Simple Tides / Guides / Charleston Tides

Charleston Tide Chart

Charleston has one of the biggest tidal ranges in the Southeast — a classic semidiurnal tide that floods the Lowcountry marsh twice a day and sets the rhythm for fishing, shrimping, and boating.

The pattern

Expect two highs and two lows daily with a range around five to six feet — big enough that docks, ramps, and marsh creeks transform completely between tides. The full and new moons bring the month’s biggest spring tides, flooding high into the spartina grass.

Redfish and the flood tide

The Lowcountry’s signature fishery is tailing redfish on the flood tide: as rising water floods the marsh grass, reds push in to feed with their tails waving above the surface — sight-fishing at its finest. Shrimpers work the creeks on the moving tides too. Time your trip to the top half of the incoming tide.

Harbor boating

Charleston Harbor’s inlets and the jetties run hard on the tide change — cross them with the current, not against it, and give the big ship channel room. For the wider coastline, see our Southeast Atlantic tide guide.