Dan Hagen wrote: > Th[e] common tendency to overestate the height of waves has led to the > development of what some of us refer to as "standard reporting height", > which is the actual height multiplied by a fudge factor. This fudge > factor is usually about 2, but among modest paddlers it might be as low > as 1.67, or--for certain immodest groups--as high as 3. (We are working > on a common standard.) Among other things, this helps to explain how > one's fellow paddlers can refer to "4-foot waves" on a day when the > waves are never too high to see over. They are not lying--they are > simply using "standard reporting height". Hagen, you've done it again! I've been puzzled for a long time about why my paddling companions habitually over-estimate swell heights. You've explained another foible of human behavior! What do they put in the water where you live? We could use some of that in our drinking water ... The SRH factor down here is often as high as 3. One of the worst offenders is an oceanographer with a freaking masters degree, who regularly makes out swells we can see over as 4-footers. Reminds me of Dr. Science: "... he knows more than YOU do ..." -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR sea kayaker -- and chemist; thank God I'm not an oceanographer! *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Aug 27 1998 - 02:07:48 PDT
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