TIDES

COURSE HANDBOOK

Version Date September 2020

 Contents
Introduction to Tides ........................................................................... 2
Factors Which Effect the Predicted Heights of Tides ..................................... 4
Tide Levels and Heights ........................................................................ 5
Basic Tide Exercises ........................................................................... 12
Further Tide Questions ........................................................................ 13
Admiralty Tide Tables ......................................................................... 14
Tides – Interpolation and Extrapolation .................................................... 17
European Standard Ports ...................................................................... 19
Exercises - European Standard Ports ........................................................ 21
European Secondary Ports .................................................................... 22
Exercises - European Secondary Ports ...................................................... 37
Pacific Tides .................................................................................... 38
Pacific Standard Ports ......................................................................... 38
Exercises - Pacific Standard Ports ........................................................... 42
Pacific Secondary Ports ....................................................................... 44
Exercises - Pacific Secondary Ports ......................................................... 49
Example SQA Questions ....................................................................... 52
Tide Question Marking Schemes ............................................................. 53

Please note that all the examples in these course notes refer to the SQA Extracts
from Nautical Publications
• UK and Channel Ports
• Pacific and Atlantic Oceans

Revised: CH 11/09/2020

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 Introduction to Tides

If you live by the sea, or perhaps are a surfer or a yachtsman, you may already
understand or have experienced the effects of tide. Around these coasts the
strongest of swimmers are no match for a spring tide in full flood and venture here
at their peril.

Achieving competency in navigation on the surface of the sea would be pointless if

you failed to take account of what is happening in the unseen space below the keel
of your ship. In other words, we have to navigate in three dimensions, not two.

It would be too dreadful to contemplate the prospect of a ULCC with a draft of

25m navigating the English Channel where the officers on watch were not
monitoring the state of the tide and therefore the depth of water under the keel.
Knowledge of tidal levels is essential in order to plan and execute a passage in
safety and with confidence.

What is Tide

Tide is a wholesale horizontal movement of water, which effects the depth of

water above the seabed and also the movement of the ship, whether underway or
at anchor.

Tides (as opposed to currents which are usually wind generated movements of
water), are most influential to navigators in coastal waters where, in conjunction
with shallows, river estuaries, islands and promontories they create an ever
changing environment which can and does play havoc with the seaman’s efforts to
stay on a planned track.

What Causes Tides

The chief cause of tides is the gravitational influence of the moon, aided and
abetted to a lesser extent, by the more distant sun.
Important Facts to Consider;
1. The earth rotates once every 24 hours in an anticlockwise direction (when
viewed from above the N Pole).
2. The moon orbits the earth in the same direction as the earth’s rotation,
taking 1 lunar month of 27½ days to complete each successive orbit. A
lunar day is therefore approximately 24hrs 50min. (See diagram over page)

The gravitational pull of the moon causes the waters on the earth’s surface to heap
up on the side facing the moon, whilst there is a similar rise of water on the far
side (the reason for which we will not go into here). Suffice to say that these two
places (A and C in diagram) are experiencing High Water (HW) and consequently,
due to the outward flow of water, at B and D Low Water (LW) has been reached.

Because the earth completes an orbit every 24 hours, most places on earth
experience two HW and two LW every day. This is known as a semi-diurnal cycle.
Some areas of the world, such as parts of the Pacific Rim, only experience a single
tide cycle (diurnal tide) or sometimes a combination of diurnal and semi-diurnal
may occur during a single month.

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The Moons Effect

Because the lunar day is 24h 50m each successive HW (and LW) occur
approximately every 12h 25m. This means that each day’s high and low waters
occur later than the day before.

The Effect of the Sun

The earth-moon system orbits the sun. Consequently, we observe stages of lunar
growth from new to half moon (waxing) and half to full moon (waning) during the
lunar month. (See diagram).

When the sun and moon are in the same vertical plane – New and Full moons – their
gravitational effects on the earth combine to create a larger than normal tidal
movement – SPRINGS. In this case the change in level between HW and LW, known
as the tidal range, is at its greatest. Spring tides occur twice a month.

When the sun and moon are displaced by 90 - First and Last Quarter – their
gravitational effects are in opposition, producing a net reduction of attractive
forces and hence a reduced tidal movement – NEAPS. In this case the tidal range is
at its least. Neap tides also occur twice a month.

The differences between spring and neap tides can be clearly seen on a gently
sloping beach as the high and low water marks move their position up and down
the beach as each tide passes.

Tidal Streams

A tidal stream is the horizontal movement of water that takes place as the tide
levels fall and rise. Tidal streams are measured in knots (RATE) and are quoted in
publications and on charts, as having a particular direction (SET);

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E.g. Tidal stream setting 075T x 2.6 Knots.

Tidal streams may vary in strength and direction according to the state of the tide,
such that rates tend to be at a minimum during the period around HW or LW and at
a maximum during the period midway between HW and LW. Spring tide streams
are stronger than those experienced during a neap tide, because of the difference
in their ranges.

When the stream is due to a falling tide, it is called the EBB, whilst on a rising tide
is referred to as the FLOOD.

Tidal stream rates can be so high that even the most powerful of vessels are
seriously affected by their influences. In the Bristol Channel and around the
Channel Islands, rates of up to 8 Knots can be encountered. The mariner, who fails
to take the strength and direction of tidal streams into account, when close to the
coast, is courting disaster.

Factors Which Effect the Predicted Heights of Tides

There are a number of factors which will change the height of the predicted tides.
When the under keel or overhead clearance for the vessel is small these factors
should be given carefully consideration as they may make it unsafe for the vessel to
pass certain areas. Full details of these factors can be found in the Introduction
pages to the tide tables. They include:

• Meteorological effects on tides

• Barometric pressure
• The effect of wind
• Seiches
• Storm surges
• Negative surges
• Seasonal changes in mean sea level

You should review the description of these effects in the introductory pages of the
tide tables, (included in the SQA Extracts from the tide tables), as an explanation
of these effects is a common part of exam questions.

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 Tide Levels and Heights

Datum of tidal prediction

Soundings on Admiralty charts are given below the level of chart datum. By
international agreement, chart datum is defined as a level so low that the tide will
not frequently fall below it. The datum for tidal predictions must be the same as
the datum for soundings, to ensure that the total depth of water is equal to the
charted depth plus the height of the tide. The levels at which datum’s have been
established at standard ports vary widely, however, and the datum’s do not
conform to any uniform tide level. Modern practice is to establish datum at or near
the level of Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT), but Table V in the Tide Tables should
always be referred to when planning passages, etc. as this shows many datum’s
different from LAT. For areas where the Hydrographer of the Navy is the surveying
authority, datum’s have been adjusted to approximate to LAT.

It is always advisable to check that chart datum and the datum for tidal predictions
are the same. Comparing the tide levels printed on the chart with those in the Tide
Tables can easily do this

Heights

Heights on Admiralty charts are given above a particular vertical datum. This is
Mean High Water Springs in areas where the tides are semi-diurnal and Mean Higher
High Water where there is a diurnal inequality. Mean Sea Level is used in places
where there is no tide.

Tide levels

These levels are all referred to chart datum, which is the same as the zero of tidal
predictions. Definitions of various levels are set out below.

Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT), Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT). These are the
highest and lowest levels respectively which can be predicted to occur under
average meteorological conditions and any combination of astronomical conditions.
HAT and LAT are not the extreme levels, which can be reached; storm surges may
cause considerably higher and lower levels to occur. The values of HAT and LAT are
obtained by inspection over a period of years.

Mean High Water Springs (MHWS), Mean Low Water Springs (MLWS). The height of
Mean High Water Springs is the average of the heights of two successive high waters
during those periods of 24 hours (approximately every fortnight) when the range of
the tide is greatest. This is computed throughout the year when the average
maximum declination of the moon is 23½ degrees. The height of Mean Low Water
Springs is the average height obtained from two successive low waters during the
same period.

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Mean High Water Neaps (MHWN), Mean Low Water Neaps (ML WN). The height of
Mean High Water Neaps is the average throughout the year, as above, of the heights
of two successive high waters during those periods (approximately every fortnight)
when the range of the tide is least. The height of Mean Low Water Neaps is the
average height obtained from two successive low waters during the same period.

