King Tides have hit the Lane Cove River this week. Some jetties have been swamped. Ferry Passengers had to carry thongs this week to access the Longueville Wharf.
What is a King Tide?
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, a King Tide (which is not a scientific name) happens because:
…the distance between the moon and earth varies due to the moon’s elliptical orbit. The gravitational force is greatest when the moon is closest to the earth (perigee) and least when it is furthest from the earth (apogee). King tides often occur when the earth, moon and sun are aligned at perigee and perihelion.
You may have noticed the Moon has been very bright and easy to spot this week.
When is a King Tide?
Once or twice a year coastal areas can expect a king tide. The Bureau of Meteorology publishes tide predictions for tide heights and times. Apparently, the timing and expected height of king tides are easy to predict. How big a king tide will be depends on wave conditions and the local weather on the day of the king tide.
The BOM highly recommends boaters and sailors consider a safe time in the tidal cycle for water activities.
What Do King Tides Reveal?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency today’s king tides will become the future’s everyday tides.
Has the Longueville Ferry Wharf Been Flooded Before?
The Wharf has been flooded many times. The last big king tide was on 2 January 2014. The Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Club posted this king tide photo on their Facebook page. There was no sailing that day. It was a 2.04 m tide.
In June 2016, the NSW SES launched new Tsunami Evacuation Maps. The maps cover the whole NSW coast and show those areas that lie under 10m above sea level, are 1km or less inland and are 10km up an estuary. Areas of Lane Cove (including Northwood, Lane Cove West, Lane Cove, Longueville and other areas that border the Lane Cove River) were noted on the map as possible land-based tsunami areas. You can read more HERE.
Lane Cove River History
The Lane Cove River is an important part of Lane Cove. So important, that the Lane Cove Council holds the Lane Cove River Festival each year in November. Many activities occur on or around the River. An event to put in your diary is the Lane Cove River Festival Food and Wine – one of the festival’s most popular events.
If you would like to do some further reading on the Lane Cove River, it is highly recommended you read Brian Scott’s The Business of the Lane Cove River.
Have you got some great photos of the king tides around the Lane Cove River? We would love to see them. Email us at [email protected].
Featured Photo Credit Image Anne Marie Cummins at Food to Film
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