The highest tides of the year are coming on January 10-12. Please join our King Tide Photo Initiative to help document rising sea levels around Humboldt Bay!

Baykeeper volunteers have been documenting King Tides since 2011. To get involved, all you need is a camera or a smartphone and submit your photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Be very cautious of rising water, eroding shorelines, and flooded roadways.

Photo: Jackson Ranch Road in the Arcata Bottoms, Dec. 13, 2012 (Ted Halstead).

At the North Spit, high tides will peak at 10:45 a.m. on Jan. 10, at 11:25 a.m. on Jan. 11, and 12:12 p.m. on Jan. 12. These King Tides are predicted to reach 8.1-8.25’ at the North Spit, but could be higher depending on rainfall, atmospheric pressure, and wind. 

By capturing images of these extreme high tides, scientists and planners hope to gain insight into how rising sea levels will impact coastal areas in the future. The King Tides Photo Initiative is a great opportunity for Citizen Scientists to contribute to a long-term dataset, while helping inform residents and decisionmakers about the need to plan for the coming changes to our natural and built environments.

Recommended locations to observe high tides include:

  • Halvorsen Park and the F Street boardwalk in Eureka 

  • Fisherman’s Statue on Woodley Island

  • Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary

  • Mad River Slough Bridge on Highway 255 in Manila

  • Liscom Slough on Jackson Ranch Road in Arcata

  • Eureka Slough behind Target

  • Fields Landing and King Salmon. 

 

The tides in these locations vary in both height and peak time: Check NOAA’s tide predictions for various locations. 

You can check out past King Tides Photos on our Humboldt Bay King Tides Photo album.