Mean Tide Level* (MTL). Mean Tide Level is the mean of the heights of MHWS,
MHWN, MLWS and MLWN.

Mean Sea Level* (MSL). Mean Sea Level is the average level of the sea surface over
a long period, preferably 18.6 years, or the average level which would exist in the
absence of tides.

Mean Higher High Water (MHHW). The height of Mean Higher High Water is the
mean of the higher of the two daily high waters over a long period of time. When
only one high water occurs in a day, this is taken as the higher high water.

Mean Lower High Water (MLHW). The height of Mean Lower High Water is the mean
of the lower of the two daily high waters over a long period of time. When only one
high water occurs on some days, a triangle is printed in the MLHW column of the
Tide Tables to indicate that the tide is usually diurnal.

Mean Higher Low Water (MHLW). The height of Mean Higher Low Water is the mean
of the higher of the two daily low waters over a long period of time. When only one
low water occurs on some days, a triangle is printed in the MHLW column of the tide
table to indicate that the tide is usually diurnal.

Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW). The height of Mean Lower Low Water is the mean
of the lower of the two daily low waters over a long period of time. When only one
low water occurs on a day, this is taken as the lower low water.

* The Mean Level (ML) tabulated in the Tide Tables is Mean Tide Level in Volume I
and Mean Sea Level in Volumes 2 and 3. Mean Sea and Tide Levels at any one place
may differ because of distortion in the tidal curve resulting from shallow water
effects.

The average values of MHWS, MHWN, MLWS, MLWN, MHHW, MLHW, MHLW and
MLLW vary from year to year in a cycle of approximately 18.6 years. The tide
levels shown in Table V of the Tide Tables are average values over the whole
cycle.

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TIDE LEVELS

Corrected
Charted Height for
Height VSA
(Elevation) Observations Correction to be
applied to Charted
Height, for VSA
Observations
MHWS

Predicted HW

Tide Level
HW Height
Height of Tide
Predicted LW
LW Height
Drying Height Chart Datum

Chart Depth

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15

10

HOT: 3.5 Predicted HW: 6.0 Predicted LW: 1.5 Predicted Rg:

MHWS: 6.5 MLWS: 1.0 HAT 7.5

Spring Range:

MHWN: 5.0 MLWN: 2.0 Neap Range:

Charted Drying Height: Charted Depth of

Elevation Depth: Water:

-8-
 UKC = Charted Depth + Height of Tide – Draught

Air Draught

Waterline

Chart Datum
Draught

Underkeel Sounding
Clearance

Sea Bed

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 Cable

15

10

Water Line

0 Chart Datum

HOT: Draught: HAT: 5.0

Charted Height: Charted Depth: Depth of

Water:

UKC: Air Draught: Clearance:

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 Basic Tide Exercises

(All values stated are in metres)

1. From the following information, find the depth of water available:

i) Height of tide 3.2 Charted Depth 5.7 (8.9m)

ii) Height of tide 4.1 Charted Depth dries 1.5 (2.6m)

2. From the following information find the underkeel clearance; draught

throughout 4.9

(i) Height of tide 4.2 Charted Depth 6.2 (5.5m)

(ii) Sounded depth 8.4 (3.5m)
(iii)Height of tide 8.2 Charted depth dries 0.5 (2.8m)

3. Find the minimum height of tide needed to cross a bank:

i) Charted Depth 2.5 Draught 3.9 Min Clearance Req’d 1.0 (2.4m)
ii) Charted Depth dries 0.8 Draught 3.6 Min Clearance Req’d 0.5 (4.9m)

4. Find the maximum height of tide needed to pass under a cable given the
following information: Charted height of cable 17.2; HAT 7.3; Masthead 18.0
above the waterline; clearance required over the mast 2.0. (4.5m)

5. Given HAT 4.8; HW 4.5; LW 0.6; Draught 4.1; Req’d UKC 1.0; Height of
masthead above Waterline 19.0; Req’d Clearance over Masthead 2.0, find:

i) a) If the charted depth is 5.1 find the UKC at HW (5.5m)

b) Can the vessel pass clear at LW? If “Yes” state the clearance; if
“No”, state the shortfall. (Yes 1.6m)

ii) a) Can the vessel pass under a cable at HW that has a charted height of
18.2. If “Yes” state the clearance; if “No”, state the shortfall.
(No, 0.5m shortfall)
b) Find the total clearance over the masthead at LW. (3.4m)
c) Find the maximum height of tide to enable the vessel to pass under
the cable, as required. (2.0m)

iii) The vessel grounds when the height of tide is 1.2. Find the charted depth.
(2.9m)

iv) Find the height of tide required to pass over a bank charted as 3.7. (1.4m)

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 Further Tide Questions

1. Find the Height of Tide required for a vessel to safely pass under a high
tension cable with a charted height of 30.0m? The vessels mast was
36.0m above the waterline and a clearance of 1.0m above the mast was
required. HAT is 13.2m. (6.2m)

2. What will be the underkeel clearance for a vessel with a draught of

3.0m passing a patch charted at 2.0m? The Height of tide was 3.2m.
(2.2m)

3. What is the maximum height of tide required for a vessel to pass under a
cable, if the charted height of the cable was 26.0m and the height of
the mast above the waterline was 28.0m and a 1.0m clearance was
required? Height of HAT is 4.8m. (1.8m)

4. What is the maximum height of tide required for a vessel to pass under a
bridge with a 2.0m safety clearance, if the charted height of the bridge
was 34.0m and the height of the mast above the keel was 38.0m? The
vessel’s draught was 4.0m. Height of HAT is 3.6m (1.6m)

5. A vessel, with a draft of 5.1m, grounds in the approaches to Port Talbot

at 0900BST on the 21st September 2009 when the Height of tide was
7.1m. What was the charted level under the vessel when she ran
aground? (Drying ht 2.0m)

6. A vessel, draught 4.5m, runs aground off Oban on 8 February 2009 at

0300 UT when the height of tide was 2.3m. What was the charted level
when she ran aground? (2.2m)

7. Find the height of tide required to enable a vessel to sail from

Southampton on 3 September 2009. The vessel had a draught of 10.5m
and had to pass over an obstruction in the channel charted as 8.2m. A
clearance of 0.5m under the keel was required. (2.8m)

8. What is the height of tide required on the morning flood tide of the 5
October 2010 that will allow a vessel with an air draft of 15.6m to pass
under a cable at Cuxhaven charted as 15.0m with a clearance of 0.5m?
HAT at Cuxhaven is 3.4m. (2.3m)

9. What is the height of tide required during the morning flood tide of 23
July 2010 at Punta Esporo that will enable a vessel with a draught of
10.0m to pass over a shoal charted as 7.5m with a 1.0m safety
clearance? (3.5m)

10. Find the height of tide required that will allow a vessel to sail from
Avonmouth on the 21 May 2009. The vessel had a draught of 10.0m and
had to pass over a shoal in the channel charted as 6.0m. A clearance of
1.0m under the keel was required. (5.0m)

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 Admiralty Tide Tables

There are 9 volumes of Admiralty Tide Tables

Vol 1A UK English Channel to River Humber

Vol 1B UK and Ireland
Vol 2 North Atlantic and Arctic
Vol 3 Indian Ocean
Vol 4 South Pacific
Vol 5 South China Sea and Indonesia
Vol 6 North Pacific
Vol 7 South West Atlantic and South America
Vol 8 South East Atlantic, West Africa and Mediterranean

Each volume is divided into 3 parts:

Part 1 Daily predictions of times and heights of HW and LW at the Standard

Ports contained within that volume.

Part 2 Time and Height differences for predictions of HW and LW at the

secondary ports contained within that volume.

Part 3 Harmonic Constants for tidal calculations using the Simplified

Harmonic Method of Tidal prediction.

DEFINITIONS

Standard Port

A selected port where tidal patterns have been monitored and tabulated accurately
over a period of at least one to three years, including average changes to MSL
caused by changes in meteorological conditions. From these observations it is
possible to predict the pattern of tidal rise and fall in a port from a curve.

