King Tides estimated at 7 1/2 feet brought excitement and wonder Saturday morning to La Jolla Cove visitors.
But while people lined sidewalks hearing and feeling the power of the water pounding the shore, the tide created an extra challenge for some regulars of the La Jolla Cove Swim Club.
Just getting off the beach.
First, they had to deal with the surf slamming into the staircase down to the sand, and then fight Mother Nature to plunge into the sea.
No such problems for a pod of seals.
King Tides continue Sunday morning, with tides at 7.3 feet at 9:06 a.m. high tide, according to U.S. Harbors.
An unusually low tide of ~1.2 feet occurs at 4:28 p.m. Sunday. Tide pool viewing is recommended at this time.
But this isn’t the end of the watery spectacle.
The extra large tide will return in December at 7.2 feet at 6:49 a.m. on Friday the 13th, at 7.3 feet at 7:30 a.m. Saturday the 14th, 7.3 feet at 8:12 a.m. on Sunday the 15th and 7.1 at 8:55 on Monday the 16th.
And in January, the high tides will make another appearance at 6.9 feet at 7:25 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, and 6.9 feet at 8:50 a.m. Jan. 13.
These uniquely high tides occur when the moon is in its closest position to Earth there is stronger-than-normal gravitational pull from the moon. This November full moon, the last of the year, was known as the “Beaver Moon”.
An unusually low of ~1.2 will occur at 4:28 p.m. on Sunday.
Sunny skies with a high of 50s to low 60s are expected.
