What are ebb tides?

[keith 405]

I hear people talking about ebb tides and flood tides what are they?

[Snatcher]

Basically when the tide is going out it is on the ebb and when it is coming in it is on the flood Keith.

[Scotty T]

Heres how I see it -

 

Flood tide - Tides coming in

Slack water - Top or bottom of the tide

Ebb tide - Tides going out

 

Spring tides - Biggest movement of the tide between high and low water, happens once a month I think genrally

 

Neap tides - Smallest movement of the tide between high and low water.

 

Think thats right, if not someone will no doubt correct me very soon.

 

Scotty

[Guest jay_con]

Thats an interesting one. Spring tides? are they once a month or twice a month?

 

There are two sets of big tides a month and two sets of small. Im not sure if both big tides are called springs. The big ones coincide with full moon and no mooon at all I think, But then again i may be wrong.

[Salar]

Another useful tip is that Spring tides usually occur athe the same time of day, at least they do down here. Whenever the high tide in Portsmouth is around midday we know its going to be a big one, whenever it is at 6am/pm then its a small one.

[Toerag]

Springs - twice a month, one with the full moon, one with the new moon. Full moon tides have higher high waters, new moon tides have lower low waters.

Channel isles tides are different, slack water is at 1/2 tide up or down, the ebb is normally the low water flow and the flood the high water flow.

[gonefishingatwork]

tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the planets on the water as the earth rotates...the moon has the greatest effect being closest, but the sun has an effect as well. Springs are when you get the sun working with the moon, so normally when you see a full moon they'll be springs and likewise when its a new (blank moon). Neaps are the opposite and sometimes you dont see the moon because it may be out of view which will diminish its effect on the water near you.

 

Around the solent you also get a backlash tide caused by the water moving around the solent and around the channel...there is a lag and this changes with the tide, normally combining on springs, but offset on neaps to give a double high...consequently there isnt much water height movement on neaps around the solent.

 

Fwiw they can be any time of the day...just like you can see the moon any time of the day.

 

[ 11. October 2004, 12:58 PM: Message edited by: gonefishingatwork ]

[Toerag]

quote:

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Fwiw they can be any time of the day...just like you can see the moon any time of the day. [/QB]

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Eh? Springs in the C.I. are always low water between 1 & 4 am/pm, neaps are always high water at that time.

[Smart]

As gonefishing states - the major influence on tides is the Moon. I've recently been trying to get my head around the lunar affects on fishing - a guy called Chris Lyons (a Barbel fisher) has done a lot of research, and has a very interesting / thought provoking site called Moonstrike, on the net. He has some evidence of the moon phases being directly linked to good fishing, even in unfavourable conditions. If the moon could affect freshwater species, then it will also affect the saltwater ones. Obviously, various tides are known to produce fish, but it would be nice to be able to go down to the beach during daylight, and haul out some fish, rather than spend all hours down there in the dark. If I get any joy from this project, I'll keep this forum posted. I have an open mind at the moment, so am willing to put the effort in, rather than poo hoo it as others have already.

[Jim Roper]

The highest tides in this area are always about 9.30ish, 3 days after the Full and New Moons. Great innit?

The strongest currents are usually at high and low water. Slack water is 'about' half-way between high and low.

The 'young flood' is often promoted as a good time to catch fish.

Direction of flow and times are affected by all sorts of things and the proper charts are needed to find out about them. Of course you could spend 40 years talking to your local fishermen instead!

 

[ 12. October 2004, 02:14 PM: Message edited by: Jim Roper ]