Australian Hydrographic Office

AusTides Manual
Version 2.0.1.0

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Contents
1 About AusTides ............................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 © Copyright ............................................................................................................................. 1
1.1.1 Standard Ports & Tidal Predictions ................................................................................. 1
1.1.2 Secondary Ports .............................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Important Notice ...................................................................................................................... 2
1.3 What’s New? ........................................................................................................................... 2
1.3.1 How to Install AusTides on Windows 10/11 .................................................................... 3
1.3.2 How to Install AusTides on MacOS................................................................................. 3
1.3.3 How to Install AusTides on Linux .................................................................................... 4
1.4 Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) Products and Services Information ............................ 4
1.4.1 Updating AusTides .......................................................................................................... 4
1.4.2 New Releases of AusTides ............................................................................................. 5
1.4.3 Other Products and Services Published by the AHO Include: ........................................ 5
1.4.4 Availability ....................................................................................................................... 8
2 Tides Reference .............................................................................................................................. 9
2.1 General Tidal Information........................................................................................................ 9
2.1.1 What is AusTides? .......................................................................................................... 9
2.1.2 WHAT CAUSES TIDES? ................................................................................................ 9
2.1.3 WHAT ARE SPRING AND NEAP TIDES? ..................................................................... 9
2.1.4 WHAT IS A KING TIDE? (SPRING TIDE) .................................................................... 10
2.1.5 METHODS OF PREDICTION ....................................................................................... 10
2.1.6 METEOROLOGICAL EFFECTS ON TIDES ................................................................. 10
2.1.7 PHASES OF THE MOON ............................................................................................. 11
2.1.8 CRITERIA FOR DIURNAL AND SEMI-DIURNAL TIDES ............................................. 12
2.1.9 TIDAL LEVELS.............................................................................................................. 12
2.2 DATUMS FOR PREDICTIONS ............................................................................................. 14
2.2.1 Levels of Zero of Predictions ......................................................................................... 14
2.2.2 To Chart Datum Corrections ......................................................................................... 14
2.2.3 Sources of Data for Secondary Ports............................................................................ 15
2.2.4 Times for Predictions .................................................................................................... 15
2.2.5 Universal Time .............................................................................................................. 15
2.3 TIDAL STREAMS AND CURRENTS .................................................................................... 15
2.3.1 TIDAL STREAM PREDICTIONS IN TIDE TABLES...................................................... 16
2.3.2 TIDAL STREAM PREDICTIONS ON CHARTS ............................................................ 16
2.4 UNDER KEEL CLEARANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN TORRES STRAIT ................... 16

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 2.4.1 TORRES STRAIT TRANSMITTING TIDE AND CURRENT GAUGES ........................ 16
2.5 TIDAL BORES - GULF OF PAPUA ...................................................................................... 17
2.6 User Defined Ports ................................................................................................................ 18
2.7 Reporting Discrepancies on Charts and Nautical Publications (Hydrographic Note) ........... 18
2.8 Abbreviations......................................................................................................................... 18
3 Quick Reference Guide ................................................................................................................. 21
3.1 Map View............................................................................................................................... 21
3.2 Chart View ............................................................................................................................. 23

1 About AusTides

1.1 © Copyright
1.1.1 Standard Ports & Tidal Predictions

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. No part may be
reproduced by any process, adapted, communicated or commercially exploited without written
permission from the Commonwealth represented by the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO).
Copyright in some of the material in this publication may be owned by another party and permission
for the reproduction of that material must be obtained from the owner.

Most predictions in this publication are produced under contract for harbour authorities by the National
Operations Centre (NOC) Tidal Unit, Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

Copyright for all secondary ports and the following standard ports is reserved by the AHO: Port
Moresby, Alotau (Milne Bay), Lae, Dregerhafen, Madang (Nagada Harbour), Wewak, Seeadler
Harbour, Rabaul, Anewa Bay, Hoiniara, Norfolk Island, Ince Point, Turtle Head, Bugatti Reef, Stanley,
Yampi Sound (Koolan Island), Cape Voltaire, and Cocos Islands.

Copyright for tidal stream predictions for The Rip is reserved by Cardno Pty Ltd.

1.1.2 Secondary Ports

Secondary ports are predicted using the Harmonic Constants. The source of this information for each
port is available on the “Source” tab within the application.

The copyright of these products is reserved by the Australian Hydrographic Office.

Apart from the uses permitted by the license under the licensing agreement, the information may not
be copied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or machine readable form, in
whole or part, without prior written consent of the Australian Hydrographic Office.

Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction rights should be directed to:

Licensing Manager

Australian Hydrographic Office

Locked Bag 8801

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Wollongong

NSW 2500 Australia

Phone: 02-4223 6640

Email: [email protected]

1.2 Important Notice

This publication includes all significant tidal information obtained by the AHO at date of compilation.
Significant information is updated by Australian Notices to Mariners (NtM). All reasonable efforts have
been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information, including third party
information, incorporated in this publication. The AHO regards third parties from which it receives
information as reliable, however the AHO cannot verify all such information and errors may therefore
exist. Where possible, indications regarding the reliability of information are noted or symbolised in
the publication. Users should familiarise themselves with the meaning of any notes or symbols. The
AHO does not accept liability for errors in third party information or the inappropriate use of this
publication.
The local time and daylight savings predictions for the standard ports and tidal streams are Official
predictions and can be used as an official navigational publication. They are identical to those
published in the printed version of the Australian National Tide Tables.
The predictions for standard ports in Zulu/Universal Time (UT) time are conversion of predictions from
local to Zulu time for consistency. All predictions for standard ports in Zulu time are short of
predictions on the last day of the year for the length equivalent to the time zone kept due to the time
conversion.
All of the predictions for the secondary ports are calculated by the software using data of variable
quality. All of the secondary port predictions provided are more accurate than the manual methods
described in the Australian National Tide Tables. If in any doubt, the mariner should seek local
knowledge to ascertain safe navigation.
As predictions are given for average meteorological conditions it follows that when conditions are not
average the actual tides may differ from those predicted. Under extreme conditions these differences
can be very large. The effects of varying meteorological conditions are discussed in section 2.1.6
"Meteorological Effects on Tides”.
Tides and Geodetics Control Section of the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) should be notified
of any conspicuous discrepancies between the predicted and observed tides at
[email protected].

