On Jan 21, 2008 1:22 AM, Dave Kruger <kdruger_at_pacifier.com> wrote: > I think sneakers are better classified as "rogue waves" than as solitons. > This Wikipedia citation has a pretty good description of sneakers on the > high seas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freak_wave > > Remembering that the terminology itself is confusing, in this context, at least, a "sneaker" wave is not the same thing as a "rogue" wave. The sneaker is connected to calm seas, long-period sells and shoal waters or reefs and rocks and (if it indeed exists) is almost unnoticed at sea or in deeper water. While a rogue wave is one large wave out of thousands; a sneaker wave is one large wave out of nowhere. Legends about waves are legion among boat people. It wasn't until recently that the phenomenon of "rogue" waves themselves was documented when a few scientists began to take some of the stories seriously. That and the videos on YouTube. Sneaker waves are only recently being talked about by boaters. The letter to the editor of Latitude 38 (and the response) are clear in their attempts to differentiate "sneaker" waves from the conventional wisdom about waves. No conclusions are drawn by Lat 38 other than these waves seem to occur in late fall and winter, they seem to occur along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, California, and Baja. (but they left room to wonder if they were worldwide), and they seem to be connected to long-period swells - not waves - in otherwise what are described as "flat calm" seas. Latitude 38 is hardly a scientific magazine but they've been collecting "stories" for over 20 years and there may be something to it; enough for kayakers like Melissa and Rob who paddle rock gardens and coastwise in the winter months to keep in mind. At least until there is some better science. Craig Jungers Sunny and VERY cold in Moses Lake, WA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Jan 21 2008 - 08:30:56 PST
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