King tide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
King Tides are exceptionally high tides which occur with the coming of the full and new moon. The moon waxes increasing in size and wains appearing to decrease in size. It is when it is biggest that it has the largest oceanic pull which can result in these enormous tides.
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[edit] Implications
Although these high tides are associated with destruction they also clear away 'deadwood' making a path for new growth colonisation and regeneration. These stresses in nature are what weed out the weak individuals and what Charles Darwin termed 'the survival of the fittest' in his theory of Evolution. Some species rely on these large tides for reproducing and locomotion. The King-crab/Horse-shoe crab for one waits until the king tide to get washed ashore with its mate to lay her eggs for fertilisation. These hatch 30 days later at the next high tide giving them the optimum conditions for survival by being washed back to sea before the shore birds pick them off.
[edit] Historically
In times past, before the invention of the clock, tides were used by shore dwelling people to regulate their daily routines. Lunacy and madness were blamed on the full moon.
[edit] See also
diurnal tides, semidiurnal tides, and mixed tides.
[edit] Links
[edit] References
http://abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/kingtide/default.htm
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