Have you ever been snorkeling, seen a whole load of fish, get home, check your field / ID guides and can't remember a thing? Did the fish have a spot on it's fin or was it this shape or that shape? Well, Tidal Tao has just the solution for you, our new waterproof Fish and Invertebrate Identification Slates 

For beginner snorkelers or those that just enjoy a few hours in the water now and again, knowing what you are looking at when you see a cool fish or unusual slug can be rather frustrating. Especially with so much happening around you that remembering the details of one fish compared to the next can be virtually impossible. And this is exactly why Tidal Tao has developed a range of easy to use, compact, waterproof ID guides that you can take snorkeling with you! 

These ID Slates are printed using "supertack high grip vinyl" - ensuring they do not fade and remain in tact for many snorkeling sessions. They are printed double side and A5 in size (half the size of a normal sheet of printing paper) - each slate consists of a total of 36 different, more common species that you are likely to encounter when snorkeling in KwaZulu-Natal. There are some downsides to these waterproof slates in terms of not being able to gauge size / scale in the photos and limited information BUT for beginners, it's incredibly useful for knowing what the common fish are, getting to know the common families and then you're able to go home and get more information online or via various field guides. The slates also have a small hole in one corner allowing you to combine multiple slates together when underwater. 

More About The Slates 

The Fish ID Slate  The Fish ID slate consists of 18 species on each side (36 species in total) covering all the more common and abundant fish you're likely to encounter snorkeling in the shallow inter-tidal zone. This includes all your common Moray Eel species, Butterflyfish, Damsels and Wrasse. We do have almost 150 species that we know of from our tidal areas, so of course you are very likely to also see some species that are not included in the ID slates but you will certainly be able to identity most your more common species and families. We do have plans for a second edition that features even more species not included on this one.

The Invertebrate ID Slate This ID slate consists of 36 species of "other creatures" you're likely to encounter while snorkeling in the shallow inter-tidal zone in KwaZulu-Natal. The one side consists of 18 of the more common Nudibranchs, Flatworms and other "sea slugs" you're likely to see and the other side includes 18 species of the more common "invertebrates" including things like crabs, urchins, corals etc... with literally hundreds of invertebrates out there, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but certainly covers the most common possibilities.

For more information on how to order these slates (R120 each) please contact us by clicking here or you can purchase online and pay via EFT - Click Here 

Remember, even without the slates, you can still identify the more common fish species online here and the more common slugs and nudibranchs online here 

"In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught." - Baba Dioum