Ebb, flood, high tide and low tide
Ebb is the phase in which the water level falls. Flood is the phase in which it rises. The highest level of a tide is called high tide (Hochwasser), the lowest low tide (Niedrigwasser). One tide consists of a flood and the following ebb: it runs from one low tide to the next.
In the Wadden Sea, high and low tide usually occur twice a day. Rising or falling takes roughly six hours; the exact duration and timing depend on the place and the day. A single “low tide at X o’clock” for the whole North Sea would therefore be misleading.
Why the water moves
The tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. On its way through the North Sea, this movement is shaped by the form of the sea basin, the coastline and shallow areas. That is why the flood reaches different places at different times.
The height of the tide also changes over the month: at spring tides the difference between high and low water is usually larger, at neap tides smaller. The tide tables of the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) list these phases and the moon phases separately.
Finding the tide for your trip
Choose a suitable place or gauge and check the next high and low tide there. The times differ between Cuxhaven, Husum, Büsum and the islands, for example. For a beach visit, a nearby gauge gives orientation, but it does not measure the water depth on your beach.
On the tide map you can pick a place on the German North Sea coast, see the current phase and plan your arrival. The astronomical tide shows the calculated tides. The BSH water level model also takes weather effects into account.
For a day trip, what counts is the tide at your destination. Check high and low tide before you set off and compare them with the information on site.
See the tide for your placeFrequently asked questions
How often are there ebb and flood on the North Sea?
In the Wadden Sea there are usually two high tides and two low tides a day. The exact rhythm and times depend on the place.
Is flood the same as high tide?
No. Flood is the phase in which the water rises. High tide is the highest level at the end of that phase.
Are the tide times the same everywhere on the North Sea?
No. The shape and position of the coast affect the tide. Use the times for your place or a suitable reference gauge.