Sure, it brings waters to many areas that wouldn’t otherwise have it, but it is also prone to devastating flooding because of the many flat planes it travels through. Take 520 million cubic yards of water and shove it into a 1.9-mile by 490-foot channel and, voila, you get the world’s fastest tide. These currents, especially in the Maccan River, can create waves measuring 12 feet high. The combination of winds, major river deltas, shifting silt and rapid currents create one of the most difficult inland seas to navigate in the world. In large schools it really does look like the river is made of silver. 2 – Congo River, Africa – Mean annual discharge rate (m³/s): 41,200. Don’t focus on just the bay, though. This rivers flow in the wet season can be almost twice its annual average and during this time it also expands in width to over 120 miles (190 kilometres). He became famous as Pelorus Jack and was the first dolphin in the world to receive the protection of the law. As another weird fact, this is the longest river in the world that doesn’t have ANY bridges crossing it! So let’s hop onto a raft and get some flow measurements…, The Top 10 Fastest Flowing Rivers in the World and Where to Find Them, 10 – Yenisei River, Eurasia – Mean annual discharge rate (m³/s): 19,600. According to the coroner's report, the accident occurred on a falling tide, so the current was flowing from the south west to the north east. At one end is Tasman Bay, and at the other end the outer Pelorus Sound / Te Hoiere leads out to Cook Strait. Te Kawau-a-Toru had a huge wingspan, and was reputed to be a sacred bird with "the eye of the ancestor", insight into ancient knowledge. Not only is this the longest river in Asia, it is also deemed as the most important thanks to its flow that helps keep nearly one-third of the national population in clean water. Most nearby Derby, Australia, residents can recall a time when storms brought abnormally high tides, flooding much of the town. One hundred billion metric tons — that’s how much water flows into the 170-mile-long UNESCO Fundy Biosphere Reserve. Located beneath the backdrop of Børvasstindene Mountains, the Saltstraumen current can reach 25 mph. [4], The first recorded European navigation of the pass occurred in 1827. 8 – Río de la Plata River, South America – Mean annual discharge rate (m³/s): 22,000. As with many extreme tidal environments, the mouth of the Severn, Great Britain’s longest river, is constantly churning and turbid. Named for the Chinook Indian slang for “strong water,” Skookumchuk Narrows Provincial Park is one of several outstanding wildlife viewing areas on British Columbia’s famed Sunshine Coast. The direction of the Gulf of Khambhat also welcomes monsoon winds to help the tidal range build to in excess of 40 feet. The tidal bore found here is among the most spectacular on earth. And while the Bay of Fundy may be renowned as the site of the tallest tides in the world, Strangford Lough is notable as the site of the first major tidal stream turbine. It was once called the ‘Heart of Darkness’ by Joseph Conrad and one section of it is also called ‘The Gates of Hell’ which is a 75 mile long stretch of rapids that no-one has managed to successfully traverse, so far anyway. Britain’s Severn Tidal Barrage was recently lambasted in Parliament, but the potential windfall wrought from harnessing the estuary’s undulations remains attractive. Most of the rest of the pass is broken reef. In the oral tradition of some Māori tribes, French Pass is the resting place of Kupe's pet king shag, called Te Kawau-a-Toru. The high energy and complexity of the location was summed up by d'Urville suggesting that no one should attempt to navigate French Pass except in extreme emergency. Notes: Tidal range is measured as the vertical difference between a high tide and a succeeding low tide. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. Admiral Jules Dumont d'Urville navigated the pass during his second voyage to New Zealand, in the French Navy corvette Astrolabe. However, because Beluga Point is just 20 minutes south of Anchorage, the Alaska bore is the most accessible major tidal bore in the world. Most of us think we know Quebec after spending time in Montréal and Quebec City, but the province is actually quite large. We have already seen ten of the worlds most powerful and fastest flowing waterfalls, but now it is time for the worlds greatest rivers to step up to the mark. [13][14], Coordinates: 40°55′19″S 173°50′1″E / 40.92194°S 173.83361°E / -40.92194; 173.83361, French Pass has the fastest tidal flows in New Zealand. The Ganges river basin has the highest population of any river basin in the world with just over 400 million people relying on it for water and for drainage. The Alaska bore occurs along the Turnagain Arm, reaching heights of 10 feet and traveling as fast as 15 mph. They don’t happen every day, but bore tides are fairly predictable, especially close to new or full moons. Locals have claimed Ungava Bay, an extension of the Arctic Ocean located just south of Baffin Island and separated