Upcoming minus tides are good for beach hikes

Photo: View facing east towards Fort Worden State Park on a stormy day in March 2016. At right, layers of peat within the Whidbey Formation are exposed.

The best time for beach hiking is during low tide. And the best of the best low tides are called "minus tides." The next predicted minus low tide in May 2016 for Point Hudson in Port Townsend is Friday May 20 at 9:58 AM at -0.1 foot. As spring turns into summer, the low tides will get even lower. The lower the tide, the more area of beach is exposed and better access around points and headlands.

All tidetables are "predictions" - this is because local storms, high winds and barometric pressure affect the actual tide level on any given day.

Use the link below to look up predicted tides - or you can pick up a paper copy of a local tidetable in a marina or hardware store once you arrive at your destination.

After you click on the link, scroll down to the section called "Admiralty Inlet" (because that's where Port Townsend is). Then click the town or area closest to where you will be walking.

http://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/washingtonsites.html#defuca

There are two low tides and two high tides in every lunar day (24 hours 50 minutes). There are many, many days over the next few months with minus tides -- but the list below gives you the "lowest of the low" minus tides in the near future.

Lowest minus tides in May 2016:
Tuesday May 24 ** 12:11 pm ** -1.3 foot
Friday May 27 ** 2:21 pm ** -0.5 foot
Saturday May 28 ** 3:13 pm ** 0.2 foot
Sunday May 29 ** 4:09 pm ** 1.0 foot
Monday May 30 ** 6:18 am ** 3.4 foot (Memorial Day morning)
Monday May 30 ** 5:09 pm ** 1.9 foot (Memorial Day evening)

Lowest minus tides in June 2016:
Saturday June 4 ** 9:51 AM ** -2.3 foot
Sunday June 5 ** 10:34 AM ** -2.7 foot

Lowest minus tides for July 2016:
Saturday July 2 ** 8:50 AM ** -2.0 foot
Sunday July 3 ** 9:35 AM ** -2.4 foot
Monday July 4 ** 10:19 AM ** -2.6 foot
Tuesday July 5 ** 11:02 AM ** -2.4 foot

Saturday July 30 ** 7:46 AM ** -1.2 foot
Sunday July 31 ** 8:35 AM ** -1.7 foot

Lowest minus tides for August 2016:
Monday August 1** 9:21 AM ** -1.7 foot

Lowest minus tides for September 2016:
Wednesday September 21 ** 1:40 AM ** -0.3 foot
Thursday September 22 ** 2:36 AM ** -0.3 foot

Lowest minus tides for October 2016:
Wednesday October 19 ** 12:21 AM ** -1.5 foot


Links:
NOAA's Tides and Currents graphical tide prediction page:
http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions/NOAATidesFacade.jsp?Stationid=9444900
NOAA's Tide Prediction Help Page - guide to making your own tidetable:
 https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/PageHelp.html