanea fulva
Dwarf Lion's Mane JellyCyanea versicolor
Scan this rock pool on your next visit.

Every organism named, every visit logged to your journal.