Stanpit Marsh

The Time and Tide Display Boards have finished their tour in Christchurch library and are now to be found at Stanpit Marsh Visitor Centre.

Why not take some time to make a trip and enjoy the great surroundings as well as talk to the knowledgeable volunteers and wardens.

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Tales on the Tide Venue

New Venue Announced!

Day: Thursday 30 April 2015
Time: 7:00 - 9:00
Venue: The Thomas Tripp, Wick Lane, Christchurch

We're delighted to be moving the performance of Tales on the Tide to the Thomas Tripp on Wick Lane. A true haven for smugglers and the perfect place for the first full performance of work developed during the Time and Tide Project. 

Tales on the Tide is a brand-new storytelling performance piece inspired by the strange tides in Christchurch Harbour. Through the Time and Tide project, professional storyteller Martin Maudsley has been working with youth groups, local residents and oceanography experts to highlight and communicate the science behind the dramatic tides and their wide-ranging effects on the local area. 

The result is a tapestry of tales from magical myths to salty yarns, featuring a colourful cast of characters including devastating dragons, sly smugglers, fortunate fishermen and epic eels. The spellbinding stories will be interwoven during the evening with specially-arranged live music from multi-instrumental musician Fiona Barrow.

This event is free. The bar will be open and food can be purchased. Please register using the link below to be sure of a seat!

Event registration for Tales on the Tide powered by Eventbrite

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Tides talked

On Tuesday 24 March, Highcliffe Sailing Club was full to the gunnells (93 people) to hear from storyteller, Martin Maudsley and oceanographer and coastal scientist Ivan Haigh.

Ivan managed, with just one equation and a whole series of fabulous graphics, to explain the effect of the moon and sun on our tides and how friction, inertia and land constrain and distort the way the tide comes in and goes out. It seems the Isle of Wight has nothing to do with the double high tide, despite it being a commonly held myth. The main reason is the tides sweep up along the south coast through the channel, hit Holland and then bounce right back, giving the second tide.

Martin told the story of Raven and the very first tide, and then followed this up with how we have been working with young people to explore other myths, stories and impacts of the double high tide.

Calls for more such events will be considered!

Thursday, March 26, 2015

FAQs from Fair in the Square

Responses to some commonly raised questions at Saturdays Science Fair in Saxon Square provided by Professor Vincent May

When the tide rises, does it affect the saltiness of the water in the harbour?

This depends, first of all, on how far into the harbour the flood tide is able to progress.  During periods when the river flow is very high, typically during winter floods, very little salt water will enter the harbour because the river flow is too great.  During these flood events, it is possible to see a plume of fresh muddy water out as far as a line from Beerpan Rocks to Highcliffe.  When river flows are low, salt water does flow into the harbour and because it is denser than fresh water flows in the lower parts of the water column.  It can form a wedge beneath the freshwater which becomes gradually thinner as it moves upstream.  It does not usually get much further upstream than alongside Stanpit Marsh.

Does much mixing take place between the fresh and salt water?

In the low water flows very little mixing occurs as the water moves upstream, but as its velocity lessens, and the tide turns there is more mixing.

Are there differences in the water temperature between the salt and freshwater, and does this affect the location of fish in the harbour? 

Yes, usually simply because the temperature of the water flowing downstream  depends upon the temperature of the groundwater and the surface runoff which feed it.  The sea temperature is usually different because it depends largely upon the seasonal heating by the sun. In addition, if the seawater flows over the mudflats which have been exposed to sunshine it can absorb heat from their higher temperatures and this can affect the incoming water temperatures over the saltmarshes.

(I don’t know enough about the fish to answer that part of the question, but the local fishermen might have a view.)

Why isn’t the actual water level always the same as the forecast tide level?

The tide forecasts are based upon the planetary motions which can be forecast well into the future. However, water levels are also affected by atmospheric pressure, so during low pressure water levels will cause the water levels to be higher than the forecast level. In addition if there are onshore winds this can also raise water levels close to shore. When tide, pressure and wind combine we have storm surges when water levels can cause significant flooding. In addition, the onshore winds can force waves further up the shore, especially where we have built slipways and so water levels can easily exceed the forecast tide.

