Within the "rock pull" - Every visit to an intertidal area is an endeavor of epic proportions towards knowledge.

This sea anemone (Anthopleura biscayensis) welcomed a nightly macro photograph. Black and red are my favorite colors!

Neon! - In the Algarve, I found the fanciest european green crab (Carcinus maenas) I have ever laid my eyes on!
It is all about getting lost in the details of both discovery and biology.

Drifter - A weirldy shaped pelagic gooseneck barnacle (Lepas anatifera). 

It is not a common sight, as it dwells the open ocean, drifting while attached to whatever it can find.

In this case it was..... Rope?

Land ahoy matey! - The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), is capable of astounding feats along its many features.

Here, it displays the capacity of walking outside of water, from crack to crevice across the rocky coastline. Go get them!

Jelly blubber - This jellyfish (Catostylus tagi) inhabits the shores and estuaries of Portugal. This particular one had been mangled either by a natural predator or a boat propeller.

Anyway, it reached its destiny. My lens!

More marble than marble - As the title in bold suggests, the marbled crab (Pachygrapsus marmoratus), is a squared cutie pie that seems to be covered by marble.

Just one more time... Marble! (I like the word, it rolls easily down the tongue).

Woven into the rocks - The snakelocks anemone (Anemonia viridis), is mostly green, though the tip of its tentacles is purplish. A common sight in intertidal rock pools. 

Petting this species is a "touching experience", as the tentacles grab fingers ever so gently.

Depilatory what? - This is the strange looking depilatory sea hare (Aplysia depilans). Contrary to the ancient folklore, this species does not cause hair loss... 

The big ones can reach up to 1 kilogram!
This particular individual was photographed in the Marine Protected Area of Avencas, Portugal. 

Drifting - This is the legendary man-o'-war (Physalia physalis), and just like an iceberg, the majority of this creature-colony is underwater.

 It is not a jellyfish but a siphonophore, composed of several small individual organisms closely intertwined.

Nature is intriguing and epic!

Striders and lovers - Skating from pond surface to river surface, these are water-striders (Gerris sp).

They may not be "in love", but they are "lovers". Here seen performing a delicate ballet, worthy of the biggest World stages!

Tide hermit - The Portuguese coastline holds many shells, and those shells hold organisms such as the hermit crab (Clibanarius erythropus).  They swap shells for many reasons, such as: growth, protection, competitive advantage and confort.
The intertidal rock pools are its playground. And this time he had enough courage to show its true face!