If I have not previously made clear how freaked out I have been, am, and probably will be, about neap vs. spring tides, now is the time. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Different people say different things! Am I screwed?!?!
For the uninitiated, there are two types of tides you swim on in the English Channel, neap and spring. Tides move in and out of the Channel, perpendicular to the direction of your swim. Spring tides are stronger, neap tides weaker. Historically, swims were done on neap tides. Now, pilots offer spots on both tides, and the recommendation seems to be that if you are reasonably fast, a spring tide is OK. … unless you talk to other people who say it isn’t. I have spots on spring tides. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
This speaks to a larger problem. Who to trust and how to know. It’s a tough nut to crack, especially since I am a nerdy introvert at heart who navigates social waters with effort. If only it were as easy as swimming for me.
