Are tide watches accurate?
Once set, it can only indicate tide times accurately in areas where tides are regular, particularly semi-diurnal tides. This means there are two high tides and two low tides with relatively similar amplitudes within 24 hours and 50 minutes. Tide clocks may experience variations to real world tides over the course of a lunar month, but they are generally reliable.
What is a tide watch?
The mechanics behind how a tide watch works are sophisticated, but their purpose is simple: to accurately and clearly convey the ebb and flow of the ocean’s surface. Predicting and measuring tides and currents is important for things like getting cargo ships safely into and out of ports, determining the extent of an oil spill, building bridges and piers, determining the best fishing spots, emergency preparedness, tsunami tracking, marsh restoration, and much more.