Tag Archives: Proxigean Spring Tides.Lighthouse Beach

Did you know? Proxigean Spring Tides

E. J. Lefavour writes-

Did you know:

That during both new and full moon phases, the gravitational attraction of the moon is in line with the gravitational pull of the sun, producing high tides and low tides 20% higher and lower respectively than average tide levels. While there is little difference in the magnitude of tide heights during new and full moon phases, tides do reach unusual heights when the moon is both unusually close to the Earth and in the new moon phase, due to the combined pull of the moon and sun together. These proxigean spring tides occur approximately once every 1.5 years. These tides occur when the Earth, Sun and Moon are in line so that the gravitational force of both the Moon and Sun contribute to the tides, and have nothing to do with the season Spring. I don’t know if this new moon low tide on October 7, 2010 at Lighthouse Beach was a proxigean spring tide, but it was exceptionally low, so low that hundreds of sand dollars lay exposed.


E. J. Lefavour- Khan Studio