New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-26
CURRENTS AND COUNTER CURRENTS.
PECULIARITIES or TIDAL FLOW AROUND NEW
YORK-ONE CURRENT on TOP OF An
OTHEI: ~ THE HUDSON.

peonle who have noticed fcrryboats coming down
the Eas, River against a food tide have seen them
keep Il course down stream to a point some us
lance below their destination. and have remarked
the skill OF the pilot in taking advantage OF the
force OF the current as an aid in landing the awk-
ward craft in her slip with as Few pumps as pos
s.ble The East River and the Hudson are full OF
litilc wrinkles in the way OF tidal currents when
make the handling Of a heavily loaded fcrrypoat
task OF no small magnitude. One pecuiarity OF
the East River is that at different points III IT'S
length from the Battery to Polheinus Doch' the
currents begin to turn at about the same t'he' as
II the whole river had made up its mind to go the
other way and then did The most rapid cur
rent IN the river is between Halletts Point ana
Hogs Back where eight knots an hour have Dcen
measured on the food. while between Lawrence
Point and Blackwcrs Island the range Is ne
tween three and four knots an hour on po'h epo
and flood The thrush OF water from the western
end OF the Sound on the ebb tide throws strong
current close to Flood Rock. in He'll Gate. whiie
at other times the current follows the channel,
especially on the western side of Blackwehs island
FRYING Pan Shoal is the objective point of both
the ebb and the food tides off Flood ROCK. anu
while the ebb current makes at times Voieht
eddy in the cove just eastward of Halieus foih''
the flood current setting eastward. sweeps close
arounl the point and the result Is much smaller
swirl Of water in the cove.
The eastern channel Of Blackwell, Island i' not
marked by any violent perturbations. but Off black
VOLS island Lighthouse. and off Hatter's Dock.
the northern point of IIallets cove the eddes are
many and strong. and in all the East River chah-
nols tho ehb current Is more direct and strong ana
rapid than the flood
The chief popularity Of the Hudson Ever IS
current over n current. for from the NarroWs TO
the Tappan Zee In the path Of the river the hood
current Is running at 4 depth OF fifteen feet from
the surface for an hour before the surface water
shows srrs Of a desire to get to Albany. steamer
drawing twenty feet Of water VIII therefore come
NJ the river on what seems to he an ebb uie whi'e
actually the lower five feet OF her depth are sun
merged In water bound up stream. rms Is caus'd
by the vas, body Of river water eontlnnaAy pushing
down AGAINST the Incoming tide. and the salt water
being heavier naturally sinking below the level OF
the fresh water OF the stream.
Currents in the Narrows show popularity ali
their own for in that stretch between Long ana
Staten islands it IS common to see two different
currents running at The same time; Boih me ehb
and flood currents first appear on the 'ast OF Long
Island side Of The channel. and while OF Fort Ham,
Lo ahouf fha time % IA. change obb tide on us
way - tn ga of Fort Walsworth. the reverse
Down in the Lower Bay there Is another mix-up
o. currents los m.ai We nh,lnie ,irc r,r
"sl1ck before chb." the current - nowirs toward
,i, northeast l. gradually turns. and ~ the time
~ its l.as velocity is lowing t. the eastward at
. Co. n,,,ny f. fhe soithotsf and durins all this
Inn iher~ is A steady current OF half knot IN
hour crosswise = tho chann.l A. u this "'rr no1
enough IN the Swash and Main Ship channels the
nool current starts In on IN" rorin site ha.i an
hour before 1t shows on the south SIDE anu NE COP
starts on the south side 81 the channels haN an
hour before II appears on the north side Ihrough
thls pcculiar action two vessels Of Hight draught
may be going in different directions al IN" same
time IN iae channels and Zach have a iavoHng
tide In what j. called the Fouricen-fOot channel.
hoth the ebb and the food currents set ohhquely
across the channe. ana IN The S"ash there Is "a
strong eastward flow the hHh-ehb current
When an these cross and counter currents arc
considered. ~ IS easily seen that The plot IN ana
around the waters OF tho metropolis must Aav~ a
cool head. retcniivc memory. ana "A quick ~" 10
avoid Disaster and also make The force o. the
til4l nOw assist him In his work.