The Tides of Mispec Beach - An EarthCache EarthCache
The Tides of Mispec Beach - An EarthCache
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How far out to the water can you walk before the waves wet your feet?
Everyone is familiar with high and low tides, and most of us know that the tides of the Bay of Fundy are exceptionally high and low. This earthcache will show you just how far out the tides can go!
Not all tides are the same. The word "tides" is a generic term used to define the alternating rise and fall in sea level with respect to the land, produced by the gravitational attraction of the moon and the sun. To a much smaller extent, tides also occur in large lakes, the atmosphere, and within the solid crust of the earth, acted upon by these same gravitational forces of the moon and sun.
Tides are created because the Earth and the moon are attracted to each other, just like magnets are attracted to each other. The moon tries to pull at anything on the Earth to bring it closer. But, the Earth is able to hold onto everything except the water. Since the water is always moving, the Earth cannot hold onto it, and the moon is able to pull at it. The sun also pulls on the Earth, but the gravitational pull of the sun is not as strong as that of the moon. Each day in this area, there are two high tides and two low tides. The ocean is constantly moving from high tide to low tide, and then back to high tide. There is about 12 hours and 25 minutes between the two high tides. Since the moon moves around the Earth, it is not always in the same place at the same time each day. So, each day, the times for high and low tides change by 50 minutes.
The tide changes are: 1. Sea level rises over several hours, the intertidal zone is covered. This is flood tide. 2. The water continues to rise to its highest level. This is high tide. 3. The sea levels falls over several hours, revealing the intertidal zone. This is ebb tide. 4. The water stops falling. This is low tide.
What are the different types of Tides?
When the sun and moon are aligned, there are exceptionally strong gravitational forces, causing very high and very low tides which are called Spring Tides. When the sun and moon are not aligned, the gravitational forces cancel each other out, and the tides are not as dramatically high and low. These are called Neap Tides. Because the oceans take a bit of time to catch up to the geometry of the moon, Spring and Neap Tides usually occur about a day after the respective lunar cycles.
Spring Tides
When the moon is full or new, the gravitational pull of the moon and sun are combined. At these times, the high tides are very high and the low tides are very low. This is known as a spring tide. Spring tides are especially strong tides (they do not have anything to do with the season Spring, but are named from the old word meaning “jump, burst forth, rise, as in a natural spring. Or, referring to the action of the seas springing out and then springing back). They occur when the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon are in a line (syzygy). The gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun combine and both contribute to the tides. Spring tides occur during the full moon and the new moon.
Neap Tides
During the moon's quarter phases the sun and moon work at right angles, causing the bulges to cancel each other. The result is a smaller difference between high and low tides and is known as a neap tide. Neap tides are especially weak tides. They occur when the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun are perpendicular to one another (with respect to the Earth). Neap tides occur during quarter moons.
The Proxigean Spring Tide is a rare, unusually high tide. This very high tide occurs when the moon is both unusually close to the Earth (at its closest perigee, called the proxigee) and in the New Moon phase (when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth). The proxigean spring tide occurs at most once every 1.5 years.
This EarthCache is located at Mispec Beach, just outside the City of Saint John, New Brunswick. It can be found at any time, you do not have to wait for a low tide, or a Spring Tide. But remember, this is an EarthCache, there are no containers to find or logs to sign. All you have to do is enjoy the beach and answer a few simple questions.
Please do not answer your questions online, but email your answers to us through our geocaching profile.
Park at the parking coordinates and proceed down to the beach. Once on the beach head to your right, towards the large rocky outcrop at the far end of the beach. Once at the outcrop, walk down toward the water. How far can you walk without getting your feet wet from the waves coming in?
1. Walk towards the water as far as you can and stop just before getting your feet wet. Send us the coordinates at that spot.
2. What is the distance from where you are standing to the posted coordinates (where we were standing at low Spring Tide)?
3. Are you at the beach at flood tide, high tide, ebb tide or low tide? Please let us know the date and time you logged this cache.
4. Are you at the beach at Spring Tide, Neap Tide or some time in between? Please let us know the date and time you logged this cache.
For more information regarding tide times and heights visit (visit link)
Additional Hints
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