1.3 What’s New?

AusTides 2024 collected a total of 849 ports, comprising 91 standard ports, 23 quasi standard ports,
698 secondary ports and 8 tidal stream ports from Australian National Tides Tables 2024 and 29
secondary ports from Solomon Islands National Tides Tables 2024 edition. The main updates to
AusTides 2023 are as follows:

1. Added support for MacOS (Intel and ARM CPUs) and Linux. Sections 1.3.1, 1.3.2 and 1.3.3
explain the installation process for Windows, MacOS and Linux, respectively. Data updates

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 are explained in section 1.4.1 “Updating AusTides”.

2. AusTides 2024 includes Solomon Islands National Tides Tables 2024, Papua New Guinea
National Tides Tables 2024 and Timor-Leste National Tides Tables 2024.

3. Upgraded Dili (54180) from Secondary to Quasi-Standard. Its height benchmark, H3-99, lies
4.13m above LAT.

4. This edition includes 50 new secondary ports. Two are in Papua New Guinea – Rara Island
Southwest (56134) and Hawei Island Northeast (56135) – and the rest in Australia’s Territorial
Waters or Exclusive Economic Zone.

5. Port name change: Waddy Point (59840)’s alternative name was changed from “Fraser
Island” to “K’gari”, in accordance with a Queensland Government decision.

6. The height benchmarks for Western Port (60710), Lorne (60790) and Portland (61410) were
updated to Bittern PM 259, Lorne PM 86 and Portland PM 116, respectively.

7. The default time-zone of ports in Antarctica is now Zulu/Universal Time (UT). This change
applies to 2024 predictions, and aligns AusTides with the equivalent data in the Australian
National Tides Tables. The affected ports are Macquarie Island (65300), Mawson (20080),
Heard Island (20090), Davis (20100), Casey (20120), Port Martin (20130), Commonwealth
Bay (20140) and Ross Island (20180).

8. All updates for ANTT 2023 and SITT 2023 announced via Notices to Mariners up to edition 25
(published on 9 December 2022) were included in this release.

NB 1) To best view the Tidal Stream diagrams, the screen resolution must be set to 1024 X 768
or higher.
2) Application assumes that the computer is running in Local Standard Time.

1.3.1 How to Install AusTides on Windows 10/11

Download AusTides Setup 2.0.1.zip from the AHO website. Then, extract the ZIP folder’s contents
and run the installer executable (AusTides Setup 2.0.1.exe). Select Next when prompted by the
installer, and let it run uninterrupted. The installer window will close automatically when the app is
ready for use. A shortcut to AusTides, with the AHO logo as its icon, will appear on the desktop. Click
on it to launch the app.
Please report any installation issues to [email protected], with screenshots if required.

1.3.2 How to Install AusTides on MacOS

For Apple computers with Intel CPUs, please download AusTides-2.0.1.dmg. For computers with
Apple-proprietary CPUs – often designated “M1” or “ARM” chips – please download AusTides-2.0.1-
arm64.dmg. Once downloaded, open the DMG file and move the installer app into the Applications
folder. Click on the installer to run it, and select Next to any prompts it raises. If clicking the installer
throws the error “cannot be opened because its developer cannot be verified”, right-click it and select
open. The installer window will close automatically when the app is ready for use.
Please report any installation issues to [email protected], with screenshots if required.

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 1.3.3 How to Install AusTides on Linux
The Linux installer, AusTides-2.0.1.AppImage, requires FUSE to run correctly. To install FUSE, open
the terminal and run the command “sudo apt-get install fuse”. This step may require superuser
privileges.
Once FUSE is installed, the AppImage file can be marked as an executable and run; superuser
privileges are not required for the AusTides installer to function. Follow the installer’s prompts for file
paths. The app will be ready for use, when the installer window closes automatically.
Please report any installation issues to [email protected], with screenshots if required.

1.4 Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) Products

and Services Information
1.4.1 Updating AusTides

AusTides data is maintained by updates which are released as new information becomes available.
AusTides data updates are cumulative so the most recent data update will include all previously
published data updates for that AusTides edition. For example, data update 3 for the 2022 edition of
AusTides will include updates 1, 2 and 3. Data Updates are released as free downloads on the
‘AusTides Data Updates’ page of the AHO website.

New editions of AusTides application may be released occasionally to update and improve
functionality.

When released, data updates and new editions of AusTides are promulgated in fortnightly Australian
Notices to Mariners and in eNotices, the free Australian Notices to Mariners email subscription
service.

Since 2022, AusTides includes an automatic data update feature which works when AusTides is used
on a viewing device connected to the Internet. Each time AusTides is started up, if connected to the
Internet, it will check the AHO website AusTides Data Updates page for new data updates and
automatically install them. This feature does not automatically download and install a new edition of
the AusTides Application.

If AusTides is used on a viewing device not connected to the Internet, users should download data
updates themselves from the AusTides Data Updates page at
https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/publications/ausTides/tides-patches.htm. Open the AusTides
application and select the drop-down menu from the upper left-hand corner. Choose “open data
folder”, as highlighted in red in the screenshot (see next page). The file location of AusTides’ data will
open; please close the AusTides application now. Replace the existing data with the updated version,
and then close the file location. When AusTides is next launched, the data update will take effect.

