692 



over quite a month, during which period the weather was cahn, 

 so that storms liad no disturbing efTects. 



Vaagfjord (open to the east). Ahiiost at the end of the fjord, the 

 difference between high and low water is a httle more than 3 feet when 

 the current is strongest (spring-tide); witli »fair« current (neap-tide) 

 only ^/4 feet. High and low water occur very regularly in this fjord. 



Trangisvaagfjord (open to the east). High and low water do not 

 occur so regularly in this fjord as in Vaagfjord. When the current is 

 strongest the difference is generally about 3 feet, but one day during 

 the period of observation it reached 6 feet; with »fair« current the dif- 

 ference is only 1 foot. 



Sorvaagfjord (open to the west). Regular tides occur. At spring-tide 

 there is a difference of ca. 6 feet, at neap-tide of ca. 3 feet. 



Midvaagfjord. The fjord is open to the south-east, but on account 

 of the western situation of the island the difference is considerable. Re- 

 gular tides occur. At spring-tide there is a difference of ca. 5^/2 feet, at 

 neap-tide of 2^/3 — 3 feet. 



Vestmanhavn. The fjord is open to the west, and at Vestnianhavn- 

 sund to the north-west and south-west. Regular tides occur. At spring-tide 

 there is a difference of ca. 6 feet, at neap-tide of ca. 2 feet 



Sandsbugt (open to the south-west). Regular tides occur. At spring- 

 tide there is a difference of about 5V2, but it maj^ reach to about 7 feet; 

 when the current is »fair« the difference is hardly 2 feet. 



As appears from these observations, the greatest difference noted 

 with certainty is about 7 feet; but there is no reason to doubt that 

 there are places where a somewhat greater difTerence may occur. 

 This is probably the case on the western side of Sydero and on 

 tlie north-western side of Stromo. At Famien on Sydero, the in- 

 habitants have told me that the difference may amount to from 

 8 — 10 feet. These figures are however small in themselves and 

 would only mean a littoral algal vegetation of relatively limited 

 extent compared with that of the western coasts of Norway and of 

 the British Isles, were it not that other circumstances aid the algae 

 of exposed coasts to grow even far above the highest water mark. 



The tidal wave, or, as they say in the Faeroes, the »West- 

 fall« and the »Eastfall«, produces a very rapid current, changing 

 regularly every 6th hour^ in open fjords and especially in the sounds. 



At spring-tide, wlien the current is most rapid, it may in cer- 

 tain places, such as Vestmanhavnsund, flow as fast as 8—10 miles 

 an hour, and in such places the larger algas are of course exposed 

 to a very great strain. 



Whilst on all exposed coasts and in most fjords and sounds 



^ Nolsofjord however excepted; on account of peculiar circumstances tlie cur- 

 rent tliere runs 8 liours one wav and 4 hours the other. 



