Tidal pools are pockets of saltwater that exist in the intertidal zone — the area in which the ocean meets the land. They are formed due to the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun, as well as the centrifugal pull of the Earth as it turns, which draws the water in gentle waves around the globe. Tides vary around the world based on the contours of the land and are categorized into three different types determined by the shape of the coastline and location: (1) diurnal, where there is just one high and one low tide daily; (2) semi-diurnal, where there are two matching high and two matching low daily tides; and (3) mixed semi-diurnal, where the two high and two low daily tides are of varying heights. Tides are also categorized in two different ranges based on the orientation of the sun and the moon in relation to the Earth: spring tides, which are higher tidal ranges, and neap tides, which are lower tidal ranges.

As the tide rises, tidal pools disappear underneath the ...