Why Are Tides Important?
HiGH Tide
Hilton Head tides generally range between six and eight feet in change every six hours twelve and a half minutes.
Our tides are caused by mainly by the gravitational pull of the moon combined with geological features of the coast and certain weather conditions.
There are two high tides during each 24-hour period, and the time of each high tide advances about 50 minutes each day.
When the tide is high our beaches are nearly covered with the ocean and very little sand is exposed. It's best to visit the beach on low or falling tides.
For more information on tides visit Island Explorer.
Low Tide
Low tides occur twice per 24-hour period. During the low tide you will find wider beaches and lower water in the creeks, estuaries, and the Calibogue Sound.
As the tide falls from it's highest point, a current is created in the channels that can reach a speed of over 2 knots.
Plan your fishing trips, kayak excursions, swimming, and other activities to take into consideration the movement of the tide. Be careful at low tides of sand bars and submerged obstacles as you navigate your boat around Hilton Head.
The low tide exposes a number of features including the popular Vanishing Island™.
