There are two high tides (and two low tides) every 24 hours 50 minutes. During a week's stay at Quay Place the time of high tide will therefore advance by just over 5.5 hours. (A tide table is provided).

The height of successive high tides changes according to the phase of the moon. Spring tides — when high tides are particularly high and low tides particularly low — occur a day or two after full or new moons. (The interval between successive full moons is 29.5 days). Neap tides (when the tidal range is smallest) occur midway between spring tides — shortly after the moon is in its first and third quarter.

Spring tides are not of uniform height. On a good spring tide, vessels of quite suprising size can safely navigate Bow Creek as far as the Maltster's Arms. (Right: Riverlink paying an evening visit to Bow Creek). On such occasions the tide sometimes floods the lowest part of the the Maltster's Arms car park.

At low tides, the only water running through the muddy* bottom of the creek is that of the River Harbourne.