Posted on 8/26/2020

Secrets of the Beach

Discover what you may have missed on your beach vacation exploration- by Clarissa G.
When you think of the beach, it’s easy to think only of the moments spent lounging in the sun, the warm sand sticking to your skin and the cool waves breaking around your ankles. It’s easy to think only of the beach as just an attraction, something you attend and enjoy. But there are secrets of the beach that you may not have noticed.Many people forget that the beach is not only something beautiful and fun that we visit, but an entire ecosystem, bustling with life just below the surface. Just beyond the breakers, schools of fish pass by unnoticed. Dolphins are often seen traveling along the coast in a pod chasing these fish and frolicking in the waves. There are many parts of the ecosystem you have probably already seen, but never recognized as an animal who makes their home on the beach.For example: Have you ever noticed the small holes in the sand, just at the edge of the tide? Those are most likely mole crabs or “sand fleas.” Fear not Fido, these guys are small crustaceans, about the size of a grape tomato and make their home just below the surface of the sand. They poke small filter antennae up through the sand into the water and catch plankton in the receding tide. They’re easy and fun for kids to catch – just watch for bubbling as the water recedes and the tiny holes left behind. Then scoop up a clump of sand where the hole is, and toss the sand down. Once it breaks up a little, dig through for the crab. You’ll probably find more than one!