When planning a safe and fun ecotour along the estuary and rivers around St Augustine, FL, there are at least 10 tide monitoring stations to keep in mind. It can be challenging to explore with tourists in the St. Augustine Inlet, the Matanzas Inlet, and the Intracoastal Waterway in the GTM Reserve.
The tides of these areas provide more than just a spectacular view, they are also essential to understanding what this reserve has to offer. For example, throughout the day tidal creeks feed different levels of water into the area as well as extend or shallow out mud flats which act as oyster reefs providing placental grounds for various sea life. An educated tour guide can effectively illustrate how all of these key points interact with each other in the cycle of incoming and outgoing tides. Furthermore, an experienced guide will have knowledge on how to navigate through these ever-changing waters along with insight into oyster reef safety. If you know more about how the tides work in this reserve, you’ll be better able to give tours that are both interesting and safe.
St Augustine’s Inlet is the main entry access to St. Augustine’s three-river inland coastal tidal basin, where the Guana Tolomato Matanzas Reserve resides. It connects St. Augustine Inlet to Matanzas Inlet and links to other waterways, such as the Intracoastal Waterway, making it an important path for water exchange. The St. Augustine Inlet also allows important saltwater exchange along with tidal creeks, mud flats, oyster reefs, and other unique habitats within the reserve. As a result of this exchange and the pull of gravity from the sun and moon, the water level of St. Augustine’s three rivers and inland coastal tidal basin rises and falls each day throughout the high and low tide cycles. Why is this so important? Understanding how tides affect kayak eco tour guides, who traverse this area regularly, can mean improved safety on each tour they lead—knowing when it’s best to cross one of the mud flats or when it’s better to stay on safe paths in oyster reef areas—allowing them to provide even more insight into St Augustine’s 3 river inland coastal tidal basin.
Kayakers should hire a guide or go on an ecotour to stay safe in St Augustine.
