MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Unusual tides in the Falklands

STRANGE tidal activity has been witnessed around the Falklands and is believed to be a result of the sea bed earthquake and tsunami which caused devastation in southeastern Asian countries and the east Africa coast.

Marilyn and Keith Grimmer at their home near the Fitzroy River witnessed several rapid rises and falls of tide early in the morning of December 27.

Marilyn said they were alerted by a noise similar to a waterfall - particularly unusual as it was a calm day. Marilyn said the water rose rapidly causing logger ducks to leave the water as though "turbo jetted" and they, along with Upland Geese and other wildlife, did not return to the water until all had settled down.

The tide rose and fell about a metre three times within the hour between 6 and 7am and twice more after.

The water was pouring over a 15 metre long jetty near the house which doesn't happen even with high tides and gale force winds Marilyn told Penguin News.

The tide in Stanley Harbour was seen to rise rapidly, completely covering the wreck of the Capricorn near the old ?Beaver Hangar' at the west end of town.

At Fox Bay on West Falkland fishermen were out of luck with high muddy water in Cheeks and Doctor's Creeks although there were otherwise calm conditions and streams running into the creeks were almost dry. Even in the sheltered area of Port Edgar, tides were up and down although not to the extent witnessed on East Falkland.

Visiting North West Arm on East Falkland, Roger May witnessed thick sludgy mud up the banks and well above the high water mark, while in the same area Ian Smith said the tides were up and down every half hour and the creek was full of silt.

Mike Harris of Stanley calculated that there is a distance of approximately 14,000 kilometers of clear water between Sumatra and the Falklands Islands.

He said it took 23½ hours for the tidal activity to reach the Falkland Islands, indicating that it travelled at an approximate average speed of 600 kilometers per hour. (PN).-