Freak Wave hits Cruise Ship
 

Yea, in the Mediterranean no less. Never thought rogue waves are generated there as well.

26 foot wave, weren't most ships designed to withstand 15 foot waves. And when a bigger one comes along...:o

Looks like it made a bit of a mess. From the report it was off the NW coast of Spain when the wave hit. Must have been a good size storm to generate a wave that high.

They use to think that rogue waves were a rare event, but NASA studies found that they were quite common and could be to blame for many ships that went missing without trace on the worlds oceans.

While we're on waves here, this guy Mike Parson surfs a 64ft wave. Never get sick of watching this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsHzU0ynRZk

Would these waves have affected an ocean liner (like QE2 or QM2) as much as this cruise liner? My understanding is ocean liners are more robust and have different technologies incorporated into them. Wouldn't surprise me if I'm wrong though. :88) I think I remember hearing years ago about a 90 ft. wave or something hitting an ocean liner. I think it may have been QE2.

Where have I seen this before?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ilm_poster.jpg

Ahh, yes. That.

Ships in the true sence have no problem facing much more than 60ft waves 30 degrees off the bow. Hell, my 30 ft. Pearson sloop laughs at waves to 50'.

I always heard that large ships were tested in building to 50 feet. so a good ship should take that...:hmmm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7M_n...eature=related
even non freak waves are still pretty huge...

I'm reminded of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race where there were 4 deaths and a record number of boat retirements due to a huge low pressure cell in Bass Straight. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oRZdJJuiUc

80kt winds and swell in the 6-0m range.:o Just shows how cruel a mistress the sea can be.

Hrm... If I saw a 50' wave regardless of what 'sloop' I was in I sure as hell wouldent be laughing.

After spending literarlly thousands of hours on sailboats in the atlantic I've seen my share of foul weather and usually its not a laughing matter. Oh and Ive never seen waves of much more than 20 foot.

In case your wondering I used to be sort of a 'hired gun' for sailboat racing in the Florida region as tactician and navigator. Alll kinds of boats all kinds of sizes. From day sailors to 60' cats.

I'm guessing what caused this incident was either a rouge wave or tsunami generated in deep water made its way into shallow environs and 'crested' and the ship got caught in the trough.

No matter what its size or source...it killed 2 people and that makes it a 'serious' wave in my book.

:yep:

Well to be precise, there were three 26 footer waves that struck the ship in succession I think. Enough to do damage anyhow.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8548547.stm

Not to be glib but... wam bam thank ye mam... Mother Nature is a Bitch.