In Part 1 of the tables, each standard port is listed in geographical order with the
following information:

• Name
• Approximate Latitude and Longitude
• Time Zone
• Year
• Tabulated times and heights of HW and LW for every day of the year
• Mean Spring and Neap Curves

(Note: All heights are quoted in metres throughout the tables.)

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For example, below is an excerpt from the SQA Tide Extracts UK & Channel Ports

SCOTLAND, WEST COAST – ULLAPOOL

Lat 57 54’N Long 005 10’W

Time Zone UT (GMT) Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Year 0000

The curve accompanying each standard port enables the mariner to extract the
height and time of the tide at any stage during the interval between HW and LW.
In many instances, the curve for neap tides differs from the spring curve and is
distinguished by a pecked line.

Using the Curves

The curves are used to predict either the height of tide at any time during the
cycle between HW and LW, or the time at which the tide will reach a given level.
This is extremely important to the navigator wishing to know clearances under the
keel or above the mast when entering or leaving port. It is also the means by
which the navigator can calculate the earliest or latest time that a ship can move
in a tidal area, when a specific clearance is required.

First a reminder of some important definitions:

Height of Tide (HOT)

The height of the water level measured above Chart Datum at any point in the
tidal cycle between High and Low Water.

Predicted Range (Pr Rg)

The vertical distance the tide will rise (or fall) between HW and LW.

Spring Range (Sp Rg)

The highest predicted range at a place, which takes place twice a lunar month at
New Moon and Full Moon.

Neap Range (Np Rg)

The lowest predicted range at a place, which takes place twice a lunar month at
First Quarter and Last Quarter.

Interval from High Water (Int fm HW)

The time interval from HW for the tide to reach a desired known level. The
interval before HW is given as a negative sign, whilst intervals after HW are
positive.

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Look at the Mean Curves for Ullapool (p 16). The solid line represents the mean
spring tidal rise (flood) from LW to HW to the left and the tidal fall (ebb) from HW
to LW to the right. The pecked lines show the same information for the mean neap
rise and fall. These curves do not on their own, give any indication of heights of
tide during the cycle, but rather the pattern of change for spring and neap tides
against time.

Looking at some other curves to make comparisons, at Avonmouth (p 24) for

example, there is a considerable Spring Range of 12.3 metres. The curve is tall and
steep, which is in keeping with the very strong tidal flow experienced at that
place. On the other hand, the curve for Ullapool (p 16) is less steep, indicating the
less vigorous tidal movement of the Mediterranean Sea.

Between Swanage and Selsey, the tidal patterns are particularly complicated and
are very different to the ones shown above. This is due to shallow water effects,
such that there is a double HW at Southampton with a stand of approximately 1-
hour between successive peaks and further west at Portland, there is a double LW.
(See curves on p 4 and 6).

IMPORTANT:
You will note as a result, that the Southampton Curve is upside down and uniquely
in this case in the British Isles, calculations should utilise the INTERVAL from LW
and not HW.

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 Tides – Interpolation and Extrapolation

We need to be able to interpolate, in order to get the necessary information from

the tidal information. In essence, Interpolation is the mathematical means of
determining a value that is BETWEEN two other known values.

Extrapolation is the same as interpolation, except that here you are determining a
value that is OUTSIDE other known values.

Interpolation

The easiest way to describe the process of Interpolation is by the following

example:-

A car is travelling at 30 mph. How far does the car go in ½ an hour?

The answer is 15 miles. But how did you get the answer mathematically?

Your brain performed the following ratio type function for you:-

Travels 30 miles in 60 mins (or 1 hour) as x miles = 30 mins (or ½ hour)

Therefore what is x?

Written another way, 30 miles as(=) x miles

60 minutes 30 minutes

Transpose the above so as to get “x” on its own

Therefore x = (30 x 30) = 15 miles

60

That was how you found out how far the car went in 30 minutes. So, consider now
the following:-
How far does the same car go in 22 minutes, if it was still travelling at 30 mph?

The answer is determined as follows:-

30 miles = 60 mins as x miles = 22 minutes

or:- 30 miles as(=) x miles

60 Minutes 22 minutes

so, x = (30 x 22) = 11 miles

60

Extrapolation

Extrapolation is determined in the same way as the above example, except the
values you are using are outside the range given. For example, the same car is still
travelling at 30mph, so how far does it travel in 2 hours?

The answer is 60 miles, but again, how did you work this out?

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Travels 30 miles in 60 mins (or 1 hour) as x miles = 120 mins (or 2 hours)

Therefore what is x?

Written another way, 30 miles = x miles

60 minutes 120 minutes

Therefore x = (30 x 120) = 60 miles

60

So now consider the problem of how far the car goes in 1 hour and 22 minutes (or
82 minutes)?

The same calculation is performed as above as follows:-

30 miles is to 60 minutes as X miles is to 82 mins

Therefore: 30 miles = X miles

60 minutes 82 minutes

So X = 30 x 82 = 41 miles
60

Graphically, the above two examples may be illustrated thus:-

60 miles

41 miles

30 miles

Distance

11 miles

22 mins 82 mins
60 mins 120 mins
Time

From the above graph, it has been assumed that distance increases with time. It
does not take into account the fact that you need to accelerate, go up or down hill
etc.

Interpolating or extrapolating tidal information from the figures you arrive at is

done in exactly the same way as the above method(s).

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 European Standard Ports

All the following examples use SQA Extracts from Tide Tables

Ullapool 27th January. Find the height of tide at 15:30 GMT.

Method:

HW Height
Ullapool 13:24 HW 4.5
Time Req'd 15:30 LW 1.4
Int from HW 02:06 P Range 3.1
Sp Range 4.5
Np Range 1.8

1. On the lower scale adjacent to the curve mark off the height of LW.
2. On the upper scale mark off the height of HW.
3. Join the two points with a straight line. (This is now known as your sloping
line).
4. Under the curve for the falling tide, mark off the required interval from HW.
5. Draw a vertical line upwards until it cuts the mean spring and neap curves.
6. From the points found on the curves, extend a horizontal line to the left until
they cut the sloping line.
7. From these points of intersection draw two vertical lines upward to cut the
upper scale and read off the height of tide given by each.
8. Interpolate between the Spring and Neap values to obtain the height of tide
equivalent for the predicted range.

The main method of interpolating on the curve is to use the “percentage springs”
method. This is the percentage INCREASE on Neaps, of the Predicted Range for
the time/day required.

So in our example above, the percent springs would be expressed as:

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 − 𝑁𝑒𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 = 𝑥 100
𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 − 𝑁𝑒𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒

Percentage Springs therefore = ((3.1 – 1.8) / (4.5 – 1.8)) x 100 = 48% Springs

You can now judge (by eye) 48% of the way between the Spring and Neap Curves
and draw the line across to the sloping line. REMEMBER this is the percentage
increase on Neaps and so must be run up or down from the Neap (pecked) line.

This method may be used in all cases, however, should you misjudge your estimate
or apply it incorrectly, then this would be regarded as a Principle Error (see last
page for list of errors).

The only rules to apply however are that if the predicted range is greater than the
spring range, or less than the neap range, then no interpolation is required.

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Note: When the predicted range is the same as or greater than the Mean Spring
Range, use only the Spring curve. Likewise, when the predicted range is the same
as, or less, than the Mean Neap Range use only the Neap curve.

Example

Find the time at Ullapool at which a height of tide of 3.0 metres will occur during
the morning flood on the 18 January.

Method:

HW Height
Ullapool 08:42 HW 5.0
LW 1.4
P Range 3.6
Sp Range 4.5
Np Range 1.8

1. On the lower scale adjacent to the curve mark off the height of LW.
2. On the upper scale mark off the height of HW.
3. Join the two points with a straight line. (i.e. construct the sloping line).
4. Mark on the scale a HOT of 3.0 and join with a line.
5. From the point where the two lines meet the sloping line, extend a horizontal
line to the right until it cuts the spring and neap curves.
6. From these points of intersection draw line vertically downwards to interval
scale.
7. Read off the intervals from HW for both spring and neap ranges.
8. Determine the % Springs value
9. Interpolate between the Spring and Neap values to obtain the interval from HW
for the predicted range.
10. Apply the interval to the time of HW to obtain the required time.

