The tides are created by the gravitational pull of the moon and to a lesser
extent the sun. Spring tides are once a month and certain times of the
year when the strong pull of the moon is combined with the weaker pull of
the sun the spring tides are bigger than usual. The spring tides are
usually a couple of days after the full moon. I think there are some very
big tides somewhere around Canada and France. The biggest tides I have
heard of in Australia are near Koolan Island in the Kimberleys of WA, and
they are up to 11 meters. The tides in Darwin Harbour today 28.1.99
highest 0145 hrs 5.47 meters and lowest 0921 hrs 2.03 meters which is the
end of the neap tides. The next spring tides in Darwin Harbour are
tuesday 2.2.99 highest 2001 hrs 7.70 meters and lowest 1334 hrs 0.76
meters. There are some very strong currents with the big tides which
makes Darwin Harbour muddy during the spring tides and clearer during the
neap tides. Its pelting with rain while I write this so the rainy season
is still in progress.
Dave Wilson
> Being a northern hemisphere person with allmost no real changes in
>tides.
>Does your highest tide (spring) correspond witht he spring and or rainy
>season? Same with the ebb tide? We are in winter now, you guys are summer
>and the rainy season just got over down there right?