The Story

[PLACEHOLDER: Background story from tidesy.com — user to provide content from the Shopify site.]

What Tidesy Does

Tidesy is a dedicated smart display that brings real-time coastal data to your desk, wall, or countertop:

• Tide Predictions — 24-hour tide curves and high/low values from NOAA harmonic station data, updated every 6 minutes.
• Current Weather — Temperature and wind conditions from MET Norway’s open weather API.
• NWS Weather Alerts — Active weather alerts (coastal flood, high surf, storm warnings, etc.) from the National Weather Service.
• Multi-Station Monitoring — Track up to 3 tide stations simultaneously, cycling automatically.
• Web Dashboard — Full-featured web interface accessible from any device on your local network.
• Vestaboard Integration — Display tide data on a Vestaboard Flagship split-flap display.

Who It’s For

Boaters, fishers, beachgoers, surfers, coastal property owners, dock and marina operators — anyone who lives, works, or plays near the water and wants a glanceable, always-on tide display.

What Are Tides

Tides are the regular rise and fall of sea level caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on Earth’s oceans. Most coastal locations experience semidiurnal tides (two highs and two lows per day), though some areas see diurnal (one high, one low) or mixed patterns.

Tide Datum

A datum is the reference plane from which tide heights are measured. Tidesy uses MLLW (Mean Lower Low Water) by default — the average height of the lower of the two daily low tides over a 19-year period. This means:

• Positive values = water level is above the datum (above the average low-low)
• Negative values = water level is below the datum (unusually low tide)

All tide heights on Tidesy are displayed in feet above/below MLLW unless you change the datum in settings.

NOAA Harmonic Stations

NOAA operates a network of approximately 3,000 permanent tide stations around the U.S. coastline. Each station uses harmonic analysis — mathematical models based on decades of water level observations — to predict future tide levels. Tidesy downloads predictions directly from these stations.

Reading Tide Values

On the Tidesy display and web dashboard:

• +3.2 ft means the water is 3.2 feet above MLLW (a moderately high tide)
• -0.5 ft means the water is 0.5 feet below MLLW (a very low tide)
• Typical tidal ranges vary from 1–2 ft (Gulf Coast) to 8–12 ft (New England, Pacific Northwest)

Glossary of Tide Terms

MLLW (Mean Lower Low Water)

The average of the lower of the two daily low tides, computed over a 19-year tidal epoch. The standard vertical datum for U.S. nautical charts.

MSL (Mean Sea Level)

The average sea level over a 19-year period, used as a general reference.

Datum

A fixed reference point or surface from which tide heights are measured.

Slack Water

The brief period between tidal flows when the current is near zero — occurs at the turn between flood and ebb.

Flood Tide

The incoming tide; the period when water level is rising.

Ebb Tide

The outgoing tide; the period when water level is falling.

Spring Tide

Tides with the greatest range, occurring near new and full moons when the Sun and Moon align.

Neap Tide

Tides with the smallest range, occurring near the first and third quarter moons.

Harmonic Constituent

A mathematical component used to model tidal patterns; each constituent represents the influence of a specific astronomical cycle.

Semidiurnal

A tidal pattern with two high tides and two low tides of roughly equal height each day.

Diurnal

A tidal pattern with one high tide and one low tide per day.

Mixed Tide

A tidal pattern with two highs and two lows per day, but with significant inequality in their heights.

Comparison Table

TidesyL (7") Flagship

The largest Tidesy model with a 7-inch 800×480 color LCD and touchscreen. Tap the tide graph to see the tide value at any point in time. Tap the large number view to toggle a bar chart overlay. Ideal for a desk, shelf, or wall-mounted display.

TidesyM (5") Mid-size

Same 800×480 resolution and touchscreen as TidesyL, in a more compact 5-inch form factor. Identical software features including graph interaction and bar chart overlay.

TidesyS (2.8") Compact

A compact 2.8-inch 320×240 color display. Great for a desktop or nightstand. No touch interaction on the display — use the web dashboard for full control.

