APHOTOMARINE
An Educational Photographic Resource and Stock Image Library
of the Sea, Maritime Environment, Marine and Rockpool Life in the
Coastal Waters of South-West England by David Fenwick.
Free parking just off the A3082, Par to St. Austell Road, along from the docks entrance at SX 07360 52872. Spit Point is a 600 yard walk from the car park. This is a site I have discovered recently and the widest variety of marine life is found on the sheltered Par side of the reef, and in front of the dock wall, there are also many sandy pools on this side and access is better as the front sea facing side of the reef can be a bit slippery. A couple trips in January and February on extreme low tides have seen over 10 species of crab, 6 species of starfish, various Anemones, Sea Snails, Sea Spiders, Sea Hares and dead Necklace Shells, Pelican’s Foot and Wentletraps.
Hannafore Beach, Looe, Cornwall. SX255 520
Noteable species, Two-spotted Gobies, Wrasse, Scorpion Spider Crabs, Furrowed Crabs and Scallops. Best time for looking is on an extremely low spring tide. Gullies run parallel to shore, lots of rock pools. Be careful of tides and very slippery weed.
Tregantle Beach, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall. SX 385 527
A long stretch of fine golden sand a good beach for shells and molluscs of various
descriptions.
Churchtown Farm, Saltash. Cornwall. SX 417 571
On the Tamar Estuary, so expect to get muddy. Mussel beds with cockles and winkles, butterfish, eels, oysters, whelks, shore crabs, sponges and sea squirts on extremely low spring tides. Please do not collect live shellfish for eating from this area, they are not fit for consumption, this applies to most shellfish around the Plymouth estuaries.
Perhaps one of the best and most accessible beaches in the area to visit, plenty to see from the high tide line down to the low water mark. Some rocks are sharp in areas, but most of the site is easily accessible, although there is some climbing to do on the north side of the beach towards Mount Batten Breakwater to access some of the sandier bays. The best place in the area to find starfish, green sea urchins, a numerous variety of crabs, prawns and shrimps, molluscs, blennies, worm pipefish, shore rockling and other rockpool fish, the list goes on. There is a limited number of parking spaces on the road above the beach, but there is also a free car park on the south side of the mount at Mount Batten.
Jennycliff Beach. Jennycliff, nr. Plymouth. SX 491 522
As the crow flies very close to the above with a similar range of species, free parking at the car park above, and a café on site for refreshments, just a shame you have to walk down a steep cliff path to it. The beach is gently sloping, the best place to look in the pools is on the beach over the rock outcrop to the north of the main beach.
Wembury Beach, nr. Plymouth, Devon. SX 518 483
This beach is owned by The National Trust and is the location of the Devon Wildlife Trust’s Voluntary Marine Conservation Area. The beach has its own visitor centre, and the local warden organises and leads rockpool rambles. Parking is in the National Trust car park at the top of the beach, usually free in winter. The area arguably contains one of the largest selections of marine fauna in the area, to numerous to list.