Tides rise and fall:
The up and down and up and down cycle happens twice daily.
That makes knowing the chart (as in tidal) as important as knowing a map (as in coastal) if you venture out to sea by boat from Everglades City …
Not to mention wind direction and wave height.
And don’t forget the tides don’t just rise and fall …
They flow!
(Freshwater paddlers rarely opt for “upstream,” whereas brackish water counterparts sometimes don’t have a choice.)
Freshwater flow season in the swamps is drawing to a close just as winter moon tidal flows are moving in fast.
It’s the sun that’s the difference maker though:
In a few weeks it will be 3.5 million miles closer than during the lazy days of summer when – among other things – lazy days were whiled away on the beach … tides as they may.