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One of the items on my trip wish list was to spend some time at tide pools along the Oregon Coast. Unfortunately, the cold, rainy weather of October played havoc with our plans. However, in the final days of our trip, my friend and I did manage to spend a couple of hours photographing tide pool creatures at Yaquina Head near Newport (see above, click on all photos for larger views). The following photos are identified to the best of my knowledge, making use of Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest by Andy Lamb and Bernard Hanby.

Perhaps mose impressive were the Green Surf Anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica). Some of these were spectacular in size – perhaps up to about 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter. They’re very strange and beautiful at close range.

Goose-neck Barnacles (Pollicipes polymerus) such as those in the above photo, were found in large masses on the intertidal rocks among clusters of mussels, where they were exposed to the air for a few hours a day. According to Lamb and Hanby, these barnacles have bright red meat inside the stalk that tastes “not unlike lobster.”

Also found in clusters were Purple Sea Urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus). Lamb and Hanby comment that these urchins use their spines to excavate holes in soft rock so that they will be protected from strong wave action on the coast. In the above photo, you can see how these creatures are resting inside of holes in the rock.

This is a closer view of a couple of Purple Sea Urchins.

Pacific Sea Stars (Pisaster ochraceus) were found singly but more often in aggregations such as the above. I would first notice one sea star, and then, after studying it for awhile, I’d find that there were more and more in a range of colours, all massed together. Lamb and Hanby comment that this sea star often forms huge winter spawning aggregations.

Other creatures photographed were a couple of kinds of crabs including the odd-shaped, dark brown Northern Kelp Crab (Pugettia producta), and various snails, mussels and other aquatic invertebrates.

Tags: Yaquina Head, Green Surf Anemone, Anthopleura xanthogrammica, Goose-neck Barnacles, Pollicipes polymerus, Purple Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, Pacific Sea Star, Pisaster ochraceus