At low tide, the tidal pools are packed with hermit crabs, small starfish, and neon-colored anemones. Bring a snorkel mask — just 20 feet offshore, I saw a juvenile octopus and three species of wrasse. The dune trails behind the beach have posted QR codes that link to audio guides about local shorebirds. I finally learned to tell a sandpiper from a plover!
Yes, there's "seaweed" (seagrass wrack). It hosts dozens of insects and tiny crabs — which means shorebirds everywhere. A ranger-led walk explained that the rotting seaweed is actually a key dune nutrient source. Gross but fascinating.
No food stalls, no lifeguards after 4 PM, and the water is bracing (think 62°F / 17°C). Also, the "bathrooms" are composting toilets a 10-minute walk up the path.