What is a tide?
Here’s a reminder about the tides phenomenon that can be seen in Cotentin:
a tide is a variation in the level of the sea, caused by the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun on the sea, here, on the English Channel that runs along the coast of Cotentin.
Here, this variation between the rising and falling tides can be easily seen because the differences are so significant. We speak of high tide and low tide.
The tidal coefficient indicates the amplitude of the tide, it ranges between 20 and 120.
Be aware of the tide schedule, when going on a fishing trip on a boat, and for when you plan on coming back, and when going to/from some ports of Cotentin. When going shellfish gathering, make sure you don’t leave too late to go out on the foreshore, because you might find yourself in difficulty when the tide comes back in.
Precautions
Here is some important advice:
- check the weather forecast and check the exact times of the tides before setting off. Don’t leave if it is foggy or stormy.
- Make sure you take a mobile telephone, a watch, and a compass, even experienced shellfish gatherers can be taken by surprise!
- Make sure you are wearing clothes that are adapted to the weather conditions. You can very quickly get cold out at sea.
- Check the regulations that apply to fishing
- Have you got a problem? Contact the number for emergencies at sea: 196
