Tides govern everything that we do here at Big Green; they're a vital part of all ocean activity, especially for surfers and beachgoers here in Cornwall. They are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun on Earth, creating regular rises and falls in sea levels. As the moon orbits, it generates bulges of water, leading to high tides in areas directly beneath it, while regions at right angles to this experience low tides. This cycle occurs roughly every 12 hours, resulting in two high tides and two low tides daily. Depending on the activity you're looking for, we'll be looking for specific tidal conditions, as the waves, currents and even access to certain areas can vary dramatically depending on the tide.
In Cornwall, the unique coastline and varying underwater topography affects the intensity of the tides, meaning we have some of the largest tidal ranges anywhere in the world. This makes it even more essential for us to stay informed and plan our different activities around the tide times. Local factors such as wind, weather, and even seasonal changes can affect the tides to some degree, but largely tide times are forecasted a long way in advance, allowing us to plan out our schedules a year or more in advance. Below you'll learn about a few of the considerations we have to make, by understanding these tidal patterns you'll be able to better plan your sessions, maximise your time in the water, and enjoy the best conditions that Crantock has to offer.
HIGH TIDE
This is the time for paddlesports here in Crantock. As the tide comes in it fills up the Gannel Estuary creating perfect paddling conditions for SUPs & Kayaks, on the biggest tides the Gannel stretches for up to 2.5km inland, meaning you have a huge area to explore.
We generally recommend setting off around 1 hour before high-tide and returning 1 hour after, this means you're always working with the current, allowing the tidal movements to help you on your way. When the high tide is less than 5.8m you're pretty confined to the main river bed, however once it's bigger than this you can really explore the creeks and other areas.
These timings do fluctuate though, on really big tides (6.8m and above), the sheer volume of water moving past Fern Pit means the currents are exceptionally strong. When the tides reach this level we often delay our session start times, waiting until 45 or even 30 minutes before peak high tide to launch. This makes things much safer and allows you to launch your craft without battling against that flooding water.
In terms of surf at high-tides, you can sometimes get some really nice long, gentle waves, however generally speaking the deeper water means the waves don't have enough power unless you're on a big longboard. However if you're surfing an SUP or a Foil then this stage of tide can offer some amazing rides!
MID TIDE
As the tide moves in (floods) and out (ebbs), the conditions become very changeable, this can bring some safety challenges in terms of tidal cutoff, strong currents and rapidly changing conditions, however it can also provide perfect conditions if you know how to plan your session.
In particular our Coasteering sessions are always best on the mid tide - we aim to either start or finish the session around 1-2 hours before/after high-tide, using the movement of the tide to help us through the route. These currents are just what we're looking for to make our journey really exciting - there's no feeling quite like being swirled around through caves and gullies by the power of the swell and the tide.
The mid-tide can also bring some of the longest rides for our budding surfers. Long, peeling waves are there for any outback surfers who can make the paddle out, whereas beginners will find they have plenty of time to find their feet in the whitewater. The experience of our amazing coaching team really shines during these mid-tide conditions, using our local knowledge to move around the beach and adapt to the ever changing conditions, by following our guidance you'll be rewarded with some great waves!
LOW TIDE
As the tide reaches the shallow, low-tide banks, this is when you really feel the power of the waves. As the Atlantic swells break over shallow sandbanks the raw energy explodes, giving you some of the fastest waves you'll experience.
For advanced surfers there are speedy hollow, often barrelling waves on offer, whilst even for beginners this extra power could be just what's needed when conditions are a bit smaller.
This is also when bodyboarding and bellyboarding really come into their own, with no fins to worry about you can ride all the way to the beach and really experience the full power on offer.
For our paddlers, at low tide the currents in the Gannel completely disappear as the water drains out, leaving us with a series of shallow pools, perfect for beginners, kids or those who need a bit of help building their water confidence. We run our SUP Taster sessions daily at low-tide, taking advantage of the easier conditions in order to help even the most nervous paddlers feel more confident on their feet.
As you can see, every stage of tide brings advantages and disadvantages, depending on what it is you're looking for. With the range of different activities on offer here at Big Green you can be confident that we've always got something for you to do and a way for you to find your stoke in the ocean!
To stay up-to-date with the tide times on your next holiday, you can check out our daily tide board here at the beach, buy a little yellow Tide Times Book from the Village Store, or hop online to a site like Surfline to make sure you've got the info you need to enjoy the beach safely!
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