WRACKLINE

Headland coast · Rocky headland

Ossett Head

The plain case. A steady twice-a-day tide off a rocky headland, with miles of reef and pools uncovering at low springs.

Good for walkersGood for anglersGood for surfers

A long rocky shore uncovered at low tide below green cliffs and a small town on the headland
Spring range
4.3 m
Neap range
2.1 m
High water springs
5.1 m
Tide type
Semidiurnal

Today at Ossett Head

Ossett Head

Sunday 4 October

Heights in metres above chart datum

00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:0024:000 m1 m2 m3 m4 m5 m6 m00:38 · 1.3 m06:46 · 4.6 m13:15 · 1.4 m19:11 · 4.6 m
  • Low water00:381.3 m
  • High water06:464.6 m
  • Low water13:151.4 m
  • High water19:114.6 m

Between neaps and springs · range 3.3 m

The next seven days

DayHigh waterLow water
Sun 4 Oct06:46 4.6 m19:11 4.6 m00:38 1.3 m13:15 1.4 m
Mon 5 Oct07:49 4.8 m20:12 4.7 m01:42 1.2 m14:16 1.3 m
Tue 6 Oct08:46 4.9 m21:06 4.9 m02:40 1.0 m15:10 1.1 m
Wed 7 Oct09:38 5.1 m21:56 5.0 m03:32 0.8 m16:00 1.0 m
Thu 8 Oct10:25 5.2 m22:43 5.1 m04:20 0.7 m16:46 0.9 m
Fri 9 Oct11:09 5.2 m23:27 5.1 m05:06 0.7 m17:29 0.8 m
Sat 10 Oct11:52 5.1 m05:49 0.7 m18:12 0.9 m

The free app shows today and tomorrow. Pro (£18 a year) shows 365 days ahead, with alerts.

About the tide here

Ossett Head is our home port, and the closest thing on this coast to a textbook tide: twice a day, nearly symmetrical, and very little that the moon and sun do not explain. It is the port to learn on.

At low springs the sea draws back off a wide rocky platform below the cliffs, uncovering pools, gullies and the reef ends that anglers fish on the first of the flood. It comes back quickly across the flat rock, faster than it looks from the top of the path. That is where the “turn back by” time earns its place.

The harbour office on the quay is where the app is made, and where the duty phone is answered from six in the morning until ten at night.

Port facts

Reef uncovers
Below about 1.2 m, on most spring lows
Nearest help
Lifeboat station at the harbour, 1 mile north
Gauge
Harbour office wall, since 2019

Published error, last 12 months

Average day
9 cm
Worst single day
48 cm
How we measure it

Carry Ossett Head in your pocket

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