Tide pooling in Delaware: 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 Delaware they come mostly in January to March. The next stretch of tide pool lows across the state is Dec 23–28. Dates, times and heights below come from NOAA predictions for 22 spots, worked out for the next 12 months.
Tide pools in every state · Delaware king tides
Tide pool season in Delaware
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 23–28 | Mon Dec 28 | 11 of 22 spots |
| Jan 5 | Tue Jan 5 | 7 of 22 spots |
| Jan 20–28 | Wed Jan 20 | 16 of 22 spots |
| Feb 5 | Fri Feb 5 | 8 of 22 spots |
| Feb 18–25 | Fri Feb 19 | 20 of 22 spots |
| Mar 20–24 | Sun Mar 21 | 21 of 22 spots |
| Jul 4–6 | Sun Jul 4 | 8 of 22 spots |
| Aug 2–4 | Mon Aug 2 | 8 of 22 spots |
Tide pool lows for your spot
Showing all 22 spots
| Spot | Next tide pool lows | Lowest |
|---|---|---|
| Brandywine Shoal Light | Nov 24–26 afternoons then Dec 22–26, Jan 20–25 | -0.3 ft Wed Nov 25, 3:10 PM 8 good days in the next 3 months |
| Lewes (Breakwater Harbor) | Nov 24–26 afternoons then Dec 22–26, Jan 20–25 | -0.4 ft Wed Nov 25, 2:55 PM 8 good days in the next 3 months |
| Mispillion River entrance | Nov 24–26 afternoons then Dec 22–25, Jan 20–24 | -0.4 ft Wed Nov 25, 3:45 PM 7 good days in the next 3 months |
| Murderkill River entrance | Nov 24–25 afternoons then Dec 22–25, Jan 20–24 | -0.3 ft Wed Nov 25, 4:06 PM 6 good days in the next 3 months |
| Mahon River entrance | Dec 23–24 afternoons then Jan 21–23, Feb 19–23 | -0.6 ft Thu Dec 24, 4:11 PM 2 good days in the next 3 months |
| Rosedale Beach, Indian River | Dec 23–24 afternoons then Jan 20–23, Feb 18–23 | -0.1 ft Thu Dec 24, 4:21 PM 2 good days in the next 3 months |
| Summit Bridge, Delaware | Dec 23 afternoon then Jan 5–7, Jan 20–22 | -0.2 ft Wed Dec 23, 4:17 PM 4 good days in the next 3 months |
| Woodland Beach, Del. | Dec 23 afternoon then Jan 5–7, Jan 20–22 | -0.3 ft Wed Dec 23, 3:59 PM 4 good days in the next 3 months |
| Rehoboth Beach | Dec 24–27 afternoons then Jan 21–26, Feb 19–24 | -0.7 ft Fri Dec 25, 2:46 PM 4 good days in the next 3 months |
| Indian River Inlet (Coast Guard Station) | Dec 25–26 afternoons then Jan 21–25, Feb 19–24 | -0.3 ft Sat Dec 26, 4:11 PM 2 good days in the next 3 months |
| Edgemoor, Del. | Dec 27–28 mornings then Jan 25–28, Feb 9 | -0.5 ft Sun Dec 27, 9:00 AM 2 good days in the next 3 months |
| Millside, RR. bridge | Dec 27–28 mornings then Jan 25–28, Feb 9 | -0.4 ft Sun Dec 27, 9:08 AM 2 good days in the next 3 months |
| New Castle, Delaware | Dec 27–28 mornings then Jan 5, Jan 20 | -0.4 ft Sun Dec 27, 8:29 AM 3 good days in the next 3 months |
| Taylors Bridge, Blackbird Creek, Del. | Dec 27–28 mornings then Jan 20, Jan 25–28 | -0.2 ft Sun Dec 27, 8:46 AM 2 good days in the next 3 months |
| Wilmington Marine Terminal | Dec 27–28 mornings then Jan 20, Jan 25–28 | -0.4 ft Sun Dec 27, 8:55 AM 2 good days in the next 3 months |
| Delaware City | Dec 28 morning then Jan 20–21, Jan 26–28 | -0.3 ft Mon Dec 28, 8:57 AM 1 good day in the next 3 months |
| Delaware City Branch Channel bridge | Dec 28 morning then Jan 5, Jan 20–21 | -0.3 ft Mon Dec 28, 8:49 AM 2 good days in the next 3 months |
| Leipsic, Leipsic River | Dec 28 morning then Jan 20, Jan 26–27 | -0.2 ft Mon Dec 28, 9:10 AM 1 good day in the next 3 months |
| Pea Patch Island, Bulkhead Shoal Channel, Del. | Dec 28 morning then Jan 5–6, Jan 20–21 | -0.3 ft Mon Dec 28, 8:44 AM 3 good days in the next 3 months |
| Reedy Point | Dec 28 morning then Jan 5–6, Jan 20–21 | -0.3 ft Mon Dec 28, 8:44 AM 3 good days in the next 3 months |
| St. Georges, Delaware | Dec 28 morning then Jan 5–6, Jan 20–21 | -0.3 ft Mon Dec 28, 8:27 AM 3 good days in the next 3 months |
| Little Assawoman Bay | Jan 13–14 mornings then Feb 5, Feb 11–12 | -0.2 ft Wed Jan 13, 8:33 AM 0 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.