바다가 물러설 때

The Sea Steps Back

Twice each day, the ocean pulls away from the rocky shore. This slow retreat is called low tide, and it uncovers hidden worlds. Scientists call these rocky pools the intertidal zone, a place of constant change. Maya climbed carefully over the slippery rocks with her net. In the pools left behind, small animals waited for the water to return. Each pool was a tiny ocean, trapped among cold gray stones. Life here must survive both crashing waves and the drying sun.

Life That Holds On

A gray shell clung to the rock like a tiny stone hat. It was a limpet, and it scraped algae with a rough tongue. Each limpet returns to the very same spot after it feeds. Nearby, barnacles waved feathery legs to catch bits of drifting food. When the tide is low, they seal their shells to stay wet. These small creatures grip the stone so the waves cannot tear them away.