Tides of Change

“Time and tide wait for no man.” ~Geoffrey Chaucer



The all important tide table



Ah, the tides.  Their simple ebb and flow have such huge impacts on our lives.  They determine when ships can come and go, they send us and our chairs and blankets running for dry ground when they change course in the middle of our day at the beach, they are affected by the moon.  So we’re going to dig a little deeper into changing tides, both physically and metaphorically.



A jelly wave is not a good wave!



Physically, if you are an ocean rider, as I am, the tides have a huge impact on your navigational choices, and can sometimes even affect whether or not you can get in or out of certain destinations.  Anyone who has spent a number of hours on a sandbar can probably relate.  They can also impact how long it takes to get to the inlet (it takes a surprising amount longer pushing against an incoming tide than it does cruising along with an outgoing one).  And then there are the quirky things…like tides at certain times of the year, coupled with the right prevailing wind direction, bring in creatures!  Down this way, that can mean those evil purple and blue jellies!  Ouch!  When there is more jellyfish than water in the swells…watch out!

Trip planning is a great habit to get into.  And there are more resources than ever for doing so.  In the very least, before heading out, in addition to checking the weather conditions and wind report, check the local tides.  Try and find the tide station nearest to where you are planning to go, as they can vary a surprising amount even from locations 10 miles apart.  For example, today’s high tide at Government Cut in Miami occurs 20 minutes later than high tide at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale…only about 20 miles apart.  Tides can be found on www.weather.com under boat and beach reports, on Weather Underground (www.wunderground.com), on local news sites, and any number of places on the web…just do a google search for ‘tide tables’ for your local area.

Knowing when low tide is can be particularly important.  This is when most people get into trouble.  Dropping anchor to fish in the flats or hang out at the sandbar can seem harmless at high tide.  But it is easy for time to get away from you, especially if you are socializing or reeling in prime catch.  Before you know it, you can feel that unmistakable ‘thud…thud…thud’ of you keel bouncing off the bottom.  Unless you have a ton of friends, all of them out of the boat pushing, you may well be stuck.  And unless you want to pay the exorbitant fees to have a towing company come out and unground you (it could easily skyrocket to the tune of $500 - $800+), you had better get comfortable, because you will now be waiting hours for the tide to turn around.



Bay of Fundy high tide...



...and Bay of Fundy low tide!



It is also important to know the water height difference between high and low tide.  In my area, it is only 3 feet on average.  Some areas, such as on the northern side of Cape Cod, the tidal range is 12 feet.  The most extreme tides in the world occur in the Bay of Fundy, between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, in the Canadian Maritimes.  The average tidal range there is 55 feet!!  Bottom line: tides are important, so be aware of them!



Trucks do not like this!



Besides the obvious effects like access to certain areas and getting grounded, there is also the boat ramp to consider.  Launching during an extreme low tide can be treacherous.  This is when the maximum amount of ramp slime and algae is exposed.  I swear that stuff is more slippery than an icy sidewalk covered in bacon grease.  I have come close to wiping out on a slippery ramp more than once, and have witnessed countless others fulfill that destiny.  Besides personal treachery, there is also traction to worry about.  I am a huge proponent of 4-wheel drive for boat ramps.  A rear wheel drive vehicle on a steep, slippery, low tide ramp with too little weight in the back of it has no traction.  It will not only burn rubber trying to grip where there is none, but runs the risk of losing traction altogether and riding the slippery slope all the way down into the water.  I will never forget the day I saw a Land Rover go for a salty swim at a public boat ramp during just such conditions.  Believe me, it can happen.  And if your car goes into salt water, it’s DONE.

Now that we have covered the literal tides…the metaphorical ones are quite prominent on my horizon.  I am embarking on an exciting new journey.  I am heading to new (but not unfamiliar) waters.  The Wake Zone is on the move!  After a biblical amount of effort…planning, career changing, packing like there is no tomorrow, and a certain amount of blind faith…I am following a dream.  And of course my dream involves lots of water.  Stay tuned, next week’s entry will come to you from a shiny, new location!  In the meantime, remember to check those tides, because they are a-changing…every six hours to be exact.  Plan your day on the water accordingly.  Summer is here.  Let’s ride!!!



Tides of change are here...