On-line UK Tide timetables

[steve nunn]

Hi, does anyone know where I can access an on line tide timetable. I am particularly interested high tide times around the Kent, UK coast.

Cheers

[robinm]

Hi Steve. Have you tried the link on the the forum home page (http://www.pol.ac.uk/ntslf/tides/).

I don't know of an online facility that has more sites in Kent. You can always use the tide tables in Birdwatching or Birdwatch magazines.

For the equivalent of about £10 a year you can buy Autotide (http://autotide.linden-software.com/). This gives tide info for the world including all of Britain and about 15 locations in Kent. I've had this program for some time and while it may be 10 mins out either way it's good enough to make sure you don't turn up at coastal locations at the wrong time.

I guess this request is based on your frustation at Oare the other day. From my experience I reckon the best time to view the Swale is about 2.5 to 1 hours before high tide. Because of the nature of the Swale there the mud is covered for quite some time before high tide (the creek is ususally exposed slightly longer).

[steve nunn]

That is really helpful thanks. Yes it was based on my frustrations at Oare. I am always there or at Funton Creek at the wrong times!

[smeltmill]

Dear Steve,

Try this free link. It gives a six day prediction plus a graph, so one can gain a clue were one is in the spring – neap cycle without having to be a Master Mariner or Astronomer.

http://www.ukho.gov.uk/tideprediction.cfm

Regards.
Gordon Boreham-Styffe.

[robinm]

Smeltmill: That's an excellent site - not seen it before.

The figures agree with my Autotide program to within a couple of minutes - which is more a check on autotide than the site.

The only criticism I have is you are limited to 7 days in the future - I sometimes like to know tides several weeks in advance if I am planning a trip away and it would be useful if the locations were in geographic order around the coast. But I'm just being fussy!

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Robin,

Not too difficult to do yourself, once you have the basic details. What you need to do is, for a given locality, plot the time of high tide against the phase of the moon. This remains constant for a given locality.

So where I am, at new moon and full moon, high tide is at 4am and 4pm (GMT; 5am/pm BST), and at half-moon, 10am & pm, etc.

So if you check the tide times over a lunar cycle (29 days) for the locality you wish to visit in several months, then see the date of full etc moon for when you will be there, you can get a pretty good estimate of the tides.

Another tip: Spring tides are typically 2 days after new moon and full moon; neap tides are 2 days after each half-moon.

Michael

[robinm]

Michael: True - I'm just being lazy!

[smeltmill]

Dear Michael,

Where you are.

The 004:00 and 16;00 tides are Springs.

The ebb tide flows N aprox 2 hrs after HW – I would need to look at a chart or tidal atlas to be exact.

Regards.
G B-S.

[cuddy]

I use the same site as Smeltmill but i also go to my local fishing shop and buy a tide table that covers my county and Durham and Cleveland only costs just over a pound.

[steve nunn]

Thanks all! Looks like I'll be having out on Sunday morning trying the new seawatching hide at Oare as high tide is 08.51. I'll let you know how I get on.

Steve

[robinm]

Steve: High tide at Oare this Sunday 31/8 is about 15:40 and low tide just after 09:00.

[steve nunn]

Thanks! being a bit dim I read the whole thing wrong. I was looking at the low tide! The nearest I can find to Oare is Sheerness which shows high tide at 14.54. How do you know/work out the more precise times for a locality?

[robinm]

Two things.

The high tide at Sheerness on Sunday is at 14.54 GMT.

When going to Oare I tend to look at Sheerness and Herne Bay and take a figure roughly between the 2. It's not exact but good enough for birding. As Herne Bay is on a High tide at 14:22 GMT I took a figure of 15:40 BST.

If I were going there this Sunday which unfortunately I can't (family visit) I would aim to arrive at least 2 hours (maybe more as the tides are quite high this weekend) before that. That way you get to see the waders retreating on the Swale. Also any seals will still be on the Horse Sands.

[steve nunn]

Robin, that is extremely useful. Thanks very much. Now I understand this a bit more it will improve my selection of sites to go birding!

[robinm]

No problem Steve. I wish I could join you this Sunday!

[mattcoumbe]

http://www.hydro.gov.uk/tideprediction

The answer to tide times can be found here at the Admiralty Hydrographic Survey website.

It shows both high and low tide times which you need to know when your out looking a waders.

Matt Coumbe

[robinm]

Hi Matt: Your link doesn't work - it should be http://www.hydro.gov.uk/tideprediction.cfm which is the same as the link http://www.ukho.gov.uk/tideprediction.cfm quoted earlier in the thread.

Thanks anyway.