Angela Harris

A tidal bore worth traveling for

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Mont Saint-Michel at high tide

Chapter 4 of the textbook explained how the Moon and the Sun affect ocean tides. We learned that the timing and height of tides at a given location depends on its latitude, the orientation of the coastline, and the depth and shape of any channel the tide has to flow through. The book gave an example of a location with an unusual tidal pattern; the incoming tide at the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France.

The difference between low and high tide at Mont Saint-Michel is up to 15 meters which makes it one of the highest tides in Europe! The tide rises faster than people can swim, but many kayakers enjoy the strong current!

If you were planning a trip to Mont Saint-Michel to see the impressive tidal bore, you would want to consider a few factors. Since it is a spring tide, you would want to visit during the New Moon or Full Moon (the strongest tide is usually 36 to 48 hours after). You could also use this tide forecast to pick the best day, time, and viewing site! Would you travel to Mont Saint-Michel or any other famous tidal site to see the tidal bore in person?

Kayakers enjoying the strong current in the Mont Saint-Michel Bay!

Other source: Textbook chapter 4

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9 responses to “A tidal bore worth traveling for”

  1. Justin Kim

    Hey, Angela!

    Mont Saint-Michel sounds like an amazing place to visit for someone who loves some water. I enjoyed reading you blog post because you incorporated how location, specifically latitude, orientation of coastline, and physical qualities of a channel into tide. Seeing how this impacts the Earth on a planetary scale can be interesting but doesn’t fully show how a human can observe this day to day. I also like how your blog post touches on how tides can be an attraction. The 15-meter difference between low and high tide is staggering to hear about. The timing during the New Moon or Full Moon must add to the spectacle. Including details to help plan a trip around the optimal tide forecast for the best viewing experience is a great idea as well! I wonder if there are more reasons beyond the gravitational force of the moon that significantly impacts this particular tide.

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    1. Angela Harris

      I agree that it is interesting to learn about how observing astronomical events can be a tourist attraction! Two of the reasons the tide is unique is because the peninsula that the Mont St Michel bay is on is very flat and it is shaped like a funnel. From my understanding, these factors allow the water levels in the bay to rise very quickly. This source explains some of the geological reasons the tide is unique beyond the gravitational forces.

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  2. Maddy Pollard

    It’s really interesting to learn about places that experience such extreme tides! Mont Saint-Michel sounds like it would be a cool place to visit. You mentioned in your post that the strongest tide usually occurs 36 to 48 hours after a new or full Moon. I wonder if this could be because of the effects of tidal friction? In the textbook we read about how Earth’s rotation tries to pull the tidal bulges around with it, while the Moon’s gravity tries to keep the bulges on the Earth-Moon line. The “compromise” between these two factors causes the tidal bulges to be just ahead of the Earth-Moon line. Maybe the highest tides occur many hours after the new or full Moon because of this. I could be very off, but just something to think about!

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    1. Muhammad Israr

      Recently, I have been reading about European history in one of my classes. I have also been intrigued by the colonization efforts of the French and the British. However, when I saw your post, I wanted to understand the historical significance of Mont Saint Michel Bay in the wars between France and Britain. Considering that this was one of the main strongholds for the French and provided them with a strategic advantage over the British, another interesting fact is that the British tried multiple times to take over this island but failed. A question that occurred to me was whether the 15-foot high tide had any influence on the outcome of the battles fought 1,000 years ago.

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      1. Angela Harris

        Thanks for sharing this historical context! I think it is possible that the tide posed a challenge during battles. The textbook mentions that in past centuries the high tide mande the Mont an island twice a day and that many pilgrims drowned because they did not anticipate the tide rushing in.

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    2. Angela Harris

      Thanks for bringing up tidal friction, this is interesting to consider! Based on the reading and your explanation I think that tidal friction could help explain the timing of the highest tides. Since tidal friction slows down Earth’s rotation, maybe it impacts the timing of the strongest tide.

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  3. sabrinaalperin

    Hi Angela, I would definitely travel to view a tidal bore in person. It is so fascinating that due to the latitudes of various places on Earth, the tides vary drastically. Learning that the difference between high tide and low tide is 15 meters is mind-blowing. Thank you for quantifying the effects of different tides. I wonder how these extreme tides magnify weather phenomena. Are storms and flooding a larger concern for these places?

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    1. Angela Harris

      Thanks for this question! For the area around Mont Saint-Michel, erosion along the coastline due to the strength of the tides and flooding is a major concern. Adriana’s recent blog post relates to your question! She discusses how tides might have impacted Hurricane Sandy.

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  4. obisesoa

    It’s remarkable how strong tides can really be. I generally really think of tides as being slow, but noticeable. The concept of tides that move faster than one can swim is quite haunting and is a reminder of how much destruction the moon could have if stone were less dense than it is now.

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