St Mary's Bay tides today
- Tide now 4.1 ft ↓ falling · low 7:51 am (3.1 ft)
- Best time to fish 6:50–7:30 am average day · 6/10
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 0/10
- Waves · water 1.2 ft · 58 °F smooth · 7.3 s from the west-southwest
- Wind · air 3 mph · 54 °F from the W, gusts 4 · fog
- Sun 6:43 am–4:36 pm 9 h 53 min of daylight
- Moon 85% · 6:21 pm waning gibbous · rises at 6:21 pm
- Best time to dive 1:30–2:20 pm great day · 9/10
Today in St Mary's Bay there are high tides at 12:12 am (22.0 ft) and 12:29 pm (22.2 ft) and low tides at 7:51 am and 8:12 pm. Tide coefficient 90. Right now the tide is falling toward the low tide at 7:51 am. The sun rises at 6:43 am and sets at 4:36 pm: 9 h 53 min of daylight. The moon is 85% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 6:21 pm. Major solunar periods run from 1:21 am to 3:21 am and from 1:54 pm to 3:54 pm. The next spring tides arrive from November 9 to 11. The sea is smooth, with 1.2 ft waves. There's a light air from the west (3 mph). Fog, 54 °F.
Fishing in St Mary's Bay today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- Low tide at 7:51 am
- Sunrise at 6:43 am
- Rising pressure (+0.10 inHg in 24 h), almost no wind and calm sea (1.2 ft waves)
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 90 (spring tides)
- A major period lines up with sunset
Your day at a glance
The best window, 6:50 am to 7:30 am, combines the 7:51 am low tide and sunrise, though with rising pressure. Also good from 7:10 pm to 9:10 pm, with the 8:12 pm low tide and a light onshore breeze.
Species with the most records nearby: European plaice, common sole, small-spotted catshark and whiting. October is one of the months when these are seen most: whiting and thornback ray. What you can catch
Beach day in St Mary's Bay
Is it a beach day?
- Offshore breeze (5 mph)
- Calm for swimming: 1.2 ft waves
- Low tide at 7:51 am: more sand
- Fog
- Feels like 58 °F: chilly for the beach
- Water at 58 °F (very cold)
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Calm · 1.2 ft
1.2 ft waves: calm for swimming. Low rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 58 °F
Very cold: ease in and keep swims short.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 1 · SPF 15
Max UV 1 (low): SPF 15 sunscreen.
- Wind 5 mph
Offshore breeze (5 mph).
- Tide & sand 7:51 am
Low tide at 7:51 am and 8:12 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 12:12 am and 12:29 pm.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near St Mary's Bay
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- St Mary's Bay 0.2 mi · E
- Parking
Sufficient water quality 2025 season, Environment Agency
- Dymchurch Beach 1.3 mi · NE
- Restrooms
- Parking
Poor water quality 2025 season, Environment Agency
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
UK bathing water quality: Environment Agency. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full attribution.
Webcams near St Mary's Bay
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in St Mary's Bay
Today's high and low tides
- ▲ High tide 12:12 am 22.0 ft · coef. 90
- ▼ Next low tide 7:51 am 3.1 ft
- ▲ High tide 12:29 pm 22.2 ft · coef. 88
- ▼ Low tide 8:12 pm 3.1 ft
↓ Falling The tide is falling. 1 h 3 min to low tide at 7:51 am.
Tide coefficient 90 for the 12:12 am high tide and 88 for the 12:29 pm high tide. Spring tides. The water rises and falls 19.2 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on September 29 (22.8 ft) and the lowest, on March 21 (1.5 ft).
Semidiurnal: two high and two low tides a day, of similar height.
