The Rhythm of the Tides

Twice a day, ocean water rises and falls along the world's coastlines in a rhythm as old as the Moon itself. This is the tide, driven primarily by the gravitational pull of the Moon (and to a lesser extent the Sun) on Earth's oceans.

Because the Moon orbits Earth roughly every 24 hours and 50 minutes (slightly longer than a solar day), the tidal cycle doesn't repeat at exactly the same clock time each day — it shifts forward by about 50 minutes daily. This classic tide clock below tracks that lunar rhythm.

An Important Note on Accuracy

This dial shows the general semi-diurnal lunar tide cycle (the same principle used by traditional brass tide clocks found on boats and in coastal homes for over a century). It is a fun and genuinely astronomical tool for understanding the Moon's rhythm — but real-world tide times at a specific beach also depend heavily on local coastline shape, water depth, and weather, which this clock cannot account for. For precise tide times at your exact location, always check a local, official tide table.