Tide Charts & Tide Times
Tide times decide when a shallow inlet is passable and when a dock or boat lift has enough water under it. This page collects the tide charts for the stations South Florida boaters use most, and explains how to read them before you launch.
Tide stations
Tide charts for your area
Each station below links to its live tide predictions, so you can check today's high and low water before you head out. The NOAA stations are the official predictions; the Deerfield Beach station is a trusted local reference for the Hillsboro River.
Deerfield Beach (Hillsboro River)
Tide times for the Hillsboro River at Deerfield Beach, the inlet many local boats use to reach the Intracoastal and the Atlantic.
Port Everglades (NOAA official predictions)
Official NOAA tide predictions for Port Everglades, the deep-water port and inlet at the southern edge of the Deerfield Beach boating area.
Lake Worth Pier (NOAA official predictions, station 8722670)
Official NOAA tide predictions for the Lake Worth Pier, a useful reference for the Palm Beach County coast to the south.
Learn the basics
How to read a tide chart
A tide chart shows the height of the water over the course of the day. Here is what the two key moments mean and why they matter for launching in shallow inlets.
High tide
High tide is when the water reaches its highest point of the cycle, giving the most depth over sandbars, mud flats, and shallow inlets. If your draft is tight, the window around high tide is the safest time to cross a shallow bar or enter an inlet from the ocean side.
Low tide
Low tide is when the water is at its lowest, and the places that were fine at high tide can suddenly be too shallow. Channels and cut-throughs that look deep at high water can be impassable at low water, so know your boat's draft and your route's shallow spots before you commit.
The tide range, the difference between high and low water, tells you how much the level swings on a given day. In shallow inlets, a strong outgoing tide can also pull water and current seaward faster than you expect, which matters when you are navigating a narrow cut or anchoring near a bar. Check the times for both high and low water, not just the height, so you know when the depth is on your side.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the authoritative source for tide predictions. This page links to the official live predictions rather than embedding them, so the times you see are always the current, official values.
Tide charts are predictions and conditions can differ locally from the nearest station. Confirm the tide for your exact launch point and route, and always check the current conditions before going out on the water.