Heights above chart datum: the lowest astronomical tide (LAT), the zero of nautical charts in Europe. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (LAT)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 9 to 12 (coefficient 91, 20.1 ft range). The smallest, on October 20 (coefficient 36, 7.9 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 6:43 am · 4:36 pm | High tide 12:12 am · 22.0 ft | Low tide 7:51 am · 3.1 ft | High tide 12:29 pm · 22.2 ft | Low tide 8:12 pm · 3.1 ft | Coef. 90 | 85% | Major periods 1:21 am · 1:54 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 6:45 am · 4:34 pm | High tide 12:54 am · 21.6 ft | Low tide 8:30 am · 3.4 ft | High tide 1:14 pm · 21.5 ft | Low tide 8:51 pm · 3.8 ft | Coef. 86 | 76% | Major periods 2:26 am · 2:58 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 6:46 am · 4:32 pm | High tide 1:45 am · 20.9 ft | Low tide 9:15 am · 4.0 ft | High tide 2:11 pm · 20.5 ft | Low tide 9:38 pm · 4.8 ft | Coef. 79 | 65% | Major periods 3:29 am · 3:59 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 6:48 am · 4:30 pm | High tide 2:48 am · 19.9 ft | Low tide 10:09 am · 4.9 ft | High tide 3:22 pm · 19.4 ft | Low tide 10:36 pm · 5.9 ft | Coef. 70 | Last quarter | Major periods 4:28 am · 4:55 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 6:50 am · 4:29 pm | High tide 4:02 am · 19.0 ft | Low tide 11:17 am · 5.7 ft | High tide 4:41 pm · 18.5 ft | Low tide 11:53 pm · 6.7 ft | Coef. 60 | 43% | Major periods 5:22 am · 5:47 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 6:52 am · 4:27 pm | High tide 5:21 am · 18.5 ft | Low tide 12:39 pm · 5.9 ft | High tide 6:07 pm · 18.2 ft | — | Coef. 56 | 32% | Major periods 6:11 am · 6:35 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 6:53 am · 4:25 pm | Low tide 1:25 am · 6.6 ft | High tide 6:41 am · 18.8 ft | Low tide 2:02 pm · 5.2 ft | High tide 7:26 pm · 18.8 ft | Coef. 62 | 23% | Major periods 6:57 am · 7:20 pm | Medium |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (LAT). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
St Mary's Bay has no station of its own, so we use the tide at Dover (Environment Agency), 17 mi away. On the open coast the difference is usually a few minutes and inches; inside estuaries, rivers and enclosed bays it can be much larger.
Station data attribution: This uses Environment Agency tide gauge data from the real-time data API (Beta): Dover (E71624), https://environment.data.gov.uk/flood-monitoring/id/stations/E71624. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/). Modified: harmonic constants fitted by TidePlanet from the 15-minute sea levels of 2025-10-29 to 2026-10-22 (269 days; without 2026-05-28 to 2026-08-25, when the gauge was faulty).
The sea at St Mary's Bay
Sea stateSea state: smooth
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common0.6 ft
- Significant1.2 ft
- Highest expectedHighest2.5 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 2.5 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 2.5 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Offshore wind. The coast faces southeast and the wind blows from land out to sea: calm shore and clean waves, but watch the drift out to sea.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Tuesday 3: 3.3 ft with a period of 4 s, from the northeast (slight).
Water temperature
Water temperature →The satellite measured 2.7 °F more 2 days ago than the model gives now: the water is probably warmer than the forecast says.
Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water about normal for late October.
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 6:39 am (local time).
Nearest buoy
This is a real measurement of the sea, not a forecast. Data from Channel Coastal Observatory (CCO), National Network of Regional Coastal Monitoring Programmes (NNRCMP), via the E.U. Copernicus Marine Service. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information (doi:10.48670/moi-00036).
Surf in St Mary's Bay today
Surf today
Flat- Barely any waves (0.5 ft sets): flat
- Almost no wind (4 mph): glassy water
- First or last light of the day
- Falling tide (low tide at 7:51 am)
It’s flat today: almost no waves reach this coast.
- Light: First light 6:09 am · sunrise 6:43 am · sunset 4:36 pm · last light 5:10 pm
- Tide: high 12:12 am (22.0 ft), low 7:51 am (3.1 ft), high 12:29 pm (22.2 ft) and low 8:12 pm (3.1 ft). Every break has its own tide: some work at low tide and others at high tide. The tide doesn’t change the score here.
- Water at 58.1 °F: a 4/3 fullsuit (booties if you run cold).
- Energy: 5 kJ · Low power
Today’s surf at a glance
The best window, 6:09 am to 10:00 am, has glassy water, though with barely any waves.
An estimate for this stretch of coast, not for a specific break: every beach or reef works its own way (its tide, bottom and angle). Check it when you get there.
Follow the flags and the lifeguards, and don’t paddle out if the surf is above your level: this score is a guide, not a substitute for what you see when you get there.
Diving in St Mary's Bay today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: good- 0.9 ft swell at 7 s from the west-southwest: barely any surge
- Almost no wind
- 1.0 mph current toward the east-northeast (model)
- Sun high: more light underwater
- Slack water today: high tide 12:12 am (11:57 pm–1:00 am), low tide 7:51 am (7:20–8:20 am), high tide 12:29 pm (12:10–1:10 pm) and low tide 8:12 pm (7:40–8:40 pm)
- Likely visibility: good. The sea has been calm and there's been little rain. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 58.1 °F: a 7 mm wetsuit, with hood and booties.
