If you live near an ocean, you’re used to hearing about upcoming moon phases and how they will impact the tides in your area. If you’re landlocked, you’re probably wondering what we’re talking about!
As earthlings, we’re impacted by the moon’s pull, which creates either low or high tides. Aside from marine ecosystems, tides affect fishermen, boat owners, beach goers and sightseers!
In Canada, some of our Atlantic provinces pay close attention to tides, so if you’re planning on visiting places close to the ocean and near the shoreline, you’ll want to be mindful about when local tides ebb and flow. Tides occur twice a day, but many pay the closest attention to the tide schedule during May to October because that’s when most people spend time near or on the water.
BrokerLink’s 2023 Atlantic Canada tide charts are free of charge and conveniently available in both PDF format and hard copy. Hard copies can be picked up at BrokerLink locations:
Why pay attention to tides?
Watercraft activity
Whether you own a boat for personal or professional reasons, tides will influence when you can and cannot dock your boat. Most watercrafts need to be docked during high tides because a low tide moves them too close to the sea floor and pushing them back into the water from the land is not an option. So, tides affect the coming and going of ships and boats.
The information in tide guides or charts is important for safe and efficient navigation. When sailing or boating near or in narrow passes or channels, boaters want to be aware of the location of strong currents and when the wind is against the current. All these influence safety considerations because strong tides can be dangerous and damaging for watercrafts, especially smaller ones.
Sea life
The frequency and strength of tides impacts sea life - especially those close to the shore. Fish, clams and other sea creatures harvested for food rely on the movements of the tide for survival. Fishermen pay close attention to high and low tides because these motions in the water dictate when they need to be out fishing and casting nets.
Natural events
Sometimes high tides can expose properties or people near the shore to flooding or other damage. However, many buildings near large bodies of water are built to withstand normal tidal occurrences.
Vacationers
As mentioned earlier, tides go all year around, but many choose to focus on them during the warmer months when they’re likely to spend time at the beach or their cottages. This is when people are interested in knowing about the tidal times near them. High tides are for swimming and boating whereas low tides are perfect for digging clams or playing on the sandbars.
How can BrokerLink help?
We offer insurance for both personal and commercial needs. Give us a call today to ask us about boat, home, business or auto insurance!