The display shows the same detail and large views as the 7" and 5" models, scaled to 320×240. All tide data, weather, and graph features are available.

TidesyS+ (3.5") Enhanced Compact

An enhanced compact model with a 3.5-inch 480×320 display. Wider screen provides more room for tide data. Same features as TidesyS with a larger viewing area.

TidesyINK (4.2" E-Paper) Battery-Capable

A 4.2-inch 400×300 monochrome e-paper display. Sunlight-readable with no backlight. Can run on battery power, sleeping between 6-minute refresh cycles.

Power Modes

Connecting to the Hotspot

When Tidesy has no saved WiFi configuration (first boot or after factory reset), it creates a WiFi hotspot:

• Network name: TidesySetup
• Password: tide1234
• Setup URL: http://192.168.4.1

WiFi Configuration (Setup Hotspot)

Tidesy supports 2.4 GHz WiFi only. 5 GHz networks are not supported. Most routers broadcast both bands; make sure you select the 2.4 GHz network.

• Network dropdown: Lists all detected 2.4 GHz networks, sorted by signal strength.
• Password field: Enter your WiFi password.
• Verify button: Tests the WiFi connection and displays the device’s IP address on success.

Automatic Timezone Detection

After connecting to WiFi for the first time, Tidesy auto-detects your timezone from your IP address. The timezone is refreshed daily to handle daylight saving time transitions automatically. You do not need to set your timezone manually.

If you need to override the timezone temporarily (e.g., while traveling), use the TZ override option in the Config popup on the web dashboard. This override lasts for the current session only and resets on reboot.

The Config popup showing the UTC offset override at the bottom.

Edit Settings (Web Dashboard)

After the first boot, the Edit Settings page at tidesy.local opens automatically. This is where you configure all device settings — stations, display, location, alerts, colors, Vestaboard, and more. You can return to Edit Settings at any time from the web dashboard.

Station Selection

Tidesy uses NOAA harmonic tide stations for predictions. On first setup, it downloads a directory of ~3,000 stations.

• One-time download: Takes approximately 60 seconds. Runs in the background. A progress banner shows the download status.
• Search: Type a station name or NOAA station ID in the search box. Results appear as you type.
• State filter: Narrow results by state using the dropdown.
• Near Me: Click the Near Me button to find the closest stations to your location, shown with distances in miles.
• Up to 3 stations: Click a search result to assign it to Station 1, 2, or 3 using the +1, +2, +3 buttons.
• Refresh Stations: Click the Refresh Stations button to re-download the station directory from NOAA. Use this if stations appear outdated or if the initial download was interrupted.
• Tide datum: Default is MLLW. Most users should leave this unchanged.

The station picker in Edit Settings with state filter, search, Near Me, and Refresh buttons.

Near Me results with distances and +1/+2/+3 assignment buttons.

State filter (WA) combined with search (“cap”).

The state filter dropdown with all U.S. states and territories.

Display Settings

• Format: Detail (24-hour tide graph), Large (big tide numbers), or Both (auto-cycles between the two).
• Day brightness: 1–100% slider. Controls backlight intensity during daytime hours.
• Night brightness: 0–100% slider. Set to 0% to turn the screen completely off at night.
• Night start: PM hour (0–12). When night brightness begins.
• Night end: AM hour (0–12). When day brightness resumes.

Alert Settings

• Show Alerts toggle: Enable or disable NWS weather alert display on the device.
• Alert display duration: 10–60 second slider. How long each alert is shown before cycling to the next.

Tide Level Settings

• Warning level: −10 to +30 ft (0 = disabled). When the tide reaches this height, a colored horizontal band appears on the graph. Useful for dock clearance, flooding thresholds, or launching conditions.
• Preferred range (from/to): −10 to +30 ft (0 = disabled). A colored band shows your ideal tide range on the graph. Useful for fishing, surfing, or boat ramp access windows.

Color Settings

TidesyINK does not have color settings (monochrome display).

