Tide times for Paihia

About tides at Paihia

Paihia sits in the sheltered water of the Bay of Islands, so the tidal range is modest and conditions are far gentler than the open coast. The tide still matters for launching at the boat ramp and for the shallow stretch in front of the beach, which dries out further than people expect on a big low. Most of the boat traffic to the islands works around high water.

Paihia has a semidiurnal tide, meaning two high tides and two low tides in roughly every 24 hours and 50 minutes. Because the lunar day is longer than the solar day, each tide arrives around 50 minutes later than the day before.

Tide heights are given in metres above chart datum, the level that soundings on nautical charts are measured from. Spring tides, with the largest range between high and low, follow the new and full moon. Neap tides, with the smallest range, follow the quarter moons.