If you feel an earthquake, or if the ocean tide suddenly recedes (goes out) rapidly and exposes the sea floor, this is a natural warning sign of an impending Tsunami. Do not stay to watch! Seek high ground inland immediately.

A tsunami is a series of waves that can strike the coast for several hours, and the first wave is rarely the largest. Never go down to the beach to examine a dry sea floor or watch a tsunami come in. For detailed evacuation routes, local assembly zones, and preparedness checklists, please refer to our dedicated Tsunami Awareness & Preparedness Page.

"King Tide" is a colloquial term for exceptionally high tides (scientifically called perigean spring tides). They occur when a full or new moon coincides with the moon's closest approach to the Earth in its elliptical orbit (perigee), generating a maximum gravitational pull. On the Long Beach Peninsula, King Tides occur primarily during the late fall and winter (November through January), and occasionally in mid-summer.

Razor clam digs are highly regulated and only allowed on specific dates approved by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) after rigorous marine toxin testing. Digging schedules are announced in batches throughout the season. You can check the currently active schedule, licensing rules, and bag limits directly on the WDFW Official Razor Clam Regulations Page.

Tides are measured relative to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), which is the average height of the lowest daily tide. Any low tide that falls below this average is written with a minus sign (e.g., -1.5 ft) and is called a **negative tide**. Because razor clams reside in the intertidal sand flats, a negative tide (or at least a tide of 0.0 ft or lower) is necessary to expose the clam beds so they can be reached.

Long Beach, Ocean Park, and Surfside are open-ocean beaches facing the Pacific. Ilwaco (Baker Bay) and Astoria (Tongue Point) are sheltered deep inside the Columbia River estuary. Because the incoming ocean tide has to travel through the river's entrance and squeeze past narrow channels, the tide inside the river is delayed. Tides on the ocean beaches occur **30 to 60 minutes earlier** than those inside the river harbor.

Tide tables are mathematical predictions based on the orbits of the moon and sun. Real-world weather can alter these heights significantly. Strong, sustained onshore winds (blowing from the west) and low barometric pressure systems "push" extra water toward the coast, making tides **higher** than predicted. Conversely, strong offshore winds and high-pressure systems can push water away, resulting in **lower** tides than predicted.

Yes. The Pacific Northwest coast has a **mixed semidiurnal tide** cycle. This means there are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours, but they are of unequal heights. Each day features a "higher high tide" and a "lower high tide," as well as a "higher low tide" and a "lower low tide" (the lowest low tide of the day is the primary target for clammers).