CLYDE SEA AREA. 653 



narrow and shallow channel where it attains a high velocity, and raises short sharp 

 waves in the calmest weather, mixing the water from surface to bottom at the same 

 time. The following data, regarding tidal streams, is taken from the Admiralty charts 

 and sailing directions. 



At full and new moon, the hour of high water is 10.35 at the Mull of Cantyre, 

 and 11.12 at the mouth of Loch Eyan. From Sanda Island across the Plateau to 

 Turnberry Point, the hour of high water is about 11.40, and at Campbeltown, 11.45. 

 Over the eastern and western divisions of the Arran Basin, up to and surrounding 

 the Island of Bute, the hour of high water is 11.50. In the Central Arran Basin 

 up to Otter, the hour is 11.53, and in Loch Fyne the tidal wave is retarded from 

 11.53 at Otter to 12.0 at Inveraray. In the Dunoon Basin the wave passes from 

 the south end at 11.50 to Dog Rock about 12.0, and reaches the head of Loch Goil 

 and Loch Long at 12.6. It is high water at the head of Loch Strivan at 11.55. 

 In the Estuary, the hour of high water is retarded from about 12.0 at Gourock 

 to 12.8 at Greenock, 12.20 at Dumbarton, 12.50 at Bowling, and 1.25 at Glasgow, 

 in the river. In the Gareloch it is high water about 12.10. Thus, excluding the 

 Estuary and the Plateau, high water takes place almost simultaneously over the 

 .whole Area, the difference between Lamlash and the head of the remotest lochs being 

 only 17 minutes. 



The tidal stream sweeps through North Channel from the Atlantic with a velocity 

 of 3 sea miles an hour (in nautical language 3 knots), in midchannel, but near the 

 Mull of Cantyre there is a tumultuous race of over 5 knots. The main body of 

 the tidal stream turns southward, a portion sweeping across the Plateau toward 

 Ailsa, turns northward up the western and eastern arms of the Arran Basin, at the 

 rate of from 2-|- to 3 knots for spring tides. 



The tidal conditions about the south coast of Cantyre are uncertain and imperfectly 

 understood, being much affected by the wind. The flood stream which sets round 

 the Mull of Cantyre, about l-£ hours before low water, divides off Deas Point, the 

 inshore branch rushing through Sanda Sound at 5 knots, and sweeping up Kilbrennan 

 Sound with half that velocity. The southern branch, which is locally known as the 

 Black Tide, sets round the south of Sanda north-eastward across the Plateau toward 

 Pladda Island at the south of Arran, turning northward up the East Arran Basin 

 with a velocity of from 2^ to 3 knots. The flood tides of the East and West Arran 

 Basins meet midway between Skipness and Inchmarnoch, and pass on at 2 knots 

 toward Otter, where the narrowed and shallowed entrance to Loch Fyne causes an 

 acceleration to 3^ knots, which slackens to 2 knots in the Gortans Basin, increases 

 to 2\ at Minard Narrows, and then gradually falls off to only 1 knot off Dunderawe. 



A branch current passing through Inchmarnoch Sound flows up the West Kyle 

 of Bute, and, passing the narrows at the Burnt Islands at the rate of 3 knots, pours 

 along the East Kyle until it meets the tidal flow which came round the south 

 and east of Bute off Strone Cotes. Loch Strivan is practically free from tidal current 



