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Tamarack Beach

San Diego County, California · United States

What have people found?

Mexican fiddler crab, three-lined aeolid and california spiny lobster turn up here more than at our other rock pools. Striped shore crab, by-the-wind sailor and california aglaja are the usual finds. ~188 distinct species have been recorded here, across at least 2 years of observations.

What is the best time to visit today?

Download the app to see the 7-day schedule.

See low tide times at Tamarack Beach for the next three days
  1. Sun 15 Novin the dark4:511.0 min the dark19:590.2 m
  2. Mon 16 Nov7:331.0 min the dark20:570.2 m
  3. Tue 17 Nov9:380.9 min the dark21:460.3 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 April and October.

What should you know before visiting?

Parking is about 300 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 Tamarack Beach?

Species records from iNaturalist

Striped Shore CrabPachygrapsus crassipes
By-the-wind SailorVelella velella
California AglajaNavanax inermis
California Spiny LobsterPanulirus interruptus
Pacific Sand CrabEmerita analoga
California MusselMytilus californianus
California SeahareAplysia californica
Gooseneck BarnaclePollicipes polymerus
Feather Boa KelpEgregia menziesii
Pacific Calico ScallopArgopecten ventricosus
Mexican Fiddler CrabLeptuca crenulata
Bat StarPatiria miniata
Wavy TurbanMegastraea undosa
Spanish ShawlFlabellinopsis iodinea
Three-lined AeolidOrienthella trilineata
Scan this rock pool on your next visit.

Every organism named, every visit logged to your journal.