Lesson 10
Tidal Streams
Tidal streams are the horizontal movement of water caused by astronomical
forces (tidal Streams) and should not be confused with surface currents which
are caused by the wind blowing along the surface of the sea.
Tidal streams around the UK are usually stronger than the surface currents
and so the latter are masked, but occasionally, after strong winds, they will be
noticed in certain areas.
Tidal stream information can be extracted from your navigational chart or from
a tidal stream atlas.
Tidal stream atlases are good for passage planning and show the general
movement of the water at hourly intervals before and after High Water at a
standard port.
Tidal information on charts is usually either found by individual Tidal stream
arrows (flood or ebb) on the chart or by referring to tidal diamonds.
COGC Chartwork RJL 09/2013
Revised by MP 06/2019
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Flood Tide Ebb Tide
Tidal streams referred to HW at PLYMOUTH
The diamonds are located at various positions on the chart and a table similar
to that shown above will be printed in a corner of the chart.
When planning your passage you need both tidal heights and the strength
and direction of the current. Tidal heights can be extracted from the tide tables
and will help you establish your under keel clearances. However to calculate
an EP and or establish a Course to Steer we need to extract the tidal stream
information either from the chart or from the Tidal Stream Atlas.
Set, Rate & Drift
Tide direction of a tidal stream is known as th Set
the water flows towards.
Rate
is the term used to describe the TOTAL distance in Nautical miles,
covered by the current over a given time period
Set and Rate can be obtained from Tidal stream atlas or the tidal flow arrows
and Tidal diamonds on the Chart. Both can be used when calculating Eps and
courses to steer.
COGC Chartwork RJL 09/2013
Revised by MP 06/2019
Page 87 of 121
Extracting the Information
The tidal diamond table gives the set spring rate and neap rate for each
diamond and for each hour before and after high water.
On the left hand side of the table a column lists the 6 hours before high water,
HW, then 6 hours after high water.
If, for example, we have the HW time at Plymouth we can find the set and
rate for the relevant hour before or after HW time at the named location (in
this case diamond A)
Important Note;
Each the information refers to a time period 30 mins before and after
that hour
NO INTERPOLATION between the hours IS REQUIRED
Example: If HW is at 1200 and tides are on springs, so for any time between
1130 and 1230 we take the Set and Rate for HW, i.e 080°, spring rate 1.3 kn
For times between 1030 and 1130 we would take the Set and Rate for 1 hour
before, i.e. 000°, 1.0 kn
For times between 1430 and 1530 we would use the Set and Rate for 3 hours
after, 124° 2.6 kn, and so on.
COGC Chartwork RJL 09/2013
Revised by MP 06/2019
Page 88 of 121
Example
A ship in the vicinity of diamond A stops to make engine repairs at 0900 and
starts again at 1200.
From the tide tables the navigator establishes that HW is at 1100 and on
springs. The master requires the Set and Drift for the time adrift.
To solve this problem we start at 0900 2 hours before HW
However remember that the tide changes at 0930, so it will only affect us for
half an hour at this particular rate, 323° @ 1.7 kts so we use half the rate =
0. 8 nm (we cannot half the direction).
We then use the next information for the full hour: 000° @ 1.0 nm and the
next one is also for the full hour 080° @1.3 nm
The ship starts again at 1200, 1 hour after HW; 100°, 2.4 kn, and again we
use only half the rate 100°@ 1.2 nm.
This information can then be used in to construct a plot on the Chart
Though as accurate as possible these are approximations, both in value and
in position.
Note that although no interpolation between the hours is required
you will need to interpolate between the Spring Rate and the Neap
Rate.
COGC Chartwork RJL 09/2013
Revised by MP 06/2019
Page 89 of 121
Study Exercise 10
Tidal Streams
Chart 5048
1. If High Water at Cobh is at 1500 hrs what is the neap tidal stream in
Youghal Bay at;
a) 1000 hrs, (280°T x 0.2kts)
b) 1700 hrs. (117°T x 0.4kts)
2. If High Water at Cobh is at 1500 hrs what is the spring tidal streams will
a ship experience to the East of Tuskar Rock between;
a. 1130 to 1230 hrs, (134°T x 3.2kts)
b. 1800 to 2000 hrs.
(1800 to 1830; 030°T x 3kts, 1830 to 1930; 037°T x 3.3kts, 1930 to
2000; 051°T x 2.4kts)
3. If High Water, spring tides, at Cobh is at 1930 hrs what will be the total
distance that a vessel drifts between 1430 and 1730 hrs in the
proximity of Coningbeg lightvessel. (4.6nm)
4. If High Water, neap tides, at Cobh is at 1600 hrs state the direction and
distance that a vessel will drift between 1800 and 2130 hrs in the
proximity of tidal diamond J.
(1800 to 1830; 070°T x 0.7nm, 1830 to 1930; 071°T x 1.1nm, 1930 to
2030; 074°T x 0.6nm, 2030 to 2130; 100°T x 0.1nm)
Chart 5047
Variation 7°W
Standard Deviation Card
5. At 1700 hrs a ship observes Foreland Point light bearing 180°T
distance 2.0 miles. The vessel is stopped for three hours to effect
engine repairs. Given that it is a spring tide and HW Avonmouth
is at 2300, use tidal diamond N throughout Find:
a) the ships estimated position for 2000;
(51 16.1N 003 30.9W)
b) The total set and drift which will be experienced.
6. At 1130 hrs a vessel, speed 11.5 knots, is in position: 51°
004° and ETA to a position
Scarweather Lightvessel bearing 333°T x 1.5 nm. Tidal stream as per
Tidal Diamond A, Springs. High Water Avonmouth 1530 hrs. Assume
tide is constant throughout using tidal diamond A at 4 hrs.
(106.5°C; 1415)
COGC Chartwork RJL 09/2013
Revised by MP 06/2019
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