A phenomenon
In Zanzibar, the tidal range (the difference between high and low tide) is extremely pronounced – it is between 3.5 and 4 meters.
The rhythm
The tides alternate in a continuous cycle of approximately 6 hours. This means the water comes in (rising) and goes out (falling) twice a day. The times vary by about 30–50 minutes daily.
The East Coast (heavily affected)
The sea here has a very shallow slope. At low tide, the water often recedes 500 meters to 1 kilometer. For a period of about two hours, swimming is virtually impossible. Instead, you see seaweed farms where locals harvest the seaweed and also collect shellfish.
When planning, it’s a good idea to take the tides into account. For example, for Zanzibar City, but also for any other destination on Zanzibar, you can find the current tide forecast under Tides-forecast. And if you don’t have time for swimming, perhaps fishing would be an interesting alternative. Or you could take a walk on the mudflats and discover various creatures in the remaining pools of water (wear sea urchin-proof water shoes as a precaution).
When will the water arrive today?
I couldn’t believe it myself after arriving… just a few hours later the water was over 200 cm deep.
