CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Charleston, SC Daily Water Report — October 8, 2026

Charleston gets a clear green light for small-boat and paddle plans, with diving the day’s strongest-rated option—but the morning gust bump and two sizable tide swings deserve more respect than the gentle headline suggests. Boating rates 8.1/10, kayaking 8.0, and diving 8.5, supported by light northerly wind, no indicated rain, and modest seas around 0.5 to 0.7 metres. This is not flat water everywhere, though: the dominant swell is about 0.56 metres at a short 4.95 seconds from the east-southeast, enough to keep exposed water a little busy rather than glassy. The most forgiving stretch should arrive late in the day as winds ease and wave height trends toward its minimum near 0.48 metres around 10 PM. Daylight is gone by then, of course, so the practical on-water sweet spot is the later afternoon into dusk, with sunset at 6:58 PM. The evening high tide at 7:08 PM follows closely behind. For paddlers and boaters, that combination can make for a pleasant finish, but plan around changing water levels rather than treating the tide chart as decorative wallpaper. Early morning has the higher tide at 6:52 AM, but also the day’s strongest forecast gusts, reaching 15.7 knots around 9 AM. Conditions are still manageable by the supplied scores, yet that is the tradeoff: more breeze and a little more chop before the calmer late-day trend. Sailing earns 6.2/10; there is enough wind to move a boat, but not much consistency, with winds ranging roughly 1.8 to 6.6 knots. Fishing is a respectable 6.6/10, with rising pressure and useful solunar timing. The major period from 10:37 AM to 12:37 PM overlaps the 12:56 PM low tide, while the evening minor period runs 5:07 to 6:07 PM. Water temperature is listed at 25.1 C, and the sea-surface anomaly is +2.6 C versus average. Chlorophyll is high at 3.04 mg/m³, but that is not a fish report. Compared with the recent run, today is calmer than yesterday’s 8.3-knot wind and improves boating and kayaking scores, though it falls short of the exceptionally quiet conditions earlier this week. Friday stays fairly manageable, then Saturday and Sunday look rougher and wetter, with waves building to 0.9–1.7 metres Saturday. Monday improves, and Tuesday currently looks notably calm. Best bet: launch late afternoon, keep an eye on the tide, and enjoy Charleston’s rare combination of light wind and modest seas before the weekend turns rowdier.