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 − 𝑁𝑒𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒

𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 = 𝑥 100
𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 − 𝑁𝑒𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒

= ((3.6 – 1.8) / (4.5 – 1.8)) x 100

% Springs = 67%

From Curve:
The time interval is 3h 30m HW
Ullapool 08:42
Interval 03:30
Required Time 12:12

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 Exercises - European Standard Ports

Note a few minutes or 0.1m difference from the answer given is acceptable due to
the inaccuracy of drawing on the tidal curves.

1 Determine the height of tide at Devonport (14) at March 18 11:10 UT.

(2.7m)

2 Determine the height of tide at Dover (89) at November 05 12:21 UT.

(5.8m)

3 Determine the height of tide at Le Havre (1582) at February 22 13:07 UT.

(5.7m)

4 Determine the height of tide at Antwerp (1539) at February 02 15:15 ZT.

(1.6m)

5 Determine the zone time at when there will there be 3.3 metres above
chart datum on the late morning ebb tide of March 06 at North Shields (202).
(09:59)

6 Determine the zone time when there will be 12.0 metres above a sounding
of 8.3 metres before the afternoon High Water at Liverpool (452) on March 03.
(09:53)

7 Determine the latest zone AND universal time when a vessel with an air
draught of 18.8 metres will have 2.4 metres clearance under a bridge charted at
16.5 metres at Le Havre (1582) on the late morning flood tide of March 06.
(10:52 ZT, 09:52 UT)

8 Between which zone times will there be at least 7.2 metres above a shoal
patch charted at 3.8 metres the early evening of April 17 at Cobh (751).
(17:33 and 21:22)

9 Determine the earliest zone time on the late afternoon flood tide of
February 28 at Devonport (14) that a vessel with draught 9.0 metres can cross a bar
of charted depth 7.2 metres and maintain 10% under keel clearance.
(14:54)

10 What is the earliest zone time in the late afternoon of April 08 that a vessel
can sail from Milford Haven (496) if she has a draught of 8.6 m, a keel to masthead
height of 28.2 metres and requires a clearance of 2.6 metres under the power
cables charted at 18.7 metres.
(15:54)

11. A vessel grounds on a sand bar off Antwerp at 0000-01-02 08:10.

A rise of tide of 0.5 metres is required to overcome the adhesion and refloat her.
Calculate the earliest time that she will refloat.
(15:21)

- 21 -
 European Secondary Ports

There are over 3 000 secondary ports in all four volumes of the Admiralty Tide
Tables. They are listed in Part 2 and 3. Each secondary port is linked to a specific
Standard Port, by nature of the similarity of the tidal pattern at that place to its
chosen standard port. Predictions for secondary ports are acquired by applying
time and height differences to the appropriate standard port predictions.

Important notes:

1. The fact that a port is called a secondary port within the domain of the
tables, does not imply that it is of secondary importance, e.g.:

Standard Port Secondary Port

Avonmouth Cardiff
Flushing Zeebrugge

2. The standard port is not necessarily in the same geographical area / time
zone as the secondary port. This is because of the requirement to match
tidal patterns between the two, hence in some locations the secondary port
can be displaced hundred (sometimes thousands) of miles from its standard
port e.g.:

Standard Port Secondary Port

Milford Haven Newquay

Gibralter Port Said
Takoradi (Ghana) KE Cove (South Georgia)

- 22 -
Secondary Port Corrections

Note: When the time of HW or LW at the STANDARD PORT lies somewhere between
the tabulated times e.g. 0000 and 0600, the time difference for the secondary port
would need to be interpolated between the two time differences shown in the
columns below e.g. for St Mary’s between -0030 and -0110.

Similarly, when the tabulated heights at the STANDARD PORT lie between or
outside the MHWS/MHWN or MLWN/MLWS values, the secondary port height
differences must be interpolated or extrapolated in line, e.g. Plymouth predicted
HW is 5.0 this lies between 5.5 and 4.4m Therefore the secondary port correction
must be interpolated, in the case of St Mary’s, between +0.2 and -0.1.

The example which follows will show how this is achieved.

- 23 -
Secondary Port High and Low Water Heights and Times

It is best to lay out the information in a table at the head of the page, and do the
working below it as follows:-

Zone
Standard Port Time Date
Zone
Secondary Port Time

Times
Zone
Name of Port HW LW Time
Standard Port
Time Difference
Secondary Port
Time Required
Interval from HW

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port
Minus Seasonal Correction
Standard Port Uncorrected
Height Differences
Secondary Port Uncorrected
Seasonal Correct Sec Port
Secondary Port Corrected

Heights at Secondary Ports

Height differences for secondary ports given in Part 2 of the ATT are also in metres
and refer to Chart Datum at the secondary port.

Times at Secondary Ports

All times of predictions at standard ports are given in the standard (or zone) time
kept at that place. The time zone for each standard port is given at the top left of
each table and is the figure, which must be applied to the predictions to obtain
GMT. i.e. to obtain GMT of a prediction, apply the zone time number and its sign.
For example:
Brest Zone -0100
HW 05:52 ZT
To convert to UT
05:52 -01:00 = 04:52 UT
HW 04:52 UT

- 24 -
Daylight Saving Time (DST)

Otherwise known as Summer Time (in our case British Summer Time (BST)), this is a
device used to prolong the hours of daylight in certain countries. In this instance,
the Standard Time of the zone to the eastward is usually adopted. In some places
DST has been adopted all year round. In the British Isles we keep BST between the
end of March and the end of October, which is equivalent to Zone –0100. It is
therefore most important that when using the tables, the times extracted are
corrected to DST where and when this has been adopted. This will not be stated in
the tables and they are not themselves, corrected for DST unless it has been
adopted all year round.

Time differences for secondary ports quoted in Part 2 of ATT, when applied to
tabulated times at the standard port, do not need to be corrected for any
difference in zone time. Port Said is a secondary port to Gibraltar and will be
therefore in a different time zone. The time differences automatically take this
difference in time zone into account. However, as with standard ports, the
appropriate correction must be applied if DST is being kept in the secondary port.
It is the responsibility of the mariner to ascertain if the times quoted in the tables,
are the times actually being kept at that port.

- 25 -
Example European Secondary Port

Find the times and heights of the afternoon HW and LW at St. Mary’s (1) on 01
March

Looking at the secondary ports in Part 2 it can be seen that the standard port for St
Mary’s is Devonport (14)

Standard Port Devonport Zone Time GMT Date 01-Mar

Secondary Port St Mary's Zone Time GMT

Times
Name of Port HW LW Zone Time
Standard Port Devonport 19:26 12:59 GMT
Time Difference
Secondary Port St Mary's GMT

Interpolation for HW & LW time difference

Convert the time differences to minutes for easier calculation. i.e. tabulated time
difference = 0110. This is 1h 10m which is 70min

High Water
18:00 19:26 00:00
-70 -60.44 -30

-70 + (((19:26 – 18:00) / (24:00 – 18:00)) x (-30 - -70)) = -60.44

The time difference is -60.4 mins, 60 mins to the nearest minute. Convert back to
hours and minutes = -01:00

Low Water
12:00 12:59 18:00
-60 -53.44 -20

-60 = (((12:59 – 12:00) / (18:00 – 12:00) x (-20 - - 60)) = -53.44

The time difference is -53.4 mins, 53 mins to the nearest minute. Convert back to
hours and minutes = -00:53

Apply the time corrections to obtain the times of HW and LW at St. Mary’s.

Times
Name of Port HW LW Zone Time
Standard Port Devonport 19:26 12:59 GMT
Time Difference -1:00 -0:53
Secondary Port St Mary's 18:26 12:06 GMT

- 26 -
Calculating the heights of HW and LW at St. Mary’s for the above times
Enter the values for Devonport and calculate the predicted range

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Devonport 5.6 0.4 5.2
Remove Seasonal Correction Devonport
Standard Port Uncorrected
Height Differences
Secondary Port Uncorrected St Mary's
Seasonal Correct Sec Port St Mary's
Secondary Port Corrected St Mary's

Remove the seasonal correction for the standard port. Look at the standard port
number (14) and determine the seasonal correction for March, in this case 0.0m. If
however the correction was shown as +0.1m it must be removed, so the opposite
sign is applied. (If the correction is +0.1 then 0.1 would be subtracted. If the
correction was -0.1 then 0.1 would be added to remove the correction).

