Paul Hyett wrote:

From today's Mirror

http://tinyurl.com/ocmmr

This is the week I'm due to be in St Ives on holiday...
--
Paul Hyett, Cheltenham (change 'invalid83261' to 'blueyonder' to email me)

I saw that, I think some perspective is needed.

In Newquay (the nearest I've got full tide details to St Ives), the
highest Spring Tide in September (9th) is 7.8m above chart datum, which
is about as high as it gets. However the 7.7m in October is achieved at
some point most years. The exceptional September tide is just 4-5"
above the normal highest tide of the year.

If low barometric pressure is combined with an onshore gale it can
raise the astronomical tide by a few feet. Add to this a 10'+ swell,
not uncommon in Cornwall, then a Spring tide a few inches above the
normal for the equinoctal period is actually of fairly minor
importance. Adverse weather conditions on a large spring tide are bad
news, whether the tide is 7.6m or 7.8m.

During the October 2004 storm which hit Penzance, the swell was 15-20',
the storm surge several feet, so huge waves were breaking right on the
sea defences. It was truly scary to watch. At Mousehole the sea was
breaking up and washing away concrete normally 10' above the normal HW
Spring Tide level. It was flooding cottages around the harbour by
shooting up into the air, and going down the chimneys. So a Spring tide
a few inches above the normal equinoctal spring, is really that big a
deal. But it's certainly something to watch.

Graham
Penzance