Quote:
Originally Posted by cdavisdb
. . . The wind really got up, looked like a solid twenty five knots. Briefly it was blasting the wave tops into spray that looked like smoke. I have no idea how fast that was, but a whole lot more than 30, for sure. . .
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Connor,
Sounds like another awesome trip, and a GREAT description of it, by the way! I think Gillie's right. . . you've been hiding quite a writing talent from us! Looking forward to the video!
From your description of wind/wave direction, I'm guessing wind direction was basically S or SSW if you were heading due E or ENE? Don't know the Miami-Bimini course; have never made that run. The Beaufort Scale has a pretty good description of sea state that seems to match yours:
Wind Force 7 (Near Gale): "Sea heaps up and white foam from breaking waves begins to be blown in streaks along the direction of the wind." Wind speed 28-33 kts, probable wave height 14' (I think these are "fully developed" waves in open ocean where wind is blowing at this speed for at least several hours. Probably higher that what you'd see if the wind had just picked up.)
Wind Force 8 (Gale): "Moderately high waves of greater length; edges of crests break into spindrift; foam is blown in well-marked streaks along the direction of the wind." Wind 34-40 kts, probable wave height 18'.
". . .blasting the wave tops into spray that looked like smoke." sounds like " edges of crests break into spindrift" to me, so you probably encountered something like Force 8 winds!
Force 9, Strong Gale, 41-47 kt winds, says " . . . crests of waves begin to topple, tumble and roll over; spray may reduce visibility." is probably not as good a match. Denny