The moon and sun have cooperated to provide a spectacle of the sea floor today as low tide stretches further than it has since June 20, 1951.

Today鈥檚 low tide in Victoria is predicted to drop to negative -0.1 metres shortly after 11 a.m. 鈥� which is unusually low, even for an Island.

Tides are low down in the Inner Harbour!

鈥� Victoria News (@VictoriaNews)

June鈥檚 spring tides are usually the lowest tides on the coast, but today鈥檚 is the first of three extreme lows expected this summer. The moon, as expected, is responsible for all three according to Denny Sinnott, supervisor Tides, Currents and Water Levels, Canadian Hydrographic Service, Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e got the three things lining up all together,鈥� Sinnott says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e having a new moon, so the moon and sun are aligned 鈥� the gravitational pull to both is great at this time.鈥�

The moon is also in perigee, its closest point of its orbit and it鈥檚 furthest north of the equator in its orbit.

鈥淭oday it is the lowest of the month at -0.1 metres but there鈥檚 another event in July,鈥� Sinnott said.

The predictions for Victoria, are July 13 at -0.1 metres around 10 a.m. and Aug. 11 for 0.1 metres at 9:45 a.m.

The is using the low tides to clean the harbour. So far they鈥檝e found: a grocery cart, China dishes, pylons, a skateboard a suitcase and a whole lot of metal scraps

鈥� Victoria News (@VictoriaNews)

Further up Vancouver Island the tide varies slightly with today鈥檚 0.4 metres expected shortly before 1 p.m, July 13 around 12:09 p.m. again at 0.4 metres, and Aug. 11 at 0.6 metres.

They鈥檙e not unusual lows for Campbell River which gets similar 0.4 or 0.5 in December as well.

Predictions can change up to a metre based on weather systems, which today appear fairly stable, Sinnott said.

鈥淚f we have a real high pressure system it鈥檒l press the surface down,鈥� he explained.

Visit to find your highs and lows.