Long thought to be a myth, freak waves as high as 10-storey buildings are
far more common than previously thought, the European Space Agency has
found.

Severe weather has been responsible for the sinking of more than 200
supertankers and container ships over the past two decades, and rogue waves
are believed to be the main cause, the agency said.

Three weeks of imaging data by the agency's satellites from early 2001
showed more than 10 individual giant waves around the globe of more than 25
metres in height. Previously, scientists believed that such large waves
occurred only once every 10,000 years.

"Having proved they exist in higher numbers than anyone expected, the next
step is to analyse if they can be forecast," said Wolfgang Rosenthal, a
scientist at the GKSS research centre in Geesthacht, Germany.

In February 1995, the QE2 encountered a 29-metre rogue wave in the North
Atlantic that Captain Ronald Warwick described as "a great wall of water -
it looked as if we were going into the White Cliffs of Dover", the agency
said.

And in the week between February and March 2001, two tourist cruisers, the
Bremen and the Caledonian Star, had their bridge windows smashed by 30-metre
rogue waves in the South Atlantic. The Bremen was left drifting without
navigation or propulsion for some hours.

"The same phenomenon could have sunk many less lucky vessels. Two large
ships sink every week, on average, but the cause is never studied in the
same detail as an air crash. It simply gets put down to 'bad weather'," Dr
Rosenthal said.

Reuters

http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/257.html


"Bob Crantz" wrote in message
ink.net...
Long thought to be a myth, freak waves as high as 10-storey buildings are
far more common than previously thought, the European Space Agency has
found.

Severe weather has been responsible for the sinking of more than 200
supertankers and container ships over the past two decades, and rogue
waves
are believed to be the main cause, the agency said.

Three weeks of imaging data by the agency's satellites from early 2001
showed more than 10 individual giant waves around the globe of more than
25
metres in height. Previously, scientists believed that such large waves
occurred only once every 10,000 years.

"Having proved they exist in higher numbers than anyone expected, the next
step is to analyse if they can be forecast," said Wolfgang Rosenthal, a
scientist at the GKSS research centre in Geesthacht, Germany.

In February 1995, the QE2 encountered a 29-metre rogue wave in the North
Atlantic that Captain Ronald Warwick described as "a great wall of water -
it looked as if we were going into the White Cliffs of Dover", the agency
said.

And in the week between February and March 2001, two tourist cruisers, the
Bremen and the Caledonian Star, had their bridge windows smashed by
30-metre
rogue waves in the South Atlantic. The Bremen was left drifting without
navigation or propulsion for some hours.

"The same phenomenon could have sunk many less lucky vessels. Two large
ships sink every week, on average, but the cause is never studied in the
same detail as an air crash. It simply gets put down to 'bad weather'," Dr
Rosenthal said.

Reuters

Mr Sails says "thank you" for providing an excellent website for lesson
planning....

--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein



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"Bob Crantz" wrote


Atlantic that Captain Ronald Warwick described as "a great wall of
water -
it looked as if we were going into the White Cliffs of Dover", the agency

Captain Ron..........tee hee he

It sounds like the Gulf Stream with it's many eddies,
is one place to avoid.

Bob Crantz wrote

http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/257.html


"Bob Crantz" wrote

Long thought to be a myth, freak waves as high as 10-storey buildings
are
far more common than previously thought, the European Space Agency has
found.

Severe weather has been responsible for the sinking of more than 200
supertankers and container ships over the past two decades, and rogue
waves
are believed to be the main cause, the agency said.

Three weeks of imaging data by the agency's satellites from early 2001
showed more than 10 individual giant waves around the globe of more than
25
metres in height. Previously, scientists believed that such large waves
occurred only once every 10,000 years.

"Having proved they exist in higher numbers than anyone expected, the
next
step is to analyse if they can be forecast," said Wolfgang Rosenthal, a
scientist at the GKSS research centre in Geesthacht, Germany.

In February 1995, the QE2 encountered a 29-metre rogue wave in the North
Atlantic that Captain Ronald Warwick described as "a great wall of
water -
it looked as if we were going into the White Cliffs of Dover", the
agency
said.

And in the week between February and March 2001, two tourist cruisers,
the
Bremen and the Caledonian Star, had their bridge windows smashed by
30-metre
rogue waves in the South Atlantic. The Bremen was left drifting without
navigation or propulsion for some hours.

"The same phenomenon could have sunk many less lucky vessels. Two large
ships sink every week, on average, but the cause is never studied in the
same detail as an air crash. It simply gets put down to 'bad weather',"
Dr
Rosenthal said.

Reuters

Areas with heavy swells seem to be particularly vulnerable.

I can remember some huge 30' swells in the Pacific with
a period of 2 minutes. I'd think big swells near a place like
Sable Island and or the Gulf Stream could produce rogue
waves.

There must be some sort of seasonal incidence of rogue
wave.

I was unable to find a plot of the locations of mysteriously
lost ships worldwide. I saw one a few years ago online.

