Last night I explained the basics of tides, but the shape of the coastline or the ocean also matter. As a result, the exact timing and height of the tides at any specific place is most accurately determined by observation, and thatís how the predictions in tide charts are determined.

In general, the difference between high and low tides along the Atlantic coast is six feet or less, but this range can be larger in bays and other narrow inlets. In the Bay of Fundy between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada, the tidal range sometimes exceeds 40 feet!

For exact times and heights of high and low tides for any coastal location in the United States, check out the following web site:

tidesonline.nos.noaa.gov