# High tide.. question on water level
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-tide-question-on-water-level/446669
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 24, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-tide-question-on-water-level/446669 "2008-04-24T13:11:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-tide-question-on-water-level/446669/1 "2008-04-24T13:11:05Z")
It is silly , I know …
But ,
Since sea is being pulled up towards space to the moon , the water should not be rushing to the shore , but should recede from the seashore towards the centre of the sea/ocean.
Why do the seawater rush to the shore ??
I couldn’t answer this , when asked by a 5th grader … Not in the mood for a detailed google search now…
So, dopers , help please …
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-tide-question-on-water-level/446669/2 "2008-04-24T13:20:19Z")
What actually happens is that the whole earth (and the water on it) is stretched out into an egg-shape, with the long axis pointing at the moon - it’s not all trying to pile up at one point perpendicularly below the moon. Because water is more readily deformable, it’s actually the water that does most of the changing shape.
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### Author:  [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-tide-question-on-water-level/446669/3 "2008-04-24T13:23:34Z")
You seem to be suggesting the moon is always above the ocean.
My understanding may not be complete but clearly it’s going to be above the land sometimes. And the water’s going to rush toward the shore then.
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### Author:  [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-tide-question-on-water-level/446669/4 "2008-04-24T15:29:58Z")
[QUOTE=indian]
It is silly , I know ..
But ,
Since sea is being pulled up towards space to the moon , the water should not be rushing to the shore , but should recede from the seashore towards the centre of the sea/ocean.
.
[/QUOTE]
That’s called low tide.