High tide changes access
At some beaches, high water provides an easier entry. At others, it removes the usable beach, reaches sea walls or covers hazards. A predicted height also matters: not every high tide reaches the same level.
Low tide changes the shoreline
Low water can reveal sand, rocks, channels and structures that are hidden later. It can also put the water much farther from a safe exit. The shoreline you see when arriving may look very different by the time you finish.
Movement matters as much as height
A tide is constantly changing between high and low water. Local geography can turn that movement into strong currents, especially around headlands, harbour entrances, piers, groynes and channels. A tide table predicts height and time at a reference point; it does not describe every local current.
How Seyva uses tides
The public swimming outlook currently looks around predicted high-tide windows. That is a practical starter preference, not a claim that high tide is safest. Check the station, predicted time and height, local advice and the route you intend to swim.
- Identify entry and exit points for both the start and expected finish.
- Check whether the tide will be rising or falling during the session.
- Understand local currents and hazards.
- Combine the tide with wind, swell, surf and visibility.
- Use a lifeguarded beach where possible and follow local flags and signs.
Useful next checks
Sea-swimming conditions checklist · Choose a live coastal forecast · RNLI open-water swimming guidance