King Tides Home | King Tides Photo Gallery | About King Tides | Educator Resources
The next King Tides arrive:
NOVEMBER 15-16, 2020
DECEMBER 13-15, 2020
North of Point Conception ONLY: JANUARY 11-12, 2021 *
Use your smart phone or digital camera to participate in the Project by taking and uploading photos of king tides through the King Tides Photo Upload form. Start by choosing where you'll go to take your photos and then look at the tide map below to find out what time and how high your king tides will be. Take your photos as near to high tide time as you can. Your photos will be displayed on an interactive map. (If you'd like to share a video clip of king tides, please email kingtides@coastal.ca.gov.)
* LEARN HOW TO UPLOAD YOUR KING TIDES PHOTOS *
The most important thing to remember is to be safe! Take extra precautions when you walk on slippery areas or near big waves, and always be conscious of your surroundings and the weather conditions. Don't turn your back on the ocean! Please be aware that shore birds may be taking refuge in areas above the tide line - don't flush them out in the process of getting your shot.
Some of the most powerful images are taken in areas that are subject to flooding and erosion, and of places where high water levels can be gauged against familiar landmarks (such as cliffs, rocks, roads, buildings, bridge supports, sea walls, staircases, and piers).
In addition to uploading your photos, you can also share them on social media using #kingtides. We'll be liking and sharing your posts throughout the King Tides season.
2020/2021 King Tides heights and times:
If you have trouble viewing this map, open it in a separate window. You can also check NOAA's Tides & Currents webpage directly.
You can either upload photos via a web browser or with the free Survey123 app.
Be sure to have your phone's location services ON when you're taking your King Tides photos! If using
a digital camera, please note exactly where you are so you can mark your photo location on the map when
you upload it.
You can download a PDF of the instructions below, including
screenshots of the app.
To use the app:
To Use the App Offline:
To upload photos via a web browser:
There is an additional, particularly high tide north of Point Conception (southwest Santa Barbara County) due to a combination of astronomical influences such as the relative tilt of the Earth's rotation with respect to the Sun and seasonal influences on water level such as temperature and wind that differ in Southern California as compared to Northern California over the course of the year.