Maximum water velocities in wave-exposed rocky intertidal habitats from Deming Island, Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada

From March to July 2013, we measured maximum water velocity in wave-exposed rocky intertidal habitats from Deming Island (45° 12' 45'' N, 61° 10' 26'' W), located near Whitehead, on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. These habitats directly face the open Atlantic Ocean. For our measurements, we installed 7 dynamometers (see Bell & Denny 1994, doi:10.1016/0022-0981(94)90101-5 for design) at the mid-to-high intertidal zone during low tides in March. These dynamometers measured maximum water velocity due to wave action during high tides over 1-to-13-day periods. The number of recordings per period varied (3-7 recordings) because some dynamometers were occasionally damaged. In total, we made 75 recordings. Maximum water velocity ranged between 3.4 m/s (recorded in mid-June) and 10.2 m/s (recorded in late March).