Does the Isle of Wight cause the double tides?

No, although it may affect the detailed flows. This can be added to if needed.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Solar eclipse 20/3/15

Institute of Physics press release

Wednesday 18 March 2015

Leaders of the International Year of Light comment on the solar eclipse

See the path here

This Friday, 20 March 2015, the moon will cast a shadow about 100 miles wide in which the Sun is obscured completely, and it will be partly covered over a much more extensive area. The event will be a total eclipse for those in the Faroe Islands and Svalbard, but only a partial eclipse for viewers in the UK.

As well as being spectacular events, solar eclipses are also a good opportunity to do some valuable science because they allow observation of phenomena normally hidden or outshone by the Sun’s light.

The solar corona – the Sun’s plasma outer atmosphere – is one such area for study. We normally can’t see the corona (at visible-light wavelengths) since the Sun’s light is too bright, but eclipses provide a chance to get a better look, and astronomers are set to descend on the Faroe Islands and Svalbard in the hope of getting more insight into why the corona is so much hotter than the Sun’s surface.

2015 also marks the centennial of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity which was proven by Arthur Eddington during the 1919 eclipse. Arthur Eddington travelled to the island of Príncipe, off the west coast of Africa, where he took advantage of the solar eclipse to successfully test one of the predictions of Einstein’s general theory of relativity – that the path taken by light bends in a gravitational field, known as gravitational lensing.

A number of eclipse-viewing parties across the UK will be taking place to observe the eclipse safely and learn more about astronomy as well as a nationwide live weather experiment organised by scientists at Reading University who are asking the general public to send in their observations of the changes in weather that will occur during the eclipse.

Dr Beth Taylor, Chair of the UK National Committee for the International Year of Light on behalf of the IOP, said: “2015 is the International Year of Light and what a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the importance of light during this rare event. I hope people up and down the country, from Shetland to the Channel Isles, have the chance to experience it and that it has inspired people to think about how vital light really is and support IYOL's commitment to champion solar lighting in the developing world.”

Professor John Dudley, Chair of the International Year of Light Steering Committee, said: “The aim of the International Year of Light is to raise awareness of the importance of light and light-based technologies for sustainable development, and let’s view the March 20 eclipse as nature playing its own part in reminding us of just how important light is to us all.  An eclipse reminds us of just how central our sun is to our planet – it is sunlight that is the fundamental source of energy that drives life and solar energy is the natural sustainable energy solution for tomorrow.”

To find out more about the history of eclipses and how to view the eclipse on Friday safely, see our guide here http://www.iop.org/resources/topic/page_65318.html

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1.  Contact

For further information, please contact IOP’s Media Officer, Sophie Hetherton Tel: 020 7470 4921 Mob: 07808 641774 E-mail: Sophie.hetherton@iop.org

2. The Institute of Physics

The Institute of Physics is a leading scientific society. We are a charitable organisation with a worldwide membership of more than 50,000, working together to advance physics education, research and application. We engage with policymakers and the general public to develop awareness and understanding of the value of physics and, through IOP Publishing, we are world leaders in professional scientific communications. Visit us at www.iop.org

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Microscope Madness

STEM Ambassador Genoveva Estaban from Bournemouth University has signed up to take part in the Science Fair in the Square to be held at Saxon Square in Christchurch on 21 March. 

Children and grown-ups attending the event will be making microscope preparations and will be using high-definition microscopes to observe microscopic organisms that are part of the marine plankton in the harbour.  Through handling and observing living microscopic creatures, Microscope Madness will encourage science debate with inquisitive children, parents/carers and grandparents. One of the event’s aims is to develop a two-way discussion to get children and grown-ups to challenge us on topics such as (but not limited to): the functioning of a food chain, from microbes to the fish we eat; the human impact on the aquatic environment, e.g. pollution of lakes and sea and its link with harmful toxic algal blooms; the role of microbes in cleaning sewage water.

Dr Esteban’s research focuses on microscopic life in the sea, in fresh waters and even in soils.  During the event she will be running Microscope Madness – a hands-on, family scientific activity that incorporates the use of high-quality microscopes and the unique observation of aquatic microscopic life in Christchurch Barbour.  Revealing the wondrous life of organisms hidden from the naked eye, the event will be popular with the curious and ever intrigued children and general public.

