Rockpooling opens a world of wonder

IT is refreshing to discover that I haven’t lost my rock pooling skills and that the son, with whom I enjoyed so many hours of exploring the inter-tidal zone of our south-west coast, hasn’t forgotten the fish, their names, or the specialised habitat in which they can be found.

Neither of us have forgotten the thrill of trawling the pools with a small net or with our hands.

Indeed, kneeling by a shallow pool, I was somewhat chuffed to discover that while many of my contemporaries stay in the rocking chair, I was able to catch four small, slippery fish in my cupped hands, two Montagu’s blennies, with little topknots on their heads and two common or rockpool shannies.