Broome experiences huge tidal movements ranging from 0.2 metres to nearly 11 metres.

These huge tidal differences occur on the Spring Tides during full and new moons.

Neap Tides – During quarter moon phases, the tidal range is much smaller, sometimes dropping to around 3 to 4 meters of variation.

Visitors should check tide times and park their cars above the high tide mark.  Even locals have been caught and its an expensive mistake to make.

Check the tide chart below.

The ocean floor off the Kimberley coast is very wide and shallow. As the tidal wave moves from the deep Indian Ocean onto this shallow shelf, it slows down and piles up in height.

Cable Beach and Roebuck Bay have very flat, gentle slopes and an 8-to-10 meter change in tide level can cause the water line to move across half a kilometre or more of sand during a single cycle.

The moon and the sun pull on Earth’s oceans together. When the sun, earth, and moon line up during new and full moons, this combined pull creates extreme “spring tides”.

These massive tides uncover dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point and create the shimmering reflections for the Staircase to the Moon.

Pictured below, a massive 10.2 metre high tide.  Culminating in the middle of the Shinju Matsuri Festival, there were plenty of game tourists who rolled up their pants and walked to the end of the old streeter’s jetty which was flooded.