How big were they...

[flattie]

The wave heights.* Here's some video someone else on the trip took.* The vessel was 105' in length.*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7At-Ogvub0*

Tuna trolling video 1* look around the 40 to 60 sec mark

*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxDVLR6_5w4

*Tuna trolling video 2

[rbhankins001]

I didn't check out the video yet, but I can tell you for sure video doesn't show wave height very well.

I took some video of 18-22 foot seas (crossing the Dixon Entrance) to show my friends but the waves don't look very big on the video. I can tell you that they were pounding a 400' boat big time.

[tiereta]

There is no doubt that your day was a little "sporty", but no worse than a typical Venezuelan day. I would say looks to be in the honest 6-8 ft. range with an occasional 10. Keep in mind that wave height is measured from the midline to crest not trough to crest, most would call a 10ft wave 20ft. With that said, it still makes for a sore pair of kidneys and the felling you just got your a$$ kicked. Nice video

[ocnslr]

Agree with "sporty".

Seas hard to estimate from video, but looks more like 6-8', with an occasional 10-footer.

Definitely NOT 30 knots.

Here is the Beaufort description for a Force 7: 728-33Near GaleSea heaps up, waves 13-20 ft, white foam streaks off breakers

No apparent breakers, no apparent foam streaks at all.

I didn't sleep in any motel last night, but I did spend 28 years in the Navy, and have seen a lot of water... [img]../jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-embarassed.gif[/img]

[flattie]

Well the NOAA forecast was for 15kts out of the NE. We had that by noon and by 2pm it was 25kts out of the NE. The 4am forecast the next morning from NOAA had it at 30kts (no gusts steady) and seas 10 to 12'. We arrived at Atlantis Canyon around 5:30am after a 10:30pm departure and by 2:30pm we were headed back in at trolling speed. Several times the capt pulled the throttles all the way back to idle over some of the larger sets - the props cavitated at least once. We dropped the hook after covering 40 miles or so and rode it out overnight. Another party boat that was there the night before headed in not long after we got there. This is what that captain had to say about the ride home - and this is with them leaving the grounds around 8am, "The ride home was something I don't want to do again. 80 miles of pure hell. Six to eight sets of 10 -15 foot walls of green water with no backs busting in and under the pulpit. It has been a long time since I put myself in the position and it is going to be a very long time before I see it again."

As rbhanksin01 said - video never does it justice...

I have no doubt we were in 10 to 12's with an occassional larger set rolling through. It was something I hope to never do again. And to cap it off fishing sucked... At least there was plenty of food

[The Dude]

tiereta - 11/1/2008 8:52 AM

There is no doubt that your day was a little "sporty", but no worse than a typical Venezuelan day. I would say looks to be in the honest 6-8 ft. range with an occasional 10. Keep in mind that wave height is measured from the midline to crest not trough to crest, most would call a 10ft wave 20ft. With that said, it still makes for a sore pair of kidneys and the felling you just got your a$$ kicked. Nice video

Actually, marine waves are measured trough to crest.

Nonetheless, I agree that this looks like 6-8' seas.

[ciguatera]

Wow... that looks like the same kind of weather we fish here in our 19 foot skiffs. I guess we are crazy like those South African fisherman in those catamarans launching from the shorebreak.

[tommyr904]

The Dude - 11/1/2008 10:12 PM

Actually, marine waves are measured trough to crest.

Nonetheless, I agree that this looks like 6-8' seas.

same here 6-8's

[ariels_dad]

looked more like 5 to 7 to me the guy standing in part of the video isnt moving a bit