Tides and currents

R

Roy

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
RO Number
114
Messages
186
OK here's one for all you ocean scientist out there. We want to go scuba diving in an area where there is a fairly strong tidal current. When does the current go to zero with respect to the actual time of high (or low) tide?

Thanks in advance.
 
The only place where slack water occurs at high and low tide is in the middle of the ocean where there is no resistance to the flow. At Cortez, Sarasota Bay, for example, Low tide is at 16:39 this afternoon. Slack water is at 18:41, two hours later. Slack water in Palm Beach (Lake Worth Inlet) is about an hour after tide change. Your best bet is to get local tide and current tables so you have some good data to work with.
 
Pel, there's a difference between slack tide and slack water. Current tables are seperate from tide tables. Here's one of each for the port of Palm Beach (Lake Worth):

tides1.jpg


tide2.jpg


Note the lag between low/high tides and slack water.
 
Let me try to explain what is going on. The port is just inside the inlet. To the north and south are the ICW as well as various salt water lakes and canals. At high tide in the port, the points to the south and north are not yet "full." Water will continue to flow through the inlet to fill those remote areas, but the water will not get any higher in the port. Water is seeking its own level. Once the remote areas are full, there will be a brief period of equilibrium with no current. After that, water starts to flow out of the port, hence the slow current. Once the remote areas start to empty, the current (water flow) increases as well.
 
Again, Thud, not to be contrary, but tides are tides and currents are currents. One is vertical, one is horizontal. The relationship between high or low tide and slack water is geographical. You'd be better served if you didn't try to link the two.
 
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