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If a new edition of AusTides Application is released, the latest edition will be published and available
for download from the AHO website Product Downloads page at
https://www.hydro.gov.au/software/products/downloads.htm

To be notified when AusTides data updates and new editions of the AusTides Application are
released, the AHO recommends subscribing to eNotices at
https://www.hydro.gov.au/enotices/enotices.htm and registering for ‘Australian Hydrographic
Publications’.

1.4.2 New Releases of AusTides

AusTides is released annually in October and provides tidal predictions for the current and following
calendar year. For example, AusTides 2022 includes AusTides 2021 and 2022 editions, which cover
tidal predictions for calendar years 2021 and 2022.

1.4.3 Other Products and Services Published by the AHO Include:

Australian Chart Index (ACI). An interactive catalogue of the official electronic navigational charts
(ENCs) and paper nautical charts published by the AHO. It is also provides the quickest route to
finding out the latest update number for each ENC and all the Notices to Mariner updates applicable
to each current paper chart edition. The ACI is available in list format and as a new interactive
searchable map. The searchable map replaces paper index charts Aus5000 and Aus5001 from 2022.
https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/paper/charts.htm
AusENC. Australia’s National official vector Australian Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) service
tailored to local domestic operations. Approximately 900 ENC cells provide seamless coverage of:
* Australian, Australian Antarctic Territory waters published as ‘AU’ ENC
* Papua New Guinea waters published as ‘PG’ ENC
* Solomon Islands waters published as ‘SB’ ENC
* Timor Leste waters published as ‘AU’ ENC

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ENC of North Island and South Island New Zealand published as ‘NZ’ ENC by Toitu Te Whenua Land
Information New Zealand, are also included for trans-Pacific voyages.
Aus ENC are encrypted using the IHO S-63 data protection scheme. They can be used in IMO
compliant Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), or in smaller and simpler
compatible Electronic Chart Systems (ECS) which can decrypt IHO S-63 data.
ENCs enable ECDIS to automatically identify dangers and hazards and raise warnings and alarms
customised to each vessel’s characteristics. Other benefits of AusENC compared to paper charts are:
* Larger scale chart coverage in most port areas
* Greater feature detail
* Includes an advisory service to ensure navigation on the most up to date chart
* Simpler to update
* Cheaper
* Includes a chart carriage compliance certificate
AusENC is sold in a range of packs to ensure you purchase only what you need. All packs include a
free update service with fortnightly downloads. Recommended retail prices start from $23 for a Port
Pack: https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/digital/ausENC/enc.htm
AHO Paper Nautical Charts. The AHO publishes paper nautical charts covering:
* Australian and Australian Antarctic Territory waters published as ‘Aus’ charts
* Papua New Guinea waters published as ‘PNG’ charts
* Solomon Islands waters published as ‘SLB’ charts
* Timor Leste waters published as ‘Aus’ charts
https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/paper/paper.htm
Australian National Tide Tables (ANTT). Official tide tables for over 80 primary ports and 640
secondary ports in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Australian
Antarctic Territory waters. Paper book and free pdf download versions are available.
https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/publications/antt.htm
Australian Notices to Mariners (NTM). NTM are the means by which all national hydrographic
offices provide the latest safety critical information to mariners. Australian Notices to Mariners are the
authority for correcting paper nautical charts and nautical publications published by the Australian
Hydrographic Office and for determining the current edition of each paper chart and nautical
publication. They are numbered from 1 onwards and are published in 25 fortnightly editions each
calendar year.
NTM are the mechanism to advise of updates to AusTides as well as updates to any AUS, PNG or
SLB paper charts and AHO nautical publications in your portfolio.
https://www.hydro.gov.au/n2m/notices.htm
eNotices
By subscribing to the free eNotices service you will be informed by email of Notices applicable to your
AHO published, paper chart and publication portfolio (including AusTides).
https://www.hydro.gov.au/enotices/enotices.htm
Mariner’s Handbook for Australian Waters (AHP20). Provides information to assist international
and Australian commercial vessels to operate safely and in accordance with the relevant maritime
rules and regulations in Australian waters. It combines all the relevant information from the Australian
Maritime Safety Authority and all those Australian Government departments, port authorities and
organisations which either regulate maritime operations in Australian waters, or provide services

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which support those activities. Key contact information for each agency and links to further
information is included.
It is the astute mariner’s reference for information about:
* Major Australian maritime legislation and regulations and responsible agencies
* Ship reporting systems – AUSREP and REEFVTS
* Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef shipping routes, coastal Pilotage and accident and
incident reporting
* Pilotage and accident and incident reporting* Marine protected areas, regulations and
responsible agencies
* Ship reporting systems – AUSREP and REEFVTS
* Maritime security, Customs, biosecurity, quarantine, and immigration information
* Maritime safety information, meteorological broadcasts, warnings and search and rescue
* Australian trading ports – pilots, boarding arrangements, arrival and departure notification
requirements, VHF channels and port contact details
* Understanding Zones of Confidence (ZOCs) on ENC and paper charts
Content is updated by Australian Notices to Mariners. Paper book and free PDF versions are
available. https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/publications/ahp20.htm
Australian Chart and Publication Maintenance Handbook (AHP24). A free, electronic publication
providing information to assist mariners to keep paper and electronic nautical charts and publications
up to date, as well as keep appropriate maintenance records. By using this publication, mariners
should be able to meet their obligations under both national and international maritime legislation and
more specific inspection requirements imposed by safety and regulatory authorities.
https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/publications/ahp24.htm
Maritime Gazetteer of Australia (MGA). A free, searchable database containing all of the place
names published on Aus paper nautical charts. It can be searched by name (for example ‘Hay Point’),
feature code or chart number. The generated report contains all occurrences of the name along with
the feature type, the latitude and longitude of the name and the Aus chart(s) on which the name
appears. The database is searchable online at
https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/publications/mga/mga.htm
AusGeoTIFF. Raster images of AHO published paper charts in geographically referenced TIFF
format for use as a chart backdrop in Geographic Information System (GIS) and similar image viewing
platforms. Coverage includes:
* Australian, and Australian Antarctic Territory waters
* Papua New Guinea waters
* Solomon Islands waters
* Timor Leste waters
AusGeoTIFF is for non-navigational use only and can be obtained under licence from the AHO
Licensing Section. https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/digital/ausGeoTIFF/geotiff.htm
AHO Fact Sheets. These provide answers to the AHO’s most frequently asked questions. They
provide a ready reference for mariners, provide links to sources of information and are a starting point
for those providing instruction to mariners. Topics related to navigation include:
* Information relating to electronic charts, ENC and the AusENC Service
* Information relating to paper nautical charts only
* Information to assist safe navigation (no matter what type of chart is used)

