12:30

At the ramp, boots onOne hundred and ten minutes, 12:47 to 14:37

2 Hard sand ends0.85 mi, last firm ground2.10 m
3 Marram Gut1.60 mi, poles set every twenty paces1.20 m
4 Soft ground2.40 mi, walk the line, not the shortcut1.60 m
5 Sker Channel3.10 mi, lowest ground, wade it0.35 m
6 Second gut3.70 mi, ankle deep on springs1.10 m
7 Sker Holm shore4.00 mi, shingle, then the path up5.40 m

The rule

If we turn back, we turn back together

If you are late we do not wait, the tide has already turned

The crossing, four miles of seabed

DEAD LOW 13:42 · SPRINGS · RANGE 7.60 M · WIND SOUTHWESTALMANAC LOW 0.40 M · SEA LOW 0.70 M · +0.30 M ON A SOUTHWEST WIND

There is 0.35 m of water in Sker Channel at dead low today, so you will get wet to the knee.

We leave from the ramp at Cross Farm and walk out along the poles. The sand is hard for the first mile, then soft where the channel wanders.

We do not call this safe, we call it timed. The almanac says one thing and a southwest wind says another. Today the water is standing 0.30 m over the prediction all day, so we walk the water and not the almanac.

Heights above chart datum, Sker Holm secondary port

Dead low is the bottom of the tide, the moment before it turns and starts to flood.

Springs and neaps

Springs today, 7.60 m of rangeNeaps, 3.20 m of range

Pink marks the state of the tide this week

Springs this week, so the window is long. On neaps it closes to about ninety minutes and some days it does not open.

Boots you can walk four miles in, and trousers you can roll to the knee.

Water, a hat if the wind is off the sea, and a bag you do not mind wetting.

We carry the poles and the radio. Two guides walk it, one at the front and one at the back.

Taking a place

14 places today

We meet at the ramp at 12:30, boots on, and we leave at 12:47. Pay at the ramp or by bank transfer, whichever suits you.