In memory of Chaya Mirel bat R’ Avraham

In memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

Immersion in tidal pool and husband observing immersion
August 7, 2025

Question

Hello, We are going away for 10 days and my Mikvah night falls one night after leaving. There is no Mikvah in the area at all.

We will be going to a coast on one of the days where there is a tidal pool area. From what I understand, it is filled with sea water at high tide so I assume this is natural. Would I be able to count that as my Mikvah and dip in that?

It will be daytime of day 8 of my clean days. There will be people around but I am able to immerse fully and have my husband make sure I submerge properly. I would have to wear a bathing suit.

Please could you tell me if this would be possible? I have no other alternatives and would otherwise have to wait 10 days to go to the Mikvah.

Alternatively, Is there such a possibility as going to the Mikvah on day 6 of my clean days but waiting till day 7 to have relations with my husband? Thank you.

Answer

Thank you for reaching out to us.

A tidal pool is often acceptable for immersion depending on the specific conditions: safety, privacy, size, and depth. If this is a natural tidal pool, where all the water is seawater that comes in naturally (without pumping) during high tide, and it is deep enough for comfortable immersion, then it should be acceptable. Learn more about immersion in natural bodies of water here.

Under the circumstances, you can immerse during the eighth day in daytime, with your husband's supervision, in a loose t-shirt or robe. A bathing suit would be a chatzitzah. (You could wear a bathing suit under your shirt and remove it under the water. It would probably be easiest to wear a bathing suit without the shoulder straps, or just swim shorts.)

If another Jewish female over age twelve is available, it would be preferable for her to observe the immersion rather than your husband.

Mikveh immersion on day six is not valid, so working out immersion in a natural body of water like a tidal pool would be your best option.

We hope this helps. Please don't hesitate to follow up with us.
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