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Balboa Peninsula

Orange County, California · United States

What have people found?

White-spotted sea goddess, gould beanclam and pacific calico scallop turn up here more than at our other tide pools. Ochre sea star, striped shore crab and giant kelp are the usual finds. ~129 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 Balboa Peninsula for the next three days
  1. Sun, Nov 15in the dark~8:00 PM
  2. Mon, Nov 16~7:30 AMin the dark~9:00 PM
  3. Tue, Nov 17~9:30 AMin the dark~10:00 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 April and June.

What should you know before visiting?

Parking is about 500 feet 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. Tide pool safety
A tide pool is a fragile place. Look and photograph, take nothing. The tidepooling code

What lives at Balboa Peninsula?

Species records from iNaturalist

Ochre Sea StarPisaster ochraceus
Striped Shore CrabPachygrapsus crassipes
Giant KelpMacrocystis pyrifera
Gould BeanclamDonax gouldii
California MusselMytilus californianus
Sunburst AnemoneAnthopleura sola
By-the-wind SailorVelella velella
Feather Boa KelpEgregia menziesii
Pacific Calico ScallopArgopecten ventricosus
White-spotted Sea GoddessDoriopsilla albopunctata
Wavy TurbanMegastraea undosa
Blueband Hermit CrabPagurus samuelis
Owl LimpetLottia gigantea
Pacific Acorn BarnacleBalanus glandula
Pacific Sand CrabEmerita analoga
Scan this tide pool on your next visit.

Every organism named, every visit logged to your journal.