River Mersey Tide Clock

The Mersey estuary is a large and beautiful body of water that connects the river Mersey to the Irish Sea. It has a tidal range of about 30 feet (9 m), which means that the water level changes a lot between high and low tide. If you love the sea and want to swim, fish, sail, surf, or walk along the shore, you need to know the state of the tide at any time. A tide clock can help you with that.

A tide clock is a device that tells you whether 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.

To set your tide clock, you need to:

• Check your local tide table and find the time of the next high or low tide
• Move the hand to the corresponding position on the dial
• Use a tide clock app on your phone for convenience and accuracy

Why use a tide clock?

A tide clock can help you plan your activities around the Mersey estuary 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. If you want to sail, surf, or kayak, 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.

Points of interest around the River Mersey mouth.

One of the attractions that you can see around the Mersey estuary is Fort Perch Rock, a former defence fort and museum that overlooks the mouth of the river Mersey. It was built between 1825 and 1829 to protect the port of Liverpool from potential enemies. It is also known as the “Little Gibraltar of the Mersey”, because of its resemblance to the famous rock in the Mediterranean. It covers an area of about 4,000 square yards (3,300 m 2), and has walls that range from 24 feet (7.3 m) to 32 feet (9.8 m) high. It has a collection of maritime and aviation artefacts, such as a Titanic exhibition, a Spitfire fighter plane, and a Luftwaffe bomber. It also hosts cultural events, such as concerts, festivals, and escape rooms. It is open to the public on weekends and bank holidays, and charges a small admission fee. It is a popular attraction for visitors who want to learn more about the history and heritage of the Mersey estuary, and enjoy the views of the river and the sea.