Perigean Spring Tides and Apogean Neap Tides in History

On January 4, 1912 - almost exactly 100 years ago - both a full Moon and a lunar perigee occurred, with these two events separated by only a few minutes of time and with the Earth near perihelion. The resulting lunar distance (356,375 km) on that date stands as the closest approach of the Moon to the Earth in an interval of more than 1400 years. The centennial of this extreme lunar perigee is an appropriate time to consider the effect of lunar distance on the range of ocean tides.

At most ocean ports, spring tides of increased range occur near new and full Moon. If a lunar perigee falls near new or full Moon, then perigean spring tides of even greater range are possible. Conversely, if a lunar apogee falls near first quarter or last quarter Moon, then apogean neap tides of unusually reduced range can occur.

Examples of perigean spring tides include a near-coincidence of lunar perigee and new Moon in December 1340 that may be related to a plot device in Chaucer's "The Franklin's Tale,” a Canterbury tale that describes an extreme high tide covering the rocks on the coast of Brittany in "the cold and frosty season of December.” Another example, the disaster known as the Bristol Channel Flood, occurred shortly after a lunar perigee and new Moon in January 1607. A German U-boat employed an exceptionally high perigean spring tide shortly after the new Moon of October 1939 to enter Scapa Flow by an unexpected route and sink the HMS Royal Oak. An apogean neap tide prevailed during the amphibious assault of the U. S. Marines at Tarawa in November 1943, making the eventual victory more costly because the landing craft were unable to reach the island and instead grounded on the surrounding reef.