Andy wrote:

In any event, it offended me that Mr. Woods described what happened to
him as if it was just some unlucky twist of fate that he got caught in
a gale, when in fact it was almost a certainty that he would get
plastered doing what he did.

Andy

Yes.......... I agree!
And I would add humbly to Andy's observation that Freak, Maverick, and
Sneaker waves might also fit with that example. Sorry guys, I really
feel strongly that the unpredictable can be expected, and reasonably
predicted. Its the old Observe-Anticipate-Take corrective actions
routine. As mariners, we do not have the luxury to blame the fickle
finger of fate for our troubles. An earlier sailor here said that a
more accurate analogy would be to get into a car, drive down the road,
and have a tree fall on us. How could we predict that? Anybody ever
live in the mountains where an interstate freeway cuts through a pass.
Ever see those 4x4 SUVs from the warmer and flatter elevations go
roaring pass at 70 mph over the packed snow with a Starbucks in one
hand? I usually would pass them in the ditch. A very sobering and
edicational sight for my then 16 year old daughter. She learned from
the mistakes of others. Ever talk to one of those SUV drivers after
their crash? "All of sudden the care went completely out of control !"
Duh, wonder why? So, who was driving???
Sounds a lot like those charterboat operators who killed their
passengers when a Rogue
Wave "came out of nowhere."

Bob
(Emerging Sock Puppet)