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View them on-line or download as free pdfs. https://www.hydro.gov.au/factsheets/factsheets.htm

1.4.4 Availability
AHO Chart AusENC AHO Website AHO Licensing Other Services
Agents Distributors

AHO published ENC AusENC - AusENC updates AusENC for Services offered
(AU, PG and SB) Commercial (included with Australian port via IC-ENC
subscriptions subscriptions) authorities and
relevant government
organisations
The Mariner’s Paper book Free Pdf download
Handbook for
Australian Waters
Australian National Paper book (last Free Pdf download
Tide Tables paper edition
2022)
AusTides CD CD Free download
AusTides
updates (included
in service)
AHO published Paper charts for Paper chart AusGeoTIFF raster Admiralty paper
Paper Nautical navigation indexes replaced charts for non- chart
Charts (Aus, PNG by ACI web app navigational reproductions for
and SLB) purposes navigation
Australian Notices to Paper copies Free pdf download Commercial
Mariners available from Free eNotices subscription
agents offering a (email) services
‘Paper Notices subscription
to Mariners’
service
service
Australian Chart and Free Pdf download
Publication
Maintenance
Handbook
AHO Fact Sheets Free pdf download

AHO Chart Agents Are listed on the ‘Distribution Agents’ section of the AHO web site at
https://www.hydro.gov.au/webapps/jsp/agents/agents-list.jsp

AusENC Distributors Are listed on the ‘Distribution Agents’ section of the AHO web site at
https://www.hydro.gov.au/webapps/jsp/agents/agents-list.jsp
AusENC includes the full portfolio of AHO published AU, PG and SB ENC and is suitable for local
domestic operations.

AHO Website Australian Notices to Mariners pdf: https://www.hydro.gov.au/n2m/notices.htm

eNotices email subscriptions: https://www.hydro.gov.au/enotices/enotices.htm
ACI web app: https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/paper/charts.htm
Fact Sheet downloads: https://www.hydro.gov.au/factsheets/factsheets.htm
All other AHO website downloads: https://www.hydro.gov.au/software/products/downloads.htm

AHO Licensing [email protected]. For enquiries about commercial reuse or access to data holdings.

Other ENC services The AHO has enabled AU, SB and PG ENC to be included in international ENC services offered by the
IC-ENC (https://www.ic-enc.org). These services are generally tailored to large, international,
commercial shipping and are suitable for international mariners who operate both within and outside
Australian, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and New Zealand waters. Some of these services
may not include the full AHO ENC portfolio.

Commercial Notices to OneOcean (www.oneocean.com), Navtor (www.navtor.com) and Voyager (www.voyagerww.com)

Mariners Subscription
Services

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 Further Information Visit the AHO web site (https://www.hydro.gov.au/) or contact our Sales Team.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (02) 4223 6505

2 Tides Reference

2.1 General Tidal Information

2.1.1 What is AusTides?
The AusTides is an enhanced release of electronic Australian National Tide Tables (ANTT) and
meets carriage requirements. It allows the user to view tidal prediction information in a graphic form.
It provides predictions for secondary ports listed in the ANTT. It also provides functions to allow users
to create user defined ports, to make tidal predictions and to display them in the tidal prediction
window.

2.1.2 WHAT CAUSES TIDES?

The term ‘tides’ is a common term used to define the rise and fall of the sea level with respect to land.
Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon on the Earth and its waters. As
defined by Newton’s Universal Law of Gravity, the Moon generates about double (54%) the tide-
generating force of the Sun, simply because it is closer.
The ocean responds to the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon by ‘bulging’ on the side of the Earth
that faces the Moon, and the side directly opposite. The sums of the solar and lunar bulges create
daily high tides as the Earth rotates.
A diurnal tide is when there is one high and one low tide every lunar day. A lunar day is the time it
takes for a specific point on Earth to complete a full rotation in relation to the Moon (24 hours and 50
minutes). A semi-diurnal tide is when there are two high tides and two low tides every lunar day. Most
locations experience a mix of diurnal and semi-diurnal tides. This is why high and low tides occur at
different times every day.

2.1.3 WHAT ARE SPRING AND NEAP TIDES?

The Earth, Moon and Sun all have elliptical orbits, which means that the distance between them is
constantly changing. From the perspective of tide-generating forces, the Sun and Moon also appear
to rotate around the Earth at different frequencies, with their gravitational effect sometimes acting in
the same general direction, and at other times each reducing the influence of the other.
Spring tides occur during the New and Full Moon, when the Moon and Sun are nearly in alignment.
The tide-generating forces of the Sun and Moon are therefore acting in approximately the same
direction (see Figure A), and cause the oceans to ‘bulge’ more than usual, resulting in the average
tidal ranges to be a little larger. Neap tides occur near the First and Last Quarter Moon, when the
Moon and Sun are at right angles to each other. The lunar and solar tide-generating forces are thus
acting against each other (see Figure B), which causes moderate tides.
Spring and Neap tides each occur twice in a lunar month.

