Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-05
SHIPS WRECKED ON CALM DAYS.
Waves Which Look Harmless, but
Which Are Terribly Dangerous.
From Pearson's Weekly.

From Pearsons Weekly.
Many visitors to the coast at, this time of
the year are sorely puzzled when a boat
man either refuses to put off from shore.
or at most to go far from land, day
when there is no sign of an approaching
storm and the water is only moved by a
long and gently rolling swell
Argument is of no avail, and If the old
salt is pushed for a reason he will only
reply with some cryptogramic remark about
the ground sea, the questioner then re-
firing more bewldered than before.
1t is hard to understand how such a gen
tie swell can presage danger but to ex-
perenced eyes it gives a warning that
must be needed. All along the west and
parts of the south coasts Of England and
Ireland, as well as the west coast of Scot
| land, uncuunted tales are told of ships
which a perfectly calm day have been
within a few hours first caught by a gen.
tie roll Of the water and finally thrown on
rock-bound shore by the dreaded ground
sea-.
To understand this curious marine phe-
nomenon 1T must be borne in mind that
out on the Atlantic waves are often form
ed to a height of forty feet Driven before
a heavy gale these advance at rate of
from thirty to forty miles an hour. Tray
cling at such a rate they soon get out of
the wind-swept area, but even though. for
them, the storm is past, they still roll on
in fury, their undulationS often being felt
800 miles from the point of their creation.
In the region of the storm these waves
are fierce, breaking pillows, but as they
get further away they settle down into
long, rolling ridges, which travel onward
in long. unbroken lines. perfectly parallel
with each other.
Out on the open sea these ridges often
stretch out for a distance Of over thirty
miles, and as they travel In threes, each
successive wave being larger than its pred
ecessor. the sight is an imposing one.
they become in height. but this is com
pensated for by the fact that their motion
is communicated to the mass of water be-
low, until the roll be detected fully
fifty feet under the surface. This gives
them the name of ground sea-"
In this popularity their danger lies, for
when becalmed ship is caught in them her
draught. the resisting power that enables
her to ride out storm. becomes the full
crum which the liquid mass uses to hurl
her onward to destruction.
On calm day any sailing craft caught
in the ground sea- near rocky shore is
as good as lost unless a wind can spring
up and enable her to beat out to sea
Many ship has met this fate. The reason
many more do not get lost Is due to the
gentle swell that 80 deceives a landsman
and warns the sailor.
AS the ground sea- advances 1t pushes
a certain amount of water before it. This
also forms into ridges. like its pursuer,
but Of less height and approximately no
depth.
The false sea-" as it is called is little
more than rolling swell, but it gives a
warning of from twenty minutes to two
| hours duration, enabling ship to either
run into port. get out to sea or securely
| anchor; while at the seaside resorts the
| boatmen run close in shore to the surprise
| of the "trtppers."
| When 1t Is remembered that a wave twen-
| ty feet high which Is often attained by the
| ground sea-" strikes with force Of one
ton to the square inch. the necessity for
| caution Will be recognized.
! All waves that come in parallel ridges.
however are not dangerous. as there is a
wind billow'' that is closely allied to the
| ground sea" in appearance.
| wind billows'' are due to heavy wind
| blowing but q few miles of the land, but
| as they have had but comparatively
short distance to travel they have no depth
Consequently ever rowing boat ts per-
fectly safe on them II properly handled.
These waves usually appear when there
is a comparative calm near the shore, theiI
great point of difference from the ground
sea" in appearance being that their un-
| broken lines are nearer and are all eQui.
distant not travelling in threes.
Generally the wind bfllow" does not
| break into foam, but occasionally this hap.
pens when they are coming in against the
tide. Then it Is hard to detect them from or.
binary waves, She product Of a local vino
storm. ThesA Always break into foam al
their crest, the white horses" of the ma.
rine poet.
Remembering these peculiarities of the
various waves will save tourists considera
BILE disappointment when wiser heads bic
them keep to tue land, for to them no ap
parent reason, while it may keep then
from rushing into unknown dangers. Ont
| other fact Is also worthy Of mention, as II
may prove Of advantage should a boa
drift out to sea with an inexperienced crew
and no compass aboard.
Then. II ground sea" is running" sci
your mind at ease, for you can steer by 1t
as-on the English and Irish coasts, al
least-it always comes from the north
west. By making due allowance for this
for.