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A Wake(up) Story
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hardee



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 12632
City/Region: Sequim
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sleepy-C
Photos: SleepyC
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:46 pm    Post subject: A Wake(up) Story Reply with quote

A Wake(up) Story

It’s the kind of day we all dream about, and some get to experience it once in a while. Rare and beautiful, could hardly be more ideal even in a dream. Twenty five miles of glass flat crossing on a cloudless, steady high pressure system day in the middle of a stretch of days to make you wish for nothing but time on the boat and unlimited fuel, because sailing would be only down current conditions.

The crossing from Cattle Point, south end of San Juan Island, south to Sequim Bay is a straight shot, and some days takes an hour and a half, some days much longer depending on conditions. Today because of the conditions it was going to take longer. It was just too nice to hurry, so a slow cruise was in order. The auto pilot is nice for that. I can stand at the center window; eat lunch, watching for floaters, wildlife and for traffic. Everything from the small fishing vessels, to fast passenger cats, slower sailboats and all up to large freighters or tankers, often 800+ feet and moving at ~20 knots. VTS reports 3 east bound vessels, one east of me, and 2 west, and I can see all three. The second one will cross my bow with about 12 miles to spare and is moving at 18 knots. No worries there. The third is much smaller and according to the AIS (which I am learning to love) is going to make this crossing much more interesting. It is a 400 foot freighter, traveling at 11.7 knots. Not big, and not fast. Maintaining current everything our CPA (closest point of approach) is going to be 212 feet in 54 minutes. Hummmm, that’s close and pretty exact figuring for that little box. I decided to maintain a close watch.

Checking the AIS on about 5 minute intervals, and maintaining my speed and heading, the readings stayed very close to the same, varying from 190 to 225 feet. That is still pretty close, so at 6 miles of separation I dropped my speed to 3.5 knots from about 12, and decided to give the freighter a 1 mile clearance. The CPA changed to 1 mile and the radar confirmed that he crossed my bow at just outside the 1 mile ring. It’s all good now. Not wanting to rush into his wake, I bumped my speed up to almost splashing ( about 5 knots) and not wanting to waste any of this beautiful flat water, I was just moseying along and watching for the wake.

With the glass flat water, not even wind ripples, that wake should show up easy, and eventually it did. Just a hint of a raise, the darker reflection, and then occasionally a bright highlight, almost looking like it was behind. On closer approach, maybe a100 yards, there is a definite highlight following that benign looking little wave. At 100 feet, there is little change. It looks like about a 12 – 18 inch wave, no problem, and still followed by that highlight, which now looks like a small broken crest following that little wave. Weird. An now at closing speed definition develops. That small leading wave is running in front of a big hole in the ocean. Defying what I know of wave physics, the hole is about 5-6 feet deep, and short, and that “highlight” is a collapsing crest, falling into that hole. My intention was to take this seemingly minor wavelet at about 45 of the bow, not changing my course for that Sequim Bay outer marker. NOW, IT’s Time For A Correction. Hard to starboard, to take that dead on the bow, and right now I am very glad for the habit of having the bow hatch dogged down any time I am outside the home bay – period, no matter the weather or conditions. (I already learned that lesson.)

The bow hardly rises on the little wave, and then we are near standing on the nose as we fall into that hole in the ocean. The bow rail half disappears, the anchor, bow cleat and everything forward of the doghouse bend heads for Neptune’s locker. Oh but the C-Dory floats, and she remembers that and just as that crashing break is falling over the forward hatch, we rise to the occasion and are looking up at the sky, just in time to see over the hump and there is another hole in the ocean. BAM, that flat bottom hits the front of that hole and we are doing it all over again, twins rev up as there is nothing to bite in the air. Bow is down, green water heading for the windows again, then breaking off at the curve below the hatch. Again, we bounce up, regain a grip on the water with the props and nothing but glass flat in front of us, except for the other wake moving off in the distance from the other side of that little 400 foot slow moving freighter. Surprise, surprise. Not that the C-Dory could handle it. No surprise there. Surprise in that there could be such a deep hole behind such a small leading edge to that wave. Surprise that in a mile and a half, that wave had not weakened more, and that it was not easier to see, given the flat calm conditions.

