General Navigation USCG Q#2005 (Set 62)

A swift current occurring in a narrow passage connecting two large bodies of water, which is produced by the continuously changing difference in height of tide at the two ends of the passage, is called a __________.

Official USCG Answer & Rule Citation

Correct Answer: Option A — hydraulic current

As detailed in Bowditch, a hydraulic current is generated by a continually changing difference in tidal height between two distinct water bodies connected by a narrow channel. Water flows rapidly from the higher body to the lower body until the levels equalize.

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