Most beaches are just beaches regardless of tide level. The Point is different. At low tide, a wide sandbar emerges from the water at the very tip of the island — a flat, walkable expanse of sand that simply doesn't exist when the tide is high. Pelicans land on it. Dolphins swim circles around it. Kids can wade out to where two bodies of water meet.
At high tide, that sandbar is under two feet of water. The beach narrows dramatically. You're standing at the tip of the island looking at the inlet, but there's no place to explore, no sandbar to walk, and the whole experience feels like something is missing — because it is.
At low tide the inlet narrows dramatically — Hog Island sits just across the water, close enough to swim to. High tide makes that crossing impossible.
Cherry Grove sees roughly two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours, each shifted about 50 minutes later than the day before. The tidal range — the difference between high and low — is typically 4 to 6 feet at Cherry Grove Inlet. That's a significant change in water level over a relatively flat, sandy environment.
At low tide, the sandbar extends well beyond the tip. Wide, flat, and walkable in every direction. (Saturation enhanced to show the contrast clearly.)
At high tide, the sandbar disappears. The beach narrows to a few feet at the very tip. (Saturation enhanced to show the contrast clearly.)
Here's what changes between high and low tide at The Point:
- The sandbar: Fully exposed at low tide, completely submerged at high tide.
- The beach width: At low tide you might have 60–80 feet of beach at the tip. At high tide, that can shrink to near nothing.
- Wildlife access: Pelicans use the sandbar as a resting and feeding spot — it's only accessible to them (and you) at low tide.
- Wading and swimming: The calm, shallow water on the inlet side at low tide is ideal for wading. At high tide, the water is deeper and the current stronger.
- Photography: The sandbar creates dramatic compositions and reflections that only exist at low tide.
If you only remember one thing from this guide, make it this: arrive at The Point 90 minutes before low tide and stay for 90 minutes after. That's your three-hour window, and it's the best possible version of the experience.
Here's why the timing works:
- 90 minutes before low: The sandbar is just starting to emerge. The water is still retreating, which creates constantly shifting pools and channels. Great for photography and wildlife.
- At low tide: Maximum sandbar exposure. This is the peak. Walk out as far as the sand goes, stand at the very tip where two bodies of water meet.
- 90 minutes after low: The sandbar is still mostly visible but the tide is beginning to return. The light has often shifted. A different, quieter version of the experience.
Get the timing right and it feels like you've stepped into another world — wide open, quiet, and all yours.
Tide charts look more complicated than they are. Here's what you actually need to know:
On a tide chart, you'll see predictions listed as H (High) and L (Low) with a time and a height in feet. The height is measured from Mean Lower Low Water — the lower of the two daily low tides averaged over time. The lower the number, the more sandbar you get.
A low tide of 0.5 ft or less is exceptional. Anything under 1.5 ft gives you a good sandbar. Above 2.5 ft and you'll see some sandbar but it'll be minimal. Above 3.5 ft at low tide, the sandbar may not appear at all.
3 hours before low tide (dropping fast): The beach is still fairly narrow. You can visit and it's pleasant, but the sandbar hasn't started emerging yet. Good for a walk, not yet the full experience.
90 minutes before low (the sweet spot begins): The sandbar starts to appear. Pelicans arrive to stake out their spots. The inlet water begins to calm as the current slows. This is when photographers want to be set up.
At low tide: Peak. Maximum sandbar. You can walk out to the very tip where ocean and inlet meet. The water on the sound side is often completely calm. Dolphins frequently work the channel edges looking for fish pushed by the changing current.
The Cherry Grove Inlet at low tide — calm, shallow, and completely different from what high tide looks like.
90 minutes after low (still excellent): The tide is beginning to return but the sandbar is still mostly there. Crowds that arrived at low tide often start leaving — you sometimes have more space than at the peak. Light is shifting if it's a morning or afternoon visit.
3 hours after low (winding down): The sandbar is shrinking. Still worth the walk, but the window is closing. Plan to head back before it gets too high.
The time of day that low tide falls changes throughout the year — and that matters a lot for how enjoyable the visit is.
Low tide opens up shelling, kayaking, and wading — activities that simply aren't possible when the water is high.
The most reliable source is NOAA — the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They publish free tide predictions for stations all along the coast. For Cherry Grove Beach, the closest official station is:
NOAA Station 8661070 — Little River Inlet, SC
This is close enough that the predictions are accurate for The Point within a few minutes.
Other solid options for tide charts:
- Tide Chart app (iOS/Android) — set your location to Little River Inlet or Cherry Grove
- Tides Near Me — simple, free, accurate
- MyForecast.com — includes tide plus weather in one view
- NOAA directly: tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov
One pro tip: Check the chart the night before your planned visit, not the morning of. Give yourself time to adjust your schedule if the best low tide window turns out to be early morning or late afternoon rather than midday.
The tide pools that appear at low tide — every one of them gone when the water returns.