Heights
Name of Port HW LW
Standard Port Devonport 5.6 0.4
Remove Seasonal Correction Devonport 0.0 0.0
Standard Port Uncorrected 5.6 0.4
Height Differences
Secondary Port Uncorrected St Mary's
Seasonal Correct Sec Port St Mary's
Secondary Port Corrected St Mary's

Interpolation for HW & LW height difference

Use the Standard Port Uncorrected value not the Standard Port value

MHWS Rqd Ht MHWN

5.5 5.6 4.4
0.2 0.2 -0.1

0.2 + (((5.6 – 5.5) / (4.4 – 5.5)) x (-0.1 – 0.2)) = 0.2

In this case the required height is above MHWS so it is extrapolated, but the
method is the same. The correction is +0.2m

- 27 -
 MLWN Rqd Ht MLWS
2.2 0.4 0.8
-0.2 -0.1 -0.1

-0.2 + (((0.4 – 2.2) / (0.8 – 2.2)) x (-0.1 – -0.2)) = -0.1

The correction is -0.1m

Apply the height differences to the uncorrected standard port values to give the
uncorrected secondary port values

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Devonport 5.6 0.4 5.2
Remove Seasonal Correction Devonport 0.0 0.0
Standard Port Uncorrected 5.6 0.4
Height Differences 0.2 -0.1
Secondary Port Uncorrected St Mary's 5.8 0.3
Seasonal Correct Sec Port St Mary's
Secondary Port Corrected St Mary's

Apply the seasonal corrections for the secondary port to obtain the corrected
secondary port heights of HW and LW. Apply the sign as shown in the tide tables.

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Devonport 5.6 0.4 5.2
Remove Seasonal Correction Devonport 0.0 0.0
Standard Port Uncorrected 5.6 0.4
Height Differences 0.2 -0.1
Secondary Port Uncorrected St Mary's 5.8 0.3
Seasonal Correct Sec Port St Mary's 0.0 0.0
Secondary Port Corrected St Mary's 5.8 0.3

- 28 -
Secondary Ports - Height of Tide at Given Time

Only the time of HW is required in order to work out the time interval from HW to
plot on the curve.

Corrected heights of HW and LW for the secondary port must be found. These
values are plotted on the curve to give the sloping line.

Example
Find the height of tide at Girvan (414) at 14:30 on the 26th February

Standard port is Greenock

Standard Port Greenock Zone Time GMT Date 26/02/0000

Secondary Port Girvan Zone Time GMT

Times
Name of Port HW LW Zone Time
Standard Port Greenock 11:06 GMT
Time Difference
Secondary Port Girvan GMT
Time Required
Interval from HW

Interpolate for the secondary port HW time difference

High Water
06:00 11:06 12:00
-40 -27.25 -25

Hours and minutes can be converted to minutes.

-40 + ((306 / 360) x (-25 - -40)) = -27.25

Time difference for HW Girvan is -27min

Apply the time difference to obtain the time of HW at Girvan

Times
Name of Port HW LW Zone Time
Standard Port Greenock 11:06 GMT
Time Difference -0:27
Secondary Port Girvan 10:39 GMT
Time Required
Interval from HW

- 29 -
The required time is 14:30
Calculate the time interval from HW

Times
Name of Port HW LW Zone Time
Standard Port Greenock 11:06 GMT
Time Difference -0:27
Secondary Port Girvan 10:39 GMT
Time Required 14:30
Interval from HW 3:51

The time interval from HW to be used on the curve is +3 hr 51 after HW

Determine the heights of HW & LW at Girvan

Enter the heights of HW & LW at the standard port, Greenock and calculate the
predicted range.

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Greenock 3.3 0.4 2.9
Remove Seasonal Correction Greenock
Standard Port Uncorrected
Height Differences
Secondary Port Uncorrected Girvan
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Girvan
Secondary Port Corrected Girvan

Remove the seasonal correction for the standard port, (apply the opposite sign).

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Greenock 3.3 0.4 2.9
Remove Seasonal Correction Greenock -0.1 -0.1
Standard Port Uncorrected 3.2 0.3
Height Differences
Secondary Port Uncorrected Girvan
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Girvan
Secondary Port Corrected Girvan

- 30 -
Determine the height differences for HW and LW by interpolation. Remember to
use the Standard Port Uncorrected value not the Standard Port value.

For HW
MHWS Rqd Ht MHWN
3.4 3.2 2.9
-0.3 -0.3 -0.3
-0.3 + ((3.2 – 3.4) / (2.9 – 3.4) x (-0.3 - -0.3)) = -0.3

Height difference is -0.3m

For LW
MLWN Rqd Ht MLWS
1.0 0.3 0.4
-0.1 0.0 0.0
-0.1 + ((0.3 – 1.0) / (0.4 – 1.0) x (0.0 - -0.1)) = 0.0

Height difference is 0.0m

Apply the height differences to the uncorrected standard port to obtain the
uncorrected heights at the secondary port

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Greenock 3.3 0.4 2.9
Remove Seasonal Correction Greenock -0.1 -0.1
Standard Port Uncorrected 3.2 0.3
Height Differences -0.3 0.0
Secondary Port Uncorrected Girvan 2.9 0.3
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Girvan
Secondary Port Corrected Girvan

Look up and apply the seasonal corrections for the secondary port and apply the
sign as shown in the tide table

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Greenock 3.3 0.4 2.9
Remove Seasonal Correction Greenock -0.1 -0.1
Standard Port Uncorrected 3.2 0.3
Height Differences -0.3 0.0
Secondary Port Uncorrected Girvan 2.9 0.3
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Girvan 0.0 0.0
Secondary Port Corrected Girvan 2.9 0.3

- 31 -
Calculate the % Springs value

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 − 𝑁𝑒𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒

𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 = 𝑥 100
𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 − 𝑁𝑒𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒

((2.9 – 1.9) / (3.0 – 1.9)) x 100 = 91% Springs

The HW and LW values can now be plotted to obtain the sloping line.

The time interval is now drawn in and the horizontal line drawn at 91% springs to
give the height of tide at 14:30

- 32 -
Secondary Ports – Time for a Given Height of Tide

Only the time of HW is required in order to work out the time interval from HW to
the required time.

Corrected heights of HW and LW for the secondary port must be found. These
values are plotted on the curve to give the sloping line. The required height of
tide is plotted on the curve and from this the time interval from HW can be found

Example
Find the time (DST) at Girvan (414) on the morning flood on the 25 th April with the
height of tide will be 1.5m

The morning flood means the time will be before HW Girvan

Standard port is Greenock (404)

Standard Port Greenock Zone Time GMT Date 25/04/2018

Secondary Port Girvan Zone Time GMT

Times
Name of Port HW LW Zone Time
Standard Port Greenock 10:31 GMT
Time Difference
Secondary Port Girvan GMT
Time Required
Interval from HW

Interpolate for HW time difference for Girvan

High Water
06:00 10:31 12:00
-40 -29.00 -25

Hours and minutes have been converted to minutes here

-40 + ((271 / 360) x (-25 – -40)) = -29

- 33 -
Determine the time of HW Girvan

Times
Name of Port HW LW Zone Time
Standard Port Greenock 10:31 GMT
Time Difference -0:29
Secondary Port Girvan 10:02 GMT

Determine the heights of HW and LW Girvan to plot on the curve

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Greenock 3.2 0.7 2.5
Minus Seasonal Correction Greenock
Standard Port Uncorrected
Height Differences
Secondary Port Uncorrected Girvan
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Girvan
Secondary Port Corrected Girvan

Remove the seasonal corrections. The standard port seasonal correction was -0.1,
so the opposite sign is applied to remove it.

