[Paddlewise] Ship jousting

  I paddled the mouth of the Savannah River Friday.  It was brutally hot 
but relaxing and my efforts rewarded me with the privilege of watching a 
dozen dolphins as they slammed into large schools of fish and seabirds 
picking trawler leftovers.  The water was like glass with no wind and a 
slack tide for the moment. I needed to cross the channel to get to my 
lunch spot but had  to wait for a pair of container ships to pass. They 
crossed exactly in front of me so I took in the show.  My back was to 
the marsh as I watched the  jousting tankers pass each other. The amount 
of water being moved by the bulbous nose of each ship was amazing as was 
the deep bass of their engines.The tide was exceptionally high and the 
marsh in front of Fort Polaski where I waited was well flooded.  The 
river/marsh line on the Georgia side is demarcated by a line of large 
rocks placed about every five feet. I began to hear a very noticeable 
sucking sound coming from behind me.  I turned to look and watched as 
the water level in the marsh fell three feet in ten seconds!  The sudden 
out surge of water was fascinating.  It occurred up and down the edge of 
the channel for as far as I could see.  I gently back paddled to 
maintain my position until the water pressure equalized in and out of 
the channel.  As both ships retreated I looked across the channel to the 
South Carolina side to see huge muddy waves repeatedly slamming against 
the stone piles of the channel edge. The waves were at least six feet 
and came in with incredible speed. It gave me a better appreciation for 
what the sea can do when stirred.

Jim et al
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