#cross sea

[naturecpw]

7 rip current myths debunked

Present on many beaches every day of the year, rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of water that move quickly away from shore. Despite causing more than 100 fatalities annually in the U.S, according to the USLA, many people still do not know what rip currents are, how to spot them, or what to do if they are caught in one.

Here we debunk 7 myths about this dangerous phenomenon:

Myth: Rip currents are always visible. Fact: Spotting a rip current can be difficult. To check for rip currents at the beach, stand back from an elevated position, like a dune line or beach access, and look for places where waves are not breaking. Any of the following clues may indicate that a rip current is present:

A channel of churning, choppy water;

An area of water that is a notable difference in color;

A line of foam, or debris moving steadily offshore; or

A break in the incoming wave pattern

Want to know more about rip currents? Visit the NWS safety page and make sure you know before you go to the beach.

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This Is a 'Cross Sea'. You Do Not Want to Get Caught in One

They say you should never turn your back on the ocean, but what if the waves are coming from all sides? This is what happens when an unlucky swimmer or boater gets caught between two opposing swells, known as a cross sea.

This Is a 'Cross Sea'. You Do Not Want to Get Caught in One

They say you should never turn your back on the ocean, but what if the waves are coming from all sides? This is what happens when an unlucky

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[ltwilliammowett]

Cross Sea- Photo taken from Phares des Baleines (Lighthouse of the Whales) on Île de Ré, by Michel Griffon 2011

Cross sea is an unusual, rare but nevertheless very dangerous wave pattern. It occurs when waves from different directions meet (cross) each other. The overlapping of these wave systems creates a chessboard-like pattern, which on the one hand has an enormous suction and the waves, created by the overlapping, can suddenly become 10 metres and more. This pattern is able to drown swimmers in shallow coastal areas and sink ships in deeper areas.

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Reader Matt G asks:

[What’s] going on here?

Why’s the pattern square? Just a special case of waves traveling in different directions, and this photo happened to catch some at right angles to one another?

You’re not far off, Matt! This is an example of cross sea, where wave trains moving in different directions meet. Like most ocean waves, these waves originated from wind moving over the water. As the wind blows, it transfers energy to the water, disturbing what would otherwise be a smooth surface and setting up a series of waves. Oftentimes, these waves can outlast the wind that generates them and travel over long distances of open water as a swell.

Cross seas occur when two of these wave systems collide at oblique angles. They’re most obvious in shallow waters like those seen here, where the depth makes their criss-cross pattern clearer. Another name for them is square waves, and although the pattern isn’t a perfect square, it’s usually fairly close. If the waves aren’t separated by a large angle, they’re more likely to merge than to create this sort of pattern.

Neat as cross seas look, they’re quite dangerous, both to ships and swimmers. Ships are built to tackle waves head-on and don’t fare well when they’re forced to take waves from the side. For swimmers, the danger is a little different. Cross seas create intense vorticity under the surface and can generate stronger than usual riptides that sweep the unwary out to sea. (Image credit: M. Griffon)

[theres-something-complicated]

[kurhaus]

CROSS SEA - GLORY AMSTERDAM - NORDSEE

[ninewonders]

 A beautiful, yet dangerous phenomenon; cross sea is a rare sight, generated by waves continuing from one weather system despite a shift in the direction of wind, with the angle of the new system running contrary to the old. source

[ramyeongif]

Yet even the more forefront of technology the most season of captains cannot brave a cross sea.

#poetry

[eggwhiteswithspinach]

Yet even the more forefront of technology the most season of captains cannot brave a cross sea.

#poetry