Six color pickers let you customize the display palette:

• Graph positive / negative: Fill colors for the tide curve above and below the zero line.
• Numbers positive / negative: Text colors for positive and negative tide values in Large view.
• Warning color: Color of the warning level band on the graph.
• Preferred color: Color of the preferred range band on the graph.

My Location

Your location is used for weather data, weather alerts, and suggested station distances. Three ways to set it:

• Interactive map: Click/tap on the Leaflet/OpenStreetMap map to place a pin. Drag the marker to fine-tune your position. The map pre-caches a large tile area so you can scroll and zoom in rural areas without losing the map.
• Manual entry: Type latitude and longitude values directly. Both fields accept negative values (south latitude, west longitude).
• Detect from IP: Button that estimates your location from your internet connection.

Per-Network Location Memory

Tidesy remembers the location you set for each WiFi network. When you move the device to a different WiFi network and re-enter setup, it automatically recalls the location you previously picked for that network. If you connect to a new network for the first time, Tidesy detects your approximate location automatically and saves your chosen location when you save the form. Use the Detect from IP button if you want to refresh the detected location.

Vestaboard Settings

Vestaboard configuration is available in the Edit Settings page on the web dashboard. If a Vestaboard Flagship is detected on your network, the Vestaboard section appears with the following options:

• Enable Vestaboard: Toggle to enable or disable the Vestaboard integration.
• IP address: Auto-detected during network scan. You can also enter it manually.
• Local API key: The 22-character encoded key from the Vestaboard app (device settings > Local API). A clipboard paste button is provided.
• Update interval: Single dropdown with 5 options:
  • Change with device — VB mirrors whatever the Tidesy display shows, updating instantly when the view or station changes.
  • 20m / 30m / 1h / 2h — Independent cycle through all stations and views at the selected interval.
• Bar colors: Choose Vestaboard tile colors for positive tides, negative tides, zero mark, warning level, and preferred range.

Colors and Vestaboard sections in Edit Settings.

Detail View (24-Hour Tide Graph)

The detail view shows a 24-hour tide curve as a filled graph:

• Station name header: White text on dark gradient bar at the top.
• Y-axis: Tide height range (min to max for the day) with labeled tick marks.
• X-axis: 24 hours, divided by 4 quarter-line markers (6-hour intervals).
• Data points: 240 values at 6-minute intervals, interpolated into a smooth curve.
• Positive tides: Filled with the positive graph color (default: orange/blue depending on model).
• Negative tides: Filled with the negative graph color (default: pink/red).
• Current time marker: Yellow vertical line showing the current position in the 24-hour period.
• Live data point: Animated yellow circle at the current tide level with a 4-second pulse cycle.
• “Now” box: Two-line info box near the live data point showing the current tide value (e.g., “Now: 3.8ft”) and the rise/sink rate (e.g., “+1.2ft/h”). Text is always yellow on a black background. The box outline turns the preferred or warning color when the tide is in those zones, and blinks with a 4-second cycle to draw attention.
• Foot-level grid lines: Light dashed horizontal lines at each whole-foot level behind the tide curve for easier reading.
• Warning level band: Colored horizontal zone across the graph (if configured).
• Preferred range band: Colored horizontal zone showing your ideal tide range (if configured).
• Conditions: Temperature and wind displayed in the bottom-right area.
• Next H/L: Next high and low tide values and times displayed at the top.
• Status badges: Small status indicators appear near the countdown timer:
  • DST (white on red) — shown on days when a daylight saving time transition occurs. The tide graph uses a red line segment and dimmed fill to mark the affected hour.
  • ! or M — alert severity indicator.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

1 Station name header

2 Weather conditions (temperature, wind speed and direction)

3 Y-axis tide height labels and station info badge

4 Tide curve with positive fill (blue) and negative fill (red)

5 Current time marker (yellow vertical line)

6 “Now” box — current tide value and rise/sink rate

7 X-axis (24 hours with quarter markers)

8 Warning level dashed red line (8.28ft)

9 DST badge — daylight saving time transition day

10 Countdown timer (minutes until next refresh)

11 Rising/falling arrow indicator

Large View (Big Numbers)

