A Kingly Tide
updated: Dec 13, 2012, 4:45 PM

By Dan Seibert

Regarding the story on Edhat from KEYT about the "King Tides," I happened to take some photos. The first is yesterday morning (Wed) of the high water at the launch ramps in Santa Barbara harbor. That was pretty darn high.

Today I was back at 9:00am and the water was spilling across West Beach, but not putting any of the outriggger canoes in danger. The height of the water in the harbor appeared the same as yesterday. Later in the morning I was in front of the Biltmore in Montecito and saw the beach was under water.

And yes, today might have been the most beautiful of the year.

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Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 353762	2012-12-13 04:51 PM
Great Shots Dano
COMMENT 353775P	2012-12-13 05:23 PM
Hi Dan, Is it fair to assume that the name "King Tides" means that they are the highest of the year?
COMMENT 353782	2012-12-13 05:40 PM
Parigee, when the moon is the closest point to the earth, causing higher then normal tides.
AUNTIE S.	2012-12-13 05:45 PM
Nice research and photos. Thanks.
COMMENT 353790	2012-12-13 05:59 PM
775P, today was the first time I've heard of King Tides. Before it was astronomically high tide. Having just Googled both terms I see King Tide is the new norm.
COMMENT 353803	2012-12-13 06:31 PM
Awesome shots...too bad the KEYT article was so sensationalized. Stick to the minute by minute weather and leave climate forecasts to the experts
THE BARRON	2012-12-13 06:44 PM
Nice images, Dan.
COMMENT 353809P	2012-12-13 06:47 PM
There was a well-publicized King Tide in early Feb this year.
COMMENT 353818P	2012-12-13 07:23 PM
I figured KEYT named them after King Harris, kinda like Phil the Fog Monster. (Dust to dust...)
COMMENT 353821	2012-12-13 07:28 PM
I don't think I've ever seen the deck of the the MV Vision be at the same height as the deck at Sea Landing. That be a kingly tide for sure.
CHERIDIANE	2012-12-13 07:32 PM
Interesting photos. Thanks, Dan. Until today I never heard of King Tides.
COMMENT 353830	2012-12-13 07:45 PM
That's "perigee"...Normally these tides are called "high high tides" or "spring tides". The "king tide" wording is just a sensationalized form of the same terms. These tides are normal and regularly occurring.
MARC_LIBERTS	2012-12-13 09:59 PM
Cool Pics!
COMMENT 353871P	2012-12-13 10:06 PM
King tide is a popular term used to refer to an especially high tide. ‘King tide’ is not a scientific term, nor is it used in a scientific context. Use of the term ‘king tide’ originated in Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific nations to refer to an especially high tide that occurs only a few times per year. The term has now come to be used in British Columbia and the United States as well. King tides are the focus of an international photo initiative that engages local citizens to document the events and share images on social media platforms such as Flickr and Facebook. `````` Seawater spread into several low-lying communities along the California coast Thursday morning as unusually high "king tides" pulled the Pacific Ocean farther ashore than normal. http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/20198 99035_apuscaliforniakingtides.html
COMMENT 353872P	2012-12-13 10:10 PM
California King Tides Photo Initiative http://www.flickr.com/groups/cakingtides/pool/
COMMENT 353885P	2012-12-14 01:32 AM
While in Australia, I did read and hear of "king waves," but never "king tides." Never heard that term, even up in North Western part (Broome), where tides regularly ebb 9 meters or so. King waves in Australia and Hawaii have carried people off the cliffs. There is signage to that effect in some places. Why aren't we calling these "Queen" tides, anyway? I object.
COMMENT 353895	2012-12-14 06:10 AM
The king tides also create wild low tides with the spread from low to high exceeding 8 ft!
PATRICK	2012-12-14 06:36 AM
When I grew up in OC, we'd head down to Sunset Beach to see the high high tides, where they'd cover half of PCH.
POWDRELL	2012-12-14 01:36 PM
Great photos, Dan.
LOURAY	2012-12-15 10:24 AM
Language changes. "King Tides" are probably here to stay. Tsunami used to be tidal wave. Sundowner used to be down-canyon wind. And so on. If we live long enough we may be asking whatever happened to King Tides.

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