Tide

Tide is the periodic rise and fall of sea level driven by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. Most coasts experience two highs and two lows per day, and the difference between them — the tidal range — can be anywhere from a few inches to more than thirty feet. Tide matters enormously to surfers because depth over the sandbar or reef determines whether a wave breaks, where it breaks, and how it breaks. Many spots only work on a specific stage of tide: a low tide reef that's dry at high, a high tide sandbar that's too deep at low, or a mid-tide sweet spot between the two. Swell Intel pairs every forecast with a tide chart so you can time your session to the optimal window.