Sapelo Island Reserve, Georgia

Tidal Range

Sapelo Island sits in the middle of the Southern Atlantic Bight, an inward curvature of the coastline from Cape Fear, N.C. to, Cape Canaveral, Fla. Sapelo's position puts it at the height of a tidal gradient created by the bight. Average daily tides are in the range of 7.5 feet mean high tide. The tides can be significantly enhanced or retarded depending upon the direction and intensity of the winds. Northeasters blow in off the Atlantic Ocean amplifying the high tides and sometimes cause coastal flooding.