- Snorkeling: doable, with some waves or wind.
- Night dive: dark from 5:10 pm. Waning gibbous (85%), rising at 6:21 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 1:30 pm to 2:20 pm, combines little swell, light wind and the sun high, though with current. Also worth a look from 8:30 am to 9:20 am, with little swell, light wind, weak current and the sun high, though with tidal current.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Holland 3.1 mi
- Charente 4.2 mi
- Northfleet 4.9 mi
- Samida 5.6 mi
- Jokai 6.4 mi
- Hydaspes 6.7 mi
- Gwendoline (part Of) 7.0 mi
- De Fontaine 7.1 mi
- Alice 7.1 mi
- Avoca 7.2 mi
- Roseburn 7.2 mi
- Wreck 3.3 mi
Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Wreck and reef positions are approximate and not for navigation; a wreck’s depth runs from the top of the hull to the seabed.
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Wrecks: EMODnet Human Activities (AND-International), from UK Hydrographic Office data, CC BY 4.0. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weather in St Mary's Bay
Now in St Mary's Bay
- Low / high
- 51 / 58 °F
- Rain
- 0.00 in · 0%
- Clouds
- 97%
- Humidity
- 96%
- Dew pointDew point
- 53 °F
- Visibility
- 2.7 mi
- UV indexUV
- 0 · low
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 39
- Saharan dust
- No
- Pollen
- None
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady · now Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Steady now (+0.01 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: +0.09 inHg. Steady pressure: anglers expect normal activity. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Overcast | Overcast | Fog | Fog | Overcast | Partly cloudy | Mainly clear | Partly cloudy |
| Temperature | 56° | 56° | 55° | 53° | 57° | 58° | 58° | 58° |
| Wind (mph) | 9 WSW | 3 NW | 1 SSE | 3 NW | 3 ESE | 1 NE | 6 SE | 10 ESE |
| Gusts | 8 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 12 |
| Waves | 1.7 ft | 1.5 ft | 1.3 ft | 1.1 ft | 1.0 ft | 0.9 ft | 0.8 ft | 0.9 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 6:00 am 55° 1 SSE 1.3 ft
- 9:00 am 53° 3 NW 1.1 ft
- 12:00 pm 57° 3 ESE 1.0 ft
- 3:00 pm 58° 1 NE 0.9 ft
- 6:00 pm 58° 6 SE 0.8 ft
- 9:00 pm 58° 10 ESE 0.9 ft
- 12:00 am 58° 13 ESE 0.9 ft
- 3:00 am 57° 13 E 1.0 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 51 / 58 °F | 11 mph ESE | 1.7 ft | 12:12 am · 12:29 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 55 / 58 °F | 22 mph E | 1.9 ft | 12:54 am · 1:14 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 51 / 55 °F | 19 mph E | 1.8 ft | 1:45 am · 2:11 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 49 / 54 °F | 9 mph NNE | 2.0 ft | 2:48 am · 3:22 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 47 / 56 °F | 14 mph N | 3.2 ft | 4:02 am · 4:41 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 47 / 55 °F | 19 mph NE | 3.3 ft | 5:21 am · 6:07 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 49 / 53 °F | 13 mph ENE | 2.8 ft | 6:41 am · 7:26 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 47 / 52 °F | 15 mph ENE | 2.7 ft | 7:49 am · 8:25 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 47 / 51 °F | 15 mph E | 2.9 ft | 8:42 am · 9:11 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 45 / 52 °F | 12 mph ESE | 3.0 ft | 9:26 am · 9:49 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 53 / 56 °F | 11 mph S | 2.0 ft | 10:05 am · 10:24 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 55 / 57 °F | 13 mph S | 2.9 ft | 10:42 am · 10:59 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 55 / 59 °F | 19 mph SW | 4.5 ft | 11:16 am · 11:32 pm | |
| Wed 11 | 54 / 58 °F | 16 mph SSW | 6.0 ft | 11:50 am |
- Fri 30 Partly cloudy 55° / 58° 1.9 ft
- Sat 31 Overcast 51° / 55° 1.8 ft
- Sun 1 Overcast 49° / 54° 2.0 ft
- Mon 2 Overcast 47° / 56° 3.2 ft
- Tue 3 Light drizzle 47° / 55° 3.3 ft
- Wed 4 Light drizzle 49° / 53° 2.8 ft
- Thu 5 Partly cloudy 47° / 52° 2.7 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- Normal Today, warmer than normal for late October (+2.6 °F; normal high: 56 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 6:39 am (local time).
