The gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun causes tidal movement in the Earth’s oceans and seas.
On any specified tidal day, high tide is the highest of the high waters and low tide is the lowest of the low waters. Tides either rise or fall in the period between high and low tide. Mid-tide is the medium between high and low tide.
High tide generally occurs twice in a 24-hour period; however, this may vary for a location during any given week or month.
Tide can affect a variety of conditions and hazards in the surf zone, which the lifesaver should be aware of:
It is recommended that lifesavers are aware of tidal movements specific to their lifesaving service area. The SLS Beachsafe App allows you to look up the specific tide conditions at the beach you are heading to.
