How can the state of Shoal Cave be predicted in Gen 3 if the internal battery is dry?

Question

So I am about to start a playthrough of the original Pokémon Sapphire and the internal battery has run dry in the cartridge. I want a Spheal for my team. So is there any way to tell what the state of Shoal Cave will be? Before going there.

Thank you for reading

Comments

Whatever time the clock in your room is frozen at will be the tide of Shoal Cave and you will be unable to change it

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You could always try to renew the battery in your game

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Not a full answer, but https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Shoal_Cave has a chart that tells you what the tides are, so you can just set your clock to one of the low tide times.
Also you can catch Spheal at any tide.

Answer 1

Shoal Cave's tide depends on the time you set on the clock at the beginning of the game, which is static and unchangeable if the internal battery is dry.

Which times align with each tide can be found on Bulbapedia, but it is easier to remember this way: if the hour hand points to the top half of the clock, it is high tide; otherwise, it is low tide.

For Gen Alpha folks who can't read analogue clocks: the hour hand is the smaller one, so this picture indicates high tide. (Credit: Serebii)

Importantly, Spheal can be encountered by walking in Shoal Cave regardless of the tide, so you don't have to worry about that. The conventional wisdom is that you go for low tide, which lets you access the ice room containing NeverMeltIce and TM07 (Hail), and is the only place you can encounter Snorunt.