The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-11-20

y ><@k ~ 7@f.H q y 8 - W = ~
: $50 neas - No Enelfnh Ce ast
SNaeh yvroo1k venseas om Calm
Dayo ikase awe11n strike VIVA u
psfee - : Eon . he sa1ere Ineh.
nrany vixitors to the coast are soreiy
1nxxIed WI a boatman either refuses
7 ~ put % from the shore. or at most
- far from land. on q day when there
! = - sign or an approaching storm
ana xhc water Ii only moved by long
and gentle rolling swell.
Argument II Of no avail and II the
old salt II pushed for q reason he win
only reply with some cryptogramic re-
mark about .sthe ground sea-" the
questfeners then retiring more bewil-
dered than before.
1T Ii hard to understand how such a
gentle swell can presage danger. but
to experienced eyes II gives warning
that uaust be needed. All along the
west and parts Of the south coasts of
England and Ireland. as well as the
west coast Of Scotland, uncounted
tales are told OF ships which on a per-
fectiy calm day have been within
few hours first caught by a gentle roll
Of the water and finally thrown on a
rockbound shore by the dreaded
To understand this curious marine
phenomenon II must be borne In mind
that out on the Atlantic waves are Of
ten formed to heigh Of 40 feet. Driv-
en- before q heavy gale, these advance
1t ra4e Of from 30 TO 40 miles an
hour. Travelling at such q 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 500
miles from the point OF their creation.
In the region of the storm these
waves are fierce. breaking billows, but
rs they get farther 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 Of
ten stretch out for a distance Of over
30 miles. and they travel In threes.
each successive wave being larger
than its predecessor. The sight Ia an
imposing one.
The farther they progress the small
Or they become In height, but this is
compensated FOR by the fact that their
motion is communicated to the mass Of
water below. until the roll can be de-
tected fully 30 feet under the surface.
This gives them the name of ground
sea-"
In this popularity their danger lies,
FOR when q becalmed ship is caught in
them, her draft, the resisting power
that enables her to ride out a storm,
becomes the fulcrum which the liquid
mass uses to hurl her onward to de-
struction.
On q calm day any sailing craft
caught In the ground sea" near q
rocky shore Is as good as lost, unless q
wind can spring up and enable her to
beat out to sea. Many a ship has met
this fate. The reason many more do
not get lost Is due to the gentle swell
that so,deceives a landsman and warns
Q sailor.
As the ground sea" advances II
pushes certain amount Of water be-
fore It. This also forms into ridges
like its pursuer, but of less height and
approximately no depth.
The ''false sea-" as 1t is called, is lit
tie more than rolling swell, but II
gives a warning Of from 20 minutes to
two hours duration, enabling ship
to either run into port, get out to sea
~Or securely anchor; while at the sea
side resorts the boatmen run close IL
shore to the surprise of the ''trippers." !"
fc hof .Nyf
20 feet high, which Is often attained bJ
the ground sea-" strikes with force
Of one ton to the square inch, the ne
cessity for caution will be recognized.
All waves that come in parable
ridges, however, are not dangerous, al
there is "wind billow" that is closely
allied to the ground sea" In appear
ance.
"Wind billows'' are due to a heavy
wind blowing but a few miles off thu
land. but as they have had but com
paratively short distance to travel they
have no depth. Consequently even {
rowing boat Is perfectly safe on then
II properly handled.
These waves usually appear wheI
there Is comparative calm IW,ar til,
BuOTc, tuelE STeut pOiuC Ot uiueTeuc'
from the ground sea-" In appearance
being that their unbroken lines ar
nearer and are all equidistant, no
travelling In threes.
Generally the wind billow'' does no
break into foam. but occasionally thi
happens when they are coming Il
against the tide. Then 1t Is hard to de
tect them from ordinary waves, tn
product OF a local windstorm. Thes
always break into foam at their crest
the white horses" Of the marine poei
Remembering these peculiarities o
the various waves will save tourist
considerable disappointment when wis
er heads bid them keep to the lan6
for. TO them. no apparent reason, whil
Il may keep them from rushing int
unknown dangers. One other fact
also worthy OF mention, as 1t ma
prove OF advantage should boat drif
out to sea with an inexperienced GREY
and no compass aboard.
Then. IL a ground sea" Is running.
net your mind at ease, for you ca
steer by It. as, on the English an
Irish coasts at least. 1t always come
from the northwest.-Pearson's Mags
ugna