Pigeon Point, Tobago tide times

The Nylon Pool is a naturally occurring shallow sandbar in the open water between Pigeon Point and Buccoo Reef, approximately 2 km from shore. It sits at 0.5 to 1.0 metres depth depending on the tide — ankle-deep on a spring low, thigh-deep on a spring high. Glass-bottom boat tours run from the Pigeon Point jetty throughout the morning; the standard trip combines a pass over Buccoo Reef for the glass-bottom view with a stop at the Nylon Pool for the stand-in-the-sea experience. Boats typically depart every 30 to 60 minutes from about 09:00. The best snorkelling visibility at the reef is in the morning before the trade builds.

Buccoo Reef has experienced repeated bleaching events over the past three decades as sea surface temperatures have risen in the southeastern Caribbean. The coral coverage is patchy — some sections have recovered well, particularly in the deeper zones around 5 to 8 metres that are less susceptible to thermal stress, while the shallowest areas remain sparse. Fish life is healthy; the parrotfish population has been recovering since glass-bottom boat access was regulated and anchor damage reduced. The reef is still a worthwhile snorkel site, with genuine coral coverage on the outer western face.

Mixed semidiurnal, spring range roughly 0.4 to 0.6 metres. Inside the Pigeon Point lagoon the depth over the sandy bottom changes by the full tidal range between high and low; on a spring low the lagoon shallows to under a metre across most of its extent. The beach width changes by 10 to 15 metres. At the Nylon Pool sandbar 2 km offshore, the same tidal range makes the difference between an ankle-deep and a thigh-deep wading experience.

Open-Meteo Marine, a free gridded global ocean model. Accuracy is typically within plus or minus 45 minutes on timing and 0.2 to 0.3 metres on height. For Trinidad and Tobago, the Trinidad and Tobago Hydrological Division and the Institute of Marine Affairs publish coastal and marine data for the territory. The nearest authoritative tide reference for Tobago is the Scarborough harbour gauge on the island's southwest coast, running on a similar tidal phase to Pigeon Point.

No. The Buccoo Reef system and the outer reef line west of Pigeon Point are significant navigational hazards in the approaches to southwest Tobago. For vessel navigation, use the current Eastern Caribbean charts and consult the OECS Notices to Mariners. The passage between Pigeon Point and Buccoo Reef requires knowledge of the reef channel positions; local guide boat assistance is the norm for visiting yachts. Open-Meteo Marine gridded predictions are not authoritative navigational data.