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Greenock 3.2 0.7 2.5
Minus Seasonal Correction Greenock 0.1 0.1
Standard Port Uncorrected 3.3 0.8
Height Differences
Secondary Port Uncorrected Girvan
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Girvan
Secondary Port Corrected Girvan

- 34 -
Interpolate the height differences for Girvan using the secondary port uncorrected
heights

MHWS Rqd Ht MHWN MLWN Rqd Ht MLWS

3.4 3.3 2.9 1.0 0.8 0.4
-0.3 -0.3 -0.3 -0.1 -0.1 0.0

Apply the height differences

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Greenock 3.2 0.7 2.5
Minus Seasonal Correction Greenock 0.1 0.1
Standard Port Uncorrected 3.3 0.8
Height Differences -0.3 -0.1
Secondary Port Uncorrected Girvan 3.0 0.7
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Girvan
Secondary Port Corrected Girvan

Apply the seasonal corrections for the secondary port

Heights
Name of Port HW LW Pr Range
Standard Port Greenock 3.2 0.7 2.5
Minus Seasonal Correction Greenock 0.1 0.1
Standard Port Uncorrected 3.3 0.8
Height Differences -0.3 -0.1
Secondary Port
Uncorrected Girvan 3.0 0.7
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Girvan -0.1 -0.1
Secondary Port Corrected Girvan 2.9 0.6

Calculate the % Springs

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 − 𝑁𝑒𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 = 𝑥 100
𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 − 𝑁𝑒𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒

2.5 − 1.9
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 = 𝑥 100
3.0 − 1.9

𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 = 55% of Springs

- 35 -
Plot the sloping line on the curve to determine the time interval

The time interval is -4hr 12min

10:02 – 04:05 = 05:57 GMT

DST = GMT + 1

Time at Girvan when the height of tide is 1.5m on the morning flood of the 25 th
April is 06:57 DST

- 36 -
 Exercises - European Secondary Ports

1 Determine the height of tide at Pwllheli (483) at February 26 16:19 UT.

(2.8m)

2 Determine the height of tide at Llandudno (471) at March 12 23:42 UT

(5.1m)

3 Determine the time when there will be 2.6 metres above chart datum on
the midday flood tide at Crookhaven (741) on April 25.
(13:15)

4 Determine the time when there will be 3.6 metres above chart datum on
the midday ebb tide at Port-en-Bessin (1594) on March 26.
(11:27)

5 Determine the clearance that a vessel having an air draught of 21.6 metres
would have when passing under an obstruction charted as 21.9 metres at 08:11 in
Dartmouth (23) on February 06.
Highest Astronomical Tide 5.2 metres.
(2.3m)

6 The main causeway at Holy Island (208) dries to 1.8 metres. Determine the
earliest zone time when it would be possible to cross the causeway (without
getting wet) on the afternoon ebb tide of January 08.
(15:01)

7 Determine the latest zone time when a vessel with an air draught of 22.8
metres will have 2.2 metres clearance under a bridge charted at 18.0 metres at
Clevedon (525) on the early morning flood tide of February 27.
(03:34)

8 Between which zone times will there be at least 9.6 metres above a shoal
patch charted as 4.9 metres at Yelland Marsh (537) on the morning tide of April 03.
(07:11 and 10:14)

9 Determine the clearance over a shoal patch charted as 7.6 metres off the
entrance to Amble (206) at noon on January 13. The vessel has a draught of 8.8
metres.
(2.5m)

10 Determine the next ‘window of opportunity’ for a vessel having a keel to

masthead height of 27.4 metres to pass under an obstruction near Waterford (762)
after April 02 09:00. The vessel has a draught of 4.6 metres. The obstruction has a
charted height of 22.4 metres. A clearance of 1.5 metres must be maintained at all
times.
(11:00 to 18:32)

11. At 0000–02-05 09:55 a vessel runs aground off Renfrew (406a), bilging her
double bottom.
A rise of tide of 0.4 metres is required to compensate for the lost buoyancy and re-
float her.
Calculate the earliest time that she will re-float.
(12:56)

- 37 -
 Pacific Tides

Pacific Standard Ports

The movement of the moon around the earth alone is insufficient to properly
explain the movement of Pacific Tides.

Re-examining the moon’s influence on European Tides, the spring tides coincide
(very nearly – one day out) with Full Moon and New moon, and neap tides with
quarter moon waxing and waning.

The actual gravitational pull of the moon on the water is only sufficient to cause a
raising or lowering of approximately 10cm. The remaining rise and fall is caused by
the harmonic motion set up in the Atlantic basin. The effect of the moon’s
gravitational pull coinciding with the resonant frequency to cause spring tides and
damping the resonant frequency to cause neap tides.

Partly fill a bath with water, slosh from one end and repeat the slosh just as it
rebounds from the same end. Continue this pattern and eventually you will wet
the floor – result Springs. Now slosh from one end and repeat the slosh just before
it rebounds. The second slosh damps the amplitude of the first – result Neaps.

Now sit in the bath and try repeating the experiment. Nothing happens – why?
Your body is not only breaking up the waves but also disturbing the resonant
frequency of the bath by changing the shape of the basin. Baltic and
Mediterranean seas have no tides to speak of, because of this phenomenon. Italy,
Malta, Cyprus and Sweden as well as Bornholm and Poland break the resonant
frequency in these waters and so the rise and fall is the result of the 10cm
gravitational pull of the moon.

How does this effect pacific Tides? Unlike the Atlantic which has two clearly
defined areas (North and South Atlantic), the Pacific is one big ocean. There is still
resonance, but, because of it’s immense size there are also other factors affecting
the movement of the water, such as the rotation of the earth.

This causes the water in the Pacific to behave rather like a rotating plate in a
swash plate pump. It appears to rotate clockwise around an axis in the region of
Kiribati. (Phoenix Islands north of W. Samoa and South of Hawai). There will
always be some parts of the Pacific experiencing higher tides whilst other parts will
be experiencing lower tides. Now add the effects of the moons influence.

But, there are also obstacles in the Pacific basin; French Polynesia, Fijian Islands,
the Philippines etc., all of which tend to break up the harmonic motion. So it is
then that there are areas of the Pacific which enjoy straight forward Spring and
neap tides in much the same way as most European ports, whilst others have
extremely odd tides.

How does this impact on the task of calculating Pacific tides?

To find the height of tide with Pacific Tides is almost exactly the same as with
European Standard and Secondary Ports.

The major difference is that you do not have a graph per port as you were used to
in Volume 1 Ports, but now just have the one graph for all ports.

- 38 -
You will notice from the graph that there are no Spring or Neap ranges listed nor
separate spring and neap curves. There are however three separate lines on the
bell curve. These represent the duration of the tide and this is determined by
finding the time between the High and Low waters around the time that you are
concerned with. Once this figure has been established, say for example the
duration of a tidal rise (from Low Water to the following High Water) is 6H 29min,
then you would need to look between the 6H and 7H curve (i.e. the outermost and
the middle curve on the left hand side of the graph). You would need to
interpolate this curve in a similar manner to European Ports or you can do this “by
eye”. Again, if the latter method is chosen, incorrect interpolation results in an
Error in Principle (see last page for list of errors).

- 39 -
Example – Pacific Standard Port – Height of Tide at Given Time

Find the height of tide at Inch’on on June 14 at 14:30 ZT

HW LW
Inch'on 17:00 11:11
Time Req'd 14:30
Int fm HW -02:30

Duration of tide
17:00 – 11:11 = 5:49

(49/60) x 100 = 82% of the 5 – 6 hour curves

- 40 -
Example Pacific Standard Port – Time for a Height of Tide

What is the earliest time on the 24th February that the height of tide will be 1.5m
at Boston?

