The rise and fall of the oceans are what we call tides. These long, drawn out waves are responses to the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. Tides cause sea level changes, which vary depending on the geographic location. As the moon orbits earth, its gravitational pull creates a bulge in the planet’s oceans.
As a result, there is a daily cycle of high tides and low tides.
People track tides for various reasons, many of which include boating, sailing, fishing, surfing, and other water activities. For example, knowing when is low tide vs. when is high tide can be instrumental for surfers who want to catch waves. Similarly, this information is critical for fishermen looking to catch saltwater fish like snook, redfish, founder, and ladyfish, which are most present during low tide.
Having an understanding of both high and low tide (and using tide tracking devices like tide clocks) can help you make the most of coastal living, regardless of your goal or purposes.
Why do Tides Occur?
Tides are primarily the result of the Moon’s gravitational pull. The Sun also plays a role in the tide, but a smaller one due to the fact that it is so much farther away from the Earth than the moon. Still, the Sun has an effect on tides.
For example, when the Moon, the Sun, and Earth are all in the same line, high tide will be higher and low tide will be lower than usual due to the extra gravitational pull. We call these instances spring tides, even though they occur all year-long and have nothing to do with the season Spring.
Similarly, when the Moon, the Sun, and the Earth all at right angles respective to each other in an “L” shape, the tides will neither be as high nor as low. This is because the Sun cancels out a bit of the moon’s influence here, resulting in a “neap” tide.
How Tide Clocks Help
Mechanical tide clocks, like those available at Tidepieces, help us predict tides with great accuracy. These types of clocks will work for any location with two regular high and low tides per day. Tide clocks run on a 24h 50 min cycle, which is in sync with the orbit of the Moon around the Earth. By telling the tide intervals, tide clocks help users determine when high vs. low tides will occur so they can plan their activities accordingly. From spending a day at the beach to helping prepare for storm activity, tide clocks are useful for anyone who lives near the water or finds themselves involved in that way of life.
Watch the tide actually move in your clock with original animated tide clocks from Tidepieces. Find accuracy, authenticity, precision, and more right here. For questions or additional information, please feel free to contact us today.
