Can you swim in Walpole Bay tidal pool?
In recent years it has become a popular destination for sea swimming with fresh water springs rising from the beach within the walls. At all tides the pool is submerged by the sea so please check the tide before attending as it can get rough at high tide. It is best to begin tide pooling as the tide goes out so that you have longer to enjoy the pools before the tide rises again. Check for current weather and safety conditions. If there is a high surf advisory or bad weather, it’s not a good day for the tidepools!When tide or Gulf waves wash the water in, tide pools can become a living habitat holding various marine life as well as green algae. Tide pools sometimes sit for long periods of time before being refreshed with new waves or rainwater, and at those times it’s best not to swim in these stagnant pools.Popular with families, the tidal swimming pool is a shallow pool that is topped up with fresh sea water every time the tide comes in. In the summer the water is often much warmer than the sea itself.
What should you not do at a tide pool?
Do not turn over or remove rocks- Tidepool creatures use rocks as shelter from sun and predators. Moving rocks can crush hidden creatures below or leave them exposed and vulnerable. Watch your step! For your safety and the safety of tidepool creatures. Avoid collecting or removing plants and animals: Everything within the tidepools has a purpose. Many intertidal areas, like Haystack Rock, are protected areas where collecting is prohibited. Avoid harassing animals: Explore with your eyes and gently with your hands.