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 2.1.4 WHAT IS A KING TIDE? (SPRING TIDE)
While the term ‘King tide’ is not a scientific term, it is used to describe an especially high Spring tide
event that occurs twice every year, when the earth is closest to the Sun (perihelion) or Moon
(perigee).
A King tide is not more than the very highest tide that occurs at each place.
King tides occur naturally and regularly, are predictable and expected, though not an everyday
occurrence.
When King tides occur during cyclones, floods or storms, water levels can rise to higher levels and
have the potential to cause great damage to property and the coastline.

2.1.5 METHODS OF PREDICTION

Predictions for standard ports are based on continuous observations of the tide over a period of at
least one year, for average meteorological conditions.
When conditions are not average, the actual tides may differ from those predicted. Under extreme
meteorological conditions, these differences can be very large.
Predictions for secondary ports are extremely variable in quality. Predictions may be based upon as
little as a few observations over two days up to a period of at least one month. Mariners are advised
to use caution using predictions for secondary ports without local knowledge.

2.1.6 METEOROLOGICAL EFFECTS ON TIDES

Meteorological conditions, which differ from the average, will cause corresponding differences
between the predicted and the actual tides.
Variations from predicted heights are caused mainly by strong or prolonged winds, and by unusually
high or low barometric pressure. Differences between predicted and actual times of high and low
water are mainly caused by the wind.

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2.1.6.1 THE EFFECT OF WIND
The effect of wind on sea level and tidal heights and times is variable and depends largely on the
topography of the area.
In general, wind will raise sea level in the direction towards which it is blowing; this effect is called
wind setup.
A strong wind blowing onshore will pile up the water and cause ‘high waters’ to be higher than
predicted, while winds blowing off the land will have the reverse effect. Winds blowing along a coast
tend to set up long waves, which travel along the coast, raising the sea level at the crest and lowering
it in the trough.
2.1.6.2 BAROMETRIC PRESSURE
Tidal predictions are computed for average barometric pressure. A difference of 10 hectopascals
(hPa) from the average can cause a difference in sea level of about 0.1m.
This depression of the water surface under high atmospheric pressure, and its elevation under low
atmospheric pressure, is often described as the inverted barometer effect. The water level does not
adjust itself immediately to a change of pressure, and responds to the average change in pressure
over a considerable area.
The average barometric pressure and information concerning changes in sea level under different
conditions is given in Admiralty Sailing Directions.
Changes in sea level due to barometric pressure rarely exceed 0.3m, but their effect can be important
as they are usually associated with those caused by wind setup, since winds are driven by the
pressure gradient.
2.1.6.3 STORM SURGES
The combination of wind setup and the inverted barometer effect associated with storms can create a
pronounced increase in sea level. This is called a storm surge.
Additionally, a long surface wave travelling with the storm depression can further exaggerate this sea
level increase.
A negative surge is the opposite effect. Negative surges are generally associated with high-pressure
systems and offshore winds and can create unusually shallow water. This effect is of great
importance to very large vessels navigating with small under keel clearances.
2.1.6.4 SEASONAL EFFECTS
Monthly seasonal variations in Mean Sea Level (MSL) of 0.1m may typically be experienced,
occasionally reaching as much as 0.3m. In addition, oceanographic effects such as Southern
Oscillation Index (El Niño/ La Niña) can produce large scale variations in MSL of up to 0.5m with
corresponding changes in rate and direction of tidal streams.

2.1.7 PHASES OF THE MOON

The Astronomical Applications Department of The U.S. Naval Observatory supplies the moon phase’s
data.
The following symbols are used to indicate moon phases:
New Moon First Quarter
Full Moon Third Quarter
The moon phases are shown in the tidal predictions below the tidal curve, their position shows
approximately when they occur.
The tidal cursor can be used to find the time of the moon phase, within 20 minutes.

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 2.1.8 CRITERIA FOR DIURNAL AND SEMI-DIURNAL TIDES
All tides are composed of both diurnal and semi-diurnal components, which can be represented as
cosine waves as illustrated in the following diagram:

These
components introduce inequality in successive heights and time intervals of high or low water. When
this diurnal inequality reaches a certain limit, it is more informative to list the average heights for each
of the higher and lower high waters, and each of the higher and lower low waters, rather than the
average spring and neap values.
In these tables, the following criteria are used:
• when (K1 + O1)/(M2 + S2) is less than or equal to 0.5, the tide is considered to be semi-
diurnal
• when (K1 + O1)/(M2 + S2) is greater than 0.5, the tide is considered to be diurnal.
In some areas, these formulae are unsatisfactory and a more detailed study of the harmonic
constituents is necessary to determine tidal characteristics.

2.1.9 TIDAL LEVELS

The terms used for tidal levels are as follows:
Acronym Title Description
HAT Highest The highest level that can be predicted to occur under average
Astronomical meteorological conditions and under any combination of astronomical
Tide conditions.
LAT Lowest The lowest level which can be predicted to occur under average
Astronomical meteorological conditions and under any combination of astronomical
Tide conditions.
MHWS Mean High The average of all high water observations at the time of spring tide
Water Springs over a period of time (preferably 19 years).
MLWS Mean Low The average of all low water observations at the time of spring tide
Water Springs over a period of time (preferably 19 years).

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MHWN Mean High The average of all high water observations at the time of neap tide
Water Neaps over a period of time (preferably 19 years).
MLWN Mean Low The average of all low water observations at the time of neap tide
Water Neaps over a period of time (preferably 19 years).
MSL Mean Sea Level The average level of the sea surface over a long period of time
(preferably 19 years), or the average level which would exist in the
absence of tides.
MHHW Mean Higher The average of the higher of the two daily high waters over a period
High Water of time (preferably 19 years).
MLHW Mean Lower The average of the lower of the two daily high waters over a period of
High Water time (preferably 19 years).
MHLW Mean Higher The average of the higher of the two daily low waters over a period of
Low Water time (preferably 19 years).
MLLW Mean Lower The average of the lower of the two daily low waters over a period of
Low Water time (preferably 19 years).
ISLW Indian Springs The elevation depressed below mean sea level by the amount equal
Low Water to the sum of amplitudes of the four main harmonic constituents: M2,
S2, K1 and O1.
CD Chart Datum The level to which all charted depths and drying heights are referred.
Details are provided on all Australian produced Paper Nautical Charts
(PNC) and within the metadata of all Australian produced Electronic
Navigational Charts (ENC).

