Tide pooling in Alabama: best low tides
The best tide pool days are low tides that are among a spot's lowest of the year and fall in daylight. In Alabama they come mostly in December to February. The next stretch of tide pool lows across the state is Nov 24–28. Dates, times and heights below come from NOAA predictions for 23 spots, worked out for the next 12 months.
Tide pools in every state · Alabama king tides
Tide pool season in Alabama
Average number of good tide pool days per spot, month by month:
Best tide pool days statewide
| Dates | Best day | Spots with a good low that day |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 24–28 | Thu Nov 26 | 21 of 23 spots |
| Dec 9–12 | Thu Dec 10 | 9 of 23 spots |
| Dec 21–27 | Fri Dec 25 | 22 of 23 spots |
| Jan 4–10 | Wed Jan 6 | 16 of 23 spots |
| Jan 19–23 | Fri Jan 22 | 20 of 23 spots |
| Feb 2–5 | Thu Feb 4 | 16 of 23 spots |
| Feb 17–19 | Fri Feb 19 | 15 of 23 spots |
Tide pool lows for your spot
Showing all 23 spots
| Spot | Next tide pool lows | Lowest |
|---|---|---|
| Arnica Bay, Mill Point | Oct 27–30 afternoons then Nov 24–28, Dec 21–26 | -0.2 ft Thu Oct 29, 3:27 PM 15 good days in the next 3 months |
| Lower Bryant Landing | Oct 27–30 middays then Nov 23–27, Dec 21–26 | -0.6 ft Wed Oct 28, 1:36 PM 15 good days in the next 3 months |
| Alabama Point | Oct 28–30 middays then Nov 26–28, Dec 25 | -0.3 ft Thu Oct 29, 11:18 AM 7 good days in the next 3 months |
| Bon Secour, Bon Secour River | Nov 24–28 mornings then Dec 8–12, Dec 22–27 | -0.8 ft Thu Nov 26, 10:38 AM 20 good days in the next 3 months |
| Fly Creek, Mobile Bay | Nov 24–28 mornings then Dec 8–11, Dec 23–27 | -0.8 ft Thu Nov 26, 10:06 AM 18 good days in the next 3 months |
| Lower Hall Landing, Tensaw River | Nov 24–28 afternoons then Dec 8–12, Dec 21–27 | -0.7 ft Thu Nov 26, 3:00 PM 23 good days in the next 3 months |
| Meaher State Park, Mobile Bay | Nov 24–27 middays then Dec 21–26, Jan 3–7 | -0.6 ft Thu Nov 26, 12:26 PM 15 good days in the next 3 months |
| Mobile Point (Fort Morgan) | Nov 24–28 mornings then Dec 8–12, Dec 23–27 | -0.6 ft Thu Nov 26, 10:23 AM 18 good days in the next 3 months |
| Mobile, Mobile River (State Dock) | Nov 24–28 middays then Dec 8–12, Dec 21–27 | -0.8 ft Thu Nov 26, 11:55 AM 23 good days in the next 3 months |
| Point Clear, Mobile Bay | Nov 24–27 mornings then Dec 22–26, Jan 4–8 | -0.6 ft Wed Nov 25, 9:55 AM 14 good days in the next 3 months |
| Coast Guard Sector Mobile | Nov 25–28 middays then Dec 9–12, Dec 22–27 | -0.7 ft Fri Nov 27, 12:33 PM 19 good days in the next 3 months |
| Dauphin Island Hydro | Nov 25–27 mornings then Dec 23–27, Jan 6–8 | -0.6 ft Thu Nov 26, 10:31 AM 11 good days in the next 3 months |
| Dog River Bridge | Nov 25–28 middays then Dec 9–12, Dec 22–27 | -0.7 ft Thu Nov 26, 11:16 AM 19 good days in the next 3 months |
| East Fowl River, Hwy 193 Bridge | Nov 25–28 middays then Dec 10–12, Dec 22–27 | -0.7 ft Thu Nov 26, 11:09 AM 18 good days in the next 3 months |
| Weeks Bay | Nov 25–28 middays then Dec 22–27, Jan 5–9 | -0.6 ft Fri Nov 27, 11:55 AM 14 good days in the next 3 months |
| West Fowl River, Hwy 188 bridge | Nov 25–26 mornings then Dec 10, Dec 24–26 | -0.5 ft Thu Nov 26, 9:11 AM 6 good days in the next 3 months |
| William Brooks Park, Chichasaw Creek | Nov 25–28 middays then Dec 22–26, Jan 4–9 | -0.7 ft Thu Nov 26, 11:53 AM 14 good days in the next 3 months |
| Bayou LaBatre Bridge | Nov 26–27 mornings then Dec 11, Dec 25–26 | -0.6 ft Thu Nov 26, 8:24 AM 5 good days in the next 3 months |
| Dauphin Island | Nov 26–27 mornings then Dec 23–27, Jan 6–9 | -0.6 ft Thu Nov 26, 10:17 AM 10 good days in the next 3 months |
| Gulf State Park Pier | Nov 26–27 mornings then Dec 26, Jun 4 | -0.6 ft Thu Nov 26, 7:42 AM 3 good days in the next 3 months |
| Wolf Bay | Nov 26 midday then Dec 21–26, Jan 2–10 | -0.3 ft Thu Nov 26, 1:43 PM 14 good days in the next 3 months |
| Gulf Shores, Icww | Dec 22–27 mornings then Jan 4–9, Jan 20–23 | -0.7 ft Thu Dec 24, 10:38 AM 11 good days in the next 3 months |
| Bayou La Batre, Mississippi Sound | Dec 24–26 mornings then Jan 8, Jan 22–23 | -1.2 ft Thu Dec 24, 8:01 AM 4 good days in the next 3 months |
Tide pool tips
Arrive about an hour before low tide and head back as soon as the water turns.
Sneaker waves run far up rocky shores, especially on the Pacific. Never turn your back on the ocean.
Seaweed and barnacles are slippery and alive. Wear shoes with grip and step on bare rock or sand.
Touch gently with a wet finger, put rocks back as you found them, and leave animals and shells. Many tide pools are protected.
How these dates are worked out
For every spot we take NOAA's low tide predictions for the next 12 months. A low counts as a tide pool low when it's in that spot's lowest 10% and comes between an hour after sunrise and sunset, so there's light for the hour before it. Heights are feet above mean lower low water (MLLW), the zero on tide charts; below zero is a minus tide. Wind and swell can keep the water higher than predicted. Not for navigation.