Descending the slopes of Cabrillo National Monument, sandstone cliffs drop off into intertidal habitat that characterizes the western shore of the monument. The intertidal zone is where the land and sea merge. Here marine plants and animals are submerged during high tide and exposed to the sun and wind on the rocky reef during low tide. This ocean environment supports a tremendous diversity of life. The splash zone, closest to shore, and the upper intertidal zone are mostly found on the sandstone cliff faces in the tidepools here. Calling these zones home are many small invertebrates, such as periwinkle snails, lined shore crabs, acorn barnacles, troglodyte chitons, and various limpets.
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