Tidal Streams in Lofoten

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AldisBlack

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Hi, I am looking for a comprehensive source of information on tidal streams of Lofoten and surrounding area. Is there any good atlas or application that would help me planning passages in this area with regards to tides and currents? Thanks in advance!
 
On the west coast of Norway tidal streams are of little consequence, wind induced currents are usually stronger. Place names will give an indication of where strong currents may be encountered: Strom, Straumen, and variations on these.
I was always aware of tidal streams around the Orkney and Shetland Islands, indeed in Orkney you have to work the tides. However, having spent around six seasons on the west coast of Norway including one summer sailing offshore from Shetland to Lofoten then back down the coastal route to Alesund I never paid any attention to tidal streams. and only noticed streams in a few very narrow channels between the islands. If going into fjords or other dead ends there will be a slight inward flow on the rising tide. In fact I never referred to tide tables although the range increases as you go north.

Well worth reading up in Den Norske Los. Most sailing in the coastal passages can be done by eyeball pilotage and a chart with no need for digital toys as hazards are very well marked with signposts indicating safe water.
 
srm said:
On the west coast of Norway tidal streams are of little consequence, wind induced currents are usually stronger. Place names will give an indication of where strong currents may be encountered: Strom, Straumen, and variations on these.
I was always aware of tidal streams around the Orkney and Shetland Islands, indeed in Orkney you have to work the tides. However, having spent around six seasons on the west coast of Norway including one summer sailing offshore from Shetland to Lofoten then back down the coastal route to Alesund I never paid any attention to tidal streams. and only noticed streams in a few very narrow channels between the islands. If going into fjords or other dead ends there will be a slight inward flow on the rising tide. In fact I never referred to tide tables although the range increases as you go north.

Well worth reading up in Den Norske Los. Most sailing in the coastal passages can be done by eyeball pilotage and a chart with no need for digital toys as hazards are very well marked with signposts indicating safe water.
Click to expand...
Thanks, do you happen to have any experience with Bodo area ? I read about Saltstraumen which seems to be the strongest tidal current in the world :oops:
 
AldisBlack said:
Do you happen to know how to make the tidal streams show up on this online map?
Click to expand...

I don't think they will show up. If you zoom in, you will find some icons which are clickable and will give written information (in Norwegian) about some of the passages. Currents may be mentioned, but these are mainly general sailing directions, sunken rocks, leading lines etc...
It seems you can also create or pick a predefined route and get the same type of information on spots along the way.
 
AldisBlack said:
Thanks, do you happen to have any experience with Bodo area ? I read about Saltstraumen which seems to be the strongest tidal current in the world :oops:
Click to expand...
Yes, I stayed a few days in the town harbour to change crew there on my way south from Solvaer.

If you look up Saltstraumen on a chart or Goggle Earth you will see that it is a very narrow channel through which a very large fjord system fills and empties. It is not typical of the area.

The ultimate app for world wide tidal predictions that also indicates tidal streams on its base map is probably "Admiralty Total Tide". Others probably use the same source data. While this programme shows tidal streams around Orkney (where, incidentally, the first EU funded tidal energy research site was located, and a passage through the Falls of Warness can be quite interesting) I have not been able to persuade it to show any tidal stream data for waters around the Lofoten Islands or adjoining mainland.

Unless you are wanting to collect passages through extreme tidal streams such as Corryvreckan and Saltstrauman you have nothing to worry about in the rest of the waters around Bodo. Spring ranges in Bodo are only around 2.5 metres: increasing further north in the islands with around three metres at Solvaer and Narvic.

Lofoten is a great place to visit, though the sheer scale of the landscape makes judging distances a bit misleading. It can be relatively cold; reminded me of Shetland winter one day (only with 24 hours daylight), then a few days later I was comfortably rowing the dinghy stripped to the waist. As I said before I never looked at tide tables or tidal stream info.
 
srm said:
Yes, I stayed a few days in the town harbour to change crew there on my way south from Solvaer.

If you look up Saltstraumen on a chart or Goggle Earth you will see that it is a very narrow channel through which a very large fjord system fills and empties. It is not typical of the area.

The ultimate app for world wide tidal predictions that also indicates tidal streams on its base map is probably "Admiralty Total Tide". Others probably use the same source data. While this programme shows tidal streams around Orkney (where, incidentally, the first EU funded tidal energy research site was located, and a passage through the Falls of Warness can be quite interesting) I have not been able to persuade it to show any tidal stream data for waters around the Lofoten Islands or adjoining mainland.

Unless you are wanting to collect passages through extreme tidal streams such as Corryvreckan and Saltstrauman you have nothing to worry about in the rest of the waters around Bodo. Spring ranges in Bodo are only around 2.5 metres: increasing further north in the islands with around three metres at Solvaer and Narvic.

Lofoten is a great place to visit, though the sheer scale of the landscape makes judging distances a bit misleading. It can be relatively cold; reminded me of Shetland winter one day (only with 24 hours daylight), then a few days later I was comfortably rowing the dinghy stripped to the waist. As I said before I never looked at tide tables or tidal stream info.
Click to expand...
Thank you, ! :)
 
The fact that apps don't show tidal streams probably indicates that the Norwegian Hydrographic Service has not identified a need for collecting the data. Having carried out tidal current surveys in the past the work involves a significant investment in time and instruments.
 
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