MED/BALEARICS TIDAL FLOW DATA

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John100156

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Hi - Can anyone tell me the best source of info for accurate tidal flows in the Med. In particular around Sant Carles (New MDL Marina in Spain) and the Balearics. Will the Reeds 2009 Med Almanac be my best bet? Any advice/info welcome.
 
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Hi - Can anyone tell me the best source of info for accurate tidal flows in the Med. In particular around Sant Carles (New MDL Marina in Spain) and the Balearics. Will the Reeds 2009 Med Almanac be my best bet? Any advice/info welcome.

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Essentially, according to Rob Heikel's pilot books, there is a 1kt current flows down North-East to South-West from the Gulf of Lyon to Valencia (although it apparently occasionally changes direction!!)

I've sailed this coastline a fair amount and it seems that Rod's books are accurate. In our mobo, we don't even notice though!!
 
Thanks for the replies - I understood the tidal flows were relatively insignificant but just wanted to make sure. I have spent a short while cruising around Gib, but not through the Balearics before now. Just completed around 250 NM (Sant Carles (SC), Pollenca, Alcudia, Soller and back to Sant Carles) and experienced a difficult sea enroute from Soller heading NW to SC. F1/2 NE predicted but F4/5 experienced with some heavy gusts. Stirred up the sea quite a bit, just wanted to know if this was typical of this area or just a seasonal variance. Any advice from those regularly freqenting would be much appreciated.
 
There's not enough tide in the Balearics and this part of the Med to influence sea conditions. What you experienced was probably just a wrong forecast which is not untypical in the Med
I don't know where you experienced the increased NE wind but certainly any NE wind can be magnified by the steep coastline of Majorca north of Soller
 
There is insignificant tidal flow but there will be much more significant onshore breeze around midday. Even around majorca, relatively small island, onshore breeeze is a big deal, and anywhere in med especially where the land ashore is not covered by vegetation - which makes the heating cooling of rocks faster and more intense than if it's heavily woodded frinstance. Also, of course, theres highish mountains around N bit of majorca and so again, that will kick up the wind around headlands. And thirdly, the med forecasts are a bit flaky - there aren't those nice big weather "systems" trundling over the atlantic like in uk.

For those areas on long passage i wd always try get going at very first light - quite amazing how calm it is relative to the rest of the day. You can easily get to mainland frinstance well before midday and watch the F4-6 onshore breeze develop fully while having lunch
 
Nick Pam are right John nowt to do with tides. If you have cruised around Gib you certainly would have noticed the tides as the Atlantic comes rushing in 6 hrs out 6 hrs just like UK. But Gib is at the mouth or entrance as it were so tides are evident. Balearics nowt really you wont even notice cos the tidal effect that far east is negligable. Thats why you cant get a tidal ICC in the Balearics too.

As others have said tis the wind that can be a problem, same the whole world over.......
 
Hi,
Ne wind called Levanta in Alboran area(Gib to Almeria approx) causes short choppy seas, even up to 5 mtrs. lasts for 3 days or 7 days from start to finish normally. Wave height(swell) is important in this area, rather than wind strenght. Tidal influence minimal further east you go Gib area. Forecast not usually reliable, as alboran sea is a large area, Spanish TV forecast normaly right. Hope this helps.
 
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