Seamanship - World of Wave Craft

[dmdiehl64]

I didn't say experienced dinghy racer (lightnings). Been at it a little over 3 years now and have been learning under some very experienced sailors on the great lakes.

Only in the last year or so have I turned into a sponge, especially in advance of starting to cruise.

 

[Will Gilmore]

We are planning a trip to Iceland around September and I was just reading an article about things not to do when in Iceland.
https://guidetoiceland.is/history-culture/dumbest-things-to-do-in-iceland

Among those things was, playing in the surf at Reynisfjara beach, on the South coast.

Apparently, the bottom is so steep, the waves, known locally as "sneaker waves" come up so fast and large, without warning, they have swept people of the beach and into the Icelandic waters of the Atlantic.

-Will

 

[dlochner]

The steeper the beach, the steeper the waves are. Even in calm settled weather, be careful of steep sandy beaches. I still have a memory from 60 years ago of swimming in Waimea Bay in Hawaii on a pretty calm day and turning around to see a huge wave towering over my father as it broke. Fortunately neither of us were swept out to sea, but there were a few scary moments of surf rising over me and sand falling away beneath me.

 

[D Swanson]

Last August I visited the beach the video is from. There are signs posted prominently that warn visitors of sneaker waves, with a reminder that drownings have occurred with frequency and recently (last couple years). My friend who works for NYS Parks sums it up well when he reminds me that signs can't fix stupid.

 

[Will Gilmore]

My friend who works for NYS Parks sums it up well when he reminds me that signs can't fix stupid

A couple of years ago, I wrote about my wife, my daughter and I all getting caught in a rip ride for three hours, in Puerto Rico. When we finally did make it back to the beach, we translated the Spanish sign under which we parked our beach bags and towels, as a warning against swimming due to dangerous rip rides.

-Will