From the tide tables

HW LW
Boston 11:59 05:46

Duration of the tide between LW and HW

11:59 – 05:46 = 6:13

(13/60) x 100 = 22% of the 6 to 7 hr curves

- 41 -
 Exercises - Pacific Standard Ports

1 Determine the height of tide over a depth charted as 6.2 metres at 22:00
zone time at Vancouver Harbour (9133) on February 07.
(3.3m)

2 Determine the clearance under an overhead power cable of charted height

16.5 metres at Prince Rupert (8850) at July 10 22:00 UT. The vessel has an air
draught of 19.2 metres.
(0.9m)

3 Determine the earliest zone time that a vessel could clear a shoal patch
charted as 7.8m on the early morning flood tide at In’Chon (7486) on May 22. The
vessel has a draught of 9.5 metres and must maintain a UKC of at least 2.0 metres
at all times.
(05:11 ZT)

4 Determine the latest zone time that a vessel having a draught of 12.1
metres could clear a shoal patch of 11.4 metres in the approaches to Auckland
(6400) after the midnight High Water on February 22. The vessel needs to maintain
an additional clearance of at least 2.5m under the keel.
(00:34 ZT on the 23rd)

5 Determine the earliest zone time that a vessel in Boston, Massachusetts,

(2809) could clear a bridge in the early morning of February 09. The keel to
masthead height of the vessel is 22.8 metres, the draught is 7.5 metres. Port
regulations require a safe clearance of at least 2.6 metres. The charted height of
the bridge is 17.1 metres.
(00:37 ZT on the 9th)

6 Determine the latest zone and universal times in the late afternoon/early
evening of February 19, that a vessel in Balboa (9487) could clear container cranes
charted as 16.1 metres with a safety margin of at least 3.0 metres. The air draught
of the vessel is 14.5 metres.
(15:41 ZT, 20:41 UT)

7 Determine the masthead clearance at July 30 12:57 Universal Time that a

vessel in Prince Rupert (8850) would have when passing under a bridge of charted
height 22.0 metres. The vessel has an air draught of 22.5 metres.
(3.5m)

8 Determine the underkeel clearance that a vessel of draught 6.2 metres

would have when crossing a bar of charted depth 7.7 metres at March 08 17:22
zone time in Balik Papan (5228).
(3.1m)

9 A vessel must cross a 6.3 metre sounding at Brisbane Bar (5998) around
midnight on May 05. Determine the earliest and latest zone times that the vessel
could achieve this if a total clearance of 8.0 metres is required. (Draught 6.0m,
UKC 2.0m)
(05/21:23 ZT and 06/03:00 ZT)

10 A vessel proceeding from the outer anchorage must pass under a bridge at
the entrance to Darwin harbour (6323). The keel to masthead height is 28.1

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metres, the draught 9.7 metres. The bridge has a charted height of 15.7 metres
and must be cleared by at least 1.5 metres.
Determine the earliest and latest zone times that the vessel could achieve this
around midday on April 28.
(07:29 and 12:58 ZT)

11. A vessel grounds on a mud bank off Darwin at 0000-02-05 11:51.

An estimated rise of tide of 0.5 metres is required to overcome the adhesion of the
mud and refloat her.
Calculate the earliest time at which she is likely to refloat.
(16:26)

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 Pacific Secondary Ports

In some ways, Pacific Ports secondary ides are easier than European Secondary
ports. You will still have to interpolate height differences, but there are no time
differences to interpolate. Otherwise, the system for getting the right answer, is
exactly the same as European Secondary Ports (i.e. get the Standard Port height
and times, apply the corrections, use the Standard Port graph to get the answer
etc).

Example Height of Tide at a Given Time

Find the height of tide at Tolaga Bay (6424) on the18th January at 09:00 ZT

The standard port is Auckland

The first step is to calculate the times of HW and LW at Tolaga Bay, determine the
duration of the tide, (from LW to HW), and the time interval from HW.

Standard Port Aukland Zone Time -12 Date 18-Jan

Secondary Port Tolga Bay Zone Time -12

Times
Name of Port HW LW Zone Time
Standard Port Auckland 06:22 12:22 -12
Time Difference
Secondary Port Tolaga Bay -12
Time Required
Interval from HW

Apply the secondary port time differences

Times
Name of Port HW LW Zone Time
Standard Port Auckland 06:22 12:22 -12
Time Difference -01:14 -01:14
Secondary Port Tolaga Bay 05:08 11:08 -12
Time Required 09:00
Interval from HW 3:52

The duration of the tide is

11:08 – 05:08 = 6:00

Therefore the 6 hr curve will be used without interpolation

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The second stage is to determine the heights of HW and LW at Tolaga Bay. The
process is the same as for European secondary ports

Remove the seasonal corrections from the standard port

Heights
Name of Port HW LW
Standard Port Auckland 3.0 0.7
Remove Seasonal Correction Auckland 0.0 0.0
Standard Port Uncorrected Auckland 3.0 0.7
Height Differences
Secondary Port Uncorrected Tolaga Bay
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Tolaga Bay
Secondary Port Corrected Tolaga Bay

Interpolate the height differences. Remember to use the Standard Port

Uncorrected height not the Standard Port height

MHWS Rqd Ht MHWN

3.1 3.0 2.8
-1.2 -1.1 -1.0

MLWN Rqd Ht MLWS

0.8 0.7 0.4
-0.1 -0.1 0.1

Apply the height differences

Heights
Name of Port HW LW
Standard Port Auckland 3.0 0.7
Minus Seasonal Correction 0.0 0.0
Standard Port Uncorrected Auckland 3.0 0.7
Height Differences -1.1 -0.1
Secondary Port Uncorrected Tologa Bay 1.9 0.6
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Tologa Bay
Secondary Port Corrected Tologa Bay

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Finally apply the secondary port seasonal corrections, using the sign shown in the
tide tables

Heights
Name of Port HW LW
Standard Port Auckland 3.0 0.7
Minus Seasonal Correction 0.0 0.0
Standard Port
Uncorrected Auckland 3.0 0.7
Height Differences -1.1 -0.1
Secondary Port
Uncorrected Tologa Bay 1.9 0.6
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Tologa Bay 0.0 0.0
Secondary Port Corrected Tologa Bay 1.9 0.6

The time interval can be plotted on the tidal curve to determine the height of tide
at the required time.
Note that in this example there is no interpolation between the curves as the tide
duration is 6:00 so the 6hr curve is used

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Example Time for a Given Height of Tide

Find the earliest zone time on the 27th June that the height of tide will be 2.0m at
Security Bay (8728)

From the tide tables, Prince Rupert (8850) is the standard port

First step is to calculate the times of HW and LW at Security Bay and the duration
of the tide between LW and HW

Standard Port Prince Rupert Zone Time +8 Date 27-Jun

Secondary Port Security Bay Zone Time +9

Times
Name of Port HW LW
Standard Port Prince Rupert 12:05 05:35
Time Difference -00:50 -00:50
Secondary Port Security Bay 11:15 04:45

Duration of the tide

11:15 – 04:45 = 6:30

(30/60) x 100 = 50% of the 6 to 7 hr tidal curves

The second step is to find the height of HW and LW at Security Bay

Remove the seasonal correction from the standard port

Heights
Name of Port HW LW
Standard Port Prince Rupert 5.2 1.2
Remove Seasonal Correction Prince Rupert 0.0 0.0
Standard Port Uncorrected Prince Rupert 5.2 1.2
Height Differences
Secondary Port Uncorrected Security Bay
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Security Bay
Secondary Port Corrected Security Bay

Interpolate the height differences. Remember to use the Standard Port

Uncorrected heights, not the Standard Port Height

MHWS Rqd Ht MHWN MLWN Rqd Ht MLWS

6.5 5.2 5.2 2.5 1.2 1.2
-2.2 -1.9 -1.9 -1.5 -1.1 -1.1

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Apply the height differences

Heights
Name of Port HW LW
Standard Port Prince Rupert 5.2 1.2
Remove Seasonal Correction Prince Rupert 0.0 0.0
Standard Port Uncorrected Prince Rupert 5.2 1.2
Height Differences -1.9 -1.1
Secondary Port Uncorrected Security Bay 3.3 0.1
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Security Bay
Secondary Port Corrected Security Bay

Apply the secondary port seasonal corrections, use the sign as shown

Heights
Name of Port HW LW
Standard Port Prince Rupert 5.2 1.2
Remove Seasonal Correction Prince Rupert 0.0 0.0
Standard Port Uncorrected Prince Rupert 5.2 1.2
Height Differences -1.9 -1.1
Secondary Port Uncorrected Security Bay 3.3 0.1
Seasonal Correct Sec Port Security Bay -0.1 -0.1
Secondary Port Corrected Security Bay 3.2 0.0

Plot the required height on the tidal curve to determine the required time

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Dealing with Large Time Differences
Some of the Pacific secondary ports have large time differences of several hours
which can make selecting the correct pair of tides at the standard port difficult.

