Tides just come and go and we take them for granted, not realising the complexities of the oceans tidal basins and their interaction with the land masses. Kayakers talk of “riding the tides” to get a free ride along the coastline or being wary of “tidal races” where the landmass restricts the tidal flow.

Tides are always there; as regular as clockwork although they may vary in height and speed in different places. In South Australia we don’t have large tidal flows but we do have strange “dodge tides” where little if any movement occurs for a day.

But when you paddle Australia’s “inland sea” everything changes.

The tide seems to have “gone out”. Lucky I bought my kayak trolley !!.

The long walk

The last time I launched here the tide was right in with water lapping the sand dunes…….but that was 1989.

Fast facts
Where. Lake Eyre (Kati – Thanda) South Australia.
Area. About 1100 sq km.
Tides. On average there is water in the lake every 8 years or so, but it has completely filled only 3 times in the last 160 years so it’s a long wait for high tide.