Seashore Safari

Nothing says 'Summer' more than a lazy day at the beach. With very little effort, the day can become an adventure! All types of beach have some sort of wildlife - sandy, pebbles, rocky - it's just a case of knowing where to look. On sandy or pebble beaches, the best place to look weird and wonderful creatures, shells and other goodies is the strand line. This is a stripe of seaweed, flotsam and jetsam left behind as the sea goes out.

On rocky beaches, exciting pools of water are left behind - complete with wildlife! These are perhaps the most interesting beaches to explore, as there is such a variety of creatures to discover. And the magic of these discoveries fires the imagination - our children have a special place at Craster in Northumberland where huge deep pools are formed in the rocks that they call 'The Mermaid's Garden.'

What you need:

White or clear plastic food containers (soft fruit packaging is good) - to have a close look at your 'discoveries'

Clear plastic tub such as a sweet container, well rinsed

Stout stick for grubbing about on the strand line – there may be things you would rather not touch!



What to look for:

In pools:

Olive green fish with big fat ‘starlet’ lips - Blennies

Scuttling green shore crabs

Dark reddy - brown crabs with a flat, paddle shaped leg at the back - Velvet Swimming Crabs

Beadlet Anemones – they look like blobs of jelly until they fan out underwater

Speedy, translucent shrimps

Hermit Crabs, hiding in shells

On the strand line:

Bobbly lumps that feel like polystyrene - Whelk Egg Cases

Piles of crab shells – the crabs haven’t died – the shells are cast off like small jumpers as the crab grows.

Dead whole crabs - look at the nippers and the belly underneath

Large white whelk shells

Cuttlefish – you may find the whole creature after a heavy sea - looks like a small stripy squid. More often the white inner bony shell is found – budgies like to gnaw them!

Mermaids Purses - the egg cases left after baby dogfish (brown) and rays (black) have hatched. They look like plump cushions with curly ribbons at each corner. These tendrils attached the cases to weed etc.

Things to make

Have you noticed how the sun shines on rockpools – and sometimes all you can see is your own reflection? With the help of a grown up, you can make a rock pool goggler that will help you to see all the creatures living in the pool!

Make a rock pool goggler!

You need a small plastic or waxed card tub (1litre ice cream tub is ideal), a strong elastic band and a piece of strong clear plastic food wrap.

Ask the grown up to cut the bottom off the tub. Fix the food wrap tightly across the bottom of the tub with the elastic band.

When you get to the rockpool, place the bottom of the goggler on the surface of the water. This cuts out all of the glare from the sun and gives you a window into an undersea world!