It is known that difference places on the globe have different tides. For instance Derby WA has a range of 10 meters, whereas Augusta WA has only around 1m. I always assumed that it was due to the proximity of the equator until I saw this tide map. Initially it made no sense, but after some thought, I assume that it is a function of water depth, land shapes, harmonics and the equator, amongst other things. I notice that there are no large tide ranges out in the open ocean, only up against land masses.

I found it interesting, and wonder what else is affecting it.

Why are there large ranges around Greenland which is close to the pole, and presumably gets very little effect from the tidal pull of the Sun and Moon?
Why is there such a large difference on either side of the Panama Canal?
Why is the proximity to the equator of such little importance?
Why such a scrambled mess near Southern Argentina?
What’s with the rotational arrows around certain locations?

Kingy said:

It is known that difference places on the globe have different tides. For instance Derby WA has a range of 10 meters, whereas Augusta WA has only around 1m. I always assumed that it was due to the proximity of the equator until I saw this tide map. Initially it made no sense, but after some thought, I assume that it is a function of water depth, land shapes, harmonics and the equator, amongst other things. I notice that there are no large tide ranges out in the open ocean, only up against land masses.

I found it interesting, and wonder what else is affecting it.

Why are there large ranges around Greenland which is close to the pole, and presumably gets very little effect from the tidal pull of the Sun and Moon?
Why is there such a large difference on either side of the Panama Canal?
Why is the proximity to the equator of such little importance?
Why such a scrambled mess near Southern Argentina?
What’s with the rotational arrows around certain locations?

You’ll notice that the ‘red zones’ are all in comparatively constricted sectors of oceans and seas.

See here for more:

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/highesttide.html

That’s pretty much how my navigation instructor put it. He’d done the RN’s ‘Long N’ navigation qualification, so he knew everything there was to know about navigation etc., the end, full stop.

captain_spalding said:

Whoops, wrong thread.

captain_spalding said:

captain_spalding said:

Whoops, wrong thread.

That’s a much bigger tide range than I expected. Did it wash ashore?

captain_spalding said:

Kingy said:

It is known that difference places on the globe have different tides. For instance Derby WA has a range of 10 meters, whereas Augusta WA has only around 1m. I always assumed that it was due to the proximity of the equator until I saw this tide map. Initially it made no sense, but after some thought, I assume that it is a function of water depth, land shapes, harmonics and the equator, amongst other things. I notice that there are no large tide ranges out in the open ocean, only up against land masses.

I found it interesting, and wonder what else is affecting it.

Why are there large ranges around Greenland which is close to the pole, and presumably gets very little effect from the tidal pull of the Sun and Moon?
Why is there such a large difference on either side of the Panama Canal?
Why is the proximity to the equator of such little importance?
Why such a scrambled mess near Southern Argentina?
What’s with the rotational arrows around certain locations?

You’ll notice that the ‘red zones’ are all in comparatively constricted sectors of oceans and seas.

See here for more:

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/highesttide.html

That’s pretty much how my navigation instructor put it. He’d done the RN’s ‘Long N’ navigation qualification, so he knew everything there was to know about navigation etc., the end, full stop.

Kingy, I had assumed the opposite. That those places with the biggest tide ranges were those close to shore.

But now from your map I see that I was wrong, that some large tide ranges occur in the open ocean, such as north of New Zealand, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, in the middle of the Atlantic, and east of middle of the Pacific. I wasn’t expecting that at all.

Kingy said:

It would be good to compare this with a map of the sea floor.

Do some experiments for yourself. Get a little tub and build some submarine surfaces: some will tend to kettle or funnel waves together so that they produce higher amplitudes. Tides aren’t quite like waves but you’ll get the point.

dv said:

Tides aren’t quite like waves

scratches