Saltern Cove

Along the lower shore the coarse grained rocks are partly covered by brown seaweeds such as Flat wrack (Fucus spiralis) and Knotted wrack Ascophyllum nodosum, while pools and crevices in the rocks provide shelter for a wide variety of algal species, such as the red seaweed Corallina officinalis.

Animals include the Snakelocks anemone Anemonia viridis, the Spotted goby Gobius ruthensparri, Periwinkles Littorina spp.

At low tide, sandy areas are exposed between the rocks and these support a fauna characteristic of sediment shores including Common starfish Asterias rubens and burrowing animals such as the Razor shell Ensis arcuata, the Thin tellin Tellina fabula and the Sea potato Echinocardium cordatum.

At the back of the beach, these rock forms are found again, but here including tuff lenses and pale green reduction bands.

[2] As Saltern Cove lies between the major tourist beaches at Goodrington and Broadsands, there is continual disruption to the site due to rockpooling and collecting.