For example Changxing Dao (7401) has a HW time difference of -06:29 and LW time
difference of -06:54. There are 2 ways to find the correct pair of tides at the
standard port; trial and error or by applying an approximate time difference to the
time at the standard port.

Example
Find the height of tide at 04:30 at Changxing Dao on the 6th August

Standard port Brisbane Bar

Method 1 – Trial and Error

Tidal data from Brisbane Bar

The pair of tides might be assumed to be HW 03:25 and LW 09:40

Applying the time differences for the secondary port, the times of HW and LW
would be
HW LW
Brisbane Bar 03:25 09:40
Time Difference -06:29 -06:54
Changxing Dao 05/20:56 06/02:46

06th/04:30 at Changxing Dao doesn’t fit within this pair of tides, so another pair
must be chosen. In this case the following HW will be required
LW HW
Brisbane Bar 09:40 16:47
Time Difference -06:54 -06:29
Changxing Dao 06/02:46 06/10:18

This is the correct pair of tides to find the height of tide at 04:30 at Changxing Dao

Method 2 – Calculate the approximate time at Standard Port

In this case the approximate time difference at the secondary port is subtracted
from the required time at the secondary port.

The approximate time difference for HW and LW at Changxing Dao is

(-06:29 + -06:54) / 2 = -06:41
Time Required Changxing Dao 04:30
Minus Time Difference - -06:41
Approx time at Brisbane Bar 11:11

The pair of tides to be selected at Brisbane Bar is LW 09:40 and HW 16:47.

Once the correct pair of tides have been selected the calculation continues as
normal.

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 Exercises - Pacific Secondary Ports

1 Determine the height of tide at Fairway Island (8684) at 17:35 zone time, on
July 01.
(2.1m)

2 Determine the earliest zone time on the morning tide to get under an
obstruction of charted height 19.9 metres at Funafuti (6744) on February 06. The
minimum total clearance is 21.3 metres.
(10:32 ZT)

3 Determine the latest zone time when there will be 4.9 metres in Suun Do
(7445) on the afternoon of August 03.
(14:18 ZT)

4 A vessel in Bangor (2833) must pass under an obstruction. The air draught is
18.1 metres. The charted height of the obstruction is 19.8 metres. Determine the
latest zone time on the a.m. tide on March 09 when there will be 2.5 metres
clearance.
(08:35 ZT)

5 A vessel with an air draught of 28.6 metres must pass under a power cable
of charted height 29.7 metres at 19:37 UT on July 28 in Daitze Shan (7397).
Determine the clearance at this time.
(HoT = 3.4m, clearance = 2.2m)

6 Determine the earliest zone time on the morning flood tide of January 24
that a vessel drawing 9.5 metres in Matiata Bay (6401a) would have 2.0 metres
underkeel clearance when passing over a sounding of 8.7 metres.
(09:38 ZT)

7 Determine the earliest time a vessel drawing 8.4 metres could clear the
power lines, charted height 19.9 m, at Botwood (3185) on the morning of February
19 and maintain a clearance of 2.0 metres. Her masthead height is 27.2 metres
above the keel.
(07:58 ZT)

8 At which zone time will there be the correct height of tide for a vessel with
an air draught of 18.8 metres to pass under an obstruction of charted height 19.2
metres in the early morning of August 28 at Windham Bay (8655) and maintain a
clearance of 2.2 metres.
(02:35 ZT)

9 A vessel with an even keel draught of 9.2m is required to shift berth before
noon, (zone time), in Kunsan Outer Port (7504) on May 16. The shift involves
passing under a gantry crane which has a charted height of 21.6 metres. The vessel
has an air draught of 24.5m and requires a clearance of at least 2.5m. Giving your
answers in zone time, determine the ‘window’ during which the vessel must
complete the shift.
(08:11 and 11:24 ZT)

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10 A vessel requires 10.0 metres of water over an 8.1 metre shoal patch.
Determine the earliest and latest (zone) time intervals on the afternoon HW that
this could be achieved on June 27 in Huludao Gang (7388).
(04:00 before and 03:50 after (11:53 & 19:43 zone times))

11 A vessel grounds off Unmu Do (7452) at 0000-08-14 01:15, breaching a

double bottom tank.
A rise of tide of 0.7 metres is required to compensate for the lost buoyancy.
Determine the time at which she will probably refloat.
(14/07:50)

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 Example SQA Questions

1
A vessel with draft 8.1 metres outbound from Port Talbot (ATT 510, UK and Ireland)
is due to complete cargo operations at 0400 hours. The vessel is to pass over a
shoal, charted depth 5.2 metres. An UKC of 1.0 metres must be maintained at all
times.

Calculate the earliest time the vessel can cross the shoal safely on the morning
flood tide of the 21st of February.
(06:46)

2
At 1935 hrs, (UT + 1), 28th April, a container vessel inward bound to Antwerp
touches bottom over a charted shoal with a maximum draught of 8.0 metres.

The vessel is expected to be outward bound from Antwerp during the early morning
flood tide on the 30th April and she is required to pass over the same shoal with a
maximum draught of 8.4 metres whilst maintaining an UKC of 1.0 metres.

Calculate the earliest time (UT + 1) that the vessel can pass over the charted shoal.
(Earliest time v/l can cross the shoal on 30th April is 03:05)

3
A vessel leaving the port of Whale Island (ATT 6417, Pacific and Atlantic Ocean)
grounds on a mud bank at 0330 hours, Standard Time on the 9 th of April.

Calculate the earliest time the vessel can re-float, allowing 0.4 metre to break the
vessel out of the mud.
(08:52 on the 9th April)

4
A vessel is to proceed to the repair berth at Port Talbot (No.510 ATT United
Kingdom & Ireland). The vessel is to berth at high water on the afternoon of 24 th
February.
(a) Calculate the time and height of high water at Port Talbot for this tide.
(15:06, 7.7m)

(b) The vessel is expected to be alongside the repair berth until 1600 hrs on 4 th
March.

Charted depth of water at the repair berth is 7.6 metres.

Vessel’s draught F 3.9m, A 7.2m

The Master requires the predicted minimum UKC of the vessel and the time
that this will occur during the vessels’s anticipated repair period.

Calculate the required tidal information that the Master requires.

(Min UKC, 0.8m at 13:14 on March 1st )

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 Tide Question Marking Schemes

There are three types of error recognised by the examination board. Each type
attracts a penalty as shown under:

Error in Principle Loss of 50% of the marks for that question

Clerical error Loss of 10% of the marks for that question

Clerical Principle Loss of 30% of the marks for that question

(an error that leads to a Principle Error)

Although no marks are awarded under HND Combination A (i.e. you obtain a Pass or
Fail) the method for determining the pass/fail criteria remains the same i.e. the
answer must be correct in PRINCIPLE. The following errors are recognised by the
exam board:

Error Type Penalty

Entering the Tide Tables with the wrong date Principle

Calculating AM tide when asked for PM (or vice versa) Principle

Selecting the wrong Standard Port Principle

Disregarding interpolation between Springs & Neaps Principle

Failure to add a charted depth to obtain actual depth Principle

Failure to apply the appropriate level for calculating a height Principle

Extracting incorrect information from the curve Clerical, Clerical

Principle or
Principle

Extracting the correct information but using it incorrectly Clerical, Clerical

Principle or
Principle

Correctly calculating a correction but inserting it incorrectly Clerical

Inserting an incorrect algebraic sign Clerical

Making a mathematical error Clerical

The above list is not exhaustive.

Whilst it is accepted that corrections are approximate, the utmost diligence is to

be expected when working tide problems. Answers should ALWAYS be set out in a
manner, which the examiner can easily follow.

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