How to read tidal patterns for fishing and navigation
  • 1. What is a tide?
A) A sudden surge of water caused by earthquakes.
B) The rise and fall of sea levels caused by the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun.
C) Ocean currents created by wind.
D) The average depth of the ocean.
  • 2. What primarily causes tides?
A) Wind patterns.
B) The Earth's rotation.
C) The Sun's heat.
D) The Moon's gravitational pull.
  • 3. What is a spring tide?
A) Tides that only occur in the spring season.
B) Tides that occur during a solar eclipse.
C) Tides with the smallest tidal range.
D) Tides with the largest tidal range, occurring during new and full moons.
  • 4. What is a neap tide?
A) Tides that only occur in the autumn season.
B) Tides with the smallest tidal range, occurring during quarter moons.
C) Tides that have a very fast current.
D) Tides that occur during a lunar eclipse.
  • 5. What moon phase causes spring tides?
A) New moon and full moon.
B) Third quarter moon.
C) First quarter moon.
D) Waxing gibbous.
  • 6. What moon phase causes neap tides?
A) Full moon.
B) New moon.
C) First quarter moon and third quarter moon.
D) Waning crescent.
  • 7. What is tidal range?
A) The amount of time between high and low tide.
B) The distance a tide travels horizontally.
C) The vertical difference between high tide and low tide.
D) The speed of the tidal current.
  • 8. What is a tidal current?
A) The vertical movement of water during a tide.
B) The horizontal movement of water caused by the rise and fall of tides.
C) An underwater waterfall.
D) A stream of fresh water flowing into the ocean.
  • 9. Flood tide refers to...
A) The incoming tide.
B) A particularly strong tide.
C) The outgoing tide.
D) A tide that overflows onto land.
  • 10. Ebb tide refers to...
A) The outgoing tide.
B) The incoming tide.
C) A particularly weak tide.
D) A tide that recedes very slowly.
  • 11. How do you typically find tide information?
A) Tide charts or tide tables.
B) Star charts.
C) Almanacs.
D) Weather forecasts.
  • 12. What do tide charts predict?
A) The weather conditions at sea.
B) The speed of ocean currents.
C) The location of fish.
D) The times and heights of high and low tides.
  • 13. Why are tide predictions important for navigation?
A) To predict the weather.
B) To avoid running aground in shallow waters.
C) To determine the best fishing spots.
D) To find the safest route around icebergs.
  • 14. How can tidal currents affect boat handling?
A) They can automatically steer a boat.
B) They can push a boat off course or make it difficult to maneuver.
C) They have no effect on boat handling.
D) They can help a boat travel faster.
  • 15. When are tidal currents typically strongest?
A) During neap tides.
B) At high tide.
C) Around mid-tide, both flood and ebb.
D) At low tide.
  • 16. What is a slack tide?
A) A tide that is very strong.
B) A tide that is late.
C) The period of little to no current between flood and ebb tides.
D) A tide that does not occur.
  • 17. Slack tide is advantageous for...
A) Traveling at high speed.
B) Sailing against the current.
C) Docking and maneuvering in tight spaces.
D) Fishing in deep water.
  • 18. How does wind affect tides?
A) Wind can pile up water on one side of a body of water, affecting local water levels.
B) Wind speeds up the tidal cycle.
C) Wind cancels out the effects of tides.
D) Wind has no effect on tides.
  • 19. How does barometric pressure affect tides?
A) Low pressure can cause higher tides, and high pressure can cause lower tides.
B) Barometric pressure changes the speed of the tide.
C) Barometric pressure has no effect on tides.
D) High pressure causes higher tides.
  • 20. What does it mean when a tide chart states 'MLLW'?
A) Mean Lower Low Water.
B) Mean Higher High Water.
C) Maximum Low Water.
D) Mean Low Water.
  • 21. Why is understanding tides important for fishing?
A) Tides have no impact on fishing.
B) Tides control the weather.
C) Tides can influence fish behavior and location.
D) Tides only affect boat navigation.
  • 22. During what part of the tidal cycle are fish often most active?
A) At high tide.
B) At low tide.
C) During slack tide.
D) During the changing tides, especially flood tides.
  • 23. How can tides affect access to fishing spots?
A) Tides never affect access to fishing spots.
B) Tides create new fishing spots.
C) Tides can expose or cover areas, affecting access to shore fishing or shallow water areas.
D) Tides only affect access to offshore fishing spots.
  • 24. What is a diurnal tide?
A) A tidal pattern with one high tide and one low tide per day.
B) A tidal pattern with two high tides and two low tides per day.
C) A tidal pattern with irregular tides.
D) A tidal pattern that changes every hour.
  • 25. What is a semi-diurnal tide?
A) A tidal pattern that only occurs twice a year.
B) A tidal pattern with irregular tides.
C) A tidal pattern with two high tides and two low tides per day.
D) A tidal pattern with one high tide and one low tide per day.
  • 26. What is a mixed tide?
A) A tidal pattern with two high tides and two low tides of unequal height each day.
B) A tidal pattern that changes every day.
C) A tidal pattern with equal high and low tides.
D) A tidal pattern that only occurs during spring tides.
  • 27. Why is it crucial to understand the local tidal patterns?
A) Tidal patterns only change with the seasons.
B) Tidal patterns vary significantly by location.
C) Tidal patterns are not important for navigation.
D) All tidal patterns are the same worldwide.
  • 28. What is the 'Rule of Twelfths' used for?
A) Estimating the approximate water level change during a tide.
B) Calculating the speed of a tidal current.
C) Determining the location of fish.
D) Predicting the weather.
  • 29. What does 'stand' refer to in the context of tides?
A) The highest point of a high tide.
B) The lowest point of a low tide.
C) A period when the water level is nearly constant at high or low tide.
D) The time it takes for a tide to complete one cycle.
  • 30. How do coastal features like inlets and bays affect tidal currents?
A) They have no effect on tidal currents.
B) They slow down tidal currents.
C) They reverse the direction of tidal currents.
D) They can amplify tidal currents due to constriction of water flow.
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