Smith Island (Coast Guard Station) tide chart
Virginia · near Cape Charles (12 mi) · NOAA station 8631874 · times in local time (EDT)
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Tides today, Sunday, October 11
- Low 3:41 AM 0.0 ft
- High 9:18 AM 4.6 ft
- Low 4:19 PM 0.0 ft
- High 9:37 PM 3.8 ft
Were today's predicted times right where you were?
Sunrise 7:08 AM · Sunset 6:34 PM · New moon (0%)
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Fishing forecast
Hour by hour at Smith Island (Coast Guard Station)Best times
1:00 PM–2:00 PM and 6:00 PM–7:00 PM
New moon (0% lit)
Rain radar
Biting around here in October
- Striped bass In seasonSpring and fall runs; moving water at dawn and dusk
- Bluefish In seasonFast-moving tide and bait schools
- Tautog In seasonRocks, bridges and wrecks near slack tide
General seasonal guide for Mid-Atlantic. Seasons, sizes and limits vary, so check your state rules before keeping fish.
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Weather and conditions at Smith Island (Coast Guard Station)
Loading the National Weather Service forecast… Open it on weather.gov.
Marine forecast: Coastal waters from Parramore Island to Cape Charles Light VA out 20 NM
Loading the latest National Weather Service forecast… Open it on weather.gov.
- Water temperature —
- Nearest weather buoy Thimble Shoal, VA (240) (13 mi): waves, wind and water temperature
Marine radio: weather channels and VHF
NOAA Weather Radio
- 162.550 MHz WX1 KHB37, Norfolk, VA (37 mi)
- 162.525 MHz WX7 KJY99, Accomack, VA (53 mi)
To get alerts on a weather alert radio, program county code 051131 (Northampton).
VHF marine channels
- Ch 16 Distress, safety and calling
- Ch 9 Boater-to-boater calling
- Ch 22A Coast Guard safety broadcasts
- Ch 13 Bridge-to-bridge (big ships, drawbridges)
- Ch 68, 69, 71, 72, 78A Recreational chat
Weather radio broadcasts are continuous; VHF channels are the US standard. Local harbors and bridges may use others, so check your chart.
Live readings from NOAA and the National Weather Service, loaded when you open this page.
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Reports are from visitors and may be wrong. Inappropriate ones are removed.
Tide times this week
| Day | High and low tides | Sunrise / sunset | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Oct 11 | L 3:41 AM 0.0 ftH 9:18 AM 4.6 ftL 4:19 PM 0.0 ftH 9:37 PM 3.8 ft | 7:08 AM / 6:34 PM | New moon (0%) |
| Mon Oct 12 | L 4:18 AM 0.1 ftH 9:58 AM 4.6 ftL 5:01 PM 0.2 ftH 10:17 PM 3.6 ft | 7:09 AM / 6:32 PM | New moon (2%) |
| Tue Oct 13 | L 4:55 AM 0.3 ftH 10:39 AM 4.5 ftL 5:43 PM 0.5 ftH 10:57 PM 3.4 ft | 7:10 AM / 6:31 PM | Waxing crescent (6%) |
| Wed Oct 14 | L 5:34 AM 0.5 ftH 11:21 AM 4.3 ftL 6:27 PM 0.7 ftH 11:39 PM 3.2 ft | 7:11 AM / 6:29 PM | Waxing crescent (12%) |
| Thu Oct 15 | L 6:15 AM 0.7 ftH 12:05 PM 4.2 ftL 7:14 PM 1.0 ft | 7:12 AM / 6:28 PM | Waxing crescent (19%) |
| Fri Oct 16 | H 12:22 AM 3.0 ftL 7:00 AM 1.0 ftH 12:53 PM 4.0 ftL 8:05 PM 1.3 ft | 7:13 AM / 6:27 PM | Waxing crescent (28%) |
| Sat Oct 17 | H 1:10 AM 2.9 ftL 7:50 AM 1.2 ftH 1:45 PM 3.8 ftL 9:00 PM 1.5 ft | 7:14 AM / 6:25 PM | First quarter (38%) |
Tidal currents near Smith Island (Coast Guard Station)
From NOAA's current predictions for Cape Charles, off Wise Point at 5 ft depth, 3.4 miles away. Slack is when the current turns and the water is calmest; flood runs in with the rising tide and ebb runs out with the falling tide. Times are the peak of each run, in knots. The flood runs toward the NW (305°) and the ebb toward the ENE (75°). The strongest current this week is 1.2 knots.