The diagram below shows a typical relationship between tidal levels and Chart Datum (CD):

Tidal levels used throughout this publication are derived using the following simplified formulae when
not based on observations:

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For diurnal ports (defined at Section 1.7): For semi-diurnal ports (defined at Section
1.7):
MHHW = Z0 + (M2 + K1 + O1) MHWS = Z0 + (M2 + S2)
MLHW = Z0 + abs(M2 − (K1 + O1)) MHWN = Z0 + abs(M2 − S2)
MHLW = Z0 − abs(M2 − (K1 + O1)) MLWN = Z0 − abs(M2 − S2)
MLLW = Z0 − (M2 + K1 + O1) MLWS = Z0 − (M2 + S2)
ISLW = Z0 − (M2 + S2 + K1 + O1) ISLW = Z0 − (M2 + S2 + K1 + O1)

The “Prediction Level” tab on the tidal prediction window lists the levels for the selected port and
referred to LAT, which is the datum for the majority of Australian charts.
Tidal levels for standard ports are subject to re-examination from time to time; due to changes in MSL,
they do not necessarily remain constant.

2.2 DATUMS FOR PREDICTIONS

Predictions for all ports are referenced to LAT, which is the CD for almost all charts published by the
AHO.
Standard Port predictions were set to LAT(1992) as defined for the 2009 edition of ANTT as the first
edition of all Standard Port predictions being published at LAT.

2.2.1 Levels of Zero of Predictions

AusTides provides predictions datum connections to benchmarks for all standard and quasi standard
ports. The information can be found at Level / To Chart Datum Corrections and Zero of Predictions
located at the menu bar of the tidal prediction window. Please contact the relevant Port Authority,
State organisation or the Tides and Geodetic Control Section of the Australian Hydrographic Office, to
obtain the information related to the levels of zero of predictions and the connection to the land borne
benchmarks for all secondary ports of your interests.
For locations where the largest-scale ENC is not referenced to LAT, a correction will be required to be
mathematically added to predicted tidal heights.
Corrections are listed on the “Source” tab. As PNC are derived from ENC, corrections for PNC are
assumed to be the same as the ENC.
Predictions for secondary ports are extremely variable in quality. Predictions may be based upon as
little as a few observations over two days up to a period of at least one month. Mariners are advised
to use caution using predictions for secondary ports without local knowledge.

2.2.2 To Chart Datum Corrections

“LAT to CD” for secondary port is the correction to be applied to obtain predictions above chart datum
of the largest scale Australian chart of the locality. If the value is positive then add the correction, if
the value is negative then subtract the correction and if it is “UNKNOWN” then the correction to be
applied could not be determined. It may be expected that in time, as datum unification progresses,
more charts will be based on LAT, and therefore “LAT to CD” correction will tend to 0.0.
“LAT to CD” corrections are provided for the largest scale Australian chart of the locality only and can
be found at: “Prediction Level” tab of the tidal prediction window.

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 2.2.3 Sources of Data for Secondary Ports
Source of data for each secondary port can be found at “Source” tab of the tidal prediction window. It
is an indication of the ownership of the observed data being used for computing the harmonic
constituents and generating the tidal height predictions for the secondary port.

2.2.4 Times for Predictions

There are twenty-four Time Zones in the world, each covering 15° of longitude. The zero time zone, in
which the time kept corresponds to Universal Time (UT) or ZULU Time, is centred on the prime
meridian and extends from 7½°W to 7½°E. The other zones, in which time kept differs from UT by an
integral number of hours, are sequentially numbered and have either a negative prefix if east of the
Greenwich meridian or a positive prefix if west of the Greenwich meridian.
To convert time to UT, the number of hours as given by the zone number is mathematically added to
the zone time, e.g. in Zone -0800 the time kept is 8 hours in advance of UT and so at 2000 local time
it is 1200 UT.
On land, a uniform time is adopted for convenience throughout a given state or country even though
its boundaries may not lie wholly within a particular time zone. The Standard Time or Legal Time is in
most cases that of the zone in which the state or the country mainly lies.
A Daylight Saving Time, introduced frequently to prolong the hours of daylight in the evening during
summer months, in certain states or countries be legal time for a part of the year. The Standard Time
of the zone to the eastward is normally adopted during such periods, e.g. Eastern Australian Summer
Time is Zone -1100. In certain countries this advanced time has been made Standard Time
throughout the year. A Daylight Saving Time option is available in the Port Prediction menu -Set Time
Zone.
When using the tables it should be verified that this is the same as the time that is actually being kept.
Changes in zone times are not always reported in sufficient time for inclusion in the latest edition of
the tide tables.

2.2.5 Universal Time

All tidal predictions using universal time are based on the maximum number of harmonic constants
available. The number of harmonic constants for a given port depends on the length of observation.
The accuracy of the tidal predictions will vary in quality depending on the number of harmonic
constants used in the prediction.

There may be slight differences between the High/Low values and the 20 minute predictions
displayed on the tidal curve due to slightly different algorithms used to calculate them. Predictions
from the two methods should be within 0.1 metres of each other within the 20 minute interval.

2.3 TIDAL STREAMS AND CURRENTS

A distinction is drawn between tidal streams that are astronomical in origin, and currents that are not
dependent on astronomical factors. In practice, the navigator usually experiences a combination of
current and tidal stream. Like tidal heights, tidal streams can be predicted, but currents must be
assessed from information published on charts and in Sailing Directions.

