King tide in Oregon

During an unusually high king tide, a family takes selfies from on overlook of the Pacific Ocean at Shore Acres State Park near Charleston in southwestern Oregon on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. The term ‘king tide’ is a non-scientific term that refers to the highest winter tides that occur each year. The King Tides Project (www.oregonkingtides.net) is documenting the effect that extreme tide events have on Oregon’s beaches and coastal waterways. According to The King Tides Project, understanding and documenting the extent and impacts of especially high tide events will help communities predict and plan as sea levels rise due to climate change.

A man photographs the unusually high tide as the surf crashes on the beach at nearby Sunset Bay State Park.

A swarm of photographers gather on the overlook at Shore Acres State Park.