The large view displays the day’s four tide values in large, easy-to-read digits:

• 4 tide values: High/Low/High/Low in large text with times in 12-hour AM/PM format.
• Rising/falling indicator: Animated triangle pointing up (rising) or down (falling) with a 4-second fade cycle.
• Tide rate badge: Shows the current rate of change (e.g., "+2.3 ft/h").
• Weather area: Temperature, wind speed, and wind direction at the bottom.
• Current time: Displayed in the bottom area.
• Bar chart overlay: TidesyL TidesyM only — tap the screen to toggle a bar chart showing tide levels across the day.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 Station name header

2 Four tide values with times (blue = high, red = low)

3 Rising triangle indicator with tide rate (+1.1ft/h)

4 Tide datum label (MLLW)

5 Center bar graph with warning (red dashed) and preferred (orange dashed) levels

6 Current tide value box (orange border = in preferred range)

7 Temperature and wind conditions

8 Countdown timer

Here is the large view during a falling tide — note the downward red triangle and negative rate badge:

View Cycling

When the display format is set to Both, Tidesy auto-cycles between the Detail and Large views. The cycle happens each time the data refreshes (every 6 minutes).

Station Cycling

If you have configured 2 or 3 tide stations, Tidesy rotates through them automatically. Each station is displayed for one refresh cycle (6 minutes) before advancing to the next.

6-Minute Refresh

All tide predictions, weather data, and alert information refresh automatically every 6 minutes. This matches the NOAA tide prediction interval (6-minute data points) and ensures the display stays current.

Daylight Saving Time Handling

On DST transition days, NOAA returns a different number of predictions (230 in spring, 250 in fall instead of the usual 240). Tidesy automatically detects this by parsing prediction timestamps and adjusts the graph accordingly:

• Spring forward: The missing hour (typically 2–3 AM) is shown on the graph as a red line with a dimmed fill, indicating interpolated data.
• Fall back: Duplicate predictions for the repeated hour are skipped, with a red line segment marking the transition point.

A DST badge (white text on red background) appears on the detail view during DST transition days.

Detail view on a spring-forward day. Notice the DST badge in the top right, and the red line with dimmed fill between 2–3 AM where the missing hour is interpolated.

Status Badges & Countdown Timer

The top-right corner of the display shows status badges and a countdown timer:

Example: DST day with active alert

DST badge + ! alert indicator + countdown timer

Here is the detail view with an active alert — note the ! badge and the yellow alert banner across the top:

TidesyINK-Specific Display

• Monochrome only: Black and white rendering — no color customization available.
• Font: FreeSans family at various sizes (8pt, 9pt, 12pt, 18pt).
• No animations: E-paper cannot animate. The live data point and rising/falling indicator are static.
• 6-minute sleep cycle: In Low power mode, the device sleeps between refreshes to conserve battery.

What Are NWS Alerts

The National Weather Service (NWS) issues active weather alerts for locations across the United States. Tidesy checks for alerts at each station’s coordinates and displays them on the device and web dashboard.

Data Source

Alerts are fetched from api.weather.gov/alerts/active using each station’s latitude and longitude. The NWS API is free, public, and requires no authentication.

Severity Levels

Alert Display on Device

• Cycling banner: When alerts are active, a colored banner appears at the top of the display showing the severity level, event name, and count (e.g., "1 of 3").
• Color-coded: The banner color matches the severity level (red, orange, yellow, or brown/gray).
• Cycle timing: Each alert is shown for the configured alert delay (10–60 seconds) before advancing to the next.
• Full-screen alert view: Shows station name, event heading, severity/area/effective/expires metadata displayed as severity-colored pill badges, and a description parsed into WHAT/WHERE/WHEN/IMPACTS sections (also shown as colored pills).