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 2.3.1 TIDAL STREAM PREDICTIONS IN TIDE TABLES

Predictions are available for the following locations:

• Torres Strait, Queensland - Varzin Passage, Harrison Rock, Mecca Reef North, Hammond
Rock, Nardana Patches and Alert Patches
• Mackay Outer Harbour, Queensland – Oom Shoal
• Port Phillip, Victoria - The Rip.
Tidal stream diagrams for flood and ebb conditions are available for the following locations: Sydney
Harbour, New South Wales
• Port Philip, Victoria – Port Phillip Heads, including The Rip
• Broome, Western Australia
• Darwin, Northern Territory

2.3.2 TIDAL STREAM PREDICTIONS ON CHARTS

ENC and PNC contain tables for tidal streams at selected locations which are referenced to a
standard port. These tables list the rate and direction in hourly increments before and after high water
for the nominated standard port.

2.4 UNDER KEEL CLEARANCE MANAGEMENT

SYSTEM IN TORRES STRAIT
An Under Keel Clearance Management (UKCM) System is operated in Torres Strait by the Australian
Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
It is a web-based system that allows vessel operators and coastal pilots to plan and monitor the safe
and efficient transit of deep draught vessels through Gannet Passage, Varzin Passage and Prince of
Wales Channel in Torres Strait.
For more information, refer to AHP20, Mariner’s Handbook for Australian Waters, or visit the AMSA
website.
Website page: https://www.amsa.gov.au/safety-navigation/navigation-systems/under-keel-
clearance-management

2.4.1 TORRES STRAIT TRANSMITTING TIDE AND CURRENT GAUGES

A network of transmitting tide and current gauges are available to assist vessels transiting through
Torres Strait, to be used in conjunction with the UKCM System. Actual tidal heights and current speed
may differ significantly from predicted rates due to meteorological effects and changes in MSL.
2.4.1.1 TRANSMISSION FORMAT
The transmission of tidal and current data is broadcast on VHF Marine Channel 68 (156.425 MHz) by
an automated voice message.
All broadcasts are made from the Hammond Island radio transmitter and radar tower on Hammond
Hill (152m, located 0.5 miles SSE of Turtle Head Lighthouse). The nominal range is 24 miles. Where
line of sight to Hammond Hill is obscured reception may be lost.
The five transmitting tide gauges and one transmitting current meter are at the following locations:
Name Station Identifier Position Hours of

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 (World Geodetics System Operation
(WGS84)
Booby Island (tidal height) Booby Island tide 10° 36’ 09’’ S 141° 54’ 36’’ E H 24
Goods Island (tidal height) Goods Island tide 10° 33’ 53’’ S 142° 08’ 44’’ E H 24
Turtle Head (tidal height) Turtle Head tide 10° 31’ 14’’ S 142° 12’ 47’’ E H 24
(Hammond Island)
Nardana Patches (tidal height) Nardana tide 10° 30’ 17’’ S 142° 14’ 38’’ E H 24
Nardana Patches (tidal stream) Nardana stream
Ince Point Ince Point tide 10° 30’ 51’’ S 142° 18’ 17’’ E H 24
(Wednesday Island)

The tidal data is broadcast in the sequence listed in the table above.
For each tide station, the broadcast includes:
• the station identifier
• the height of tide to two decimal places.
For the Nardana tidal stream station, the broadcast includes:
• the station identifier
• the direction and velocity of the tidal stream to one decimal place.
Following the Ince Point tidal data transmission, there is a three-second interval of no radio
transmission.
The broadcast is repeated on a loop, recommencing with Booby Island, then all others in the same
sequence. Tidal data is updated every two minutes.
If no data is available from a tidal station, the message ‘no data available’ will be broadcast after the
respective station identifier.
Examples of broadcast tidal height signals for each transmitting gauge are outlined below:

Tidal reading Radio transmission

Booby Island tide 1.82m Booby Island tide is one point eight two metres
Goods Island tide 1.34m Goods Island tide is one point three four metres
Turtle Head tide 1.02m Turtle Head tide is one point zero two metres
Nardana Patches tide 1.24m Nardana tide is one point two four metres
Nardana Patches stream 1.9 knots (west-going) Nardana stream is west-going at one point nine
knots
Ince Point tide 1.20m Ince point tide is one point two zero metres

Tidal streams directions at Nardana Patches are generally linear:

• East-going – approximately 080°
• West-going – approximately 260°

2.5 TIDAL BORES - GULF OF PAPUA

In the Gulf of Papua, a tidal bore occurs at springs in the lower reaches of most rivers along the
coastline.

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2.6 User Defined Ports
Tidal predictions for user defined ports are based on the 22 harmonic constants entered by the user.
The accuracy of the tidal predictions will vary in quality depending on the number and accuracy of
harmonic constants used in the prediction.

2.7 Reporting Discrepancies on Charts and Nautical

Publications (Hydrographic Note)
Mariners are encouraged to report on any changes, discrepancies or omissions from charts and
publications. The information will be used to improve safety of navigation by updating existing charts,
sailing directions and other nautical products in both the Australian Charting Area and worldwide.
Reporting may include:
* changes to lights, buoys and beacons
* new and newly discovered obstructions
* safe routes through poorly charted waters and safe anchorages not charted
* any errors or omissions in navigation products
* ENC display issues experienced
Reports are acceptable in any style or form that best suits the writer. General instructions can be
found in the Mariner’s Handbook for Australian Waters and on the ‘Reporting Discrepancies on Charts
and Nautical Publications’ form. This form is located on the AHO website at
https://www.hydro.gov.au/factsheets/FS_Navigation-
Reporting_Discrepancies_on_Nautical_Charts_and_Publications.pdf

