tides

[Lou Barron]

just for a matter of interest where in the world is the the rise and fall the highest when we was in st johns new brunswick canada it was very high but would it be the highest rise and fall of tides

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Louis
As far as i can find this seems to be the place!
Cheers

The highest tides on Earth occur in the Minas Basin, the eastern extremity of the Bay of Fundy, where the average tide range is 12 metres and can reach 16 metres when the various factors affecting the tides are in phase (although the highest tides occur typically a day or two after the astronomical influences reach their peak).
The primary cause of the immense tides of Fundy is a resonance of the Bay of Fundy-Gulf of Maine system. The system is effectively bounded at tis outer end by the edge of the continental shelf with its approximately 40:1 increase in depth. The system has a natural period of approximately 13 hours, which is close to the 12h 25m period of the dominant lunar tide of the Atlantic Ocean.

Like a father pushing his daughter on a swing, the gentle Atlantic tidal pulse pushes the waters of the Bay of Fundy-Gulf of Maine basin at nearly the optimum frequency to cause a large to-and-fro oscillation. The grestest slosh occurs at the head (northeast end) of the system. Because Earth rotates counterclockwise in the Norhern Hemisphere, the tides are higher in Minas Basin (Wolfville-Truro area) than in Chignecto Bay (Amherst-Moncton area).

Perhaps the most awesome display of the tides on our planet occurs at Cape Split, on the southern side of the entrance to Minas Basin (Cape Split may be reached by a pleasant two-hour walk along a popular hiking trail from the village of Scots Bay, which is a 30-minute drive north of Wolfville). Here at the time of the mid-point of an incoming tide, for a considerable distance the forest on the towering cliffs is filled with a hollow roar produced by the turbul;ence of the waters surging over the submarine ridges below. The currents exceed 8 knots (4m/s), and the flow in the deep, 5 km-wide channel on the north side of Cape Split equals the combined flow of all the streams and rivers of Earth (about 4 cubic kilometres per hour). Three hours later the spectacle pauses, and then begins flowing in the opposite direction.

Quick Facts on Our Tides

• The highest tides on planet Earth occur near Wolfville, in Nova Scotia's Minas Basin. The water level at high tide can be as much as 16 metres (52 feet) higher than at low tide.
• Small Atlantic tides drive the Bay of Fundy/Gulf of Maine system near resonance to produce the huge tides.
• High tides happen every 12 hours and 25 minutes (or nearly an hour later each day) because of the changing position of the Moon in its orbit around the Earth.
• Near mid-tide at Cape Split, one may hear the "voice of the Moon" in the form of the roar emitted by turbulent tidal currents.
• At mid-tide, the flow in Minas Channel north of Blomidon equals the combined flow of all the rivers and streams on Earth!
• Nova Scotia bends when the tide comes in! As 14 billion tonnnes (14 cubin kilometres) of sea water flow into Minas Basin twice daily, the Nova Scotia countryside actually tilts slightly under the immense load.
• In mid-summer, crustaceans in the intertidaly mudflats provide a crucial source of food for hundreds of thousands of migrating shorebirds.
• The waters of the Minas Basin appear muddy, because the strong tidal currents cause erosion of the red soils along the shoreline and this soil is suspended in the water.
• When the tide is coming in, tidal bores (which look like a wave travelling against the flow of the river) surge up several rivers which flow into the Minas Basin. Some great tidal bores can be seen on the St. Croix, Meander, Shubenacadie, Maccan and Salmon River.

[Jim Brady]

Hi Lou,I was at St.John N.B. a few times on the France,you were most probably there on the same ship when she was the Duchess Of Bedford.Yes we used to go ashore from the boat deck and come back aboard into the kitchen on C deck. I'm sorry I did'nt pay more attention to Reversing Falls,we used to pass the falls going into town on the bus.From what I can gather the waterfall went in reverse I can only imagine this must've been something todo with the in coming high tides.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Lou Barron]

thanks vernon and jim that was a very comprehensive answer vernon it gives me a good answer to my question and to to you jim is was not on the duchess that i was in st johns this was after the war and it on the saminver we loaded wheat for the middle east hope you are keeping ok regards lou

[Doc Vernon]

Glad to be of assistance Louis!
Cheers

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Lou.
I remember loading suger on the Trevose in Mackay and Bowen in Queensland, at high tide we used the derriks, when the tide went out they used to use a shute and slide the bags down into the holds, I think from memory there was a rise and fall of around 15 feet. Though I was in St Johns in New Bruswick and Newfoundland I can't remember the tides there.
Cheers Des.

[Captain Gordon Whittaker]

You would never forget the pain and effort that went into tending moorings in St Johns New Brunswick. It was a winter port while the St Lawrence was iced up and it was a nightmare, at 40 degrees below zero. Steam windlass and capstan, with natural fibre heavy mooring lines that weighed a ton and had to be beaten with sledgehammers to make them pliable. The windlass was kept running to prevent freeze-up and the leaks caused treacherous ice on foc'sle and poop. I vowed never to complain about cold after experiencing such conditions. All part of my apprenticeship which made me aware of some of the less pleasant tasks with which the crew had to cope. As I recall, the tidal range was around 48 feet. Did two winters there in the late 50s, on the "Arabia", of Cunard.

[Jim Brady]

Hi Gordon,you are right about 40 below,I remember a guy getting frostbite in his ear just going from the ship to Gars Diner.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Peter Trodden]

Evening All,
I was on the France in St John,N.B. March 1958. And what a work-up for the Deck crowd with that Tidal rise and fall. On the Flood,it would be slack mooring and take in the lower gangway,some men run up a couple of decks and send out the upper gangway,then secure all mooring. Have a smoko and wait for the ebb tide,then reverse the whole opperation. It was below zero but at times we sweated like pigs.
Capt,G. I was on the ARABIA Sept,1961 but on the St Lawrence run.
ttfn.Peter.

[Trader]

I spent quite a while with Manchester Liners and went to St. John several times. What a work up for the nightwatchman and donkeyman as the old steam winches were run on slow all night to prevent freezing up as mentioned by Capt.W.

If I remember correctly I think we doubled up on the deck nightwatchman as it was too much for one man to manage the gangway and moorings.

Here is a photo that I took of the Manchester Vanguard stuck in the ice in the St. Lawrence in December 1958. The Arabia was stuck with us, were you there then Capt.W. and Peter.

Alec.