Minus tides at Woods Hole
The lowest predicted waters at Woods Hole, through 2030. The days each year when the sea goes furthest out.
What a minus tide is
Tide heights are measured from a datum — here MLLW — which is roughly the average of the lower low waters. Most low tides sit a little above it. A few times a year one falls below, and the height is printed as a negative number: a minus tide.
They happen on the same days as the king tides, and for the same reason. When the sun and moon pull together the water comes up further than usual, and it also goes out further than usual. The big high and the big low are six hours apart on the same day.
A foot below datum does not sound like much. On a shallow shore it can mean a few hundred yards of ground uncovered that nobody sees the rest of the year.
What to do at low water at Woods Hole
The sound side has a small range, so a minus tide here uncovers less than the bay side does — two or three feet rather than ten. What it does open up are the shellfish flats behind the barrier beaches at Harwich, Dennis Port and Falmouth.
Scalloping in the ponds is a Cape tradition with a short season and town licences. Check the current rules before collecting anything.
Minus tides still to come
22–26 December 2026
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 22 DecTue | 12:00 am | -0.15 ft |
| 22 DecTue | 1:54 pm | -0.33 ft |
| 23 DecWed | 1:00 am | -0.26 ft |
| 23 DecWed | 2:48 pm | -0.46 ft |
| 24 DecThu | 2:00 am | -0.36 ft |
| 24 DecThu | 3:36 pm | -0.53 ft |
| 25 DecFri | 3:00 am | -0.40 ft |
| 25 DecFri | 4:30 pm | -0.53 ft |
| 26 DecSat | 4:00 am | -0.35 ft |
| 26 DecSat | 5:24 pm | -0.48 ft |
20–24 January 2027
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 20 JanWed | 1:37 pm | -0.43 ft |
| 21 JanThu | 12:50 am | -0.45 ft |
| 21 JanThu | 2:29 pm | -0.57 ft |
| 22 JanFri | 1:57 am | -0.54 ft |
| 22 JanFri | 3:16 pm | -0.65 ft |
| 23 JanSat | 2:56 am | -0.58 ft |
| 23 JanSat | 4:01 pm | -0.65 ft |
| 24 JanSun | 3:52 am | -0.52 ft |
| 24 JanSun | 4:48 pm | -0.57 ft |
18–22 February 2027
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 18 FebThu | 1:16 pm | -0.45 ft |
| 19 FebFri | 12:52 am | -0.47 ft |
| 19 FebFri | 2:07 pm | -0.55 ft |
| 20 FebSat | 1:58 am | -0.56 ft |
| 20 FebSat | 2:52 pm | -0.60 ft |
| 21 FebSun | 2:55 am | -0.60 ft |
| 21 FebSun | 3:34 pm | -0.57 ft |
| 22 FebMon | 3:48 am | -0.56 ft |
| 22 FebMon | 4:14 pm | -0.45 ft |
20–24 March 2027
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 20 MarSat | 1:59 am | -0.36 ft |
| 20 MarSat | 2:39 pm | -0.40 ft |
| 21 MarSun | 3:01 am | -0.44 ft |
| 21 MarSun | 3:24 pm | -0.38 ft |
| 22 MarMon | 3:54 am | -0.49 ft |
| 22 MarMon | 4:03 pm | -0.30 ft |
| 23 MarTue | 4:42 am | -0.46 ft |
| 23 MarTue | 4:38 pm | -0.16 ft |
| 24 MarWed | 5:32 am | -0.36 ft |
| 24 MarWed | 5:09 pm | 0.02 ft |
11–15 January 2028
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 11 JanTue | 12:57 am | -0.33 ft |
| 11 JanTue | 2:41 pm | -0.43 ft |
| 12 JanWed | 2:01 am | -0.44 ft |
| 12 JanWed | 3:27 pm | -0.53 ft |
| 13 JanThu | 3:00 am | -0.50 ft |
| 13 JanThu | 4:13 pm | -0.57 ft |
| 14 JanFri | 3:58 am | -0.46 ft |
| 14 JanFri | 5:02 pm | -0.54 ft |
| 15 JanSat | 5:02 am | -0.35 ft |
| 15 JanSat | 5:56 pm | -0.46 ft |
9–13 February 2028
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 9 FebWed | 12:50 am | -0.48 ft |
| 9 FebWed | 2:16 pm | -0.53 ft |
| 10 FebThu | 1:57 am | -0.60 ft |
| 10 FebThu | 3:01 pm | -0.63 ft |
| 11 FebFri | 2:57 am | -0.66 ft |
| 11 FebFri | 3:45 pm | -0.65 ft |
| 12 FebSat | 3:54 am | -0.64 ft |
| 12 FebSat | 4:30 pm | -0.58 ft |
| 13 FebSun | 4:56 am | -0.53 ft |
| 13 FebSun | 5:21 pm | -0.44 ft |
9–13 March 2028
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 9 MarThu | 12:49 am | -0.47 ft |
| 9 MarThu | 1:46 pm | -0.49 ft |
| 10 MarFri | 1:57 am | -0.60 ft |
| 10 MarFri | 2:32 pm | -0.55 ft |
| 11 MarSat | 2:56 am | -0.68 ft |
| 11 MarSat | 3:15 pm | -0.54 ft |
| 12 MarSun | 4:50 am | -0.67 ft |
| 12 MarSun | 4:59 pm | -0.43 ft |
