Low tide sand flats with shallow pools and calm water beyond

Rocky Neck Tides

The nearest NOAA tide prediction station to Rocky Neck State Park is Niantic, Niantic River (station 8461925), about three miles east of the beach. It is a subordinate station: NOAA computes its predictions from the New London State Pier station (8461490) with time and height corrections. Use it for high and low tide times at the beach, the jetty, the Bride Brook crabbing deck and the Four Mile River launch.

At a Glance

Tides at a Glance

Nearest NOAA stationNiantic, Niantic River (8461925)

Station typeSubordinate (predictions offset from New London)

Reference stationNew London, State Pier (8461490)

Tide patternTwo highs and two lows a day

Why it mattersAlewife run, crabbing, the river launch, beach width

Get the Tide Table

Niantic, Niantic River (8461925): NOAA tide predictions
New London, State Pier (8461490), the reference station: NOAA tide predictions

NOAA's pages give the day's high and low tide times and predicted heights, and you can print a month or download the year.

Gently sloping sandy beach and calm clear water on a summer morning

How to Read It at Rocky Neck

Long Island Sound has two high tides and two low tides most days. Heights are measured from mean lower low water, so a low tide of 0.0 feet is an average low, and a negative number is an extra-low tide. At a gently sloping beach like Rocky Neck's, the difference shows: the sand is wider at low tide and narrower at high tide.

When the Tide Matters Here

The alewife run: DEEP says high spring tides are what let schools of alewives swim into Bride Brook. If you hope to see the run, go around a spring high tide. Bride Brook.
Crabbing: the crabbing deck is near the mouth of Bride Brook, where water moves in and out with the tide. Fishing.
The Four Mile River: the river is tidal, so depth at the water launch changes through the day. Four Mile River.
Beach space on busy days: a mid-day low tide leaves more sand to spread out on.

Why Not New London Directly?

New London's State Pier is NOAA's reference station for this part of the coast, on the Thames River. The Niantic River station sits much closer to Rocky Neck and applies NOAA's offsets for this stretch of shore. For the beach, use Niantic; if Niantic is not loading, New London's times will be close but not exact.

Pair It With the Forecast

Wind can push water higher or lower than predicted. Check the weather and the water quality report the same morning.

Clear shallow seawater over rippled sand at the water's edge

FAQ

Rocky Neck Tides FAQ

What is the nearest tide station to Rocky Neck State Park?

NOAA's Niantic, Niantic River station (8461925), a subordinate station based on New London State Pier (8461490).

Does the tide matter for swimming at Rocky Neck?

It changes how much beach there is: the gently sloping sand is wider at low tide.

When is the best tide to see the alewives at Bride Brook?

Around high tide in spring. DEEP says high spring tides let the alewives swim into the brook.