Allihies Tide Clock

Allihies rests at the wild western tip of the Beara Peninsula, where colourful cottages face the Atlantic and mountains rise steeply behind the village. Just below, Ballydonegan Beach curves in bright white sand made from crushed quartz rock left over from copper mining in the hills. Old engine houses and mine buildings still dot the slopes above the bay, so walks around Allihies mix sea views with traces of its industrial past. Out along the headlands, places like Cod’s Head and Black Ball Head look across Coulagh Bay towards the Kerry mountains, with Dursey Island lying off to the southwest at the very end of the peninsula.

Today the area draws walkers, swimmers and history lovers who come for the mix of beach time, mining heritage and big Atlantic scenery. Visitors follow the Allihies Copper Mine Trail over the hills, spend afternoons on the sand or exploring rocky coves, and then drive or cycle on towards the Dursey Island cable car for an even more remote experience. The Allihies tide clock gathers this stretch of coast onto its face, so every turn of the hand reflects the steady rise and fall of the sea along Ballydonegan Bay, the cliffs and the headlands at the edge of West Cork.

What is a tide clock?

A tide clock is a device that tells you if the tide is high or low, and how much time is left before it changes. It works by synchronising with the lunar cycle, which influences the tides. The tide clock has a single hand that rotates once every 12 hours and 25 minutes, which is the average time between two high tides or two low tides. The dial of the tide clock is divided into sections that indicate the state of the tide: high, low, rising, or falling. By looking at the position of the hand, you can tell what the tide is doing and how long it will take to change.

Why use a tide clock?

A tide clock can help you plan your activities around Allihies by letting you know when the water is high enough or low enough for your preferred activity. For example, if you want to swim, you might want to avoid low tide, when the water is shallow and cold, and the mudflats are exposed. If you want to fish, you might want to avoid high tide, when the water is deep and fast, and the fish are dispersed. Going sailing, surfing, or kayaking? You might want to choose a time when the tide is rising or falling, which creates more favourable conditions for these sports. If you want to walk along the shore, you might want to choose a time when the tide is low, which reveals more of the beach and the wildlife.

What is a marine chart?

A marine chart is a map of the sea and shoreline that shows water depths, hazards, and features you can use to understand the geography and infrastructure of a coastal location. It uses symbols and numbers to show how deep the water is at different places, where rocks, sandbanks, or wrecks are, and where channels are safer for boats. The chart marks landmarks on land—like lighthouses, piers, and headlands—so you can match what you see to the map.

What are the details of the Allihies tide clock?

• 260 mm x 260 mm and 45mm deep. (10″ x 10″ x 1.75″)
  
• Heavy duty professionally printed canvas.
• Solid-wood frame. Select from either black or white.
• Real glass
  
• Delivered in a presentation box with “Who knows what the tide may bring” printed on it.

The Allihies tide clock contains full instructions on how to set and how to read a tide clock.

This is not a navigation device.