By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter

Benicia will get a visit today from a 7 1/2-foot “king tide,” arriving some time past noon, Deputy Brian Miller of the Marine Patrol said.

The tide will have passed Vallejo earlier in the day and will be on its way to Rio Vista when it makes an appearance along Benicia’s coastline. And by 6:48 p.m., the subsequent low tide should be in negative numbers, Miller said.

The unusually high tide, which happens just a few times each year, is caused by a particular alignment of the Earth, the sun and the moon, Miller said.

While it isn’t particularly hazardous, those with property right on the water’s edge may want to take precautions against high water, tying up boats and putting away belongings that could be struck by the king tide.

Those traveling in small watercraft could find themselves with their hands full when wind and wave work against each other, Miller said. “You need to be experienced,” he said.

In fact, he’s found himself in difficulty in his own patrol boat when he wasn’t able to turn his craft quickly enough in a wave trough near the Carquinez Bridge, where he’s seen 8-foot rollers.

Unlike being on the ocean, where deeper water can make such waves more manageable, the shallower waters of the Carquinez Strait quickly can become choppy.

Miller said even though the unusual tide is caused by astronomic alignment instead of global warming, it is giving scientists a chance to observe effects that will provide information as they seek to address rising sea levels caused by climate change.

He said residents can monitor the king tide through the weblink tides.mobilegeographics.com/locations/524.html, which provides information about tide conditions in Benicia.

In fact, mobilegeographics.com is one website he uses to check Bay Area maritime conditions; he also checks the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, www.noaa.gov.

Miller counseled respect, but not fear, of the king tide.

Those who are susceptible to flooding may see water bubble up, he said, and the Suisun Marsh is expecting to receive an inflow of water.

However, he anticipated few problems from the king tide. “The Vallejo wall will hold it,” he said.

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