Prepare a coasteering tide briefing with local sources, separate tide and current records, changing conditions, agreed exits and shore-contact arrangements.
Identify the actual route, meeting point, date and the experienced local leader or provider responsible for assessing the trip. Ask which tide station, current information and local access advice apply to that route. Keep the source links, issue or retrieval time, station name and intended trip date together. Do not choose a distant port simply because its table is easy to find.
Record the prediction’s time zone, daylight-saving setting, height unit and vertical datum, meaning the reference level for the heights. Keep tidal-current times, speeds and directions in a separate record. High or low water does not reliably identify slack current; use the appropriate local current information rather than deriving it from a tide-height table. Resolve ambiguous units, dates or time settings before using the record.
With the leader, check the local wind, waves or swell, visibility, daylight, warnings and access notices for the planned period. Compare available observations with the forecast and tide prediction. Record what changed and which information is missing. A tide prediction alone does not describe wave exposure, actual water level at a passage or whether a landing is usable.
Ask the leader to identify the route’s critical passages, usable exits and alternative plans, then explain the conditions and timing that govern each decision. Record the agreed meeting, reassessment, turnaround and exit arrangements with their time zone. Include the group’s actual pace, stops, assistance needs and uncertainty in that discussion. A universal buffer before high tide, or a pool swim pace calculation, cannot establish a safe coastal window.
Confirm the leader’s requirements for the group, including suitable helmet, buoyancy aid, clothing and footwear. Review how to ask for help or stop, stay together and communicate when conditions change. Give the nominated shore contact the agreed route, expected return and overdue action; confirm the local emergency contact method and location description. Do not rely on a phone signal that has not been considered in the plan.
Before committing to the route or a critical section, let the leader reassess actual conditions against the briefing. If the agreed conditions are not met or an exit is uncertain, use the agreed alternative or cancel rather than treating the clock as permission to continue. Confirm the group’s return with the shore contact and record changes for the next briefing. Download this preparation plan; retain dated forecasts, route notes and personal trip records separately.
Loading your checklist…
Keep enough context to identify what each value describes. This guide does not fetch live predictions.
| Information | Record with the value | Check before use |
|---|---|---|
| Tide height | Station, date, time zone, unit and datum | The source and reference level apply to the planned location |
| Tidal current | Prediction location, date, time zone, speed and direction convention | Use current information separately from tide height |
| Weather and sea state | Coverage, issue time, warnings and observations | The information covers the planned period and exposure |
| Local route advice | Leader or provider, route version and access notes | Confirm applicability on the day |
Complete these entries with the responsible local leader. No example times or numerical thresholds here constitute a usable route plan.
| Decision | What to agree |
|---|---|
| Before departure | Latest information, group fit and proceed, alter or cancel decision |
| Critical passage | Location, relevant conditions, reassessment point and who decides |
| Turnaround or alternative | Trigger, usable exit and how the whole group will reach it |
| Communication | Group signals, shore contact, expected return and overdue action |
| Return review | Actual return, changed conditions and unresolved notes for the next trip |
NOAA explains why tide height and tidal-current predictions are separate products. RNLI coastal-walking advice addresses shore access and tidal cut-off, not coasteering route approval. The National Coasteering Charter provides a UK coasteering reference point. Obtain the corresponding local sources and provider advice for the actual trip.
Label whether an entry is predicted, observed or supplied as local advice; do not silently substitute one for another.
If participants have different times, station names or route notes, reconcile the source and display settings with the leader before the briefing is accepted.