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Visiting Bird Rock
Located at the southern end of La Jolla in San Diego, California, Bird Rock is a large intertidal area that is relatively accessible and a popular destination for tidepooling. Outside any marine reserve, Bird Rock is protected only by fishing and collecting regulations of the Department of Fish and Game which can be reviewed here. Bird Rock was chosen for this project because I hoped that I could redirect the attention it might receive from visitors through a conservation lens. People will continue to visit Bird Rock without a prior search of the internet, but some might come here first and browse the site, and then proceed with a more cautious step and leave a smaller impact behind. The terrain
Tide changes  Because the area between the boulder shore and Bird Rock is fairly flat, the returning tide can rise very quickly. The relative flatness also requires a truly low tide for the pools to be revealed – a negative tide is best. A link to tide times in California can be found here (choose La Jolla - Scripps Institution Wharf). For an easy-to-understand explanation of what causes the tides on Earth and how they vary over the course of a month (including a handy animation), visit the Office of Naval Research website. For a more thorough explanation, visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. Finding Bird RockFollow this link to Mapquest which has been pinpointed on the intersection of La Jolla Blvd and Bird Rock Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037. Use the Find Directions To option from your location. The staircase leading to the shore is at the dead end of Bird Rock Avenue a few hundred yards west of La Jolla Boulevard.
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Uncovered by low tide, Bird Rock encompasses more than an acre of rocky tide pools. A paved staircase leads from the western end of Bird Rock Avenue down to the shore. Large boulders rest at the bottom of the adjacent cliffs and must be navigated carefully before flat ground is reached. That flat ground is made up of rock slabs covered mostly with non-slick algae. Breaks in the rock create the pools that hold water as the tide recedes and therefore provide habitat for a variety of organisms. Approximately fifty yards from the boulder shore, out towards the receded ocean, is the actual Bird Rock, a small ‘island’ surrounded by angled rock slabs as well as small rocks and boulders. An increase in slippery-when-wet algae will be found closer to Bird Rock so proceed with caution. Hours can be spent at Bird Rock covering only a small portion of the exposed area; there is much to see.