Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

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Chubs
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Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by Chubs »

So I've got an idea for a community project that can help all us inshore anglers out.

I want to create a map on Google maps (so everyone can access it); that has all the approximate tidal time correction factors based on the nearest buoy data from the publically available NOAA tide predictions.
I've tried to use some of the online tools that guess the tide time for areas not covered under the official NOAA predictions, and I have very little faith in them. I figure real world experience would help.

The idea is anyone willing to contribute can post up here with general areas and locations and the approximate tidal correction factor they have observed in the past.

For instance, I was told; and observed last time I was there, that Essex bayou is about 2 hours behind the Freeport buoy. Also Palacios is about equivalent to the Port Lavaca Buoy.

I'd add a dropped pin to the water near Essex that gives these details that simply says (Freeport Buoy. High and Low tide +2 hours). Palacios I'd put a pin that says (Same as Port Lavaca).
Something to that effect.

This only works if you have a lot of experience with an area though, and of course all entries are guesstimates and obviously highly influenced by wind speed an direction. This is all more art than science, but the idea is "what should the tide be if we factor out the wind."

Anyone want to help or have good data I can plug in? I want to base it off NOAA which seems to be fairly accurate (I notice their recorded data lines up well with their predications, obviously with the wind factor ignored).

As I said, I'll make this all publically available on Google maps so anyone can use it.
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kickingback
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by kickingback »

Thought there was a website that does that already...can't remember the site but read about it once in here or 2cool.
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Chubs
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by Chubs »

hmmm, I'd love to find that site...
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kickingback
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

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Chubs
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by Chubs »

Cool that will help, has a few more data points than the NOAA tides and currents does.

I'll mine the data for what I'm looking for and try to share as mentioned in the original post.
Speck Tackler
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by Speck Tackler »

Great idea for sure. In our area of the world the tides are more influenced by the wind direction versus tidal movement the further away you get from the coast (or buoy station).
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karstopo
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by karstopo »

I’ve never quite figured out some places. One such place is where Christmas bay meets up with Drum Bay, that general area around Rattlesnake Point.

Water is moving through San Luis Pass, up through Cold Pass, then Churchill Bayou. At the same time water is moving up the Freeport Channel, into the ICW towards Drum Bay. As far as I can determine, the Freeport/ICW route is a more efficient water mover, but more distant than the San Luis/Churchill connection. There seems to be a “divide” in there someplace that moves around some day to day. Water seems to mostly be flowing towards Christmas Bay no matter the tide schedule. Strong incoming, water comes up through Drum Bay, through the old ICW and through Acadia Reef towards Christmas Bay. Strong out going seems to mostly produce the same results out there around Rattlesnake point.

It’s like a continuous loop that mostly flows in one direction and delayed by a few hours off the main pass times. I think the physics might be more volume of water gets pushed up through Freeport/ICW than San Luis/Churchill. The water ends up high in Drum than Christmas Bay accounting for the typical flow. But it isn’t or doesn’t appear to be set in stone and the flow can be the other direction. Tides and timing seem strange around there at any rate.
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kickingback
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by kickingback »

I agree Kars. Some of the channels are deeper which means the water flows faster through there. The problem is getting all that incoming water to stop and go back in the opposite direction through that same deep channel. It takes time with that mass of water to change directions but the shallows just fill and empty by how much of that water makes it through and how long before it goes back out. SLP is a washing machine for sure.
I just try to remember my outings and tide info for the time I went so I can go back if I wanted.
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shoffer
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by shoffer »

Realtide gps is a Free iPhone app that will calculate the tide based on your GPS position, so you never need to do the math yourself. Here is a screenshot Image
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Chubs
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by Chubs »

How accurate would you say it is though?
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shoffer
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by shoffer »

Very
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Re: Tide time correction factors - mapping idea

Post by Springfling »

Speck Tackler wrote: In our area of the world the tides are more influenced by the wind direction versus tidal movement the further away you get from the coast (or buoy station).
Agree. We have such a small tidal driven water level change in our region (many times less than a foot). The “surge” from winds pushing/stacking water up into the secondary passes and back bays will often trump the tidal shift. Tides changes, of course, will be “true” at major passes, such as SLP. But if you check the NOAA site for water levels you can see the actual level versus the predicted tide level and factor in how this may affect area you will be fishing. In the end.....fish!
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