WHY IS THE MED NOT TIDAL!

[patricia]

Someone asked me the other day why the Mediterranean is not tidal I thought it was because basically it is landlocked - except for the Gibraltar Sill - As I see there are some I thought that may be they could explain

[hillybilly]

Apparently there is a very slight tidal range in the Med but this site
http://www.co.beaufort.sc.us/bftlib/tides.htm
confirms your theory.

[El Cid]

Someone asked me the other day why the Mediterranean is not tidal I thought it was because basically it is landlocked - except for the Gibraltar Sill

The Med is tidal. Just because the tidal range is quite small many people mistakenly assume that it is tideless.

The average range of tide is about 30cm but in some areas, notably the Adriatic, it can be as much as a metre. In the Tunisuian area it is also more significant.

In this part of the world it can be as much as a metre as you get further down the coast to places like Estepona.

Sid

[lis48]

That's why the Nile Delta is still there. If the Med was more tidal, it would be washed away as soon as it formed.

[nevada smith]

google again: mediterranean tides...

[patricia]

Thank you for all your replies. They were most helpful

[jpinks]

There are significant tide rips between some of the islands off Croatia too.

[Nige]

One of the joys of the coast and beaches along Cadiz province is the TIDE ! The Atlantic washes the beaches and ususally provides great surf and waves. I always find the beaches in the Med tame. Of course I don't mean that it is 'rough' along the Costa de la Luz, more like "exhilharating". And what's more, it is particularly exciting to watch sleeping sun worhsippers on a rising tide. There are always a few !

[frank]

The average range of tide is about 30cm
Sid

I enjoy photography, and being in a costal location here in UK, I follow the tide tables quite closely. We have especially high tides on Monday, and just looking at the levels, they range from .19m up to 7.68m. About 7.5 m compared with 30cm!. A Spanish friend of mine was a bit at a loss when I showed him some photos of boats stuck in the mud in a local harbour. He could not understand how they were going to get them down the water!

[Nige]

That's really interesting Frank. It's influenced by the moon you know. Pleamar y bajamar. In my opinion, Spain has more Atlantic tidal coast than Mediterranean. Is this correct?

[El Cid]

We have especially high tides on Monday, and just looking at the levels, they range from .19m up to 7.68m.

You should try sailing in the Channel Islands. The tidal range in Jersey is 12m and the currents in the Alderney Race can reach 12 knots in places.

Sid

[hillybilly]

12m? Pah! In the Bristol Channel the tidal range is 15m.
Which is probably why there were so many shipwrecks.....

[frank]

That's really interesting Frank. It's influenced by the moon you know.

You're kidding! ? Is that why it's a full moon here Sunday night.

[jpinks]

In my opinion, Spain has more Atlantic tidal coast than Mediterranean. Is this correct?

Certainly arguable, given the long stretch of the north coast and down to Portugal, as well as the southern bit west of Algecerias. Without actually getting a map out and measuring it - I'd agree with you Sid.

[Kitesurfer.]

You should try sailing in the Channel Islands. The tidal range in Jersey is 12m and the currents in the Alderney Race can reach 12 knots in places.

I'll second that opinion. I was part of the Contessa 32 race when the sea wall was being renovated in Braye. Around 1990? That tide rip is awesome to experience but not something you wanna do in a deep keeled yacht!

I think the Bristol channel is the second biggest tidal reach in the world no?

More info on tides and why and how http://www.worldseafishing.com/weather/ ... ides.shtml

[silver]

The tides are the water movements caused by a force - call gravity that the Moon exerts on our seas, and that a strong attraction of the ocean causes towards the star. When the ocean "is inflated" we speak of high tide or high water, moment at which the waters cover the borders with the coasts. The incoming tide denominates "flow". When the Moon is in the other side of the Earth, we have low tide or low tide. Many beaches are left in the open and many boats beached in them. The salient tide is called "ebb tide".
The tides are smoother in the Mediterranean because it is a very small sea and a great amount of water is needed to varie the level of the coasts. The relief of the coast also influences, in the flat coasts the tide advances land much more (and much more quickly) than in the steep coasts.
The tides highest tides occur in the Atlantic, in the Bay of Fundy (Canada ') the water can vary up to 19 meters between the high tide and the loss. In French Britain, in Mount Saint Michel, the variation of the level of the sea can arrive at the 16 meters.

[jpinks]

The tides are the water movements caused by a force - call gravity that the Moon exerts on our seas, and that a strong attraction of the ocean causes towards the star. When the ocean "is inflated" we speak of high tide or high water, moment at which the waters cover the borders with the coasts. The incoming tide denominates "flow". When the Moon is in the other side of the Earth, we have low tide or low tide. Many beaches are left in the open and many boats beached in them. The salient tide is called "ebb tide".........

Easier perhaps to think of it as the global tidal wave following the moon around. So high tide is a bit after the moon passes overhead. the influence is strongest when the moon and sun are lined up (new moon) or in oppositon (full moon).

[silver]

jpinks

Easier perhaps to think of it as the global tidal wave following the moon around. So high tide is a bit after the moon passes overhead. the influence is strongest when the moon and sun are lined up (new moon) or in oppositon (full moon).

I guess your are right I just picked up info at google.

[lis48]

Spain has more Atlantic tidal coast than Mediterranean. Is this correct?

Actually Nige the Cantabrian coast is not classed as Atlantic but as Bay of Biscay so if you look it up anywhere it will say there is more Med coast than Atlantic. Been caught in a pub quiz by that one!

[El Cid]

The Bay of Biscay is part of the Atlantic Ocean.

In the same way, the waters off the south coast of Spain are actually the Alboran Sea but are still a part of the Mediterranean sea.

In fact there are seven named individual seas that make up the Mediterranean Sea.

Sid