This here narrow river, it ain’t no joke, I tell ya. Water goes up, water goes down. That’s the tide, you see. Gotta know when it’s high, gotta know when it’s low. Like when you’re plantin’ taters, gotta know when the rain’s comin’. Same thing with this river. This narrow river tide chart, it tells you all about it.
They call it a tide chart. Sounds fancy, but it ain’t nothin’ but a schedule, like when the mailman comes. Cept this schedule tells ya ’bout the water. You see that number go up you know the river be rising up high like a full belly after supper. Then it go down, down, down like an old tire going flat. That’s the tide for ya. Keeps a goin’, up and down, day in, day out.
Now, why’s this important, you ask? Well, say you wanna go paddlin’ on that river. You don’t wanna be fightin’ the water, do ya? Nope! You wanna go with the flow, like a leaf on a stream. That is all about the tide.
- If the tide’s goin’ out, you go out with it. That water will carry you like a momma bird carryin’ worms to her babies.
- If the tide’s comin’ in, you come back in with it. Let that water push ya back home, nice and easy.
This narrow river tide chart, it ain’t always the same, ya know. Just like the weather, it changes. Sometimes the high tide is real high, like a rooster crowin’ at the top of his lungs. Sometimes it’s just a little high, like a whisper. Same with the low tide. Sometimes it’s real low, like when the well runs dry. Other times, it’s just a little low, like when you only got a few pennies left in your pocket.
Some folks, they don’t pay no mind to the tide. They just go out there whenever they feel like it. But then they get stuck, or they gotta paddle like crazy. Ain’t no fun in that. It’s like tryin’ to plow a field with a mule that’s too stubborn to move. You gotta work with the river, not against it. This tide chart will be your best helper.
And this river, it ain’t just one thing, you see. It’s got all kinds of parts. There’s the mouth, where it meets the big ocean. That’s where the tide is strongest, like the boss of the whole place. Then there’s the narrow parts, where the water gets squeezed in tight. That’s where the water moves fastest, like a scared rabbit runnin’ from a fox. Then the wide area, water moves slow.
You see that word there, “Pettaquamscutt”? That’s what some folks call this narrow river. Don’t ask me what it means. Sounds like a mouthful of marbles to me. But that’s what they call it. And it’s a boundary, they say. Like a fence between two farms. One side is Narragansett, other side is South Kingstown or North Kingstown. Keeps everyone in their own place, I reckon. This river is not really a river.
Now, this tide chart, it ain’t gonna tell you everything. It won’t tell ya if it’s gonna rain, or if the fish are bitin’. But it’ll tell ya ’bout the water. And that’s important, ya know. It’s like knowin’ the difference between a bull and a cow. One’s gonna give ya milk, the other’s gonna give ya trouble. Tide is like the bull, better know what it’s doin’.
They got these numbers on the chart, and they change all the time. Just like the price of eggs at the market. Gotta keep an eye on ’em. They tell you how high or low the tide is. And they tell you when it’s gonna happen. Like a clock, but for the water. And you gotta divide that number by twelve. That’s how they figure it out, I reckon. Don’t ask me why, that’s just what they do.
They say the fastest water is right in the middle, between high and low tide. Like the middle of a seesaw, that’s where it moves the most. And they say it’s slow around the high tide and low tide. Like when you’re waitin’ for the kettle to boil, it takes forever. That’s slack tide, they call it. That’s all about the narrow river tide chart.
So, next time you’re thinkin’ ’bout goin’ down to that narrow river, you best check that tide chart first. It’ll save ya a heap of trouble. It’s like havin’ a good dog by your side. It might not be able to talk, but it sure can help ya out. The tide is always changing, just like life I guess. You gotta learn to go with the flow. Otherwise, you’re just gonna be fightin’ an uphill battle. And nobody wants that, do they? No sir.
Remember, you better check the narrow river tide chart. Don’t be a fool, better use that tool. Don’t end up like a fish out of water. Use it, or you will be sorry for that.