Tuesday, March 03, 2015

Science story funday

Walking in the sunshine, exploring the landscape and its history and scavenging materials and ideas along the way we had a constructive time combining story-making and science!

The day started at the Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre, talking with volunteers and exploring the garden and exhibits.We learned about the land use and people who lived on Hengistbury Head 12,000 years ago and how they used naturally occurring materials such as flint to create weapons and tools.

Martin led the group over the top to the triangulation point and introduced us to the smell of gorse flowers.... try them - you'll be so surprised they smell of coconut! Even more surprising Bill informed us that you can eat the closed flowers.

We scavenged for ideas along the harbour shoreline, collecting wood, string and other interesting objects for raft and art making before heading over to the beach side for more of the same.

We took the ferry back to Mudeford Quay and spent some time creating characters for stories, creating beach art and making a raft before getting stuck into science experiments looking at how salty the harbour is compared to freshwater and brine solution we made up.

We experienced for real how the water level changes as the tide comes in and consumed our Mudeford Monster and Dragon. We're really looking forward to the Super tide on 22 February!

Some new things participants learned:
"Tides are different"
"Tides come in at different times"
"Freshwater floats on saltwater"
"There's a hill [over there] with an important person buried in there"
"How easy it is to make creatures on the beach"

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Project TNT-Wk1

A Saturday club for young people-exploring things in and around the harbour

Our Saturday club is helping young people to explore the properties of water in a scientific but friendly and semi-structured way. The session begins with ice breaker sessions followed by Harbour Run-around in the sports hall to introduce some key words including: salty, fresh, brackish, tide, river, estuary.

The session content is led by the participants and volunteers. Overall we are exploring some of the weird things we can do with water as we start to explore the oceans. There are still spare spaces!

Penny drops

How many drops of water can you fit on a penny?

Does it make a difference if you have it ‘heads’ or ‘tails’ side up? We managed to get 24 drops onto the heads side and around 15 drops onto the tails side.

We wiped some soap over the surface and repeated our tests. The water drops spread out over the penny and we could drop about 3 drops before it spread over the edges.

Changing the density of water

We did some magic tricks and balanced hot water on top of cold coloured water. When we tried the same trick with cold water on top of the hot water it mixed up straightaway.

We made up three pots of water and salt mixtures with different amounts of salt in the pots and added some different coloured food colouring. By carefully adding the different coloured water into a tube, we could keep the colours separate.

Density and sinking

We made divers in bottles of water. We used a small piece of bendy straw and a paperclip to keep it bent over then trapped the air inside the straw with some plasticine. We added more plasticine and tested if the diver would float in a bowl of water. We then dropped the diver in a water bottle, topped it up to the top and put the lid on. When we gently squeezed the bottle the diver sank to the bottom. This was because as we squeezed the bottle the volume of air inside the diver was squashed making it denser than the water so it sank.

Notes: 

Project TNT is held at Somerford Youth centre on Saturday mornings from 10:00 to 12:00. There are at least four DBS checked adults present and young people volunteering as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. To attend contact Jae Harris of CAYP 07785 935928

Monday, January 26, 2015

What is Time & Tide?

Launching for the Raft Race 2013

The Time and Tide project is a community science project, funded by Business Innovation and Skills, that will raise awareness of the tides and the impact they have on our local environment. The project is managed by local Christchurch business Katalytik. We're delighted to be working with Christchurch Activities for Young People (CAYP) and the National Oceanography Centre to engage young people in exploring the tidal system and the harbour environment around Christchurch.

Have you ever wondered why we have a double high tide?  

• Is it because of the Rivers Stour and Avon emptying into the harbour? 
• Is it because of the Isle of Wight? 

Over the next 6 months we'll be exploring this phenomenon and then sharing it with you on 21/22 March 2015.


The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is pleased to support this project which takes science into a community setting. It is our hope as a result of the audience being engaged with this project that they will feel better informed about science issues affecting them and be inspired to be involved further in the future.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014