| Day | Slack water and peak currents |
|---|---|
| Sun Oct 11 | Slack 12:40 AMEbb 4:36 AM 0.3 knSlack 6:23 AMFlood 9:52 AM 1.2 knSlack 1:47 PMEbb 5:26 PM 0.3 knSlack 7:55 PMFlood 10:09 PM 0.4 kn |
| Mon Oct 12 | Slack 1:03 AMEbb 5:10 AM 0.3 knSlack 6:58 AMFlood 10:32 AM 1.2 knSlack 2:36 PMEbb 6:12 PM 0.2 knSlack 8:44 PMFlood 10:44 PM 0.3 kn |
| Tue Oct 13 | Slack 1:26 AMEbb 5:46 AM 0.2 knSlack 7:37 AMFlood 11:14 AM 1.1 knSlack 3:24 PMEbb 6:59 PM 0.2 knSlack 9:32 PMFlood 11:24 PM 0.3 kn |
| Wed Oct 14 | Slack 1:55 AMEbb 6:27 AM 0.2 knSlack 8:19 AMFlood 11:56 AM 1.0 knSlack 4:10 PMEbb 7:46 PM 0.2 knSlack 10:17 PM |
| Thu Oct 15 | Flood 12:07 AM 0.2 knSlack 2:37 AMEbb 7:16 AM 0.2 knSlack 9:05 AMFlood 12:36 PM 0.9 knSlack 4:52 PMEbb 8:33 PM 0.1 knSlack 10:59 PM |
| Fri Oct 16 | Flood 12:52 AM 0.3 knSlack 3:36 AMEbb 8:13 AM 0.2 knSlack 9:55 AMFlood 1:16 PM 0.8 knSlack 5:30 PMEbb 9:20 PM 0.1 knSlack 11:40 PM |
| Sat Oct 17 | Flood 1:38 AM 0.3 knSlack 4:50 AMEbb 9:15 AM 0.1 knSlack 10:46 AMFlood 1:58 PM 0.7 knSlack 6:08 PMEbb 10:09 PM 0.1 kn |
Current predictions can differ a lot over short distances: check the station location on NOAA before planning a passage.
Best fishing times at Smith Island (Coast Guard Station)
The bite score (0 to 100) adds up what anglers watch most: moving water (a tide running harder than usual here scores higher), solunar periods (major periods of about two hours centred on the moon overhead or underfoot, minor periods of about an hour on moonrise and moonset), dawn and dusk light, and how close it is to the new or full moon. Best times are the stretches of the day scoring near that day's top.
| Day | Bite score | Best times | Major periods | Minor periods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Oct 11 | 96 · Excellent | 1:00 PM–2:00 PM, 6:00 PM–7:00 PM | 12:16 AM–2:16 AM, 12:38 PM–2:38 PM | 7:47 AM–8:47 AM, 6:22 PM–7:22 PM |
| Mon Oct 12 | 80 · Excellent | 2:00 PM–3:00 PM, 7:00 PM–8:00 PM | 1:01 AM–3:01 AM, 1:25 PM–3:25 PM | 8:50 AM–9:50 AM, 6:53 PM–7:53 PM |
| Tue Oct 13 | 63 · Good | 2:00 PM–4:00 PM, 2:00 AM–3:00 AM | 1:49 AM–3:49 AM, 2:13 PM–4:13 PM | 9:53 AM–10:53 AM, 7:28 PM–8:28 PM |
| Wed Oct 14 | 49 · Fair | 3:00 AM–4:00 AM, 3:00 PM–5:00 PM | 2:38 AM–4:38 AM, 3:03 PM–5:03 PM | 10:53 AM–11:53 AM, 8:09 PM–9:09 PM |
| Thu Oct 15 | 38 · Fair | 4:00 PM–5:00 PM | 3:28 AM–5:28 AM, 3:53 PM–5:53 PM | 11:49 AM–12:49 PM, 8:57 PM–9:57 PM |
| Fri Oct 16 | 39 · Fair | 5:00 PM–6:00 PM | 4:19 AM–6:19 AM, 4:44 PM–6:44 PM | 12:39 PM–1:39 PM, 9:51 PM–10:51 PM |
| Sat Oct 17 | 39 · Fair | 6:00 PM–7:00 PM | 5:09 AM–7:09 AM, 5:34 PM–7:34 PM | 1:22 PM–2:22 PM, 10:50 PM–11:50 PM |
A planning aid, not a guarantee. Wind, water clarity, bait and pressure changes matter too; the forecast above adds live wind and pressure when you open the page.
