In 1884, Thornton Lecky illustrated the phenomenon with an inland basin of infinite size, connected to the sea by a narrow mouth.
[4] For scuba divers, the absence of a flow means that less effort is required to swim and there is less likelihood of drifting away from a vessel or shore.
Following low tide, visibility can be reduced as the ebb draws silt, mud, and other particulates with it.
In areas with potentially dangerous tides and currents, it is standard practice for divers to plan a dive at slack times.
[5] Some localities have unusual tidal characteristics, such as Gulf St Vincent, South Australia, where the amplitudes of the main semi-diurnal tide constituents are almost identical.