Reading a tide table before you go
By Ana Ruiz ·
The best tide pooling happens in a window of about two hours around a low tide. Miss the window and the pools are under a metre of water. Stay too long and the way back is gone.
Highs, lows and the hours between
Most coasts get two high and two low tides a day, about six hours apart. A tide table lists each one with a time and a height. The lower the number, the more of the shore is uncovered.
Plan around the low
Arrive an hour before the low and start back as soon as it passes. Check the time of sunset as well: the lowest tides of winter often fall in the dark.
Comments
Sam K. ·
The bit about sunset saved our trip last January. Thank you.
Priya ·
Does a negative number in the table mean the water drops below zero?