Toco Reef

Sangre Grande · Trinidad and Tobago

What have people found?

Caribbean reef octopus, music volute and chocolate chip sea cucumber turn up here more than at our other tide pools. Caribbean sea mat, atlantic rock-boring urchin and bearded fireworm are the usual finds. ~54 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 Toco Reef for the next three days
  1. Sun, Nov 15in the dark~1:00 AM~12:30 PM
  2. Mon, Nov 16in the dark~2:00 AM~2:00 PM
  3. Tue, Nov 17in the dark~3:00 AM~3:30 PM

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 February and March.

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. Tide pool safety
A tide pool is a fragile place. Look and photograph, take nothing. The tidepooling code

What lives at Toco Reef?

Species records from iNaturalist

Caribbean Sea MatPalythoa caribaeorum
Atlantic Rock-boring UrchinEchinometra lucunter
Bearded FirewormHermodice carunculata
Caribbean Reef OctopusOctopus briareus
Purple Sea FanGorgonia ventalina
Orangeclaw Hermit CrabCalcinus tibicen
Music VoluteVoluta musica
Sea GrapesCaulerpa racemosa
Chocolate Chip Sea CucumberIsostichopus badionotus
Redfinger Rubble CrabEriphia gonagra
Antillean Hermit CrabClibanarius antillensis
Caribbean Spiny LobsterPanulirus argus
Finger CoralPorites porites
Lettuce Sea SlugElysia crispata
Caribbean Land Hermit CrabCoenobita clypeatus
Scan this tide pool on your next visit.

Every organism named, every visit logged to your journal.