Freeport gold rock beach - understanding tide tables

[wellfocused]

We are going to Freeport in a few weeks and would like to go to gold rock beach but from everything I have read everyone says to go at low tide.

What if it isn't possible to go right at low tide?

What if low tide is at 7 a.m. and high tide is at 1:00 and we get to the beach at 10:30?

Will it still be worth it for our group to go out there?

[govgurl]

If you don't live in a coastal area, tide charts can be a little confusing, I guess. I've never been to Gold Rock beach, so I can't comment on whether it will be fun to come in the middle of the tide flow or not (from the pics I've seen, the recommend low tide because there's not a ton of beach that's above the tidal mark). However, just about tide charts in general:

 

"Low tide" is the lowest tide point in the day. So basically once that time has passed, the tide will start flowing into the beach until it hits "high tide" time, or the point of day when the tide is highest. Then it ebbs again over a number of hours until getting to low tide. So if you get there at 10:30, there may still be usable beach, but the tide will be flowing in towards land, not out towards the sea. So as the day goes on, you'll have less and less beach, until at 1 PM when you're at the highest point and have the least beach. Then the waters will slowly start to recede until the next lowest tide point (probably around 6 or 7 in the evening).

 

I've also read that it's important to come to Gold Rock at low tide, and given that it takes time to go out there, I might think twice about coming at 10:30. If you could go at like 2,some of the water should have receded by then, and you'll be on the right side of the tide, meaning that the longer you stay, the more and more beach you'll have. But depends on what your ship timing is, if that's feasible.

[wellfocused]

Thanks so much! That does help!