Lunar Proxigee = big tidal range for Ventura sailors

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14 Jan 2008

Shenanigan as well as R Escape and a few other boats were hard aground last week as a result of a Proxigean tide on a Full Moon, and we plowed a shallow furrow with Bodacious when returning to our slip on Sunday. I’m not sure if I actually joined that group of sailors who have actually run aground, but it was like driving through pudding. Perhaps a new category.

Of course, Lunar Proxigee (the closest perigee – i.e. as close as the moon gets to earth – 357,500 km) means a great tidal range for everyone. But it was pretty dramatic on the 10th when we had a range of 9 feet – from + 7.08 to -1.92.

Randy Bush discussed Perigean tides in an earlier article, but we had to wait until last week to see the effect.

Proxigean tides on the New Moon can be devastating. The best example being Galveston in the early part of last century, when the city was all but wiped out.

Next Proxigean tide: 20-21 July – +7.04 to -1.56.

Better get a new slip by then, Rob.

Perigee and Apogee table

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About Capt. Dan

Capt. Dan is an American Sailing Association certified instructor and runs a sail charter operation in Southern California. I'm particularly interested in sailing (obviously) and ecology issues, particularly those affecting the Channel Islands here in Southern California

2 thoughts on “Lunar Proxigee = big tidal range for Ventura sailors”

  1. Huh?? I remember you telling me that the reason we were dragging our keel through the mud on Sunday was that I needed to go on a diet. And now you divulge this proxigean tide thing. Well… I’m gonna get you back though, wait ‘till you see my response to your Bald Eagle blog.

    This IS interesting stuff though. Particularly since we have experienced proxigean tides in two adjacent months, the last being Dec. 12th. Both resulted in a tidal range of nine feet as you say, but this last one had a slightly lower low tide, which may explain our fairway-furrowing episode on Sunday.

    RB

  2. When your draft exceeds the water available…prepare to exercise your finest of corkscrews.