Best daylight low tides in the next two weeks
The lowest water that falls between sunrise and sunset, for tide pooling and beachcombing.
- 0.0 ft at 4:19 PM on Sunday, October 11
- 0.2 ft at 5:01 PM on Monday, October 12
- 0.2 ft at 2:17 PM on Saturday, October 24
- 0.5 ft at 5:43 PM on Tuesday, October 13
- 0.5 ft at 1:28 PM on Friday, October 23
- 0.7 ft at 6:27 PM on Wednesday, October 14
Tide table: October 11 to November 10, 2026
Full 2026 tide table Full 2027 tide table
| Day | High and low tides | Sunrise / sunset |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Oct 11 | L 3:41 AM 0.0 ftH 9:18 AM 4.6 ftL 4:19 PM 0.0 ftH 9:37 PM 3.8 ft | 7:08 AM / 6:34 PM |
| Mon Oct 12 | L 4:18 AM 0.1 ftH 9:58 AM 4.6 ftL 5:01 PM 0.2 ftH 10:17 PM 3.6 ft | 7:09 AM / 6:32 PM |
| Tue Oct 13 | L 4:55 AM 0.3 ftH 10:39 AM 4.5 ftL 5:43 PM 0.5 ftH 10:57 PM 3.4 ft | 7:10 AM / 6:31 PM |
| Wed Oct 14 | L 5:34 AM 0.5 ftH 11:21 AM 4.3 ftL 6:27 PM 0.7 ftH 11:39 PM 3.2 ft | 7:11 AM / 6:29 PM |
| Thu Oct 15 | L 6:15 AM 0.7 ftH 12:05 PM 4.2 ftL 7:14 PM 1.0 ft | 7:12 AM / 6:28 PM |
| Fri Oct 16 | H 12:22 AM 3.0 ftL 7:00 AM 1.0 ftH 12:53 PM 4.0 ftL 8:05 PM 1.3 ft | 7:13 AM / 6:27 PM |
| Sat Oct 17 | H 1:10 AM 2.9 ftL 7:50 AM 1.2 ftH 1:45 PM 3.8 ftL 9:00 PM 1.5 ft | 7:14 AM / 6:25 PM |
| Sun Oct 18 | H 2:04 AM 2.8 ftL 8:46 AM 1.3 ftH 2:42 PM 3.7 ftL 9:55 PM 1.5 ft | 7:15 AM / 6:24 PM |
| Mon Oct 19 | H 3:04 AM 2.8 ftL 9:45 AM 1.3 ftH 3:42 PM 3.7 ftL 10:47 PM 1.4 ft | 7:16 AM / 6:23 PM |
| Tue Oct 20 | H 4:07 AM 3.0 ftL 10:44 AM 1.2 ftH 4:38 PM 3.7 ftL 11:36 PM 1.2 ft | 7:16 AM / 6:21 PM |
| Wed Oct 21 | H 5:03 AM 3.2 ftL 11:41 AM 1.1 ftH 5:28 PM 3.9 ft | 7:17 AM / 6:20 PM |
| Thu Oct 22 | L 12:21 AM 1.0 ftH 5:52 AM 3.6 ftL 12:36 PM 0.8 ftH 6:14 PM 4.0 ft | 7:18 AM / 6:19 PM |
| Fri Oct 23 | L 1:04 AM 0.7 ftH 6:38 AM 4.0 ftL 1:28 PM 0.5 ftH 6:58 PM 4.0 ft | 7:19 AM / 6:18 PM |
| Sat Oct 24 | L 1:46 AM 0.4 ftH 7:22 AM 4.4 ftL 2:17 PM 0.2 ftH 7:42 PM 4.1 ft | 7:20 AM / 6:16 PM |
| Sun Oct 25 | L 2:27 AM 0.1 ftH 8:06 AM 4.8 ftL 3:06 PM 0.0 ftH 8:26 PM 4.0 ft | 7:21 AM / 6:15 PM |
| Mon Oct 26 | L 3:09 AM -0.1 ftH 8:51 AM 5.0 ftL 3:54 PM -0.1 ftH 9:12 PM 4.0 ft | 7:22 AM / 6:14 PM |
