Shoal Cave

Shoal Cave 浅瀬の洞穴
Shoal Cave
"Wild Missingno. appeared!"
Shoal Cave ORAS.png
Map description: This cave's appearance changes greatly between high tide and low tide.
Location: Route 125
Region: Hoenn
Generations: III, VI
Hoenn Shoal Cave Map.png
Location of Shoal Cave in Hoenn.
Pokémon world locations

Shoal Cave (Japanese: 浅瀬の洞穴 Shoal Cave) is a location in Hoenn.

It is located north of Mossdeep City on Route 125, and is the only place in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald where wild Spheal and Snorunt can be encountered. Shoal Cave uniquely features a high tide and low tide mechanic, where certain areas are only reachable during a specific time of day. The overall area accessible during high tide is smaller than during low tide.

Due to the presence of an Ice Rock, Eevee can evolve into Glaceon on the lowest floor in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

Geography

 
Shoal Cave's exterior in Pokémon Emerald

Shoal Cave is a cave north of Mossdeep City. This cave was carved into the side of a rocky mountain rising from the ocean. At predetermined times of the day, every six hours, the tides rise or fall. During high tide, the cave floods, allowing the player to use Surf to access levels of terrain otherwise out of reach on foot. Conversely, during low tide, the receding waters allow the player to descend to levels that would otherwise be underwater, most notably the ice floor at the lowest level in the cave. This icy room contains the Never-Melt Ice, and can only be accessed if the player has Strength, or the Mach Bike in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Near the entrance to the icy area is a Black Belt who gives away a Focus Band.

In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire only, the Ice Rock is located in the icy room, which allows Eevee to evolve into Glaceon.

Tides

Once the player enters the cave, the tide will not reset until the player leaves the cave and attempts to re-enter.

Time                                              
12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Tide High tide Low tide High tide Low tide High tide


Obtaining the Shell Bell

Four Shoal Salts and four Shoal Shells are found in the Shoal Cave; the Shoal Salts are available during low tide and the Shoal Shells are available during high tide. If the player has four Shoal Salts and four Shoal Shells in their Bag, the player can give the materials to the old man in the first room to make a Shell Bell; the old man can make any number of Shell Bells, as long as the player provides the necessary materials each time. This is the only way to obtain Shoal Salts and Shoal Shells in the Generation III and VI games.

Immediately after crafting a Shell Bell for the player, the old man prompts the player to find the ingredients for another. However, the player must wait for the tide to change in order to gather the salts and shells again.

Items

Any time

Item Location Games
  Shell Bell Entrance room, from the old man near the entrance if brought four Shoal Salt and Shoal Shell  R  S  E  OR  AS 
  Slowbronite Entrance room, from the old man near the entrance after trading for Shell Bell for the first time  OR  AS 

High tide

Item Location Games
  Star Piece Entrance room, southwest (hidden)  OR  AS 
  Rare Candy Inner room, east of central ledge  R  S  E  OR  AS 
  Big Pearl Entrance room, northeast, accessible from southeast inner room  R  S  E  OR  AS 
  Shoal Shell ×4
  • Inner room, on ledge just north of the southern bridge
  • Inner room, on northwestern ledge
  • Inner room, on northeastern ledge
  • Inner room, on southeastern ledge
 R  S  E  OR  AS 

Low tide

Item Location Games
  Pearl Entrance room, north corner of the westmost accessible point (hidden)  OR  AS 
  Shoal Salt ×4
  • Stairs room, southeast corner
  • Lower room, top center
  • Inner room, outside western exit from lower room
  • Inner room, under the northern bridge
 R  S  E  OR  AS 
  Ice Heal Stairs room, east of the ladder  R  S  E  OR  AS 
  Focus Band Lower room, given by the Black Belt  R  S  E  OR  AS 
  TM79 (Frost Breath) Lower room, up muddy slopes (requires Mach Bike)  OR  AS 
  Never-Melt Ice Ice room, on the elevated floor  R  S  E  OR  AS 
  Glalitite Ice room, on the elevated floor  OR  AS 
  Ice Heal Ice room, west of the Glalitite (hidden)  OR  AS 
  TM07 (Hail) Ice room, near the ledge  R  S  E  OR  AS 

Rock Smash

Item Location Games
  Big Pearl Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Ether Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Hard Stone Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Heart Scale Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Max Ether Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Max Revive Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Normal Gem Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Pearl Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Revive Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Soft Sand Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 
  Star Piece Randomly found by smashing breakable rocks  OR  AS 

Pokémon

Generation III

Main cave

Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate
  Zubat
R S E
  Cave
26, 28, 30, 32 45%
  Golbat
R S E
  Cave
32 5%
  Spheal
R S E
  Cave
26, 28, 30, 32 50%
Surfing
  Tentacool
R S E
  Surfing
5-35 60%
  Zubat
R S E
  Surfing
5-35 30%
  Spheal
R S E
  Surfing
25-35 10%
Fishing
  Tentacool
R S E
  Fishing
Old Rod
5-10 30%
  Magikarp
R S E
  Fishing
Old Rod
5-10 70%
  Tentacool
R S E
  Fishing
Good Rod
10-30 20%
  Magikarp
R S E
  Fishing
Good Rod
10-30 60%
  Wailmer
R S E
  Fishing
Good Rod
10-30 20%
  Wailmer
R S E
  Fishing
Super Rod
20-45 100%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.