Reports should be forwarded to:

Postal: E-mail:
Hydrographer of Australia [email protected]
Locked Bag 8801
Wollongong NSW 2500
Australia

2.8 Abbreviations
AU HYDRO Services Australian Hydrographic Services Pty. Ltd.
AIMS Australian Institute of Marine Sciences
AMSA Australian Maritime Safety Authority
APA Albany Port Authority
BHP Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd.
BPA Bunbury Port Authority
BPAQ Beach Protection Authority Queensland
CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation
DL TAS Tasmanian Lands Department (see TASPORTS)

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DSITI Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation (QLD)
EPA Esperance Port Authority
FP Fremantle Ports
FPSA Flinders Ports Pty. Ltd.
FUGRO Amalgamated Decca Surveys Pty. Ltd.
GIPPORTS Gippsland Ports
GPA Geraldton Port Authority
HEC TAS Hydro-Electric Commission Tasmania
HYDRO Hydrographer of Australia
HYDUK United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO)
MetOcean RPS MetOcean Pty Ltd
MHL Manly Hydraulics Laboratory, also PWD NSW
MHSA Department of Marine & Harbors, SA (now FPSA)
MHWA Marine and Harbours WA, also PWD WA, (now WADPI)
MSQ Maritime Safety Queensland
NATMAP National Mapping (now HYDRO)
NMSA National Maritime Safety Authority
NPC Newcastle Port Corporation
NTC National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Now NTU)
NTDIPE Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, NT
NTF National Tidal Facility Australia, Adelaide, SA (now NTU)
NTU National Operations Centre (NOC) Tidal Unit, Australian Bureau of
Meteorology
PANSW Port Authority of New South Wales
PAWA Power and Water Authority, Darwin, NT
PCSA Ports Corporation, SA (now FPSA)
PHPA Port Hedland Port Authority
PKPC Port Kembla Port Corporation (now PANSW)
PMC Port of Melbourne Corporation
POL Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (now National Oceanography
Centre (NOC), UK)
PP Port of Portland Pty. Ltd.
PWD NSW Department of Public Works, NSW (Now MHL)
PWD PNG Public Works Department, PNG
PWD WA Public Works Department, WA (now WA TRANSPORT)
QDOT Department of Transport, Marine Safety, QLD (Now MSQ)
SIHU Solomon Island Hydrographic Unit
SPC Sydney Ports Corporation
TASPORTS Tasmanian Ports Corporation Pty. Ltd.
TWNT See NTDIPE
VRCA Victorian Regional Channels Authority
WA TRANSPORT Government of Western Australia Department of Transport
WADOT Western Australian Department of Transport (now WA Transport)

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WADPI Department for Planning & Infrastructure, Government of Western
Australia (now WA Transport)

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3 Quick Reference Guide

3.1 Map View

AusTides 2024 brings a major change to the map interface, but its bears similarities with
modern, web-based mapping applications, such as Google Earth. Click and drag on the map
view to move/pan across areas.

Menu button
The menu button pops out a layered menu, allowing the user to access height
and steam data, adjust map views, create and view user-defined ports, update
the data folder, and obtain information about the AusTides version.

Clicking any port tag in the map view will open the chart view for that port.

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Layers button
The layers button toggles between the three supported
basemaps. The Simplified ENC is not for navigation –
it is only for general guidance.

Port Search & Year

The search-bar, located at the top of the map view, allows us
users to search for ports. The calendar icon toggles the
year of prediction data.

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Map Zoom
The map view’s zoom level can be adjusted with these
buttons, located in the lower left-hand corner. A
mousewheel can also adjust the zoom level.

The cursor’s coordinates are also displayed.

3.2 Chart View

The chart view for AusTides 2024 shows all tidal and port-specific data shown in previous versions of
AusTides; though some components have been added, moved, or grouped together.

Port Overview
The upper
left section
of the
interface
gives at-a-
glance
informatio
n about the
selected
port.

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Prediction
This section,
below Port
Overview,
provides
settings for the
prediction
view, and
controls for
exporting /
printing
prediction for
the current
port.

Levels
This button
opens multiple
tables of
details for the
selected port,
as well as print
/ export
controls.

Harmonic
Constants: The
amplitude and
phase values
applied to the
constants
used to
calculate the

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 tide level.

Tidal Levels:
The calculated
maxima and
mean heights,
and the
correction
value for
Lowest
Astronomical
Tide to Chart
Datum.
Contents
depend on the
port tidal type.
Source
This button
opens the
source(s),
historical
published
corrections,
and
copyright
information
for the
selected
port data.
Contents
depend on
the port type.

Full Year’s
Tides
The upper
right
section of
the
interface
shows a full
year of tidal
height
values,
allowing
the user to
see how
the tide

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level
changes
throughout
the year.
This Week’s
Tide Heights
The large
central-
right
section of
the
interface
shows the
predicted
tidal levels
for the next
7 days.
The
resolution
of this
graph will
change to
reflect the
prediction
settings
selected
using the
‘Prediction
’ tab at the
left.
This Week’s
Lunar Phases
Directly
below the
tidal level
graph for the
week is a
lunar phase
display. The
lunar phases
shown here
are aligned
with the
dates used
for the tidal
prediction.

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 This Week’s
Hi / Lo Tides
The lower
section of
the
prediction
interface
shows the
predicted
maximum
and
minimum
values for
the coming
7 days. High
tide levels
are
coloured
blue and
low tide
levels are
coloured
red.
Stream Rate
Predictions
For tidal stream
ports, the full
year view is
removed, and
the week’s
graphical tide
and hi / lo views
are replaced by
5 days of
stream
predictions.
Positive (flood)
flow rates are
coloured blue,
and negative
(ebb) flows are
coloured red in
both the
graphical and
text sections.
The flow
headings are
displayed above
the text display.

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