Highest tides of the year bring flooding and seafood gathering opportunities to Lanzarote

Yesterday brought the autumn spring tides, known locally as the Mareas del Pino, to the islands, flooding several beaches and bringing opportunities for seafood gatherers.

The autumn spring tides are the highest and lowest of the year, rising over 3 metres in Arrecife this week and coinciding with the new moon last night.

The name Mareas del Pino (Pine Tides) comes from Gran Canaria, where the fiestas of the island’s patron, the Virgin of the Pine Tree, are celebrated on the 8^th of September, a date which often coincides with the high tides.

The tides are also the lowest of the year, exposing areas of the shore that are submerged for the rest of the year, and this is why you’ll often see seafood gatherers picking their way over the rocks to see what they can find.

Tides will continue to be high over the next day or two before returning to more normal levels as the moon waxes.