| Tue Oct 27 | L 3:53 AM -0.2 ftH 9:38 AM 5.2 ftL 4:43 PM -0.1 ftH 9:59 PM 3.8 ft | 7:23 AM / 6:13 PM |
| Wed Oct 28 | L 4:38 AM -0.3 ftH 10:28 AM 5.2 ftL 5:34 PM 0.0 ftH 10:48 PM 3.7 ft | 7:24 AM / 6:12 PM |
| Thu Oct 29 | L 5:27 AM -0.2 ftH 11:20 AM 5.1 ftL 6:29 PM 0.2 ftH 11:40 PM 3.5 ft | 7:25 AM / 6:11 PM |
| Fri Oct 30 | L 6:21 AM 0.0 ftH 12:14 PM 4.9 ftL 7:28 PM 0.4 ft | 7:26 AM / 6:09 PM |
| Sat Oct 31 | H 12:36 AM 3.3 ftL 7:20 AM 0.2 ftH 1:13 PM 4.6 ftL 8:31 PM 0.5 ft | 7:27 AM / 6:08 PM |
| Sun Nov 1 | H 1:37 AM 3.1 ftL 7:25 AM 0.4 ftH 1:17 PM 4.3 ftL 8:35 PM 0.6 ft | 6:28 AM / 5:07 PM |
| Mon Nov 2 | H 1:47 AM 3.1 ftL 8:34 AM 0.5 ftH 2:24 PM 4.1 ftL 9:37 PM 0.6 ft | 6:29 AM / 5:06 PM |
| Tue Nov 3 | H 3:00 AM 3.2 ftL 9:43 AM 0.5 ftH 3:31 PM 3.9 ftL 10:34 PM 0.5 ft | 6:30 AM / 5:05 PM |
| Wed Nov 4 | H 4:07 AM 3.5 ftL 10:51 AM 0.5 ftH 4:30 PM 3.8 ftL 11:26 PM 0.3 ft | 6:32 AM / 5:04 PM |
| Thu Nov 5 | H 5:03 AM 3.8 ftL 11:54 AM 0.4 ftH 5:21 PM 3.7 ft | 6:33 AM / 5:03 PM |
| Fri Nov 6 | L 12:11 AM 0.2 ftH 5:50 AM 4.0 ftL 12:49 PM 0.2 ftH 6:06 PM 3.6 ft | 6:34 AM / 5:02 PM |
| Sat Nov 7 | L 12:53 AM 0.1 ftH 6:33 AM 4.2 ftL 1:38 PM 0.1 ftH 6:48 PM 3.5 ft | 6:35 AM / 5:01 PM |
| Sun Nov 8 | L 1:32 AM 0.0 ftH 7:13 AM 4.4 ftL 2:21 PM 0.1 ftH 7:29 PM 3.4 ft | 6:36 AM / 5:00 PM |
| Mon Nov 9 | L 2:10 AM 0.0 ftH 7:53 AM 4.5 ftL 3:01 PM 0.2 ftH 8:09 PM 3.3 ft | 6:37 AM / 5:00 PM |
| Tue Nov 10 | L 2:47 AM 0.1 ftH 8:33 AM 4.4 ftL 3:40 PM 0.3 ftH 8:49 PM 3.2 ft | 6:38 AM / 4:59 PM |
Heights are in feet above mean lower low water (MLLW), the zero line on most US nautical charts. A minus height means the water drops below that line.
Around Smith Island (Coast Guard Station)
Beaches
- Smith Island Beach 1.8 mi
Boat ramps
- Boat ramp 2.1 mi
- Wise Point Boat Ramp 2.1 mi
- Boat ramp 5.2 mi
Fishing piers and docks
- Peregine Boardwalk 4.9 mi
- Osprey Boardwalk 5.2 mi
- Bald Eagle Boardwalk 5.3 mi
Distances from the tide station. Places from © OpenStreetMap contributors; links open in Google Maps.
Fish in the waters around Smith Island (Coast Guard Station)
40 kinds of fish, sharks and rays have been recorded within 15 km (about 9 miles) of this spot, most often Summer Flounder, Clearnose Skate, Butterfish. The bar shows how many records each has.