by the Hudson Strait from the Atlantic, receives the world’s largest tides, which average 52 feet in elevation change. The group appears to have been drawn deep into the hole and then returned to the surface again. Its name translated means “Great River” and in terms of flow it really is one of the worlds greatest. Te Aumiti / French Pass is a narrow and treacherous stretch of water that separates D'Urville Island, at the north end of the South Island of New Zealand, from the mainland coast. Like many of the other bays, sounds and gulfs on this list, the Gulf of Khambhat is funnel-shaped, the perfect dimensions to force a rapid rise and fall in the water as it enters and exits from the Arabian Sea. Much wider than the Bay of Fundy, Ungava Bay’s water volume can change with alarming rapidity. The broken reef adjacent to the channel is Kupe's loyal bird turned to stone – Te Aumiti a te Kawau-a-Toru (the currents that swallowed Toru's shag). These currents, especially in the Maccan River, can create waves measuring 12 feet high. Civilization has always paid heed to major tides, especially coastal marine and agricultural communities. This is mostly because of its flow in the jungle, but it’s still a pretty great fact. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Facts First: Gov. The gulf is 120 miles wide at its mouth and thins to just 15 miles at its most narrow point. Te Aumiti / French Pass is a narrow and treacherous stretch of water that separates D'Urville Island, at the north end of the South Island of New Zealand, from the mainland coast. It gets that name from the fish it brings wish is Pacu, a large river fish with a flat silver shimmering body. The tidal patterns keep the water moving at virtually all times in the narrows area, which attracts a plethora of interesting sea life. The unrelated B.C. [1] When the tide changes, the current can be strong enough to stun fish. Pelorus Jack stayed in the Pelorus Sounds, and did not navigate the pass into Tasman Bay. This is a river that gives life and often takes it away as well. Approaching the narrowest part of the pass, the vessel swung sideward and did not respond to steerage. The lightkeeper at French Pass claimed he found the body of Pelorus Jack decomposing on the shore. [2] The local tribes are Ngāti Koata and Ngāti Kuia. The most extreme tidal ranges occur around the time of full or new moons, when gravitational forces of both the Sun and Moon are in phase. He would meet boats as they came out of the pass, riding their bow waves for 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) to Pelorus Sound. Any kid who’s ever sprayed water from a balloon at a playmate understands why a narrow passage produces big tides. [11] In 2000, student divers taking part in a drift dive during the local ebb flow were separated from their surface float and caught in a whirlpool. The Bay of Fundy rises, then lowers 55 feet in the Minas Passage during an average tide making it possible to wander among the Hopewell Rocks on the bay floor before the channel fills, and then go diving in the exact location a few hours later. It is the decomposition of organic matter in its slow-moving swamps that give this river its name thanks to its jet-black water colour that is a lot cleaner than it looks. A dive computer record of one of the survivors show a depth of up to 89-metre (292 ft). Then he would join boats returning to Nelson at the entrance to Pelorus Sound and escort them back to the pass. [10], Near to the pass are deep holes where strong vertical flows can occur. In the furious battle to kill the octopus, the coast was gouged into the convoluted shapes that today make up the Sounds. We have already seen ten of the worlds most powerful and fastest flowing waterfalls, but now it is time for the worlds greatest rivers to step up to the mark. It’s so remote that it wasn’t fully mapped until the 1970’s when it was done via satellite. 7 – Negro River, South America – Mean annual discharge rate (m³/s): 28,400. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. While he was exploring Cook Strait, Kupe was attacked by a giant octopus. Plus, it is home to an abundance of saltwater fish, making it a popular destination among anglers and divers alike. All adventurers should take care to avoid the many whirlpools; they can spread to 30 feet in diameter and “carve” a cone 15 feet deep. But the good news is its one of the easiest rivers in the world to navigate meaning it will be easy to get back upstream once you have a boat. As with other areas known for dramatic shifts in sea volume, King Sound’s enormous tides have nothing to do with a unique gravitational pull but much to do with the individual shape of the local coastline. [3] However, while testing the channel to see if it was safe for Kupe's canoe, Te Kawau-a-Toru got caught in the tidal rip, broke a wing and drowned. Because of tidal resonance in the funnel-shaped bay, the tides that flow through the channel are very powerful. This type of tide is known as a spring tide. 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