King Tides—what are they? Where did the name come from? When do they happen? Here are some of the answers. King Tides got their name in Australia, where they have... read more →
Horn Sharks Have you ever worried about the sharks in Morro Bay? There is even an area called Shark Inlet! Horn Shark feeding on the sea floor. Image courtesy of... read more →
Walking along Morro Strand I hear high-pitched screeches in the sky. I turn and see a cluster of terns wheeling onto shore. Sixty or more settle their white bodies onto... read more →
Palm trees in the ocean? Surely you jest! Nope-just a different type of palm-a seaweed one. Postelsia palmaeformis, the sea palm, is a dead ringer for a land-type palm tree. It lives in the... read more →
Sandcastles? Worms? These go together? Well, sandcastles are not just for kids. The sandcastle worm, Phragmatopoma californica lives in massive sand formations on rocks in the mid intertidal area. You... read more →
I’m lucky to live near Morro Strand, so most mornings find me striding along the beach, binoculars at hand ready for anything that comes into view. A few days ago... read more →
We’ve had a new treat on the Central Coast in the past few years--glowing blue waves!!! The glow is caused by wave action that disturbs millions of microalgae called dinoflagellates,... read more →
Camper Lillie shows off her finished seastar - photo credit Camper Parent Jen Lillie really enjoyed the week this week, and has been sharing her knowledge with us daily. Robin... read more →
Why, Diatom Art, of course! Each section in the photograph above is a microscopic diatom shell. Diatoms are phytoplankton, or microalgae. Their shells are made primarily of silica, which is... read more →
The Speedy Little Sand Crab The Pacific sand crab, (Emerita analoga), aka mole crab , is a small invertebrate decapod crustacean — meaning it lacks a backbone, but has five... read more →