Bob Crantz wrote

http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/257.html

How th heck am I going to go to the Bahamas if I avoid the Gulf Stream?
krj

Bart Senior wrote:

It sounds like the Gulf Stream with it's many eddies,
is one place to avoid.

Bob Crantz wrote


http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/257.html


"Bob Crantz" wrote


Long thought to be a myth, freak waves as high as 10-storey buildings

are

far more common than previously thought, the European Space Agency has
found.

Severe weather has been responsible for the sinking of more than 200
supertankers and container ships over the past two decades, and rogue

waves

are believed to be the main cause, the agency said.

Three weeks of imaging data by the agency's satellites from early 2001
showed more than 10 individual giant waves around the globe of more than

25

metres in height. Previously, scientists believed that such large waves
occurred only once every 10,000 years.

"Having proved they exist in higher numbers than anyone expected, the

next

step is to analyse if they can be forecast," said Wolfgang Rosenthal, a
scientist at the GKSS research centre in Geesthacht, Germany.

In February 1995, the QE2 encountered a 29-metre rogue wave in the North
Atlantic that Captain Ronald Warwick described as "a great wall of

water -

it looked as if we were going into the White Cliffs of Dover", the

agency

said.

And in the week between February and March 2001, two tourist cruisers,

the

Bremen and the Caledonian Star, had their bridge windows smashed by

30-metre

rogue waves in the South Atlantic. The Bremen was left drifting without
navigation or propulsion for some hours.

"The same phenomenon could have sunk many less lucky vessels. Two large
ships sink every week, on average, but the cause is never studied in the
same detail as an air crash. It simply gets put down to 'bad weather',"

Dr

Rosenthal said.

Reuters

Avoid being on the down swell side of the eddies.

krj wrote

How th heck am I going to go to the Bahamas if I avoid the Gulf Stream?
krj

Bart Senior wrote:

It sounds like the Gulf Stream with it's many eddies,
is one place to avoid.

Bob Crantz wrote


http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/257.html


"Bob Crantz" wrote


Long thought to be a myth, freak waves as high as 10-storey buildings

are

far more common than previously thought, the European Space Agency has
found.

Severe weather has been responsible for the sinking of more than 200
supertankers and container ships over the past two decades, and rogue

waves

are believed to be the main cause, the agency said.

Three weeks of imaging data by the agency's satellites from early 2001
showed more than 10 individual giant waves around the globe of more
than

25

metres in height. Previously, scientists believed that such large waves
occurred only once every 10,000 years.

"Having proved they exist in higher numbers than anyone expected, the

next

step is to analyse if they can be forecast," said Wolfgang Rosenthal, a
scientist at the GKSS research centre in Geesthacht, Germany.

In February 1995, the QE2 encountered a 29-metre rogue wave in the
North
Atlantic that Captain Ronald Warwick described as "a great wall of

water -

it looked as if we were going into the White Cliffs of Dover", the

agency

said.

And in the week between February and March 2001, two tourist cruisers,

the

Bremen and the Caledonian Star, had their bridge windows smashed by

30-metre

rogue waves in the South Atlantic. The Bremen was left drifting without
navigation or propulsion for some hours.

"The same phenomenon could have sunk many less lucky vessels. Two large
ships sink every week, on average, but the cause is never studied in
the
same detail as an air crash. It simply gets put down to 'bad weather',"

Dr

Rosenthal said.

Reuters

Take a plane?

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"krj" wrote in message
.. .
How th heck am I going to go to the Bahamas if I avoid the Gulf Stream?
krj

Bart Senior wrote:

It sounds like the Gulf Stream with it's many eddies,
is one place to avoid.

Bob Crantz wrote


http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/257.html


"Bob Crantz" wrote


Long thought to be a myth, freak waves as high as 10-storey buildings

are

far more common than previously thought, the European Space Agency has
found.

Severe weather has been responsible for the sinking of more than 200
supertankers and container ships over the past two decades, and rogue

waves

are believed to be the main cause, the agency said.

Three weeks of imaging data by the agency's satellites from early 2001
showed more than 10 individual giant waves around the globe of more
than

25

metres in height. Previously, scientists believed that such large waves
occurred only once every 10,000 years.

"Having proved they exist in higher numbers than anyone expected, the

next

step is to analyse if they can be forecast," said Wolfgang Rosenthal, a
scientist at the GKSS research centre in Geesthacht, Germany.

In February 1995, the QE2 encountered a 29-metre rogue wave in the
North
Atlantic that Captain Ronald Warwick described as "a great wall of

water -

it looked as if we were going into the White Cliffs of Dover", the

agency

said.

And in the week between February and March 2001, two tourist cruisers,

the

Bremen and the Caledonian Star, had their bridge windows smashed by

30-metre

rogue waves in the South Atlantic. The Bremen was left drifting without
navigation or propulsion for some hours.

"The same phenomenon could have sunk many less lucky vessels. Two large
ships sink every week, on average, but the cause is never studied in
the
same detail as an air crash. It simply gets put down to 'bad weather',"

Dr

Rosenthal said.

Reuters

How th heck am I going to go to the Bahamas if I avoid the Gulf Stream?
krj

Fly....

--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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