Reading tidal data involves understanding key points like the time and height of high and low tides shown on a chart, often using visual cues like dotted lines to connect related information.
Understanding tidal data charts helps you plan activities like boating, fishing, or beach trips safely and effectively. Tidal charts typically show a curve representing the water level fluctuations over time.
Key Elements for Reading Tidal Data
Based on the provided reference, you can read tidal data by focusing on the following:
- High Tides: Information for high tide times and their corresponding high tide heights (often called "high waters") is typically found above the main tidal curve on the chart.
- Low Tides: Similarly, low water times and their specific low water heights (known as "low waters") are located below the tidal curve.
- Dotted Lines: A crucial visual aid for reading these points are the dotted lines. These lines connect the time and height information for the same tidal event (either a high tide or a low tide) on a specific day. These connections help you quickly and clearly link the time a tide occurred with its actual height.
How to Use Dotted Lines
The dotted lines serve as a direct link between two pieces of data for a single tide:
- Identify the Tide: Look for the time and height value you're interested in (either high tide or low tide).
- Follow the Line: Follow the dotted line originating from that time or height.
- Find the Corresponding Value: The dotted line will lead you to the corresponding height (if starting from time) or time (if starting from height) for that specific tide event on that day.
For instance, if you see a time listed above the curve connected by a dotted line to a height also listed above the curve, you know that this is the time of a high tide and its associated height. Conversely, a time below the curve connected by a dotted line to a height below the curve indicates the time and height of a low tide.
Example Snippet (Conceptual)
While an actual chart isn't provided, imagine a section of data might look like this:
| Tide Type | Time | Height (Feet/Meters) | Connected By | Location on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Tide | 08:30 | 12.5 | Dotted Line | Above the Curve |
| Low Tide | 14:45 | 2.1 | Dotted Line | Below the Curve |
In this conceptual example, the dotted line from "08:30" would connect to "12.5", indicating the morning high tide occurred at 8:30 AM and reached 12.5 feet. The dotted line from "14:45" would connect to "2.1", showing the afternoon low tide was at 2:45 PM with a height of 2.1 feet.
By understanding where high and low tide data is positioned relative to the curve and how the dotted lines connect times and heights for the same event, you can effectively read key information from a tidal data chart.
