Accurate tide times.

[FishMan]

I am getting so frustrated with trying to find out my tide times online. During the early part of the year it seemed the online tables were within about 30 - 60 mins of each other. Today, these are the results I get for high tide at my local port:

Windfinder: 10.39
Tide-forecast: 11.17
WillyWeather: 12.31
Met Office: 14.22

I am about 40 mins away (and it's cold), so I don't want to just go there and sit all day, to time the tide to see which is the closest (which would be only mildly accurate anyway).

What is the known, most accurate on-line tide predictor ?

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Roberto]

Where is your port?
It's a bit like nautical charts, the ones issued by the local "Official Authority" are usually the most accurate, maybe UKHO?

 

[Sandy]

I normally use Reeds, but have been pointed at Absolute Tides that uses the same data as Reeds and am trying it for 2023.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Where is your port?
It's a bit like nautical charts, the ones issued by the local "Official Authority" are usually the most accurate, maybe UKHO?

But not if you use the Ceredigion tables for Aberystwyth, Aberaeron and New Quay, none of us who use these harbours have yet to find where the rather bizarre times published are calculated from.
I have an old copy of ‘Neptune Tides’ on an obsolete P.C. which still gives fairly accurate times, but one always has to remember that no calculated tide times will ever be 100% accurate as there are to many variables such as the prevailing atmospheric conditions can affect the accuracy considerably.

 

[Thistle]

ADMIRALTY EasyTide

 

[Kwik Decision]

I am getting so frustrated with trying to find out my tide times online. During the early part of the year it seemed the online tables were within about 30 - 60 mins of each other. Today, these are the results I get for high tide at my local port:

Windfinder: 10.39
Tide-forecast: 11.17
WillyWeather: 12.31
Met Office: 14.22

I am about 40 mins away (and it's cold), so I don't want to just go there and sit all day, to time the tide to see which is the closest (which would be only mildly accurate anyway).

What is the known, most accurate on-line tide predictor ?

Thanks,
Paul

If you are looking at tides for somewhere in or around the Solent, there are double high waters, or a stand at high water. You therefore need to know whether the prediction is for the start of the stand, the first high, or the highest high (there could easily be a couple of hours between these). If you follow the link to easytide Thistle has given, you will see a curve, as well as the times, so you can visualise what is happening.

 

[neil_s]

I use wxtide. Another blast from the past but it's free and seems to work. You can organise your own offsets for your your own ports as you wish.

 

[TSB240]

I use wxtide and download a csv file for use in a spreadsheet that will give me all our North Wales tidal gate slack times and secondary port calculations for more than a year ahead.

I prefer to have a paper copy available but also use navionics if phone is charged.

 

[FishMan]

My "port" is Christchurch.
I usually take the readings for Christchrch Entrance, then if needed, just add 30 mins for Tuckton.
I am aware of the "double peaks", and most tables show that, but they are usually 3-4 hours apart which could account for one of the readings, but the other 3 are within a couple of hours.
I will give EasyTide a go, and see how close it is to reality !
Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions.

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Praxinoscope]

Oh! the memories of tides in Christchurch, our first mooring was in Mudeford surrounded by Catalacs , various Roy Stride craft and the of course overlooking the Mudeford Saling Club MTB.
No matter which tide table Usually the Admiralty tables, we did at times arrive back after or before the times given by the tables.
I think I would still go with Easytides as suggested by Thistle #5 they will be as good as anything.

 

[Bilgediver]

My "port" is Christchurch.
I usually take the readings for Christchrch Entrance, then if needed, just add 30 mins for Tuckton.
I am aware of the "double peaks", and most tables show that, but they are usually 3-4 hours apart which could account for one of the readings, but the other 3 are within a couple of hours.
I will give EasyTide a go, and see how close it is to reality !
Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions.

Cheers,
Paul

The Beeb tide times shows the double dip on todays tide at Tuckton unlike Navionics and others. Interestingly the Beeb does not indicate high tide at either of the higher points.

Tides for Christchurch (Tuckton), South of England - BBC Weather

 

[FWB]

Tides and currents Worldwide, presently upto end of 2023
‎Tides Planner

 

[blush2]

I have been using the BBC'S tide site for several years. It's based on the Hydrographic Office tide times and seems pretty accurate. The tides are available wherever there are tide gauges installed, they are shown as a 7-day table and a tidal curve.

 

[Bilgediver]

Tides and currents Worldwide, presently upto end of 2023
‎Tides Planner

We Adroidites can only dream

 

[FWB]

We Adroidites can only dream

It’s available on the playstore.

 

[LadyInBed]

Your on a hiding to nothing looking at HW times for ports with double highs. Through the tide cycle, at one point the first high is higher than the second, then some days later / earlier the second high is higher than the first. As the high point transits from first to second there will be a time when the two points are of equal height and you get a 'tide stand'.
You have to look at the LW time and calculate a window when you will have sufficient water over your draft.
My boat is moored near Wareham, so I've lived with the issue for over twenty years.

 

[Bilgediver]

It’s available on the playstore.

I will have to look as The Web said only on Apple.

 

[FWB]

 

[davidmh]

Another one for Easy Tides, you get 7 days worth and both HW and LW times and heights as well as a tidal height graph.
David MH

 

[Boathook]

My "port" is Christchurch.
I usually take the readings for Christchrch Entrance, then if needed, just add 30 mins for Tuckton.
I am aware of the "double peaks", and most tables show that, but they are usually 3-4 hours apart which could account for one of the readings, but the other 3 are within a couple of hours.
I will give EasyTide a go, and see how close it is to reality !
Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions.

Cheers,
Paul

Buy some 'local' tide tables if you haven't. They are normally fairly good showing the double high. I have never found an 'on-line' tide table that is able to show the double high at Christchurch to the same accuracy. River flow, winds and pressure all make a big difference as to what the water depth decides to do.
Don't forget that they have now removed the buoys marking the channel in.