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 Station name header

2 Alert counter (1/1 — one alert total)

3 Event name (Small Craft Advisory)

4 Severity and Area pill badges

5 Affected area (Columbia River Bar)

6 Effective and Expires times with relative annotations

7 Issuance summary line

8 WHAT/WHERE/WHEN section headers with descriptions

9 IMPACTS section with additional details

Alert Display on Web Dashboard

The web dashboard shows alerts as styled cards with color-coded left borders matching the severity level. Tap or click an alert event name to see a popup with the NWS definition explaining what that alert type means.

Common Alert Types

Alerts most relevant to Tidesy users include:

• Coastal Flood Advisory / Warning
• High Surf Advisory / Warning
• Rip Current Statement
• Small Craft Advisory
• Tsunami Watch / Warning
• Winter Storm Warning
• Hurricane Watch / Warning
• Beach Hazards Statement
• Dense Fog Advisory
• Gale Warning

Accessing the Dashboard

Open a web browser on any device connected to the same WiFi network and navigate to:

• http://tidesy.local, or
• http://<device-IP> (the IP address shown during setup, e.g., http://192.168.1.42)

Dashboard Features

• Station cards: Each configured station has a card showing current tide data, next high/low, and weather. The NOAA station ID in the header is a link to the station’s page on the NOAA Tides & Currents website.
• Live update countdown: Timer shows when the next data refresh will occur.
• Interactive map: Leaflet/OpenStreetMap map with station markers (blue) and home location marker (green house icon). Click a station name to focus the map.
• Tide curve graphs: Chart.js-rendered 24-hour tide curves for each station with interactive tooltips.
• Alert summary cards: Active NWS alerts displayed as color-coded cards (see Section 6). Tap an alert event name to see a popup with the NWS definition of that alert type.
• Dark/light mode toggle: Switch between dark and light themes. Preference is saved.
• Home marker toggle: Show or hide your home location marker on the map.
• Responsive design: Optimized for phone, tablet, and desktop browsers.

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Page header with Tidesy logo and navigation buttons

2 Station selector dropdown and action buttons (Station Map, At a Glance, Dark, Config)

3 Weather Alert Summary table with severity badges and View links

4 Station card with Chart.js tide curves for all stations (warning/preferred zones shaded)

5 Weather data, countdown timer, and NOAA station ID link

6 Update Available button (when new firmware is available)

Scrolling down reveals alert detail cards and the tide data table:

Alert card with AREA/EFFECTIVE/EXPIRES metadata, WHAT/WHERE/WHEN/IMPACTS sections, and a color-coded tide data table below.

Hover or tap a data point on the chart to see the exact time and tide value:

The station selector dropdown lets you jump to a specific station’s data, and the “At a Glance” popup shows all stations at once:

Dark Mode

Toggle dark mode using the button in the page header. The preference is saved in your browser and persists across visits. Dark mode adjusts backgrounds, text colors, card styles, and map tile contrast.

Dark mode with alert summary, tide chart, and alert detail cards.

Map

The interactive map shows:

• Station markers (blue pins) — click a station name in the data area to center the map on it.
• Home marker (green house icon) — your configured home location. Can be toggled on/off.
• Map auto-zooms to fit all markers when the page loads.

If tidesy.local Doesn’t Work

The address tidesy.local works on most modern devices (macOS, iOS, Windows 10+, and most recent Android versions). If it doesn’t work on your device, use the device’s IP address directly instead (the IP address is shown during setup).

Mobile Dashboard

The web dashboard is fully responsive and optimized for phone screens. The navigation collapses to a hamburger menu, and all features are touch-friendly.

What Is Vestaboard

Vestaboard is a premium smart display that uses mechanical split-flap characters to show messages, art, and data. Each board has a 6-row × 22-column grid of split-flap tiles that can display letters, numbers, and colors. Tidesy connects to a Vestaboard on the same WiFi network to show live tide data in a beautiful mechanical format.

Compatibility

Setup

1. Network scan: Tidesy scans the local WiFi network and discovers any Vestaboard Flagship devices.
2. API key: Enter the local API key (22-character encoded key). Obtain this from the Vestaboard app under device settings > Local API. You can paste a key from the clipboard using the clipboard button next to the input field.
3. Interval: Select how often Tidesy updates the Vestaboard (see Update Modes below).

