What the tide changes here
Block Island's tidal swing is modest by New England standards — check today's numbers above — but even a few feet moves a lot of beach. At high tide, narrow stretches like the base of the bluffs shrink to a strip; at low tide, flats open up and the walking gets easy.
The tide matters most for three crowds. Clammers work the flats around the Great Salt Pond at low water — Andy's Way is the classic spot, license first. Surfcasters like the moving water either side of the turn. And bluff walkers should simply know the water comes all the way in on some stretches — check the chart before committing to a long walk under the cliffs with no exit stairs behind you.