Judging sea state?

[PhilipF]

Often when we are out at sea we wonder what the "official" definition of the state of the sea is. My own view however would be that measuring this is likely to be very subjective indeed - others agree?

I think the Coastguards do keep some king of record, and they should be the people who would know. It would be of interest to hear as to their view. If this were available on the web it would be a great help, but I gather this is not available.

Interested to hear other views on sea state? We have been through some pretty rough water, but varies a lot, sometimes a long swell, other short choppy waves.

On Friday, we crossed from Brixham to Poole. Until well past the middle of Lyme Bay, the sea state was really very smooth. But from then on to around Anvile Point it was such that we might have turned back had we been going in the other direction.

Anyone here out off the Dorset coast Friday afternoon - very few others where!

 

[VicS]

http://www.esac.org.uk/Documents/Beaufort%20Scale.pdf

 

[PhilipF]

Well thanks.....but one can find that in many sea related publications - not least being Reeds Nautical Almanac - in this a 'photo of each sea state is also included. Gives an idea, but to my mind interpreting this at sea is pretty subjective. Interesting to find out the opinions of a professional.

 

[Cornishman]

Although the sea might look quite different from the bridge of, say, a 150,000 tons tanker, I think you will find that most British professionals use the same descriptions of sea state as Admiral Beaufort did.

 

[PhilipF]

> Although the sea might look quite different from the bridge of, say, a 150,000 tons tanker,

Often thought the same thing. I am used to looking down from the top deck of a Brittany Ferry - nine 'floors' high. Does it look much different from that high? Most certainly it would rock around less.

Perhaps the worse sea I've been on was off the north west coast of Donegal, on a trip back from Tory Island. A crew member then reckoned it was force seven, and told me they would not sail at force eight. He was partly going by wave height, and I remember thinking how difficult it appeared to me to judge this.

Many of us are prone to exaggeration, so should try and resist the temptation not to claim eight, when others might reckon its only five.

Interesting reflection that we do appear to get worse seas in the proximity of these Islands, than say out in the Atlantic. I give what has occurred to ships such as the "Napoli" in support of this view.

 

[ebbtide]

Re:Sea state?

"On Friday, we crossed from Brixham to Poole. Until well past the middle of Lyme Bay, the sea state was really very smooth. But from then on to around Anvile Point it was such that we might have turned back had we been going in the other direction."

By mid-afternoon Friday wind in the Solent had increased to WSW F5, while in Lyme Bay the Channel flood had started (1600 hrs = HW Dover + 6).
That certainly desn't add up to a bumpy ride! Interesting.

You might post this on the Raggie pages (in disguise of course) - they love a good brain teaser.

 

[PhilipF]

Re:Sea state?

> That certainly desn't add up to a bumpy ride! Interesting.

Rather worse on a motor boat than a sailboat I suspect. In any case we've been through much worse.

Yes, I would have guessed around force five. Unfortunately, we were well past the 'Bill' by the time the easterly "flood" (bit weak I think) had started, though it would have helped us later on. Our boat only does eleven knots. Force five was not in the forecast for our area BTW

 

[PhilipF]

Re:Sea state?

> going by wave height, and I remember thinking how difficult it appeared to me to judge this.


For those who might do a "search" for an item such as this - and like me could have been just a little disappointed with "answers" this web-site tells an idea of what I was inquiring about:

http://magicseaweed.com/Wave-Buoy/62103/