The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-09
The Tides of Fundy Bay
BY FRED L. VANDEGRIFT.

the most of US fail to understand, are
caused by the attraction of the sun
and the moon; but since the influence
of the moon on the tides is three times
greater than that of the sun we credit
the whole business to the moon, with
out inquiring into the suns counter
pull; leaving it for science to set one
against the other, and to figure out
the reason of it all. In the meantime,
the tides come and go twice within the
space of a little more than twenty
four hours, forever. For days work
of old ocean is a lunar day, in defiance
for the daily difference in the hours
of ebb and flow.
For example, August IT, 1915, high
water in the Bay of Fundy, in front
of st. John, occurred at $40 a. m. and
at 4:12 p. m. and low water at 1902
a. m. and at 1887 p. m, calendar
time. The next day, high water was
at 4:39 a. m. and 5:14 p m; low wa
ter at 1887 a. m. and 1888 p m. 80
the tides, keeping up with the lunar
day, forever, blot out The dial or the
Julian clock. These are local calcula-
lions contained in a book OF tide Ia
bles published by the Canadian gov
eminent; the author of this letter pro-
Tossing no nautical, or astronomical,
knowledge.
There are Spring tides and "neap
tides" the former at new moon ana
full moon, and the latter at first and
periods, the tides are greater than
during the latter; the sun gaining In
fluence a trifle during the neap pc
RODS, thus producing, under the
moon, smaller tide than usual!
However, low tide or high tide, the
height rarely is the same on success
sive days. These influences work
alike the world over.
In addition, noteworthy in the Bay
of Fundy, there is the influence OF
2 I1a II a n
the moons phases; the little book of
tides declaring that 1T is noteworthy,
in the Bay of Fundy, that the change
in the moons distance has more lnflu-
ence upon the tide than the change In
the moons phases. The difference, in
the range of the tide, at perigee and
apogee, is then the difference in the
range of average spring and neap
tides" For example, the book cites
periagee spring range of 27.10 feet,
and apogee of 2O35 feet at st. John;
and perigee of 4S.20 feet and apogee
of 1855 in Cumberland Basin. Simi-
lar differences are recorded in the
neap ranges.
And so we have the counter influ-
ences of the moon and the sun, sup
plemented by a strong flow from the
New England coast; this captured by
the Bay of Fundy. into which 1t pours
as into a great funnel; all causing
phenomena of tides without counter
part elsewhere on the globe.
The tides of the Bay of Fundy are
of such peculiar character, and nav
igation so dependent upon them, that
the Canadian government includes, in
it's book of tide tables, tables of tide
differences, enabling ma rinerS and
others to know, in advance, the time
of the ebb and flow through the bay.
The observations upon which these
tables are based lasted through pc
riod Of many years. The measure
ments of velocity were recorded by
automatic registers affixed to vessels
anchored in the bay. From these OBJ
servations It IS learned that, in the
depth of thirty feet of water, the tides
turn, above and below, at the same in
slant.
Viewing, at close range, the advance
of the tide into the basins which in
dent the coasts of the Bay of Fundy,
the great flow pushes in with foam
in its teeth the instant it begins to
rise. The current of equal velocity,
above or below within distance of
thirty feet of depth, the flood, running
it's swift course of ten miles per hour,
apparently lifts itself as water boil
ing in a kettle. 1t boils and runs
in cross currents, and moving around
headlands, as Cape Blomidon, which
overlooks Minas Basin, it forms whirl-
pools, and, close in, eddies, in which
small craft might not live. Near
shore, the beach Swallowing, the tide
is distinguished by tidal waves, and
close in they lash the shore; the
waters flowing in and falling back,
but gaining at every return; until
finally the limit of time spent, they
fall back, receding steadily; the tides
fury lost and teeth pulled. If a wind
be contrary while the tide is advanc-
ing, the waves become white caps
The sight said to be som ething fierce;
the forces of flow and wind deluging
the shore with waves, the tidal bore
seemingly bent on overwhelming town
or farmstead in front. However, the
tides field of battle is limited, it's
hours we'll, and the hours running
out, it falls back upon the ebb, and
is gone until it be due again. In the
meantime, say in Minas Basin, where,
carrying out Longfellow's romance,
Evangeline and Gabriel used to hold
hands, watching the spectacle, 1t has
risen fifty-six feet and filled rivers
miles inland, which, emptying, be-
come fresh again; always the red
flat left on either side of the thread
| like stream.
| Scientific men, whose life's work
has been to observe and measure
these tides, find a satisfactory ex-
| PLANTATION of their phenomena; salts
factory to scientific minds, but the
plain common people, the subject too
| deep for them, refuse to understand
and continue to ask. Even ancient
mariners of these waters shut their
ears and, shaking their heads, refuse
to hear, but go on asking, forever.
| The file of a ST. John newspaper
contains an interview with a woman,
given after she had witnessed the HOW
and ebb of the tide in Minas Basin
She had beheld the spectacle from a
pier, and afterward asked the captain
| of a small steamer, why! Inc
mariners answer was:
Don't ask me about the tides OF
Fundy. 1 don't know anything about
them. Nobody does. When, nor how,