When looking for waterfront property it is important to know about and understand “tides.”
All bodies of water, bays, rivers and creeks are subject to the tide producing forces of the sun and moon. There are two complete tide cycles (high and low) during 24 hours. From its lowest point the water rises gradually for about six hours, until it reaches “high tide”. Then it begins to fall for about six hours until it reaches “low tide”. Along the Chesapeake Bay the “range” or variance of tides between high and low is approximately 3-4 ft.
So it is important to understand tide cycles for boating and the requirement for the amount of “draft” (minimum water depth you will need to run your boat). This is called mean low water (or “MLW’) and will be one of the most important factors when selecting the size and style of any boat.
