Rogue Waves

[Newfiehunter]

Hi!

Even though I am a land lubber metal detectorist, I am considering trying beach hunting where there has been shipwrecks in my area. I live on the seaboard of the North Atlantic.

The thing is, I am concerned about rogue waves. I read that rogue waves are becoming more common and a potential of one developing is about 1 in a thousand waves. Even local fishermen say that you should never turn your back to the sea even when you are on the beach. Last year in my area, a rogue wave hit a beach taking people out to sea, including children. Fortunately, everyone was saved.

So any thoughts or ideas about taking precautions when beach hunting.

 

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[DewGuru]

Rule #1 to beach hunting: Don't go if you can't swim.
Rule #2 to beach hunting: Always face out to sea when digging hole to see oncoming swells.

Was on honeymoon back in 1992 at Daytona Beach, FL. There was a 22' wave which came in from no where and swept people, and the cars on the beach, and other misc. items out to sea. Thankfully, I had the rental car insurance, as it floated WAY out to davy jones locker.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-07-05/news/9207050499_1_wave-wall-of-water-roy-bennett

Link above is to but 1 story about it.

What can happen often does, and often will.

 

[stevemc]

Chances of a large, huge rouge wave is very rare. Yes, it does happen, and yes, people do get struck by lightning and tornados. But do they not do things because of that? No, they keep on doing things. But they should pay attention to the weather. I dont like going out in the ocean detecting if it is over 2' waves, actually about 1 1/2' is about it, it is hard to work in it. What a rouge wave is is a wave that has doubled up with another wave, and another doubled up wave from another angle mixes in with it, and makes a huge wave. Very rare for a big one. I have been on the water my whole life and I have seen lots of doubled up waves, but never a huge rouge wave. Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, Sea of Cortez, Caribbean, you name it, and I havent seen a big rouge wave. I often encounter waves that are doubled up. That is sometimes called a rouge wave, but it is just a doubled wave. Where a set moving has another set mix into it and makes a large wave.

 

[Newfiehunter]

Thanks for the input. Living near the ocean, I know that you should never underestimate the power of the sea...It can be very unforgiving. Yet, at the same time...we shouldn't fear it or stay away from it. The ocean should get the respect it deserves.

 

[stevemc]

Definetly! Like anything that can kill you, you must respect its power. Learn to swim well, and/ or wear a life jacket if in anything more than a calm sea. If it is too rough to walk in waist deep water, it is way too rough to detect and scoop. There is often a larger than normal wave that will knock you down. Or at least get you off balance. Be safe. I just saw you are from the way North, it gets much rougher up there. Do be careful.

 

[lookindown]

Rule #1 to beach hunting: Don't go if you can't swim.
Rule #2 to beach hunting: Always face out to sea when digging hole to see oncoming swells.

Was on honeymoon back in 1992 at Daytona Beach, FL. There was a 22' wave which came in from no where and swept people, and the cars on the beach, and other misc. items out to sea. Thankfully, I had the rental car insurance, as it floated WAY out to davy jones locker.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-07-05/news/9207050499_1_wave-wall-of-water-roy-bennett

Link above is to but 1 story about it.

What can happen often does, and often will.

I remember when that happened.

 

[stevemc]

I remember when a cruise ship was whacked by a huge rouge wave in the Atlantic. Busted out a bunch of windows, way up. Luckily it didnt go down or kill anyone.

 

[Randyd]

We were on a boat out of Cabo San Lucas, over some red snapper right up almost against a rocky cliff. The captain yelled in Spanish, some one translated into English, "Hang on!!!", nailed the throttle and flipped the boat around. We went up and over a big wave, which then smashed into the cliff we were fishing by.The poor guys that waited for the English translation almost fell off.

The captain turned the boat around and got us right back into the red snapper. I asked how he knew the wave was coming. He said he has been doing this a long time and was watching.

R

 

[OBN]

When you hunt the ruff waters of the MidAtlantic you always face out, you never turn your back. And best hunting is about 60 minutes before the lowest tide time. When the tide starts to come in, it's time to get out of the water.

 

[CASPER-2]

2009 - friend and I went to a saltwater beach in R.I.
just small low waves - I walked out with my long handled scoop
had my mask/snorkel in hand - stopped in about 5 feet of water
spit in my mask - rinsed and was just getting ready to put it on
my friend was trying the shallows and looked my way just in time to see about a 10 foot wave
squash me like a bug - scoop feel out of my hand and got sucked out to deep water
my expensive dive mask got knocked out of my hands and went its
separate way too - luckily my machine floats
borrowed my partners mask and tried to find scoop and mask with no luck
waves went back to low rollers
I considered it a rogue
so you gotta be careful
I was at the beach in the shallows once and saw a bunch of people of people get slammed by
a huge wave - they never expected - it just came out of no where
people had to help each other and we all did a check to make sure everyone surfaced

 

[Sandman]

Stevemc and OBN are right. Another thing is to not tether the scoop to you in case you get in a rip current as that will help pull you out deeper. Rip currents are more common than rouge waves.