Ice room

Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate
  Zubat
R S E
  Cave
26, 28, 30 40%
  Golbat
R S E
  Cave
30, 32 5%
  Snorunt
R S E
  Cave
26, 28, 30 10%
  Spheal
R S E
  Cave
26, 28, 30, 32 45%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.


Generation VI

High tide

Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate
  Golbat
OR AS
  Cave
31-34 40%
  Spheal
OR AS
  Cave
31 20%
  Sealeo
OR AS
  Cave
32-34 40%
Horde Encounter
  Zubat
OR AS
  Horde Encounter
17 40%
  Spheal
OR AS
  Horde Encounter
17 60%
Exclusively as hidden Pokémon
After defeating or capturing Groudon/Kyogre
  Dewgong
OR AS
  Cave
34 ??%
  Delibird
OR AS
  Cave
34 ??%
  Cubchoo
OR AS
  Cave
34 ??%
Surfing
  Golbat
OR AS
  Surfing
25, 30, 35 35%
  Tentacool
OR AS
  Surfing
25 50%
  Tentacruel
OR AS
  Surfing
30 15%
Fishing
  Tentacool
OR AS
  Fishing
Old Rod
5 35%
  Magikarp
OR AS
  Fishing
Old Rod
10, 15 65%
  Tentacool
OR AS
  Fishing
Good Rod
25 35%
  Magikarp
OR AS
  Fishing
Good Rod
25 60%
  Wailmer
OR AS
  Fishing
Good Rod
25 5%
  Wailmer
OR AS
  Fishing
Super Rod
30, 35, 40 100%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.


Low tide

Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate
  Golbat
OR AS
  Cave
31-34 40%
  Snorunt
OR AS
  Cave
34 5%
  Spheal
OR AS
  Cave
31 20%
  Sealeo
OR AS
  Cave
32-34 35%
Horde Encounter
  Zubat
OR AS
  Horde Encounter
17 60%
  Spheal
OR AS
  Horde Encounter
17 40%
Exclusively as hidden Pokémon
After defeating or capturing Groudon/Kyogre
  Dewgong
OR AS
  Cave
34 ??%
  Delibird
OR AS
  Cave
34 ??%
  Cubchoo
OR AS
  Cave
34 ??%
Rock Smash
  Graveler
OR AS
  Rock Smash
31-34 100%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.


Ice room

Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate
  Golbat
OR AS
  Cave
31-34 20%
  Snorunt
OR AS
  Cave
31-34 40%
  Spheal
OR AS
  Cave
31 10%
  Sealeo
OR AS
  Cave
32-34 30%
Horde Encounter
  Zubat
OR AS
  Horde Encounter
17 60%
  Snorunt
OR AS
  Horde Encounter
17 5%
  Spheal
OR AS
  Horde Encounter
17 35%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.


Appearance

High tide

Game Entrance room Inner room
Ruby    
Sapphire
Emerald    
Omega Ruby    
Alpha Sapphire
 

Low tide

Game Entrance room Inner room Stairs room Lower room Ice room
Ruby          
Sapphire
Emerald          
Omega Ruby          
Alpha Sapphire
 

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 淺灘洞穴 Chíntāan Duhngyuht
Mandarin 淺灘洞穴 / 浅滩洞穴 Qiǎntān Dòngxuè / Qiǎntān Dòngxué
  French Grotte Tréfonds
  German Küstenhöhle
  Italian Grotta Ondosa
  Korean 여울의 동굴 Yeoul-yi Donggul
  Spanish Cueva Cardumen


Ice Rock locations


Hoenn
               
Settlements
Littleroot TownOldale TownPetalburg CityRustboro CityDewford TownSlateport CityMauville CityVerdanturf Town
Fallarbor TownLavaridge TownFortree CityLilycove CityMossdeep CitySootopolis CityPacifidlog TownEver Grande City
Battle FrontierBattle Resort
Routes
101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118
119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134Underwater
Landmarks
Petalburg WoodsRusturf TunnelIsland CaveGranite CaveAbandoned ShipSea MauvilleOceanic Museum
Seaside Cycling RoadTrick HouseMauville Game CornerNew MauvilleTrainer HillDesert RuinsMirage TowerFiery Path
Jagged PassMt. ChimneyDesert UnderpassMeteor FallsWeather InstituteScorched SlabAncient TombSafari ZoneMt. Pyre
Lilycove MuseumShoal CaveTeam Aqua Hideout • Team Magma Hideout (LilycoveJagged Pass) • Mossdeep Space CenterSeafloor Cavern
Cave of OriginMirage IslandSky PillarVictory RoadPokémon LeagueSealed ChamberArtisan CaveAltering CaveSouthern Island
Marine CaveTerra CaveContest HallBattle MaisonBattle TowerBattle TentSecret IsletSecret MeadowSecret Shore
Mirage spots

Mirage CavesMirage ForestsMirage IslandsMirage Mountains
Crescent IsleFabled CaveGnarled DenNameless CavernPathless PlainTrackless Forest

Access to
Birth IslandFaraway IslandNavel RockSky


  This article is part of Project Locations, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every location in the Pokémon world.