The Tide and the Ocean

[Gerry Zagorski]

OK one more crack at explaning this.

Let say you are fishing some place during a moving tide where land restricts the tide. Ambrose channel, Sandy Hook, Raritan Bays etc. In those areas the tide/current run stonger there because all that water that wants to move in or out is restricted by land. Think of these areas as a funnel and the closer you get to the smaller area of the funnel the hearder the current will run. In these areas the tide is going to dictate the current, it's speed and the direction of the water movement.

Now lets look at the open ocean.

There are no land restrictions so it lessens the effect of tidal flow. There are however currents that are caused by wind, bottom contours etc. Here the current and not the tide are going to dictate the water movement.

As an example... The last few times we were out fishing in the area of the Snake out on the ocean and 5 or 6 mile off the beach, in spite of the tide changing from incoming to outgoing, the current was running north all day. Had the current been effected by the tide, the direction would have changed when the tide changed.

Had we been fishing close to land restrictions the tide would have changed the direction of the currents.

[Capt. Debbie]

I think he gave you the dumbed down version. There are tidal currents and non tidal currents ( ex Gulf stream, El Nino, etc.).

What I think he mean was in the open ocean away from shore, the tidal flow is neglible until you get near a narrow opening where a pronouced direction is obvious. Offshore the tidal current is virtually meaningless.

Remember what the tide is? Its the moon pulling water upwards it as noon and earth rotate. Position of moon indicates high and low tide directly below it on earth.

So if your moon is mid Atlantic or 180 degree other side of earth it will be pulling water like a table cloth picked up in the middle. Water flows towards center. And that center moves. Moon directly over water is daily HI HI. And Moon 180 degr othe side of earth and your water it is the lower hi tide of each day.

Originally Posted by Detour66

I had a conversation with a Capt about the Tide and the Ocean. This Capt claimed there is only current in the ocean and no tide and the tide only affects the bays. I find this hard to believe but who knows? What is your opinion or facts on this!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Great explanation Frank.... I like the table cloth analogy.

[JonDevin]

On a calm day, I've seen the tide line coming through and we were probably about a mile offshore. It was pretty cool.

[Detour66]

Originally Posted by JonDevin

On a calm day, I've seen the tide line coming through and we were probably about a mile offshore. It was pretty cool.

I have seen tide lines coming through as far as 10 miles offshore and yes there are very cool to see!