Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Tide Information
You may find information on the following websites:
tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=Half+Moon+Bay%2C+California
www.tidelines.com
www.tides.info
www.tidelog.com
www.saltwatertides.com
www.noaa.gov
Reading the Charts
The charts are in Military time. Since the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is open from Sunset to Sundown, as a general rule avoid times earlier than 6am and later than 6pm.
Tides are measured in feet; therefore, a 2.0 tide means the water is 2 feet high.
It is best to visit the tide pools when the tide is 1.5 or below. A minus tide will have a larger window for sight seeing than a positive tide. You have more flexibility in the summer than in the winter. Winter weather and storms greatly affect the tides. In the summer, people can visit the tide pools even on a 2.0 ft. day. Spring/Summer tides tend to have a larger window than winter tides.
May and June generally have the best tides (lowest). To view marine life, a visitor has about 2 hours before the tide is at its lowest, and about 1.5 hours afterwards.