I'm going to become more self-centered about this blog. Cookie crumbs for my own amazement and learning. I am planning to start a new blog devoted to all matters relating to tides. Such websites and articles abound. Yet another one. In the time being (a phrase that means "for now"), I will incorporate these posts into this all purpose blog.
My fascination for the Tides is inexplicable to even me. My Mother used to take us to Hendry's Beach where we would play in the sand at the shoreline, sure; but a quantum jump for me was a field trip for my Kindergarten class to Devereaux Point (also known as Coal Oil Point, because of random tar blobs from offshore seeps, scattered around the beach.) But on that early morning, as the morning light began to wax, it was the denizens of the tide pools that caught my fancy.
And catch my fancy they did, and more. I will never forget the squishing of the sea anemones under my feet. I don't remember, but it seems I might have been bare-footed that morning. I don't remember my teacher's name---though I might be able to dig it out one day. She taught me some lessons, on several levels, beginning on that morning.
After the field trip, we had at least one direct lesson about Coelenterata. That was a lesson I will not forget. But the greater lesson for me, as a teacher, is that we often---no, usually---underestimate kids. Our teacher actually showed us diagrams of the internal anatomy of polyps, and made it clear there are three layers of the body wall. She also opened out eyes to alternation of generation in the Coelenterata, which stuck with me even though sea anemones do not exhibit this characteristic. Looking back, the sophistication of the background she gave us was remarkable; and at the University, the lessons she taught us gave me a leg up. I was totally at ease with these concepts.
That anemone, I was later to learn, was Anthopleura elegantissima, the first object of my life-long love affair with the Coelenterates. Beyond the anemones, the Cnidaria (as the Coelenterates have now been renamed) have held my fascination through the years. Of this much more could might be said, but most importantly, I came to study at the University of Guam as a graduate student, where I studied the Hydrozoan coral, Millepora platyphylla, Fire Corals, a most remarkable species.
But for now, this is about my wonderment with tides, and how and where my fascination with tides took root. No matter where, the tides have held an important hold on me, in many aspects. The Intertidal Zone, and "minus tides" grew to a special place of prominence in my mind.
There are many personal stories to be told, some more compelling than others, certainly. Recently I have come to a closer examination of the science of the tides.
For starters, I have found the following link to be amazing.
[This web site is no longer available.]
http://volkov.oce.orst.edu/tides/
[This site is available (3 August 2022)]
OSU Tide Model Daily global tides animation.
Usually, the first time I have visited this URL, it works for a few minutes (the animation) but stops after awhile, and cannot be resumed. I was then able to either visit it in a different browser for awhile, or restart my browser and visit again.
I am not sure I understand it correctly. I believe it is a global prediction of the tidal wave, generated by astronomical forces, sloshing around the oceans. Here is the reference:
Egbert,
Gary D., and Svetlana Y. Erofeeva. "Efficient inverse modeling of
barotropic ocean tides." Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
19.2 (2002): 183-204.
