Ochre sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus) are a common sight at FMR, but they are always a hit with visitors, perhaps because of their beautiful colors. Usually about as big across as a dessert plate, ochre stars have five arms or rays and come in two color variations at FMR: purple…
When you’re planning a trip to the tidepools, it pays to give some advance thought to what you’ll wear on your feet. Footing on the reef can be tricky; you’ll be climbing up and down on slippery, sometimes wobbly rocks. Plus it’s a rare explorer who completely avoids stepping in…
During our annual night tidepooling excursion last week, visitors and volunteers saw nudibranchs, a sunflower star, and a huge number of very active kelp crabs. There were also numerous reports of encounters with our resident crowd pleaser, the red octopus (Octopus rubescens). One visitor took four short videos of octopus encounters,…