Getting up close and personal with some intertidal algae at Point Pinos in Pacific Grove, CA! The first photo is turfweed, Endocladia muricata. This is a common red algae  that occurs high in the intertidal and provides refuge for many small animals. The next photo is of sea lettuce, Ulva spp. This is a very delicate, bright green algae that lives in the mid-intertidal. Finally, we have turkish towel, Chondracanthus exasperatus. This is also a red algae and is found in the low intertidal and also the subtidal. It is covered in small spiny papillae (little bumps) which make it look kind of like a towel!