I've probably moaned and groaned before about not being able to find a tide clock that is tied into NOAA tide tables, and doesn't depend on a lunar analog clock motion. The tide clocks we all have that are "clocks" with a lunar clock in them so the only 2 times a month they are deadly accurate are at the New Moon and the Full Moon, assuming of course that you set them at one of those 2 times.
Why? you may ask, doesn't the Moon drive the tides? Well that's mostly true BUT the sun's gravitational pull is also a factor, so the tides are most extreme when the Moon and Sun are either lined with each other (New Moon) or directly across from each other, (Full Moon). When they're at 90° from each other we get Neap Tides, which are not very extreme, and not necessarily even close to the time that one's analog tide clock would say. Mine can be close to an hour off the actual time of the high or low tide. Even more "unusual" is that sometimes in the mid-lunar cycle, the AM and PM tide will be almost exactly 12 hours apart instead of the more normal 12 hours and 14 minutes for my location.
The tide data on our GPS/Sounders is directly taken from the NOAA tables for the area you are in. There are cell phone aps that do the same, but I had a bear of a time trying to find a home tide clock that did this. At one point I was so desperate I was ready to take one of my older computers and write the program for myself, but didn't want to try to sell that an old computer needed to be displayed to the Ministry of Sociality and Finance.
I got excited a few years ago when I did find such a clock, but it was well over $300 and it had no "decorative value" that I could us to convince the Minister to approve a Capital Request for the clock. Honestly, at that price, I really wasn't interested either...
Well my prayers have finally been answered, Thank You Poseidon. NexTide.US out of MA has devised a WiFi enabled tide clock that provides even more data than I could imagine. Of course it shows you if it's flooding or ebbing along, with the time of the next tide, BUT it also shows the magnitude of the next high and low tide in terms deviation from MHW/MLW. The price point is 1/3 of the one model I rejected, and its "palette" is one of many lighthouses, the number of which increasing by the month. Additionally, there's some other styles including Surfboards, Bodyboards, Pineapple, Dock Piling and, believe or not, WWII Fire Control Towers, you know that tower next to the Montauk Lighthouse!! You can tie the clock into any NOAA tide reporting station, it's not at all locked into the tide of the lighthouse casing!! Besides desktop models, there are a few "Big Bertha" wall mount versions. I can't think of a fisherman or boater who wouldn't want one of these at home to replace those relatively worthless analog ones. Go to their website to take a look!!
I discovered the website over a month ago and hoped they would eventually add the local Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, my "Good Morning" lighthouse to their product list and today they did!! Of course I immediately ordered mine today and am already pacing waiting for delivery.
Just can't wait!!
Why? you may ask, doesn't the Moon drive the tides? Well that's mostly true BUT the sun's gravitational pull is also a factor, so the tides are most extreme when the Moon and Sun are either lined with each other (New Moon) or directly across from each other, (Full Moon). When they're at 90° from each other we get Neap Tides, which are not very extreme, and not necessarily even close to the time that one's analog tide clock would say. Mine can be close to an hour off the actual time of the high or low tide. Even more "unusual" is that sometimes in the mid-lunar cycle, the AM and PM tide will be almost exactly 12 hours apart instead of the more normal 12 hours and 14 minutes for my location.
The tide data on our GPS/Sounders is directly taken from the NOAA tables for the area you are in. There are cell phone aps that do the same, but I had a bear of a time trying to find a home tide clock that did this. At one point I was so desperate I was ready to take one of my older computers and write the program for myself, but didn't want to try to sell that an old computer needed to be displayed to the Ministry of Sociality and Finance.
I got excited a few years ago when I did find such a clock, but it was well over $300 and it had no "decorative value" that I could us to convince the Minister to approve a Capital Request for the clock. Honestly, at that price, I really wasn't interested either...
Well my prayers have finally been answered, Thank You Poseidon. NexTide.US out of MA has devised a WiFi enabled tide clock that provides even more data than I could imagine. Of course it shows you if it's flooding or ebbing along, with the time of the next tide, BUT it also shows the magnitude of the next high and low tide in terms deviation from MHW/MLW. The price point is 1/3 of the one model I rejected, and its "palette" is one of many lighthouses, the number of which increasing by the month. Additionally, there's some other styles including Surfboards, Bodyboards, Pineapple, Dock Piling and, believe or not, WWII Fire Control Towers, you know that tower next to the Montauk Lighthouse!! You can tie the clock into any NOAA tide reporting station, it's not at all locked into the tide of the lighthouse casing!! Besides desktop models, there are a few "Big Bertha" wall mount versions. I can't think of a fisherman or boater who wouldn't want one of these at home to replace those relatively worthless analog ones. Go to their website to take a look!!
I discovered the website over a month ago and hoped they would eventually add the local Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, my "Good Morning" lighthouse to their product list and today they did!! Of course I immediately ordered mine today and am already pacing waiting for delivery.
Just can't wait!!
Last edited:
