On 13/05/2010 16:42, Jim wrote:
On 13/05/2010 16:34, wrote:
Butbutbut... The tides are not simultaneous. They vary from place to
place
(Southampton has twice as many as most other places as well) This
should be
enough to reduce the peaks/troughs.

Southampton doesn't in fact have twice as many tides. After the first
high water, the tide recedes only slightly before a second high water
about 2 hours later.

From a power generation point of view it wouldn't be that different to
anywhere else.

I think you have missed the main point. As Bruce said tides follow a
predictable cycle but what he missed is that tides at different places
occur at different times. At any given time you can find tides round the
coast at every possible state from high to low and ebb and flow.