Expert tips on discovering the secret world that exists between low and high tide
Rockpools are like little windows on the world. You never know what you’re going to find. It’s always exciting to spot a St Piran’s hermit crab. They disappeared from Britain in the 1980s, but are starting to come back. They have bright red antennae and eyes with a white and black chequerboard pattern. We’re finding more and more in the southwest now as they return to our shores. The shanny is sometimes known as a sea frog and has large, smiling lips. You’ll often find it tucked into crevices when the tide retreats, as it can survive out of water. Dog whelks might look innocent, but are pretty vicious, drilling through other shelled animals then releasing a digestive enzyme and drinking their victim like soup. Velvet swimmer crabs are known as devil crabs, due to their red eyes and feisty behaviour, thought to compensate for their softer shells.
