Wear suitable footwear for walking on sometimes slippery rocks, and make sure it’s thick enough to resist the often sharp barnacles and mussels that cover the rocks. The rocks can be a dangerous place, especially when they are slick – try to avoid taking routes that would pose a serious risk to your health if you did fall. Take your time picking your way over the rocks, and test a foothold before moving on – seaweed can be surprisingly slippery. There are plenty of fantastic tidepooling opportunities to be had without putting yourself in danger, and although it can be tempting to push further and further along a specific route, you need to exercise caution when dealing with the Pacific Ocean.

Also, use good etiquette when you’re searching for sea life. Keep in mind that tidepool life is often extremely fragile, and you should take care not to disturb it. Animals such as anemones or mussels, which attach to rocks, should be left where they are – removing them can seriously injure them. Similarly, you’ll want to be checking under rocks for hidden life, but take care when lifting the rocks, and always return them to where they were when you’re done – leaving a rock with life on it flipped over can kill the life. Finally, it goes without saying, but these creatures should be left where they are – the tidepool environment is very specific, and they will quickly die if you take them home.