I have been reading "Bird in the Waterfall" by Jerry Dennis (great book on
the natural history of water), and he discusses freak waves. He says that
by their nature they are indeed random and disorderly, therefore
unpredictable, and can rise even in calm seas with no storms around for
hundreds of miles. "Trains of swells traveling in the same direction but at
different speeds will pass through one another; when their crests, troughs
and lengths happen to coincide they reinforce each other, combining their
energies to form unusually large waves that tower mountainously for a few
minutes, then subside. Such giants can suddenly reach several times the
height of most of the waves around them..."

So it sounds like even keeping a watchful eye out may not do a whole lot of
good.

By the way, this book explains many water-related phenomenon like this in a
clear, readable, entertaining way. I highly recommend it. And since it has
"Bird" in the title, I guess it qualifies as bird-related!

----------
> From: Mike Patterson <mpatters at orednet.org>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Re: Freak wave
> Date: Monday, August 25, 1997 7:50 AM
>
>
>
> I think "freak" wave pretty much implies unpredictable. One of the
> favorite games of local teenagers at the SJCR is to stand in a place
> called the gap (a spot in the jetty where 50 years of storms have
> blown a hole) and wait for storms to crash over them. They seem to
> squeal and laugh a lot at this.
>
> Not all jetties are the same. The SJCR is over 5 miles long (3 of
> which have water on both sides. It is about 10 meters across and in
> a 10 ft high tide is still 3-4 meters above the water level. The
> NJCR is similarly constructed (though only about 3 miles long (1+ of
> that with water on both sides). Both of these jetties are of sufficient
> size that one probably only has to worry about extreme waves in severe
> storms or during a tsunami. I believe the greater danger is falling
> and breaking some body part. This is especially likely if tired.
>
> I do not spend much time on the jetties except during the summer and
> early fall, however. I watch from the observation deck on other
occasions.
>
> But not all jetties are built to control outflow from large commercial
> rivers 4 miles across. The jetty at Chinook Boat Basin for example...
> very dangerous. The Barview Jetty at the North end of Tillamook Bay is
> scary.
>
> >
> >Mike,
> >I pondered this question for quite a while and I have no clue as to how
to
> >predict these freak waves other than they're probably more likely during
> >rough seas. I'm putting it on tweeters because I'm curious to see if
other
> >people have ideas and or knowledge that could help the rest of us. So
> >anybody on tweeters that might know how to predict these freakish waves
or
> >places to get the info, maybe we can get a discussion going?
> >
> >Scott Downes
> >sdownes at u.washington.edu
> >Seattle WA
> >
> >On Fri, 22 Aug 1997, Michael Price wrote:
> >
> >> Scott
> >>
> >> How about these out-of-nowhere 'freak' waves that catch people
off-guard on
> >> oceanic jetties? Any way to predict or prepare for one?
> >>
> >> M
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>
> --
> ********************************* I am but mad north-north-west;
> * Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * when the wind is southerly,
> * mpatters at orednet.org * I know a hawk from a handsaw.
> http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters -ws