The highest tides of this winter (known as King Tides) are predicted on Friday & Saturday, January 20-21. These tides may be much higher than predicted due to the southerly winds and Eckman Transport, which piles water up along our coast. Please USE EXTREME CAUTION when viewing the King Tides! And remember to wear bright colors so drivers can see you. To get involved, all you need is a camera or a smartphone. Submit your photos to
Photo: Erosion along New Navy Base Road in Samoa dislodged a PG&E vault during the December 23-24 King Tides.
The tides are predicted to peak at the North Spit tide gage at 9:39 a.m. on January 20 and at 10:33 a.m. on January 21(check your favorite tide tables or NOAA’s tide predictions for various locations). Corresponding very low tides ("minus tides") mean excellent late-afternoon tidepooling in Trinidad!Be very cautious of rising water, eroding shorelines, and flooded roadways.By capturing images of these extreme high tides, scientists and planners hope to gain insight into how rising sea levels will impact coastal areas in the future. The King Tides Photo Initiative is a great opportunity to contribute to a long-term dataset, while helping inform residents and decisionmakers about the need to plan for the coming changes to our natural and built environments.Recommended locations to observe high tides include:
- Halvorsen Park and the F Street boardwalk in Eureka
- Eureka Slough behind Target: This site has a pole with water level measurements, and a sign showing current projections of sea level rise.
- Fisherman’s Statue on Woodley Island
- Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary
- Mad River Slough Bridge on Highway 255 in Manila
- Liscom Slough on Jackson Ranch Road in Arcata
- Fields Landing and King Salmon.
