# When do tides move the most?



## scott44 (Aug 17, 2013)

Is it right at high and low or the period between the two?


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

Usually as soon as it starts falling.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

My assumption is, that you are asking about current flow? At exact high and exact low, it is full stop at the pass. Current flow is greatest between high and low. At certain times of the month, the difference between high and low is greatest compared to other days of the month. When you are between high and low, during these days is when you get the greatest volume of moving water between high and low tides.


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## sel1005 (Jan 10, 2008)

look at some of the online graphical flow and time charts to get a better idea; they will show you daily highs / lows for your location and the times when the flow will be the strongest. I use a free one on my RAZR and love it, its location dependent, can be set for where you are going or where you are currently, but you see exactly what to expect in a graphical format vs a chart of numbers


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## Chris Gatorfan (Apr 8, 2012)

Keep in mind also that a new moon and a full moon create the most amount of tidal flow.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Here's a currents chart for December you can see where and the way the flow is. You can judge the speed by the height of the hump the higher the more flow or stronger flow. The flatter ones are neap tides with less flow :thumbup:


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## scott44 (Aug 17, 2013)

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> Usually as soon as it starts falling.


Is this mostly true for the start of the rise as well?


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## HungryFisherman (Mar 18, 2013)

sealark said:


> Here's a currents chart for December you can see where and the way the flow is. You can judge the speed by the height of the hump the higher the more flow or stronger flow. The flatter ones are neap tides with less flow :thumbup:


Where did you find this calendar? That's fridge worthy for sure!


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

scott44 said:


> Is this mostly true for the start of the rise as well?


Look at the hump it starts slowley, at hump top is max flo, bottom of hump is again slack water. Thare is a time differance between high tide and slack water. So don't compare high tide with my chart it's. Slack currant not tide. 

As for the program it's an old one that i have on XP i don't think it will work with 7 or 8.


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## flappininthebreeze (Jul 13, 2009)

*Tide flow*

Rough estimate is 1/3 2/3 3/3 2/3 1/3, meaning it's 1/3rd of full flow strength, then 2/3, etc. strongest at mid point between high and low, then decreasing again. Slack at H & L.

Take the number of hours between high and low, divide by 6, apply to the clock times, and you have hourly estimates on flow strength. Shortcut for strongest, divide hours by 2, and halfway between is strongest.


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## scott44 (Aug 17, 2013)

flappininthebreeze said:


> Rough estimate is 1/3 2/3 3/3 2/3 1/3, meaning it's 1/3rd of full flow strength, then 2/3, etc. strongest at mid point between high and low, then decreasing again. Slack at H & L.
> 
> Take the number of hours between high and low, divide by 6, apply to the clock times, and you have hourly estimates on flow strength. Shortcut for strongest, divide hours by 2, and halfway between is strongest.


So, If high was at say 5am and low was 5pm the strongest flow would be at 11am?


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Depends on the tide phase. Good explanation below:

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/tides/tides01_intro.html


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

scott44 said:


> So, If high was at say 5am and low was 5pm the strongest flow would be at 11am?


Thats exactly correct. Same an any phase BUT on the smaller humps it will be less flow all over the change. The moon is what controls the tides.


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## scott44 (Aug 17, 2013)

sealark said:


> Thats exactly correct. Same an any phase BUT on the smaller humps it will be less flow all over the change. The moon is what controls the tides.


Thanks,,,I got it now ...I should have said the strongest flow of the day.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Now you a current expert. Tide schedules are differant. They show as the top of hump is hi tide. Now you are totaly confused again. (Kidding)


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## scott44 (Aug 17, 2013)

sealark said:


> Now you a current expert. Tide schedules are differant. They show as the top of hump is hi tide. Now you are totaly confused again. (Kidding)


Is not?...oh man


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## Pier#r (Oct 2, 2007)

HungryFisherman said:


> Where did you find this calendar? That's fridge worthy for sure!


You can choose your own location and make your own @
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/sites_usgulf.html

Such as...
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=Pensacola+Bay+entrance%2C+midchannel%2C+Florida+Current

Choose "graphic plot" and the "number of days" (2 is default), 4 looks good

http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tides...ola Bay entrance, midchannel, Florida Current


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## servo765 (May 25, 2013)

It seems everyone has a link. I nerded out on my phone one night on a slow bite under 3mb, trying to make sense of the current flow that didn't seem to switch at the right time. This straight from noaa:

"Many professional and recreational users of tide and tidal current information have a "rule of thumb" to assume a relationship between the times of high/low tides and the times of the currents. *That the times of slack water will be at the same time as the high and low tides, and that the flood and ebb current will occur between the high and low tides. Unfortunately, this assumed "rule of thumb" does not hold for most locations*"-http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/faq4.html

Based on putting in numerous non-neap tide days to the actual current predictions for the pass and bouncing that off the tide predictions, the max current does seem to occur halfway between high and low, but slack occurs 1.5-2.5 hours after high and low. I did not input every day, but it seems to work for most days with a "normal" tide pattern.

The "What is the relationship between Tide and Tidal Currents" paragraph spells it all out. The modeling seems to be a pain in the ass for such a complicated bay system as our own (full of smaller bays, ICWs, and so on), which is why the pass is the only place I can find where they bother to predict it. Watch out where the source data is coming from for most of the auto-locating applications- most of the ones I have found just reference the closest reported data, which is often the pass. Which is why, sitting in the north blackwater bay, my phone always reports a laughable 1.2kt west current. Perhaps there is some voodoo science going on and it actually knows, but best I can tell, the pass is the only place that science has bothered to predict.

I am interested in your thoughts. Also, if there is a site which offers more locations for current prediction than just the pass, I would love to know.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

There is a difference of tides or currents at any place. From the pass to 3 mile bridge could be hours. You have to find the difference and remember, it will always be the same differance.


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## CreekLifeFL (Jun 22, 2013)

sealark said:


> There is a difference of tides or currents at any place. From the pass to 3 mile bridge could be hours. You have to find the difference and remember, it will always be the same differance.


I have an app called Fishing Times on my android phone and it allows you to move pin point to any location on a map and gives you the tide tiimes for that particular location not sure if that would help him. Its a free app and lets you look 3 daYS in advance or you can pay the $1.99 and see any date you want to.


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