When to See Horseshoe Crabs in Delaware in 2021
Horseshoe crab season in Delaware will be here soon!
The Delaware Bay has the largest concentration of spawning horseshoe crabs in the world, and every spring in May and June, tens of thousands of horseshoe crabs will lay their eggs on the shores of the Delaware Bay. It is a true phenomenon and you don’t want to miss it.
While I cannot guarantee that there will be lots of horseshoe crabs on any given date, here are my recommendations for the best days to see horseshoe crabs in Delaware in 2021.
The best dates to see horseshoe crabs in 2021
These dates are based on when new moons and full moons happen in the months of May and June 2021.
Saturday, May 8 -Saturday, May 15: New Moon
Tuesday, May 25-Saturday, May 29: Full Moon
Wednesday, June 9-Monday, June 14: New Moon
Wednesday, June 23-Monday, June 28
Using Tide Charts to Know What Time to Go
To know what time to go out to the beach and look for horseshoe crabs, use a tide chart, and time your horseshoe crab hunting at night during high tide. I like this tide chart from US Harbors, and I set the location as Bowers Beach, Delaware. I recommend getting tho the beach about 30 minutes before the scheduled high tide.
For example, check the dates above to see the days that you are most likely to see horseshoe crabs. Find the date you are interested in on the tide chart. See what time the PM high tide happens. Plan to be at the beach at least 30 minutes before the exact high tide time.
In the example below, if I am planning to go looking for horseshoe crabs on Tuesday, May 11 during the new moon, high tide will be at 10:12pm so I will plan to be at the beach around 9:45pm.
Sunset High Tide Dates:
These are the dates when high tide, new/full moon, and sunset happen all at the same time. These are going to be some of the best days to photograph horseshoe crabs because there will still be sunlight outside.
Saturday, May 8: Sunset is at 8:00pm and high tide is at 8:27pm
Monday, May 24: Sunset is at 8:15pm and high tide is at 8:30pm
Tuesday, May 25: Sunset is at 8:16pm and high tide is at 9:21pm
Monday, June 7: Sunset is at 8:24pm and high tide is at 8:30pm
Tuesday, June 8: Sunset is at 8:25pm and high tide is at 9:08pm
Tuesday, June 22: Sunset is at 8:30pm and high tide is at 8:09pm
Wednesday, June 23: Sunset is at 8:30pm and high tide is at 9:04pm
How to See Horseshoe Crabs
Now that you know when to see the horseshoe crabs, I also wrote an entire blog about how to see them, and you can check that out here.
Shop Horseshoe Crab Art + Merchandise
Get yourself some horseshoe crab art, prints, or home decor to celebrate horseshoe crab season! I love painting and photographing horseshoe crabs, and I sell my photos and artwork through Society6, RedBubble, and my own print shop. You can order all kinds of things with horseshoe crabs including art prints, photo prints, shirts, stickers, notebooks, and more!
Happy horseshoe crab season!
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