The sun in St Mary's Bay
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 5:30 am
- Full dark 5:49 pm
- Civil dawn 6:09 am
- Civil dusk 5:10 pm
- Solar noon 11:40 am (25° high)
- Daylight 9 h 53 min (−4 min)
- Evening golden hour 3:48 pm
- Full dark 5:49 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,335,616 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in St Mary's Bay
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,641 mi away and looks 32′ 45″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 1:21–3:21 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 1:54–3:54 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 10:55–11:55 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 5:51–6:51 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Sun, Nov 1 · 8:29 pmNov 1 in 3 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 7:03 amNov 9 in 11 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 11:48 amNov 17 in 19 days
- Full moon Tue, Nov 24 · 2:54 pmNov 24 in 26 days
Next perigee (the moon at its closest to Earth): November 25, 223,281 mi away.
Where to fish in St Mary's Bay
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- The Lakes at Beachborough 8.1 mi
- Boat ramp 0.2 mi
- Boat ramp 0.9 mi
- Boat ramp 1.3 mi
- Boat ramp 2.5 mi
- Boat ramp 5.7 mi
- Boat ramp 8.6 mi
- Boat ramp 9.0 mi
- Romney Angling 2.3 mi
- (Formerly) Seagull Fishing Tackle 3.0 mi
- Marsh Bait and Bait Pumps 5.0 mi
- Dungeness Bait and Bait Pumps 5.2 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Water depth
Shallow, gradualShallow, gradual bottom: you need to go 2.6 mi out for 33 ft of water.
From the shoreline (1,100 ft from St Mary's Bay) out to sea, heading southeast.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deep2 mi
- 33 ft deep2.6 mi
- 66 ft deepnot within 3.1 mi
- 164 ft deepnot within 3.1 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. Shallow, gradual bottom (16 ft at 2 mi): cast far from the beach and fish the high tide, when there is more water close in.
- Swimming. A very gentle way in with plenty of shallow water, good for kids. At low tide the water can be far out.
- Diving. Shallow near shore: you only reach 33 ft at 2.6 mi. For dives deeper than 33 ft, go by boat.
Source: EMODnet Bathymetry DTM 2024 (CC BY 4.0), cells of about 380 ft; depth at the lowest astronomical tide. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Tides near St Mary's BayTides nearby
- Dymchurch1.3 mi
- New Romney2.3 mi
- Hythe6.3 mi
- Camber9.3 mi
- Folkestone9.6 mi
- Rye11 mi
- Capel le Ferne12 mi
- Winchelsea Beach13 mi
- Pett16 mi
- Dover17 mi
St Mary's Bay at a glance
- Town or city of about 3,028 people. Coordinates: 51.010° N, 0.977° E.
- It is 17 mi southwest of Dover, the main place in Kent. The sun rises 1 min later and sets 2 min later than in Dover.
- The nearest tide station, Dover, is 17 mi to the northeast.
- Its coast faces southeast.
Questions about St Mary's BayQuestions
What time is high tide today in St Mary's Bay?
Today in St Mary's Bay there are high tides at 12:12 am (22.0 ft) and 12:29 pm (22.2 ft) and low tides at 7:51 am and 8:12 pm. Tide coefficient 90.
What time is sunset today in St Mary's Bay?
At 4:36 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 5:10 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in St Mary's Bay?
At 6:45 am. First light comes at 5:31 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 85% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 7:03 am.
When are the next spring tides?
From November 9 to 11.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 1:21–3:21 am, Minor 10:55–11:55 am, Major 1:54–3:54 pm, Minor 5:51–6:51 pm. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in St Mary's Bay?
Fog, from 51 °F to 58 °F, with a light air from the west (3 mph) and a 0% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in St Mary's Bay?
Smooth (Douglas 2): 1.2 ft waves with a period of 7.3 s from the west-southwest. The water is 58.1 °F.
When is the best time to visit St Mary's Bay?
The best time to visit St Mary's Bay is from July to August: highs of 72 °F to 73 °F, about 8 rainy days a month and 6 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Dover tide gauge (UK National Tide Gauge Network). This uses Environment Agency tide gauge data from the real-time data API (Beta), under the Open Government Licence v3.0; constants fitted by TidePlanet from a year of its readings. Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).