Mannin Bay Tide Clock

Mannin Bay sits on the Connemara coast near Shannanagower and is part of the Mannin Bay Blueway, a managed network of water trails used for kayaking and snorkelling; the Blueway includes marked routes and local access points for small craft and shore users.

The bay’s beaches are notable for their light-coloured maerl sands, made from fragments of coralline algae and marine skeletal material rather than true coral; these coarse sands often contain shells and fossil fragments that reflect the bay’s marine deposits and local biodiversity.

Mannin Bay is a shallow bay shaped by post-glacial deposition and longshore drift, with dune fields and intertidal flats formed from wind and wave action.It’s a clear sheltered waters are suitable for supervised swimming, paddle sports, and wildlife observation. Clifden is just a short hop to the north.

Our chart shows the local area from Ballyconeely in the south, to Streamstown in the north and shows offshore features such as Turbot Island and all the notable landmarks in the area.

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 Mannin Bay  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 Mannin Bay 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 Mannin Bay Tide Clock contains full instructions on how to set and how to read a tide clock.

This is not a navigation device.