Stromness: High water is 2 hours and 5 minutes before high water at Wick
Bay of Houton: High water is 4 hours before high water at Aberdeen
Rora Head, Hoy: The east going stream begins at 3 hours and 10 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The west going stream begins at 2 hours and 50 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. The stream divides off Rora Head. A tide race may form off the Head.
Offshore, between Rora Head and Sneuk Head, Hoy: The south-east going stream begins at 3 hours and 20 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The north-west going stream begins at 2 hours and 50 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south-east going stream reaches a speed of 1.8 knots at springs. The north-west going stream reaches a speed of 1.1 knots at springs. The stream increases in strength towards Tor Ness.
Rora Head to Kame of Hoy: The north north-east going stream begins at 3 hours and 10 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The south south-west going stream begins at 2 hours and 50 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The flow is not strong near the coast.
Rysa Sound: Rysa Sound does not have regular tidal streams.
Between Green Head, Hoy and the south tip of Cava: The tide flows south-east and north-west. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs.
Bring Deeps, north of Cava: Between Holm of Houton and the Calf of Cava: The east going stream begins at 3 hours and 35 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The west going stream begins at 2 hours and 45 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs. There may be an area of choppy waves to the north of the Calf of Cava.
Houton Head: The tide flows south-east and north-west. The flow reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs.
South end of Clestrain Sound: The speed of flow in the Sound drops by the time it reaches a line running east from Croo Taing. The tide flows south south-east and north north-west. The flow reaches a speed of 1.5 knots at springs.
Clestrain Sound, east side, South of Skerries of Clestrain: The south south-east going stream begins at 3 hours and 20 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The north north-west going stream begins at 3 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south south-east going stream reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs. The north north-west going stream reaches a speed of 0 knots at springs. The south-east going flow is strongest on the east side of the Sound, with weak flows near Graemsay. The north-west going flow is strongest on the west side of the Sound.
Eddy on east coast of Gramesay: The south-east going flow in Clestrain sound is much weaker near the coast of Greaemsay and eddies form near the coast and perhaps behind Riddock Shoal, a shallows off the pier on the east coast of Graemsay.
North of Skerries of Clestrain: During the east-going stream in Hoy Sound, the stream divides at Skerries of Clestrain, and runs north close to the coast.
Bay of Ireland eddy: During the east-going stream in Hoy Sound, the stream divides at Skerries of Clestrain, and runs north close to the coast, turning west in Bay of Ireland.
Cairston Roads Eddy: During the east-going stream in Hoy Sound, the stream divides at Skerries of Clestrain, and runs north close to the coast, turning west in Bay of Ireland and forming an eddy in Cairston Roads, running past Outer Holm. The flow in Cairston Roads is thus continuously south-west.
Taing of Sandside: The tide flows south-east and north-west. The flow reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs.
Hoy Sound, North of Graemsay: In the narrows north of Point of Oxan: The east going stream begins at 3 hours and 10 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The west going stream begins at 3 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 8.5 knots at springs. The east-going stream is probably stronger than the west-going stream. Streams may be stronger over shoals (Showbelly on charts) which extend from Skerry of Cletts to a point half way across the sound, north of Point of Oxan. The stream on the north side is strongest at Skerry of Ness (beacon).
East end of Burra Sound: Flows reduce in strength by Bring Head, as they enter Bring Deeps The tide flows east south-east and west north-west. The flow reaches a speed of 1.5 knots at springs.
Burra Sound: In the wider part of the Sound: The east south-east going stream begins at 3 hours and 15 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The west north-west going stream begins at 3 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs. The east-going stream is strongest on the Hoy sound, flow being weak on the Graemsay side.
Narrows of Burra Sound: In the narrows west of Graemsay: The tide flows south south-east and north north-west. The south south-east going stream reaches a speed of 4.5 knots at springs. The north north-west going stream reaches a speed of 5 knots at springs. This diminishes away from the narrows, reaching 1.5 knots west of Point of Oxan.
Hoy Sound, Western entrance: The east going stream begins at 3 hours and 10 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The west going stream begins at 3 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 4.5 knots at springs. The in-going stream is felt from a line running south from Breck Ness. Eddies form on both sides of the channel during the out-going stream, such that the stream runs in a narrow jet around 1.4 km wide in mid-channel south of Breck Ness. By 1.5 miles west of this point, the stream is imperceptible. A significant tide race forms when the west-going flow meets incoming swell - the race can extend from 1.5 miles west of Breck Ness all the way to Skerry of Ness. The race can mostly be avoided inshore. Shallows at Kirk Rocks and Braga can kick up large waves.
Eddy south of Hoy Mouth: In the mouth of Hoy Sound, an eddy forms near the land to the south, such that the flow here is continuously easterly.
Eddy north of Hoy Mouth: In the mouth of Hoy Sound, an eddy forms near the land to the north, such that the flow here is continuously easterly.
Row Head to Breck Ness: The tidal stream here flows south starting 3 hours and 40 minutes after high water at Aberdeen reaching a maximum speed of 1 knots at springs. From 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen, when the offshore stream turns west, the streams are weak and irregular near the coast.
West Coast of Mainland, Row Head: The tidal stream divides west of Row Head. There is little tide between Marwick Head and the Black Craig.
Row Head to Brough Head: The tidal stream here flows north starting 3 hours and 40 minutes after high water at Aberdeen reaching a maximum speed of 1 knots at springs. From 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen, when the offshore stream turns west, the streams are weak and irregular near the coast.
Brough Head: The east north-east going stream begins at 3 hours and 55 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The west south-west going stream begins at 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. The west-going flow may be weak or non-non-existant due to an eddy forming on the north coast of Mainland. A race with standing waves can form.
Rackwick, Hoy: (ND 198 990) g Small public car park, 400m away from the beach. It may be possible to drop boats closer to the sea.
Moaness Pier, Hoy: (HY 245 040) g Several available near the pier.
Houton: (HY 318 041) g Large car park next to ferry terminal, by the beach. Steep grassy back between the car park and the beach. It may be possible to find a way down, or alternatively carry to the slipway off the private road to the east of the ferry piers.
Bridge of Waithe: (HY 281 112) g Small area where 1 or 2 cars might be parked down a short track off the main road. Options for launching here will likely be dependant on the tide. Also possible to launch to the north of the Bridge.
Stromness, marina slipway: (HY 256 094) g Slipway opposite car park and public toilets.
Stromness Guardhouse Park: (HY 253 082) g Small gravel area to park on on Guardhouse Park, a road which leads down to the seafront. Either launch on a small beach near the bottom of Guardhouse Park or using a slipway just to the south.
Warebeth: (HY 236 085) g Small parking area by the beach. Toilets at cemetery to the south east.
Bay of Skaill: (HY 236 192) g Parking area and toilets by beach. Parking also at the Skara Brae visitors centre to the south, but this is much further from the beach. Note that there are reef breaks at both sides of the bay, making an approach at the centre advisable if there is any significant swell.
Mar Wick: (HY 229 241) g Small parking area by the bay.
Point of Buckquoy: (HY 243 284) g Large parking area close to the sea on both sides, access across rocks may be awkward at low water.