Why Only One Low Tide Each Day?

[luvthebeach57]

This is our first time vacationing here in 13 years. I've got a question. Why are there only two tides a day on the beaches here? Every time we go to the beach (morning, mid-day, or evening), the tide seems to be at the same level. We don't see much difference. When I checked the tide tables, there is only one high tide and one low tide each day. This is quite different from beaches we usually go to in NC, SC and further south near Sarasota and Naples.

The beach here at Watersound is rather steep at the edge of the water, which makes beachwalking very difficult. Are there any stretches of beach in the Sowal area where the beach is level at the water's edge?

 

[jodiFL]

Not sure why it is that way. But the changes from low to high here are generally less than 1 foot so you probably would really see a difference anyway.

 

[Danny Burns]

slope of beach

The slope of the beach currently is because we have tropical storm Edouard just southwest of us and have had fairly high surf for the last few days. This has chopped away at the shoreline a little. The tide variations here on the south coast are quite different and are never as dramatic as on the east or west coasts. See if this site helps you any:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mob/tide.shtml
Watersound will be slightly earlier, but similar to Destin tides.

Keep in mind that red and double red flags mean we have VERY dangerous rip current conditions. Even if you are an athelete, you cannot fight these currents. For current conditions and info about the flags try here:
http://www.seemoresafetycrab.com/

Hope you have a nice vacation...and be safe.

 

[Beachlover2]

You are correct most places in the world have 2 high and 2 low tides per day called semiduirnal - here we have just one each (duirnal) This is because the the angle of the moons orbit. Dont remember much more about this from my old sailing-weather classes many many years ago - but the moon and sun are what causes the difference in tides and this area is one of the exceptions to "normal". Might have to dig out my old books and do some research on it.(or maybe just try googling it.)

 

[John]

And to add to the confusion, tomorrow we have two high tides.

 

[30A Skunkape]

Too much thinking, have a cold drink and enjoy that water wherever it is!

 

[Miss Kitty]

The slope of the beach currently is because we have tropical storm Edouard just southwest of us and have had fairly high surf for the last few days. This has chopped away at the shoreline a little. The tide variations here on the south coast are quite different and are never as dramatic as on the east or west coasts. See if this site helps you any:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mob/tide.shtml
Watersound will be slightly earlier, but similar to Destin tides.

Keep in mind that red and double red flags mean we have VERY dangerous rip current conditions. Even if you are an athelete, you cannot fight these currents. For current conditions and info about the flags try here:
http://www.seemoresafetycrab.com/

Hope you have a nice vacation...and be safe.

Not sure when you started posting, but you are a wonderful addition!

 

[BeachSiO2]

Actually, Sowal has mixed tides as there are times when there are one high and two lows, and vice-versa. Yesterday, there were two lows and one high. Today, there is going to be two highs and two lows. Tomorrow, one high and one low.

http://www.tides.info/?command=view&location=East+Pass+(Destin),+Choctawhatchee+Bay,+Florida

Tides are funn on sowal beaches.

The simplest answer is that the tides are better thought of as one big global wave, and as the wave goes in and out of an area it's timing is affected by the size and shape of the basin it is entering. Some basins amplify the tidal range (think Bay of Fundy where there are 20+ tide ranges), and some basins diffuse the wave (think Gulf of Mexico). The reason it is diffused is that the "wave" has to enter the Florida straits which is a fairly narrow opening and spread out across the entire Gulf, and then go back out through that same narrow space. These physical constraints are what affect the tides and make them mixed. I could give you the bigger explanation with equations but I hope this helps a little. The bigger explanation I learned in grad school and it still hurts my head.