In addition to being New Year’s Eve today – hello, 2014! – it’s the start of a three-day run of “king tides,” times when the high tide is higher than usual. This morning’s high hit 8.6 at 10 a.m., tomorrow’s is an 8.6 at 10:52 a.m.and Thursday’s is an 8.5 at 11:42 a.m. (More here.)

Why is this a big deal?

1. The king tides occur when the sun and moon’s gravitational forces magnify one another – science! And science is cool.

2. These high water events hint at how flooding from rising sea levels will impact our beaches, coastal areas and shoreline communities in the not-so-distant future.

Particularly along Humboldt Bay’s shoreline, residents are likely to face these conditions with increasing frequency and severity as sea level continues to rise.

​3. Humboldt Baykeeper needs volunteers to document the king tides in photos through the organization’s King Tide Photo Initiative. Send them to KingTidePhotos@gmail.com. Particular places of interest include Halvorsen Park and the F Street boardwalk in Eureka, Woodley Island, the Mad River Slough Bridge on Highway 255 in Manila, Liscom Slough on Jackson Ranch Road in Arcata, Fields Landing and King Salmon.

Compare notes Thursday night at the Arcata Theatre Lounge when Humboldt Baykeeper and Humboldt Surfrider cohost 2014’s first Ocean Night. It’s a surftactular kickoff with Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau. Doors at 6:30 p.m., movie at 7 p.m., all ages, the usual raffle and good times – oh, and a $3 donation is requested to help cover theater rental costs.

For more on both events, listen to Coastal Currents tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon on KHUM.

Hey, want some photos? Humboldt Baykeeper took to the water today for an up-close look at tidal spots of interest in and along the bay: