Shoal Cave

Shoal Cave 浅瀬の洞穴 Shoal Cave "Wild Missingno. appeared!"
Map description:	This cave's appearance changes greatly between high tide and low tide.
Location:	Route 125
Region:	Hoenn
Generations:	III, VI
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 Sinnoh Unova Kalos Alola Hisui Shoal CaveORAS • Route 217 • Twist Mountain • Frost Cavern • Mount Lanakila • Icepeak Cavern

Hoenn
Settlements Littleroot Town • Oldale Town • Petalburg City • Rustboro City • Dewford Town • Slateport City • Mauville City • Verdanturf Town Fallarbor Town • Lavaridge Town • Fortree City • Lilycove City • Mossdeep City • Sootopolis City • Pacifidlog Town • Ever Grande City Battle Frontier • Battle Resort Routes 101 • 102 • 103 • 104 • 105 • 106 • 107 • 108 • 109 • 110 • 111 • 112 • 113 • 114 • 115 • 116 • 117 • 118 119 • 120 • 121 • 122 • 123 • 124 • 125 • 126 • 127 • 128 • 129 • 130 • 131 • 132 • 133 • 134 • Underwater Landmarks Petalburg Woods • Rusturf Tunnel • Island Cave • Granite Cave • Abandoned Ship • Sea Mauville • Oceanic Museum Seaside Cycling Road • Trick House • Mauville Game Corner • New Mauville • Trainer Hill • Desert Ruins • Mirage Tower • Fiery Path Jagged Pass • Mt. Chimney • Desert Underpass • Meteor Falls • Weather Institute • Scorched Slab • Ancient Tomb • Safari Zone • Mt. Pyre Lilycove Museum • Shoal Cave • Team Aqua Hideout • Team Magma Hideout (Lilycove • Jagged Pass) • Mossdeep Space Center • Seafloor Cavern Cave of Origin • Mirage Island • Sky Pillar • Victory Road • Pokémon League • Sealed Chamber • Artisan Cave • Altering Cave • Southern Island Marine Cave • Terra Cave • Contest Hall • Battle Maison • Battle Tower • Battle Tent • Secret Islet • Secret Meadow • Secret Shore Mirage spots Mirage Caves • Mirage Forests • Mirage Islands • Mirage Mountains Crescent Isle • Fabled Cave • Gnarled Den • Nameless Cavern • Pathless Plain • Trackless Forest Access to Birth Island • Faraway Island • Navel Rock • Sky

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