The British summer took a turn for the worst when it was battered with storms left over from Hurricane Bertha. Flooding was a problem, although some people were able to avoid damage to their homes and businesses by keeping abreast of the times of the tides. Flooded properties are more usually associated with British winters, but the latest weather proves that it pays to be tide and storm aware every day of the year.
Checking the times allowed some home and business owners to prepare for the effects of the storm which were dangerously combined with higher than normal spring tides. One cafe owner on the Isle of Wight said she realised the potential for damage and managed to put sandbags in place because she was aware of when the high tide was. Other than opening slightly later than normal, her business remained unaffected.
As the winter of 2013 proved, flooding can be a huge problem in Britain at any time of the year. Keeping abreast of tidal influences and applying the same knowledge as part of your daily routine can really help you out if you are in an affected area.
More recently, bad weather has resulted in holidaymakers travelling during the school summer holiday period being urged to check ahead to ensure flooding won’t affect their travel or accommodation plans. Tidetimes.co.uk has provided an invaluable resource for people, allowing coast-bound travellers to check out any area of the UK and Ireland before setting off.
Tidetimes.co.uk is currently running a #KnowYourTideTimes campaign via social networking site, Twitter, with the aim of highlighting the need to be Tide Aware. The campaign has been well received with support from both the RNLI and Coastguard. With the RNLI running their own #RespectTheWater campaign and the high numbers of people hitting the coast over the summer period, both campaigns hope to educate the public and help reduce the number of incidents and 167 water-related deaths that occurred over 2013.