Update Modes

VB Colors

Vestaboard tiles support 8 colors. You can configure which colors are used for:

• Positive tide values
• Negative tide values
• Zero mark
• Warning level indicator
• Preferred range indicator

Available tile colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, White, Black.

Vestaboard Views

Tidesy sends three different views to the Vestaboard, cycling through them automatically:

Detail View

Shows the day’s tide schedule with high/low times and values. A color bar graph illustrates relative tide heights. The current tide level is highlighted in green.

Large View

An at-a-glance summary showing the current tide level, rise/fall rate, next high and low, and the current date and time. A blue bar graph shows the current tide height.

Alert View

When weather alerts are active, the Vestaboard shows the alert count, severity breakdown, and event names with color-coded severity indicators (red = extreme, orange = severe, yellow = moderate).

Automatic Switching

Tidesy automatically switches between day and night brightness based on the device’s internal clock. The clock is set automatically over the internet and adjusts for daylight saving time.

Settings

TidesyINK does not have brightness controls. E-paper displays are reflective (no backlight) and are readable in any lighting condition.

2.4 GHz Only

Tidesy supports 2.4 GHz WiFi only. 5 GHz networks are not supported.

WiFi Memory

Tidesy stores up to 30 known WiFi networks. WiFi passwords are encrypted on the device.

Auto-Reconnect

If the primary WiFi network becomes unavailable, Tidesy automatically scans for and connects to the strongest known network. Networks are prioritized by signal strength.

Per-Network Location Memory

When you move Tidesy between WiFi networks (e.g., home and beach house), the device remembers the location you set for each network. When you connect to a known network and re-enter setup, your previously saved location is automatically loaded. This means you don’t need to re-pick your location on the map every time you switch between familiar networks. Saved locations are cleared on factory reset.

tidesy.local

The device registers itself as tidesy.local on the network, allowing you to access the web dashboard and settings page without knowing the device’s IP address.

Required Internet Access

Tidesy requires internet access for the following services:

Automatic Update Check

Every time Tidesy boots, it checks for available firmware updates. This check happens silently in the background.

Mandatory Updates

Some updates are marked as mandatory (critical bug fixes or security patches). These are installed automatically and silently — the device will download, install, and restart without user interaction.

Optional Updates

When a non-mandatory update is available, an Update Available button appears on the web dashboard. Click it to review the update notes and install.

Update Process

1. The update is downloaded and installed automatically over WiFi.
2. The device display shows a dedicated update screen with a green progress bar, percentage counter, and “Do not turn off” warning.
3. If updating from the web dashboard, a spinner overlay tracks progress in real time.
4. Device automatically restarts after a successful update.
5. A “Successfully Updated” banner appears on the web dashboard showing the new version number.

Power Modes

Battery Monitoring

TidesyINK monitors battery level and displays it on screen.

E-Paper Characteristics

• No backlight: Sunlight-readable, works in any lighting condition. Not visible in complete darkness.
• No color: All graphics are rendered in black and white.
• No animations: E-paper can only do full-screen refreshes. Partial updates may show ghosting.
• 6-minute full refresh: The screen fully redraws every 6 minutes to clear ghosting artifacts.
• Slight ghosting: Faint traces of previous images between refreshes is normal for e-paper technology.

Only the TidesyS model has a status LED on the back of the device. Other models do not have an LED.

Boot Sequence (TidesyS Only)

During startup, the LED indicates progress through the boot sequence. Color changes correspond to WiFi connection attempts and initial data fetches. Once fully booted and connected, the LED settles to a steady state.

TidesyL / TidesyM (Touchscreen)

These models have capacitive touchscreens with two interactive modes:

Other Models

TidesyS, TidesyS+, and TidesyINK do not have active touch interaction on the display. Use the web dashboard for interactive features.

