Currents and Tide when planning your dive

[AJS]

I have to be honest - all dives I have ever done I had a Dive Master and/or more experienced divers with me. So all I had to do was dive - I meant, I did not have to worry about tides, currents, entry/exit points, etc.

I have seen some posts, reports, bulletins around tide and currents.

My question is: how should I account for these when planning my dive? Especially low/high tide. Are there any post or recommendations I can read and learn about this matter?

Thanks for any recommendations!
AJS

[renoun]

There's a good thread running over in the Diving Ed. forum right now.

[dwashbur]

planyourdive.com has a tide and current app that I use all the time. It's quite accurate and easy to use. Around here, current tends to be a bit more crucial than tide, especially at certain sites. Some, like Redondo and Les Davis, aren't current sensitive so all you really need to look at is the tides and how long your walk is going to be. Other sites, like Titlow, Edmonds and Saltwater, are current sensitive and you need to time things accordingly.

If a dive that I totally blew at Titlow on Saturday is any indication, I'm not very good at that timing thing. But I'm learning.

[fmerkel]

planyourdive.com has a tide and current app that I use all the time. It's quite accurate and easy to use.

In my experience it seems to work on sites that are NOT current critical and sucks at sites that ARE. I don't know what their algorithm is but it ain't good. Frankly I warn people off it. Learn to use current tables and add correction factors yourself as appropriate. Depending on a program like this to guide you is an invitation to a 'learning experience', especially on the current intensive sites.

[Norris]

In my experience it seems to work on sites that are NOT current critical and sucks at sites that ARE. I don't know what their algorithm is but it ain't good. Frankly I warn people off it. Learn to use current tables and add correction factors yourself as appropriate. Depending on a program like this to guide you is an invitation to a 'learning experience', especially on the current intensive sites.

Wow someone has been bitten.
I think where you went wrong is assuming the corrections were made. I believe they are not. So you still have to use your noggin to factor corrections due to distance from point where the reading is taken. Their "algorithm" is the SAME that all tides and currents are based off; historic information.

[Jeff Pack]

No, for example PYD has corrections for DIW. I always clear them, and use my own.

[Norris]

Aha yeah most the sites I ever use PYD for do not have the corrections. But I don't think I would "rely" on them if they did. As Pack said, figure your own.

[fmerkel]

I took another look. Seems to have changed a bit since I looked last. Got a couple interesting tools. I suppose like most folks I've adopted my own ways, they work, I'll stick with them.

It's kind of a problem for people starting out. Fishnaller is pretty good....but, he certainly didn't do multiple visits on all the sites in all conditions. Some of his info is not quite accurate and for some of the more difficult sites is not available. But it's a great place to start. Once you have some experience and can wrap your head around corrections you can then start gleaning info from other diver for the harder sites.