Tides
The Naples Canals run under low bridges, so the tide decides whether a boat fits through. Here are the next seven days of high and low water for Alamitos Bay, and how to use them when you book.
Can I get into Naples today?
It depends on the tide. Low bridges cross the canals, and when the tide is too high for the Naples Canals, you may still travel around Naples Island, into Jellyfish Cove, Spinnaker Bay, Marina Pacifica and Mother’s Beach. Check the high and low times below, and if you are not sure about your day, call (562) 598-2628 before you book.
High and low water, next 7 days
Predicted by NOAA for its Long Beach Fire Boat Pier station (9410678), heights in feet above mean lower low water, times in Long Beach time. Predictions from Tue, Nov 3.
| Day | Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Nov 3 | 5:29 am | High | 4.8 ft |
| 11:14 am | Low | 2.2 ft | |
| 4:48 pm | High | 4.7 ft | |
| 11:23 pm | Low | 0.5 ft | |
| Wed, Nov 4 | 6:00 am | High | 5.2 ft |
| 12:09 pm | Low | 1.4 ft | |
| 5:55 pm | High | 4.6 ft | |
| Thu, Nov 5 | 12:01 am | Low | 0.7 ft |
| 6:29 am | High | 5.7 ft | |
| 12:56 pm | Low | 0.8 ft | |
| 6:51 pm | High | 4.6 ft | |
| Fri, Nov 6 | 12:35 am | Low | 1.0 ft |
| 6:57 am | High | 6.0 ft | |
| 1:38 pm | Low | 0.2 ft | |
| 7:40 pm | High | 4.4 ft | |
| Sat, Nov 7 | 1:05 am | Low | 1.4 ft |
| 7:25 am | High | 6.2 ft | |
| 2:18 pm | Low | -0.1 ft | |
| 8:26 pm | High | 4.3 ft | |
| Sun, Nov 8 | 1:34 am | Low | 1.7 ft |
| 7:52 am | High | 6.3 ft | |
| 2:55 pm | Low | -0.3 ft | |
| 9:09 pm | High | 4.1 ft | |
| Mon, Nov 9 | 2:01 am | Low | 2.0 ft |
| 8:19 am | High | 6.3 ft | |
| 3:30 pm | Low | -0.4 ft | |
| 9:52 pm | High | 3.9 ft |
How do you read the tide table?
Each row is a turning point in the tide: the moment the water stops rising (a high) or stops falling (a low). Between them, the water moves steadily up or down. There are usually two highs and two lows a day, and they arrive about 50 minutes later each day.
The height is in feet above mean lower low water, or MLLW: roughly the average of the lowest tide each day. A low tide near 0 feet is very low water; a high tide above 5 feet is high water. The bigger the number, the less room there is under the Naples bridges.
Which tide times matter for the canals?
The ones that overlap your rental. If a high tide falls in the middle of your time on the water, the canals may be off-limits for part of it. If your rental falls on a falling or low tide, the water is lower and the bridges have more room. Use the table to choose a start time that keeps you clear of the highest water, especially when a day’s high is one of the larger numbers in the week.
When the canals are closed, the rest of the bay stays open. You can still cruise around Naples Island and into the coves, so a high tide changes the route rather than canceling the trip.
Why this tide station?
NOAA publishes tide predictions for named stations. The nearest one in a straight line from the mouth of Alamitos Bay is inside Huntington Harbour, at a highway bridge, where the tide runs about an hour behind the open bay. The table uses NOAA's Long Beach Fire Boat Pier station (9410678), the nearest prediction station in the same water as Alamitos Bay, inside the federal breakwater. It is the closest match NOAA publishes, so expect small differences inside the bay and the canals.
What else affects the water on the day?
Wind and weather. The bay is sheltered, but a strong afternoon breeze can make the open water choppier, and weather that makes the bay unsafe moves rentals to another day. All sales are final. If weather closes the bay, we move your rental to another day.
The boats themselves are fully enclosed, so cool or gray weather is no reason to stay home.
How do you use this when you book?
- Decide whether the Naples Canals are a must for your trip.
- Look at the highs and lows for your day in the table above.
- Pick a start time that avoids the highest water, and book two hours if you want the canals and the open bay.
- If you are unsure, call (562) 598-2628 and ask about the canals on your date before you book.
For the light as well as the water, pair this page with the sunset times by month. Our plain-English tide guide explains the bridges in more detail, and the complete guide to renting a Duffy in Long Beach covers everything else, including prices.
