Mossfern Gate 49°N · Pacific Rim, BC

West Coast Vancouver Island

Reading tides for this coast

Every planning suggestion on this site traces back to one thing: the tide. Here's how to read official predictions properly, and what the Coast Clock does and doesn't replace.

Reference station
Tofino, Fisheries & Oceans Canada
Datum
Chart datum, lowest normal tide
Tide type
Mixed semi-diurnal
Source
tides.gc.ca, official predictions

Stations, datums, and predictions

What a tide table actually tells you

Official Canadian tide predictions for this coast reference the Tofino station and are given relative to chart datum — roughly the lowest tide expected under average conditions, not sea level in any everyday sense. A predicted height of 0.5 m is genuinely low; a predicted 3.5 m or higher is a real high tide for this coast.

This coast experiences a mixed semi-diurnal tide, meaning two high and two low tides most days, usually of noticeably different heights from each other. Storm surge and low barometric pressure can push actual water levels well above the predicted line, which is exactly why official predictions are a starting point, not a guarantee.

Tide gauge or intertidal marker showing exposed shelf
The gap between predicted and actual tide height grows during storms and low pressure.

Keep exploring