Wilmington tide times

Wilmington sits on the Cape Fear River about 15 kilometres upstream from the Atlantic, which gives it a river-influenced tidal pattern rather than a direct ocean exposure. Tides here are mixed semidiurnal — the two daily highs are often unequal in height. Mean tidal range in the river reaches 1.2 to 1.5 metres at Wilmington, with spring tides pushing closer to 1.7 m. The river current combines with the tidal flow, so conditions change quickly on the ebb — the outgoing river-plus-ebb combination can run 2.5 knots past the downtown waterfront.

The Cape Fear coast south of Wilmington — Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Fort Fisher — is where the ocean tides are felt directly. Mean range on the barrier island beaches is around 1.2 metres, slightly less than in the river. Low water on the ocean side exposes wide flat sand, which is where surf fishermen set up for red drum and pompano in fall. High water during storm surge events in hurricane season is the metric that matters most to locals.

Downtown Wilmington's Riverwalk stretches along the Cape Fear, and watching the river rise and fall with the tide is one of the more underrated features of the town centre. Paddlers launch from several points along the river, though the main channel near the port sees commercial traffic — the Port of Wilmington is active, and tug and barge traffic moves on the tide. Keep to the margins and launch either at the top or bottom of a tide, not mid-ebb when the current peaks.

Wrightsville Beach, just east of Wilmington, is the closest surf beach to downtown and sees consistent shoulder-high swells in winter from northeast storms. The Masonboro Inlet separates Wrightsville from Masonboro Island, a primitive barrier island with no development accessible only by boat or kayak. The inlet tidal current runs fast — 3+ knots on spring tides — and requires precise timing to cross safely.

Anglers fishing the Cape Fear inlet target flounder in the shoals, bluefish on the surface in fall, and Spanish mackerel from June through October. The bridge pilings at the Masonboro Inlet hold sheepshead year-round. Surf fishing at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area is productive — the structure around the rock jetty holds black drum and red drum in season.

Photographers use the Cape Fear lighthouse (Bald Head Island, accessible by ferry) as a backdrop for sunrise shots across the river mouth. The ferry runs on a fixed schedule but tide level affects the ferry dock approach — consult the schedule against the tide chart in the fall king tide season.

Predictions on this page come from Open-Meteo Marine, a gridded global ocean model. Accuracy is typically within plus or minus 45 minutes on timing and 0.2 to 0.3 metres on height — model-derived, not from a local gauge. For authoritative US tide data, consult NOAA CO-OPS at tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov.