Rockpooling destination: Sea Palling July 2013

The shore at Sea Palling is influenced by a series of artificial sea defences that have changed the dynamics of the shore to produce multiple bays comprised of mobile sands with shingle berms in between.

Since March (Blog post 15^th April) certain features of the shore have changed, namely reduced strandline, increased ephemeral algae and the seasonal presence of certain species.

Habitat classifications:

Substrate	LR (Littoral rock)		LS (Littoral substrate)
Habitat	HLR (High energy littoral rock)	LR.FLR (Features of littoral rock)	LS.LSa (Littoral sand)
Biotope complex	LR.HLR. MusB (Mussel and/or barnacle communities)	LR..FLR.Eph (Ephemeral green or red seaweed communities	LS.LSa.sh (Shingle and gravel shores)	LS.LSa.St (Strandline)	LS.LSa.MoSa.BarSa (Barren littoral coarse sand)
Biotope		LR.FLR.Eph.EntPor (Porphyra purpurea and Entomorpha spp. on sand scoured lower eulittoral rock)

Below are images of some of the organisms you may encounter whilst rock pooling in these habitats:

The sea defences provide a hard substrate amongst the littoral sediments of the shore. Habitat classification: LR.HLR (High energy littoral rock) and LS.Sa (Littoral sand).

The strandline is predominantly comprised of the remnants of razor shells and wood and is less extensive then in March. Habitat description: LS.LSa.St (Strandline).

During the summer months sea gooseberries(Pleurobrachia pileus) become stranded on the shore. 

A cuttlefish had become trapped within a tidal pool.

The sea defences comprise large rectangular boulders that have relatively shear faces. A shingle topped berm extends out to the sea defences. Habitat classification: LR.HLR (High energy littoral rock) and LS.LSa.sh (Shingle and gravel shores).

Barnacles and the periwinkle (Littorina spp) on the upper shore.  Habitat classification: LR.HLR.MusB (Mussels and/or barnacles in high energy littoral rock).

Barnacles and the common limpet (Patella vulgata). Habitat classification: LR.HLR.MusB (Mussels and/or barnacles in high energy littoral rock).

Since March the spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) has come into its reproductive phase and ephemeral green algae has colonised more areas of the shore. Habitat classification: LR.HLR.MusB (Mussels and/or barnacles in high energy littoral rock).

Sand ephermeral green and red seaweeds on the lower shore. Porphyra characterises the biotope LR.FLR.Eph.EntPor (Porphyra purpurea and Entomorpha spp. on sand scoured lower eulittoral rock).

Beadlet anemones (Actinia equina) in a rockpool. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rckp (Rockpools).

Common star fish (Asterias rubens) still occur in the rock pools beneath the sea defences. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rckp (Rockpools).