Swami’s
More than just a good place to surf.

The Middle Tide Zone

            This zone extends essentially from the mussel beds seaward to the patches of green surf grass.  Plants most commonly observed include the various algae.  Often rocks as well as some shells are covered with a pink crust of algae.  Coralline red algae occur in stiff, pinkish fanlike tufts.  The Southern Sea Palm, a kelp, with short, rigid stipes and two upper branches may occur here an din the low tide zone.  Other brown seaweeds include Feather Boa Kelp (see description in the section on Kelp), Sargasso Weed (with stipes up to 3’, small leafy blades and small, grape-like floats) and Rockweed (growing in clumps on rocks, slender, drooping olive-green to yellowish-brown branches about 1’ long – found also in the high tide zone).  The dark green Sponge Weed – more descriptively referred to as “Dead Man’s Fingers” may range from the high to the low tidal zones.  Sea Lettuce, with smooth lettuce-like leaves, and the very narrow, 1’ long Surf Grass complete the list of the more obvious plants in the middle tide zone. 

            Middle tidal animals, including previously described mussels and anemones, are quite numerous.  The California Sea Hare (5” to 6” long, green-gray to reddish-brown with dark streaks and spots) and the larger (up to 30” long) Black Sea Hare are probably the largest and most obvious animals of the zone.  They have a variety of much smaller and more colorful (mollusk) relatives under the general classification of Nudibranches.  Several species of Brittle Stars as well as orangish or mottled Bat Stars (diameter 1” to 3”) are fairly common.  (You may need to examine the underside of a rock or hunt in reef crevices to find the brittle stars – and don’t forget to restore each and every rock to its original position.)  The soft-bodied Octopus and a variety of snails, including Purple Olive (if they’re probably occupied by a Hermit Crab), and Murex Volcano Limpets are also common.