As the Tide Washes Away // Tide Pools

Dohene Camping Continues Now .........

Jason read there were tide pools very close to where the camp grounds were in Dohene so that was something we made sure to enjoy during our stay!  We made our first attempt on Tuesday morning but after speaking with the lady inside the Doheny Ocean Institute we realized 11:00am was not the right time to see anything since the tide was rising quickly by then.  So we decided to hang out at the ocean institute and were greeted by some very very friendly volunteers who informed us about the different exhibits and taught us about ocean life via some very cool experiments.  
Owen is of course still at a 'I have listened for long enough, let's go I just want to explore' stage but Isabel was absorbing every word that was spoken to her that morning!
I can only imagine what her little brain was processing that day!

We spent a few minutes at the top of the cliff looking down at the waves crashing and I don't know about anybody else but I was taking it all in. The sights, the beautiful colours, the sounds of waves and pelicans flying over the water, the sounds of kids screeching as they threw pebbles over the big rocks towards the water.  Being up there you just can't help but be present and be thankful for being alive.

Wednesday morning at around 8:30 the water was at somewhat low tide so it was a good time to scale those rocks to admire the amazing little universes living inside the tidal pools.

Jason was our brave leader checking it all out and calling us over when he found something amazing to admire.  It was a pretty successful day with a few anemone and sea urchin sightings.  Not to mention countless striped shore crabs walking all around us surprising Isabel more than once and a few species of snails were sighted clinging onto the sides of the rocks (and I know I'm forgetting the names of the other fun stuff Jason brought to our attention).

I say that was a morning very well spent!  I tried very hard (more than once) to capture a little family photo in front of one of the sea walls.  Considering it took a lot camera shuffling and me sprinting to get in the shot. I mean the kids faces are priceless ... but it's undoubtedly 'them' so I'll take it! :)