If you’re heading to the beach in Mongaguá today, the tide’s got a gentle rhythm to it, nothing too dramatic. The first high tide rolls in around three in the morning at about a metre and a half, then a slightly bigger one peaks just after half past three in the afternoon at around 1.6 metres. The low tides are pretty low, dropping to just 0.2 metres around nine thirty in the morning and then a touch higher to 0.4 metres close to ten at night, so the water really pulls back during the day.

That tidal range, from 0.2 up to 1.6 metres, gives you a nice, steady swing that makes the beach feel spacious at low tide and cozy when the sea fills back in. For swimmers and folks wading, the late morning after nine thirty is a brilliant time because the water is calm and shallow, but keep an eye on the incoming afternoon high tide around three thirty, as currents can pick up then, especially near the river mouths. Small boats should aim for the early high tide at three in the morning or the afternoon peak, and avoid launching during the low tide around nine thirty when channels get skinny.

Fishing wise, the low tides around nine thirty and nine forty at night expose the sandbanks, so you can walk out far and cast for corvina or sea bass, while the high tides bring baitfish closer to shore, making the late afternoon bite good for surfcasting. Just remember that the outgoing tide after three thirty can create a strong pull, so if you’re swimming, stick to the spots where the lifeguards are posted.

Sunrise comes at six forty three and sunset at five forty two, giving you a solid stretch of daylight to work with. The best window for a relaxed beach day is from late morning, after the low tide at nine thirty, right through to the afternoon high tide at three thirty, when the water is warm and the sun is still high. Keep that sunset in mind for an evening walk along the wet sand as the tide retreats again.