Off shore heavy cross and rip tides are in sync with the King tide, on the California Central Coast.
Excluding marine biologists studying the intertidal zones, surfers are arguably the most in-tune individuals when it comes to tides. Whether you are seeking that low tide for steeper tubes or waiting for an incoming tide to clean up the sets, the tide and what it is doing matters. But what if these tides were more than gauges for waves? What if there was more to the global phenomenon?
During king tides, otherwise known as perigean spring tides, we observe the highest tides of the year. This occurs due to the alignment of the earth, sun, and moon (or spring tides), combined with the moon being at its closest distance to the earth during its orbit (or perigean tides).
The coolest thing about king tides—besides seeing and feeling the effects of a large rock orbiting our planet as we orbit a star—is that it offers us a looking glass into a global phenomenon, and subsequently insight about the future. King tides provide a good benchmark about how our coastline may look a few decades down the line as a result of sea-level rise. In 2012, the National Research Council investigated sea-level rise for the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and California, and found that between 2000 and 2030 the ocean south of Cape Mendocino may rise nearly a foot.
Image: National Research Council
The difference between north and south of Cape Mendocino is due to differing rates of tectonic movement.
Image: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
In fact, it is as good a time as ever to see these flooding and erosion events for yourself, or at least glimpses of it. The next king tides are happening now, from February 17 through February 19. Have a look, and while you’re there, take some photos. Then post them to your favorite social media platform with the hashtag “#KingTides.” There is even a community effort surrounding the documentation, over at King Tides Project, where you’ll be able to more directly share your own experiences with the phenomenon.
Why wait for a future when there is so much we’re able to learn and do today? Your pictures help scientists document current flood risk in coastal areas, visualize the impacts of future sea level rise within a community, validate climate change models by comparing model predictions with the high-tide reality, and serve as a living record of change for future generations. So get involved—snap the shore, see the future.
For more information, be sure to check out Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington: Past, Present, and Future.