| 13 MarMon | 5:48 am | -0.57 ft |
| 13 MarMon | 5:46 pm | -0.26 ft |
28 February – 4 March 2029
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 28 FebWed | 2:00 am | -0.54 ft |
| 28 FebWed | 2:42 pm | -0.51 ft |
| 1 MarThu | 3:00 am | -0.64 ft |
| 1 MarThu | 3:30 pm | -0.54 ft |
| 2 MarFri | 3:54 am | -0.65 ft |
| 2 MarFri | 4:12 pm | -0.49 ft |
| 3 MarSat | 5:00 am | -0.57 ft |
| 3 MarSat | 5:06 pm | -0.37 ft |
| 4 MarSun | 6:06 am | -0.46 ft |
| 4 MarSun | 6:06 pm | -0.23 ft |
29 March – 2 April 2029
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 29 MarThu | 3:00 am | -0.54 ft |
| 29 MarThu | 3:12 pm | -0.41 ft |
| 30 MarFri | 3:54 am | -0.65 ft |
| 30 MarFri | 4:00 pm | -0.43 ft |
| 31 MarSat | 4:48 am | -0.67 ft |
| 31 MarSat | 4:48 pm | -0.36 ft |
| 1 AprSun | 5:48 am | -0.60 ft |
| 1 AprSun | 5:36 pm | -0.23 ft |
| 2 AprMon | 6:54 am | -0.47 ft |
| 2 AprMon | 6:42 pm | -0.08 ft |
27 April – 1 May 2029
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 27 AprFri | 2:54 am | -0.45 ft |
| 27 AprFri | 2:42 pm | -0.24 ft |
| 28 AprSat | 3:54 am | -0.56 ft |
| 28 AprSat | 3:36 pm | -0.24 ft |
| 29 AprSun | 4:42 am | -0.58 ft |
| 29 AprSun | 4:24 pm | -0.18 ft |
| 30 AprMon | 5:42 am | -0.51 ft |
| 30 AprMon | 5:18 pm | -0.07 ft |
| 1 MayTue | 6:36 am | -0.38 ft |
| 1 MayTue | 6:24 pm | 0.08 ft |
19–23 March 2030
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 19 MarTue | 3:08 am | -0.41 ft |
| 19 MarTue | 3:29 pm | -0.31 ft |
| 20 MarWed | 4:03 am | -0.52 ft |
| 20 MarWed | 4:13 pm | -0.35 ft |
| 21 MarThu | 4:57 am | -0.55 ft |
| 21 MarThu | 4:58 pm | -0.32 ft |
| 22 MarFri | 5:56 am | -0.50 ft |
| 22 MarFri | 5:50 pm | -0.24 ft |
| 23 MarSat | 7:03 am | -0.41 ft |
| 23 MarSat | 6:53 pm | -0.13 ft |
17–21 April 2030
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 17 AprWed | 3:00 am | -0.40 ft |
| 17 AprWed | 2:55 pm | -0.23 ft |
| 18 AprThu | 3:57 am | -0.53 ft |
| 18 AprThu | 3:46 pm | -0.27 ft |
| 19 AprFri | 4:50 am | -0.57 ft |
| 19 AprFri | 4:36 pm | -0.26 ft |
| 20 AprSat | 5:48 am | -0.53 ft |
| 20 AprSat | 5:31 pm | -0.18 ft |
| 21 AprSun | 6:51 am | -0.44 ft |
| 21 AprSun | 6:38 pm | -0.06 ft |
23–27 December 2030
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 23 DecMon | 12:33 am | -0.30 ft |
| 23 DecMon | 2:08 pm | -0.43 ft |
| 24 DecTue | 1:37 am | -0.40 ft |
| 24 DecTue | 3:00 pm | -0.54 ft |
| 25 DecWed | 2:37 am | -0.46 ft |
| 25 DecWed | 3:49 pm | -0.58 ft |
| 26 DecThu | 3:33 am | -0.44 ft |
| 26 DecThu | 4:40 pm | -0.54 ft |
| 27 DecFri | 4:32 am | -0.34 ft |
| 27 DecFri | 5:35 pm | -0.45 ft |
Minus tides already past
31 December – 2 January 2026
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 31 DecWed | 11:54 pm | -0.22 ft |
| 1 JanThu | 1:42 pm | -0.43 ft |
| 2 JanFri | 12:54 am | -0.29 ft |
| 2 JanFri | 2:36 pm | -0.53 ft |
1–5 January 2026
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 1 JanThu | 1:42 pm | -0.43 ft |
| 2 JanFri | 12:54 am | -0.29 ft |
| 2 JanFri | 2:36 pm | -0.53 ft |
| 3 JanSat | 2:00 am | -0.35 ft |
| 3 JanSat | 3:24 pm | -0.56 ft |
| 4 JanSun | 2:54 am | -0.37 ft |
| 4 JanSun | 4:12 pm | -0.53 ft |
| 5 JanMon | 3:48 am | -0.30 ft |
| 5 JanMon | 5:06 pm | -0.43 ft |
30 January – 3 February 2026
| Date | Low water | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 30 JanFri | 1:30 pm | -0.44 ft |
| 31 JanSat | 1:00 am | -0.35 ft |
| 31 JanSat | 2:24 pm | -0.52 ft |
| 1 FebSun | 2:06 am | -0.41 ft |
| 1 FebSun | 3:06 pm | -0.54 ft |
| 2 FebMon | 2:54 am | -0.43 ft |
| 2 FebMon | 3:48 pm | -0.50 ft |
| 3 FebTue | 3:42 am | -0.36 ft |
| 3 FebTue | 4:30 pm | -0.38 ft |
Going out safely
The water comes back. Work out when the tide turns before you walk out to anything, and allow more time than the return trip took — a rising tide fills channels behind you before it reaches where you are standing.
Wet rock is slippery, and what is exposed at a minus tide has been underwater long enough to be covered in weed. Anything living out there is usually protected by state or local rules; look it up before taking any of it home.