Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-07-07
HEIGHT OF WAVES AT SEA.

Seeing an account, few days ago, in the
Journal of Commerce, about the height of waves,
&C., it at once appeared to me the information
was not derived from the proper source to be
published in this enlightened age, for no person
of true science would assume to know and give
the depths of waves alone, without giving the
terrific action and appearance of the ocean, when
the tempestuous blasts and pillows are at their
heights, the latter being far the most magnifi-
cent and interesting There is no class of sea-
men more exposed or experienced than whale
men, in rough weather and stormy seas; other
classes seldom "lay-too" long enough to wealth
er out storm, which commonly lasts three days
in seas termed outside of land" The first
day of the gale there is short cutting sea with
numerous white caps seen in every direction, a
spray now and then dashing violently over the
bows, and appearing very much like severe
storm on Lake Erie. The taking in of light
sails, lowering of yards, lashing and securing of
boats, boiling down the hatches, &C., are char
acteristics of the first day. Before dawn Of the
second day, the large sails are all fured, and
the storm sails set, which consist of two or
more small sails, one at each mast close to the
deck which serve to keep the ship steady. The
ship is now "ayng-too," the helm is lashed,
and the watch on deck takes refuge on the
weather quarter The sea now assumes every
variety of shape, the entire surface being cov-
cred with white foam, tossing, boiling, and hiss
ing every sea threatening to overwhelm the ship,
and frequently appearing on level with the
topmast head, and cannot be less than forty
feet high. The best sea legs on board cannot
now cross the deck without grasping and hold
ing with the hands. The gale is now blowing
so severe, that an old sailor told me | could not
go upon the weather rigging without creeping
between the flaws Of the winds; here was eve-
ry chance for exerting strength with hands and
feet | tried, and found his statement correct.
Without giving any account of the terrors or
dangers of each night, or wearing ship, will 60
to the third day, the wind continuing from one
point The seas are at this time running par
allel with each other, and are much heavier and
broader than the day before, being perfectly
smooth, of a deep blue color, and very uniform,
many Of them forming one vast billow, reaching
from horizon to horizon, and running at the
rate of twenty miles per hour. About every
eighth sea is much larger than the rest, and as
snmes a lofty and terrific appearance, and final
ly curls and breaks, actually overtaking the bill
low in advance, and using it as a ground floor
to roll upon, leaving white scroll of foam
across the ocean as far as the eye can reach,
and making noise like the roaring of distant
thunder. Ths sight has never yet been pictur-
ed by the hand Of an artist; skff may now
ride in perfect safety on the intermediate seas,
but the staunchest ship ever made, cannot get a
blow from one of these breakers without get
ting more or less injured During voyage of
twenty-three months in the ship Candace of
New London, we were in several of these
storms, and only on one occasion one of these
seas broke square on us. We were rising out
of the troughs of the sea, when the breaker, as
it were, dropped down on us; the third mate
gave the alarm, the top ridge was seen curling
down, midway between the fore and fore-top-
mast yards, a distance of twenty-five feet from
deck. This sea pressing downwards, washed
the men in wedging form, some under coils
of rigging, others between the pumps and be-
hind the spars, and some with difficulty with
drew themselves from the crevces they had
been forced into. This sea broke the starboard
bulwarks fore and aft, breaking fifteen white
oak stauncheons ten inches square, short off,
parting the iron of the main chains, sweeping
two valuable whale-boats davits, lashings and
all, by the board, and leaving us wreck for rsev-
eral days. Counting the body of the ship ten
feet out of water, and that it had risen FIVE feet
from the bottom of the trough, it would leave
sea of forty feet
During the same voyage, in the Indian Ocean,
We saw large class merchantmen to the lew
ard of us; it was not then blowing strong, but
a very heavy sea was running; our captain
chose to run down and speak her, she was sail
ing on the wind and starboard tack which left
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