Tide School

08/10/2025

Cold-water season is here!

If you love sea swimming and want clear, practical guidance, join my 1-hour online masterclass on Thu 20 Nov, 19:30 GMT (£20).

We’ll cover cold shock & afterdrop, how to read tides/rips/wind, and a simple before/during/after routine for safer winter swims. Recording included.

👉 Book here: https://www.tidalcompass.com/product-page/sea-swim-masterclass-online

26/09/2025

For anyone who loves sea swimming and wants to boost their safety and confidence as we head into winter, join our online masterclass on Thursday 20 November at 7:30pm.

In this 1hr session you’ll learn simple, lifesaving sea-sense and enjoy safer, better swims!

Tickets £20 - there are only 20 spaces so book now to reserve yours: https://www.tidalcompass.com/product-page/sea-swim-masterclass-online

13/08/2025

🌊 The Tide School App is coming! 🌊

Imagine having the power to read the sea in your pocket — spotting rip currents, timing tides, understanding winds, and avoiding hidden dangers before you even get in the water.

This app will save lives — helping prevent people from drowning in rip currents or getting cut off under cliffs — by making coastal safety knowledge available to everyone, everywhere.

We’ve just launched our crowdfunder to make it happen — and to keep it free for everyone. Every donation, big or small, helps bring it to life.

💛 Support here:

To build the Tide School App — a lifesaving digital toolkit teaching sea safety through fun, fast learning for all ages and abilities.

26/05/2023

Following on from our last reel, here are some tips for surviving a rip…please note the following advice is for when there are no lifeguards to help you, either because it’s off-season or you’re on a wild and remote beach…

1. Take a few seconds to lie back; this will help you stay calm as you get your breathing under control and look around to choose the best route out the rip.

2. The goal is to swim across the current (parallel to shore) towards the waves - this is where water is being pushed into the beach. Remember to never swim into the current! Those who try don’t get anywhere, become exhausted, panic then drown.

3. After swimming out of the current towards the waves, let them push you into shore. Next time, a sensible tip before swimming is to check for rips from high ground (see more at www.tide-school.com)

⚠️ With this simple three-step guide, hundreds of people would be saved from drowning in rips every year.

24/05/2023

What is Slack Water?

Slack Water is the time that tidal streams are slowest in either direction.

For your local coastline, it will always happen around a set time before and after high tide.

+ Tidal streams flow both ways along the coast, changing direction every 6hrs at Slack Water.

+ On an open coast, Slack Water usually happens around 3hrs before high tide and 3hrs after.

+ After Slack Water, tidal streams speed up for 3hrs then slow down for 3hrs.

+ At high tide, streams are often flowing at maximum speed.

💡If you’ve got any questions, comment below or send a DM!

16/02/2023

Today has kept me busy working on a new masterclass in our natural navigation series in collaboration with the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation, exploring how clouds can help you better understand what’s happening around you…

…did you know that Cirrus clouds (the thin wispy ones high up) on a sunny day are an indicator that a warm front may be on its way, with heavy rain following around 12 hours later?

We’ll be going into more detail in the masterclass when it goes live, but for now you may want to check the first three articles in the series, sharing techniques you can use to navigate by the stars. Link in bio!

15/02/2023

In my latest article for we featured the incredible who run classic boat trips through the stunning tidescapes of North Norfolk…if you’re in the area we definitely recommend a visit!

Coastal Exploration Company was founded by Henry Chamberlain who’s an incredibly cool dude - as are his crew of local seafarers who’ll give you an unforgettable adventure. Their motto is simple: recharge in nature. What’s not to love?

This feature is part of my year long series with Coast exploring the iconic Shipping Forecast around Britain, with each month focusing on a different region - North Norfolk is within ‘Humber’ and we have accompanied this with a brand new print in our studio collection - if you want one for yourself the code will give you a 20% discount!

31/01/2023

When you’re next out and about at night, take a moment to scan the eastern horizon and familiarise yourself with the stars rising from there - from your position each one will rise at exactly the same point on the horizon!

The easiest to use is the middle star in Orion’s belt (shown in the drawing) because it’s easy to spot and rises due east from everywhere in the world.

To learn more about how you can navigate with Horizon Stars (and discover how the Polynesians used them to map the Pacific Ocean) head over to our latest article at Tide School - link in bio!

This article is one of a series of 12 free masterclasss in collaboration with the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation, with the aim of sharing natural navigation tips that you can apply to your adventures, anywhere in the world!

If you’ve got any questions, comment below or send me (William) a DM. We hope you enjoy learning something new and find these timeless skills practical when you’re next out on the water…

30/01/2023

I’ve been in such a creative frenzy over the past fortnight I realised I yesterday that I haven’t done a post in aaaages!

So here’s a sneak preview into the whirring of my inner mind planning out my new navigation book, Wayfinder.

Based on a sailing trip to Polynesia last year, on the surface Wayfinder is a practical guide to help you find your way with nature’s signposts - the birds, swells, clouds, winds and stars.

But beneath the surface there’s an undercurrent exploring the deeper journeys we all take though life, shaping a course through the uncertainty of our futures.

On a practical publishing level, do you think the drawings should be black & white (travel notes style) or full colour?? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

17/01/2023

Soft white sand & crystal clear waters…where else but north-west Scotland?

In my latest feature for I spoke to Norma about why the Outer Hebrides is a swimmers paradise - if you’re looking for an adventure in nature without heading overseas, this should be top of your list!

What makes it so good? Apart from pristine nature, the geography is ideal for swimming; with so many nooks and crannies, there’ll always be a beach sheltered from the wind and swell.

p.s I’m writing a monthly feature in Coast all through this year, so keep your eyes out for each article exploring a different Shipping Forecast region around the UK…next month is Humber and showcases adventures with

p.p.s if you want one of these iconic prints the code will give you a 20% discount!