travel & tides
High Tides
Tides on Mersea are twice daily. Sometimes they cover the causeway at the Strood, leaving the island, er an island for that period of time.
Tide Times
It’s rare for locals to get stuck with a tide, they do they clever thing and check the tide tables. You can often pick these up in booklet form at local shops.
Tide Height
If the tide is at 4.5m or higher, it will probably cover the road. Sometimes this is for 30 mins either side of high tide, other times it can be up to 1.5 hours either side if it’s a Spring Tide or the wind is strong. Make sure you check the tide time and aim to travel well outside of the high tide if it’s above 4.5m.
Cars don’t float
Unless you’re James Bond or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, PLEASE, do NOT attempt to cross the causeway if the road is covered. We see breakdowns very often, and this can result in a car being abandoned in the sea, or the occupants having to be rescued by the emergency services.