- Summer Flounder Paralichthys dentatusSalt water · 153 records
- Clearnose Skate Raja eglanteriaSalt water · 153 records
- Butterfish Peprilus triacanthusSalt water · 129 records
- Spot Croaker Leiostomus xanthurusSalt water · 112 records
- Weakfish Cynoscion regalisSalt water · 107 records
- Windowpane Scophthalmus aquosusSalt water · 91 records
- Cownose Ray Rhinoptera bonasusSalt water · 90 records
- Bay Anchovy Anchoa mitchilliSalt water · 86 records
- Broad-striped Anchovy Anchoa hepsetusSalt water · 84 records
- Porgy Stenotomus chrysopsSalt water · 76 records
- Northern Searobin Prionotus carolinusSalt water · 74 records
- Spiny Butterfly Ray Gymnura altavelaSalt water · 70 records
- Alewife Alosa pseudoharengusSalt water · 69 records
- Atlantic Croaker Micropogonias undulatusSalt water · 64 records
- Spotted Hake Urophycis regiaSalt water · 63 records
- Gulf Minkfish Menticirrhus saxatilisSalt water · 56 records
- Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrixSalt water · 56 records
- Northern Puffer Sphoeroides maculatusSalt water · 54 records
- Blueback Herring Alosa aestivalisSalt water · 50 records
- Spurdog Squalus acanthiasSalt water · 49 records
- Atlantic Thread Herring Opisthonema oglinumSalt water · 48 records
- Black Sea Bass Centropristis striataSalt water · 47 records
- Smooth Dogfish Mustelus canisSalt water · 46 records
- Bullnose Eagle Ray Myliobatis freminvilleiSalt water · 42 records
- Inshore Lizardfish Synodus foetensSalt water · 41 records
- Smooth Butterfly Ray Gymnura micruraSalt water · 36 records
- Atlantic Moonfish Selene setapinnisSalt water · 35 records
- Silver Croaker Bairdiella chrysouraSalt water · 35 records
- Striped Searobin Prionotus evolansSalt water · 35 records
- Hogchoker Trinectes maculatusSalt water · 33 records
- Blue Runner Caranx crysosSalt water · 32 records
- Striped Burrfish Chilomycterus schoepfiiSalt water · 30 records
- Pigfish Orthopristis chrysopteraSalt water · 28 records
- American Harvestfish Peprilus paruSalt water · 28 records
- American Halfbeak Hyporhamphus meekiSalt water · 27 records
- Pinfish Lagodon rhomboidesSalt water · 25 records
- Sheepshead Archosargus probatocephalusSalt water · 24 records
- American Shad Alosa sapidissimaSalt water · 24 records
- Sandbar Shark Carcharhinus plumbeusSalt water · 24 records
- Common Skate Leucoraja erinaceaSalt water · 24 records
Records from GBIF datasets released under CC0 or CC BY 4.0 (museum collections, surveys and community sightings). It shows what has been found here, not a complete list. Check your state rules before keeping fish.
About the tides at Smith Island (Coast Guard Station)
Smith Island (Coast Guard Station) gets two high tides and two low tides most days, but one high is clearly higher than the other (and one low clearly lower), which is called a mixed tide. Over the next month the water typically rises or falls about 3.4 ft between a high and the next low.
The biggest swings in this window come around Wednesday, October 28, when the day's range reaches 5.5 ft, and again around Sunday, October 11 (4.6 ft). Here the biggest ranges depend on the moon's phase and on how far north or south of the equator it is, so they don't always line up with the new and full moon. The calmest day is Monday, October 19, with only 2.4 ft between the day's highest and lowest water.
The lowest tide of the month is -0.3 ft at 4:38 AM on Wednesday, October 28. There are 10 minus tides (lows below the chart's zero line) in this window: the best times for tide pools, clamming and walking the flats.
The highest predicted tide is 5.2 ft at 10:28 AM on Wednesday, October 28. Onshore wind or a storm can push the real water level above that.
This is a subordinate station: NOAA calculates its times and heights by adjusting a nearby reference station, so expect them to be a few minutes or a few tenths of a foot off on any given day.
Station details
- NOAA station ID: 8631874
- Type: subordinate (adjusted from a reference station)
- Location: 37.1233, -75.9117
Reference station: Ocean City (Fishing Pier).
Nearby tide stations
- Fishermans Island 4 mi
- Kiptopeke Beach 5 mi
- Old Plantation Light 11 mi
- Cbbt, Chesapeake Channel 11 mi
- Cape Charles Harbor 11 mi
- Oyster Harbor 11 mi