This seminar first discusses the fundamentals involved with wind & swell wave development, propagation, & decay. Specifically:
- We will define & illustrate what an ocean wave is & its characteristic.
- We will discuss the dominant role that wind energy has in creating “wind waves” & what happens when “wind waves” leave their generating area as “swell waves”.
- We will further discuss the critical parameters of wind direction & speed, duration, & fetch as it impacts both “wind & swell waves” (combined is known as “sea state”).
- A boater, whether cruising inside the San Francisco, or sailing coastal along the west coast of the U.S. exposed to the North Pacific Ocean, or blue water cruising further offshore in the North Pacific Ocean (or any other ocean), needs to understand how differing waves characteristics will impact their vessel for safe keeping.
Finally, for offshore boaters, it is also important to differentiate between regional & full
ocean wind & wave charts, depicted in “feet” versus “meters” when discussing & utilizing
the U.S. Ocean Prediction Center wind & wave analyses & forecasts charts.