 

[Newfiehunter]

I live in Newfoundland near Cape Race which is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic (many places on the east coast of North America are known by that name). Remember the movie, the Perfect Storm about the trawler, the Andrea Gail and the Titanic sent messages to Cape Race before she went down...Even Alexander Graham Bell was shipwrecked here!! .I live in that vicinity. Ships would have to pass this area going back and forth from Europe to North America and met their end on these shores. Fog which is most common here, high winds, ice, and cliffs were always a danger to shipping. Newfoundland fisherman saved many sailors from certain death by being lowered over cliffs for many centuries. The Pollux and the Truxton, two US warships met their fate here during WW2 on the same night and many US sailors were saved this way. FDR, in appreciation for the heroism of Newfoundland fisherman had a hospital built in St.Lawerence, a small fishing community.

So with this history...now you know why I want to try Beach hunting but also respect the power of the mighty Atlantic. Even on the beaches, you may not be totally safe and agree you should never turn your back against the sea.....There is much treasure here...but because of our treacherous waters, not too many people have the courage to look for it...And rogue waves add another danger...Appreciate everyone's imput!

 

[GreenMeanie]

When SURF fishing a lot of guys are wearing (PFD's) automatic inflation devices. I forget the name for them.
Maybe you could use one of those.

Hi!

Even though I am a land lubber metal detectorist, I am considering trying beach hunting where there has been shipwrecks in my area. I live on the seaboard of the North Atlantic.

The thing is, I am concerned about rogue waves. I read that rogue waves are becoming more common and a potential of one developing is about 1 in a thousand waves. Even local fishermen say that you should never turn your back to the sea even when you are on the beach. Last year in my area, a rogue wave hit a beach taking people out to sea, including children. Fortunately, everyone was saved.

So any thoughts or ideas about taking precautions when beach hunting.

 

[WishfulThinker]

Worry more about Deep Holes and Rip Currents ... Listen to the Weather Report - NOAA Radio ...
West Marine Is Expensive but good offshore equipment.
Wear some kind of sport flotation vest if you are hunting alone, Bright Orange not camo.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=50469&subdeptNum=50470&classNum=50478

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=50469&subdeptNum=50470&classNum=50481

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=50469&subdeptNum=50470&classNum=50481

 

[JMW]

Courtesy of http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/faq.htm#14. Probably where the 1 in 1000 statement originally started...

When the marine forecast says "seas 3-5 ft", what exactly does that mean?

Waves are measured from trough to crest. Seas are the combination of both locally generated wind waves and distantly generated swell waves.

Seas and waves are expressed in the terms of the significant wave height, the mean or average height of the highest one third of all waves in a swell train or in a wave generating region. It approximates the value an experienced observer would report if visually estimating sea height. When expressed as a range (e.g. seas 3-5 ft), this indicates a degree of uncertainty in the forecast and/or expected changing conditions (not that all waves are between 3-5 ft). Generally, it is assumed that individual wave heights can be described using a Rayleigh distribution.

Example: Significant Wave Height = 10 ft
1 in 10 waves will be larger than 11 ft
1 in 100 waves will be larger than 16 ft
1 in 1000 waves will larger than 19 ft
There are occasional reports of "rogue" waves of an even greater ratio

Therefore, assuming a wave period of 8 seconds, for a significant wave height of 10 feet, a wave 19 feet or higher will occur every 8,000 seconds (2.2 hours).

"The seventh wave of the seventh set" An old fisherman's tale? Perhaps, but it does serve to highlight that wave and surf conditions are not always constant. In open waters, the occasional wave may be twice that of the surrounding sea. There are occasional reports of "rogue" waves of an even greater ratio. Near shore, waves are even less predictable. So-called "sneaker waves" can grab the unwary who venture too close to the unpredictable sea. Mariners may be drawn too close to the surf zone during periods of relative calm. Proceed cautiously and always be wary of this not uncommon phenomenon, especially in areas where breaking surf is known to occur or appears likely. From the scientific point of view, this phenomena is more likely to occur when several swell systems combine.

 

[Newfiehunter]

Great info JMW! Has a detectorist ever have the misfortune of getting caught in a riptide or drowning? Scary thought!

 

[OBN]

When SURF fishing a lot of guys are wearing (PFD's) automatic inflation devices. I forget the name for them.
Maybe you could use one of those.

Yes good tip, I wear one about 90% of the time when in the water no matter how Odd it looks...but a manual inflate, only. I've got two, one is a Sterns fishing vest with the PFD , the other is a Mustang Survival. Video of the hour before low tide..very calm..Bob those waves! Big guy in the yellow is abour 6'5