Museum tide-pool tours show water and rocks to be teeming with life.

At the tide pools beneath the bluffs south of the Cabrillo Marine Museum, not all sea life readily meets the eye.

It’s easy to spot the strands of kelp and algae that undulate in the wave-fed pools. Or you may see a hermit crab using an empty snail shell for refuge. But you have to hunt for little sea worms. (They hide under the rocks.) And some of those bumps on the rocks aren’t rock at all. They’re barnacles that have cemented themselves to the surface.

Just poking around tide pools and taking in the sea air and ocean views is fun. But marine experts at the San Pedro museum say it’s a lot more enjoyable if you know what you’re looking for.

“With education, even people who have been there before notice a number of things they’ve never seen before,” said Steve Vogel, the museum’s education curator. “Maybe they’ve seen them, but they didn’t recognize them as anything but part of the rock.”

Tide-pool fanciers will be able to get a little of this education Sunday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. when the museum holds one of its Weekend Tide-Pool Walks, which often attract up to 100 people, from children to senior citizens. Museum staffers will present a talk and slide show on tide-pool life, then lead people on an exploration of the habitat area.

“They have a good time, and the staff is there to share what we find and interpret what others find,” Vogel said.

Registration isn’t required, but warm clothing is advised. Because of the rocky terrain, people should wear non-skid shoes. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.

The walks are given at low tide periods, and museum Director Susanne Miller said Sunday’s tide may be the lowest of the year. “Several more feet out from the shore will be exposed,” she said.

Even though the tide pools are heavily visited and sometimes marred by litter, Miller said they are “a good introduction to tide-pool life.” And unlike some pools that require rugged hiking to reach, these are a short walk from the museum. Visitors even pass the fossil head of a whale.

Located within the Point Fermin Marine Life Refuge, the tide pools support a variety of seaweed and animals that attach themselves to the rocks or find refuge beneath them. The area is home to mussels, sea stars, hermit crabs and sea hares, which are large sea slugs that look like snails without their shells.

There are barnacles that look like tiny volcanoes and others that Miller said “look a little like the neck and head of a goose.” The pools also have their own variety of fish, called sculpins.

The low tide also may provide glimpses of the southern kelp crab. “It’s the time of the year you see large aggregations of those crabs because they come into the area to breed,” Miller said.

Many tide-pool creatures are small, and Miller said visitors will benefit from the museum’s expertise. The animals are “subtle, and people . . . will benefit a lot from the talk and get a clue as to what to look for,” she said.

Tide-pool walks are part of the museum’s emphasis on giving people a direct experience with Southern California marine life. “We try to get people out there to become familiar with the animals in their natural habitat and develop an appreciation for caring for them,” Miller said.

The presentation before the walk will not only highlight tide-pool life but show people how to enjoy tide pools without disturbing them. According to the museum, animals should be touched gently but not picked up, and rocks should be lifted and replaced with care. People also should step cautiously because that crunch underfoot could be a barnacle.

“They’re especially instructed not to move these animals, as they are sensitive to their surroundings,” said Miller. Because marine life is protected in the refuge, nothing may be collected and taken home.

For some people, Vogel said, the museum walks are an introduction to “what is out there on the shoreline. The majority of people go to sandy beaches, and tide pools can be a new and unusual experience.”

What: Weekend Tide-Pool Walks.

When: Sunday, 1 to 2:30 p.m.; also Jan. 13.

Where: Cabrillo Marine Museum, 3720 Stephen White Drive, San Pedro.

Admission: $1; Beach Parking: $5.

Information: 548-7562.