WiFi Issues

Display Issues

Data Issues

Firmware Issues

Web Dashboard Issues

Vestaboard Issues

Web Factory Reset

While connected to the same WiFi network as your Tidesy, type tidesy.local/factory_reset into any browser’s address bar and press Enter. A confirmation page will appear — click the button to proceed. If tidesy.local does not resolve, use the device’s IP address instead (e.g. 192.168.1.x/factory_reset).

What Gets Erased

• All preferences: WiFi credentials, station selections, display settings, Vestaboard configuration, visit counter, night mode settings, colors, and location.
• All per-SSID saved locations (up to 5 network-location pairs).

What’s Preserved

• Firmware (the device keeps its current version).
• Internal files (station directory, logo, help page).

After Reset

The device restarts and enters setup hotspot mode (TidesySetup / tide1234). You’ll need to go through the full setup wizard again.

Hardware Reset

Pressing the physical reset button on the back of the device restarts the firmware but does not erase any settings. This is equivalent to unplugging and re-plugging the device. Use this for a frozen or unresponsive display.

No Cloud Account Required

Tidesy operates fully locally. There is no cloud account, no login, no subscription, and no app required. The device connects directly to public APIs for data.

No Personal Data Sent

The only data Tidesy sends to external services are geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude) to fetch weather and tide data. No names, email addresses, or other personal information is transmitted.

APIs Called

All APIs used by Tidesy are public and require no authentication:

• NOAA (tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov) — Tide predictions
• NWS (api.weather.gov) — Weather alerts
• MET Norway (api.met.no) — Current weather
• IP location service (ip-api.com) — Location detection (used once during setup, optional)

Local Storage

All settings are stored securely on the device. WiFi passwords are encrypted.

No Tracking

Tidesy does not include any analytics, telemetry, or third-party tracking. The device does not phone home, report usage statistics, or share data with anyone.

Tide Terms

Datum

A fixed reference surface from which tide heights are measured.

MLLW (Mean Lower Low Water)

The average of the lower low water height each tidal day over a 19-year epoch. The standard datum for U.S. nautical charts.

MSL (Mean Sea Level)

The average height of the sea surface over a 19-year period.

MHW (Mean High Water)

The average of all high water heights over a 19-year epoch.

Slack Water

A brief period when the tidal current is near zero, occurring at the turn between flood and ebb.

Flood Tide

The incoming (rising) tide.

Ebb Tide

The outgoing (falling) tide.

Spring Tide

Tides with the greatest tidal range, occurring around new and full moons.

Neap Tide

Tides with the smallest tidal range, occurring around the first and third quarter moons.

Harmonic Constituent

A mathematical component representing one astronomical influence on tides (e.g., M2 for the principal lunar semidiurnal tide).

Semidiurnal

A tidal pattern with two nearly equal high tides and two nearly equal low tides per day.

Diurnal

A tidal pattern with one high tide and one low tide per day.

Mixed Tide

A tidal pattern with two highs and two lows per day of significantly different heights.

Tidal Range

The vertical difference between a high tide and the following low tide.

Technical Terms

OTA (Over-The-Air)

Firmware update delivered wirelessly over WiFi, without physical connection.

E-Paper

A display technology that reflects ambient light (like paper), requires no backlight, and retains the image without power.

NWS (National Weather Service)

U.S. federal agency that provides weather forecasts, warnings, and alerts.

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

U.S. federal agency that operates the tide station network and provides tide predictions.

Tidesy Terms

Detail View

The 24-hour tide graph view showing the tide curve, time marker, and weather conditions.

Large View

The big-number view showing four tide values (High/Low/High/Low) with times and weather.

Warning Level

A configurable tide height threshold that triggers a colored band on the graph (e.g., for dock clearance).

Preferred Range

A configurable tide height range shown as a colored band on the graph (e.g., ideal fishing or surfing window).

Alert Delay

How many seconds each weather alert is displayed before cycling to the next (10–60 seconds).

Night Mode

Automatic brightness reduction during configured nighttime hours.

Power Mode

TidesyINK-specific setting that controls WiFi and sleep behavior (High / Balanced / Low).