Plum Islan Sound Inlet

[leong]

With respect to high and low tide times, does anyone know when there's a good tidal race in the Plum Island Sound inlet (south side of the island)? Is ebb tide better than the flood tide?

[leong]

With respect to high and low tide times, does anyone know when there's a good tidal race in the Plum Island Sound inlet (south side of the island)? Is ebb tide better than the flood tide?

Is the tidal race best near maximum current flow?

[scamlin]

With respect to high and low tide times, does anyone know when there's a good tidal race in the Plum Island Sound inlet (south side of the island)? Is ebb tide better than the flood tide?

Leon:

On average, the flood and ebb at the mouth of Plum Is. Sound are about the same (1.6 KT flood, 1.5 KT ebb). On some tides, the current gets to 2.1 KT or more, but only once or twice a month. The NOAA current and tide charts for Oct 16 show max flood is about 3 hours after low water, and the max ebb about 2:40 after high water. (Only checked today's predications, so not entirely sure it generalizes.) For planning purposes, use a rule of thumb that the current reverses about an hour after high and low water. There are weak eddies against either shore, and it's common for the current to be running in many different directions at the same time during the period an hour either side of high or low water.

See Current and Tide charts for comparison.

Average Currents

http://www.co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/currents11/tab2ac2.html#8

Current Oct 16

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/get_predictions.shtml?year=2011&stn=2652+Portland&secstn=Plum+Island+Sound+%28south+end%29&thh=%2B0&thm=12&tlh=%2B0&tlm=37&hh=*0.94&hl=*0.94&footnote=

Tides Oct 16

http://www.co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/get_predc.shtml?year=2011&stn=5054+Boston+Harbor&secstn=Plum+Island+Sound+entrance+&sbfh=%2B0&sbfm=36&fldh=%2B0&fldm=50&sbeh=%2B0&sbem=48&ebbh=%2D0&ebbm=07&fldr=1.5&ebbr=1.2&fldavgd=316&ebbavgd=184&footnote=

As for where a tidal race might be located--there are ripples many places where the water passes over a shallow sand bar, but you'd be hard put to find a real tidal race, in the sense of standing waves and eddies. The only place that has reliable standing waves from tidal action (and they are small--a foot or less) is a small patch of maybe 50 yards on the flood at the southern-eastern tip of the island, as you round and head up the shore to the north. You're not going to do much surfing on them. I don't recall quite as much a fuss on the ebb in the same spot.

You will find some 1-2 foot or even 3 foot wind waves set up when the wind is against the current. Last year at the Cold Water Workshop, for instance, the trip from Pavilion Beach across the cove south of the House on Plum Is. was sporty with tightly spaced 2+ foot waves coming down the sound against the flood. An hour or so later, with the same NW wind but slack water, it was completely flat.

Not sure if this answers your question.

Scott

[leong]

Thanks, Scott,

That’s pretty much what I came up with too. Occasionally, I have paddled in some small standing waves at PI sound (I think the wind was just right). The only local place that I know of that’s better is the Blynman canal, but you sure can’t play there.

The current in the Palm Beach inlet in Florida (where I usually play all winter) is not much faster, but it sure sets up high standing wave that can be surfed. I guess it’s the strong winds down there.

Leon

[rick stoehrer]

Thanks, Scott,

That’s pretty much what I came up with too. Occasionally, I have paddled in some small standing waves at PI sound (I think the wind was just right). The only local place that I know of that’s better is the Blynman canal, but you sure can’t play there.

The current in the Palm Beach inlet in Florida (where I usually play all winter) is not much faster, but it sure sets up high standing wave that can be surfed. I guess it’s the strong winds down there.

Leon

theres an event coming up down in CT that is going to be using local tide races leon. don't know if it's your cuppa tea so much...it does not focus on racing and such but we'll be exploring and surfing those spots. on the commercial board.

there's also a few RI breachways that can be counted on for some fast ebbs and good standing and surf-able waves.

on the other hand...palm beach inlet is starting to sound good for the next few months! time to fly south snowbird.

[Suz]

Thanks, Scott,

That’s pretty much what I came up with too. Occasionally, I have paddled in some small standing waves at PI sound (I think the wind was just right). The only local place that I know of that’s better is the Blynman canal, but you sure can’t play there.

The current in the Palm Beach inlet in Florida (where I usually play all winter) is not much faster, but it sure sets up high standing wave that can be surfed. I guess it’s the strong winds down there.

Leon

I cautiously suggest that the mouth of the Merrimac has lovely standing waves. Not for the faint of heart and best used during the "off season" when local boaters are not using it.

Years ago, Plum Island had a much more interesting "race" that occurred off the southern tip. But, bottom topography changes when the sand shifts and I haven't seen anything like that in years.

Suz

[PeterB]

I was told that a couple of hours before low tide was when interesting conditions (surf, standing waves etc.) are most likely to occur at the mouth of Plum Island Sound, and that has squared with my experience. While the flood and ebb might be the same current speed, two hours before low (as opposed to, say two hours before high) , the water is shallower , so the current running over that shallow, irregular sand bar at the tip off Plum Island , combined with any wind or swell, can create a variety of conditons, including surf, standing waves or some combination etc . More potential for that than on the flood when any swell would, of course, not be opposing current as on the ebb , and the water is deeper. Tidal races usually occur with some constriction (vertically or laterally), so the ebb current running over a shallow constriction, combined with any swell and then wind from the E or NE or SE, would qualify.

But , as Scott says, a full on tidal race may not be so likely , but it is a good area for generally interesting conditions.

[scamlin]

I was told that a couple of hours before low tide was when interesting conditions (surf, standing waves etc.) are most likely to occur at the mouth of Plum Island Sound, and that has squared with my experience. While the flood and ebb might be the same current speed, two hours before low (as opposed to, say two hours before high) , the water is shallower , so the current running over that shallow, irregular sand bar at the tip off Plum Island , combined with any wind or swell, can create a variety of conditons, including surf, standing waves or some combination etc . More potential for that than on the flood when any swell would, of course, not be opposing current as on the ebb , and the water is deeper. Tidal races usually occur with some constriction (vertically or laterally), so the ebb current running over a shallow constriction, combined with any swell and then wind from the E or NE or SE, would qualify.

But , as Scott says, a full on tidal race may not be so likely , but it is a good area for generally interesting conditions.

Thanks Peter for clarifying what I was trying to say: the only real conditions at the mouth of PI sound will be when wind or swells set against the current. Without either, there's just not much in the way of vertical surface.

Scott

[Bob C]

Here's a view of of area Peter and Scott were describing: the mouth of Plum Island Sound between the south end of Plum Island and Steep Hill Beach (the north end of Crane's Beach) taken today from Pavilion Beach a short time after low tide. Cape Ann is in the background on the right-hand side of the photograph, which is why the horizon appears higher on the right then the left. The day marker is roughly dead center and is visible in the "pre-shrunk" version of this photo. In this version it's only a smudge!

Bob