Live and learn, learn and live. Just sharing this for a couple of reasons. One is that with the radar and AIS, it was fun to do the crossing calculations and now the numbers. Two, is for the safety concerns, and there are several. If I had not seen that coming, and made the turn to take it directly, it would have severely rocked the boat. To take a wave that steep beam on would have easily emptied the shelf and cupboards, opened the drawers and pitched me around in the cabin. Would it have rolled the boat? I don’t like to think so, but I have to say, I have never seen water walls that steep before. (And no, I wasn’t smoking or drinking anything and no little pills either.) I have to wonder what that would have done to the guy I saw on an earlier crossing, 6-7 miles out in an open aluminum skiff, by himself, putting along and just watching his rod tip.

Lesson learned, don’t ever take everything you see as concrete, and appearances are not always what they seem.

Harvey
SleepyCMoon


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colobear



Joined: 23 Jan 2005
Posts: 2154
City/Region: Denver
State or Province: CO
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Photos: C-Cakes
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good story Harv., and good lesson. Sounds like a short period between the two crests. Since you had increased speed no chance to just slow way down and bob through?? I wonder if that would have been better anyway, things would still have been thrown around. Glad you were alert.
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hardee



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 12632
City/Region: Sequim
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sleepy-C
Photos: SleepyC
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Barry,

When I saw that hole developing, I got to dead slow as fast as I could Laughing That was right after I made the turn correction to take the wake on the bow. And you are right, it was a very short period. That was just the strangest, most unusual wake I have ever seen.

Thanks, Me to.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon
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SeaSpray



Joined: 12 Mar 2004
Posts: 1006
City/Region: Brentwood, CA
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2004
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: SeaSpray
Photos: SeaSpray
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Harvey,

I had a similar experience in the SF Bay. Glass calm, did not see the wave or hole until almost on top of it. Mine was only about 2 ft deep and not breaking on following wave, no second set. I also had no idea who or how it was made. Flat calm is when you least expect these things.

Glad you got through okay.
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dotnmarty



Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 4196
City/Region: Sammamish
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 1993
C-Dory Model: 16 Angler
Vessel Name: LIZZIE II
Photos: Lizzie
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great story, well told. Appropriate title too. Thanks Harvey.
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hardee



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 12632
City/Region: Sequim
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sleepy-C
Photos: SleepyC
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marty,

Maybe a shorter boat would have been a good option there. The shorter steeper walls and bottom of the wave would have fit a 16 nicely. Just been a really big hiccup. Wink "Roller coaster" anyone Question Embarassed

Guess it is always a good idea to pay attention, all the way around.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon
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C-Nile



Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 638
City/Region: Connecticut
State or Province: CT
C-Dory Year: 2012
Vessel Name: Betty Ann
Photos: C-Nile
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello Harvey,

I had the same thing happen to me in Long Island Sound about five years ago in a CD 16 Cruiser. I passed by a small freighter, too, and the leading wave was only two or three feet high. Not being particularly concerned, I did not slow down as much as I should have. My boat fell off of the back of the first wave and plunged head first into a hole of five or six feet deep. It was like falling off of a cliff, but that little boat popped up like a cork. The great thing about the C-Dorys and cousin the Marinaut is their low center of gravity and excellent stability. I wonder if lesser boats would have handled that situation as well?

Rich

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localboy



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 4656
City/Region: Lake Stevens via Honolulu
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: 'Au Kai (Ocean Traveler)
Photos: 'AU KAI
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Been there, done that. West side of Lummi caused by an ocean-going Crowley tug. Green water came partially over the windscreen and ran down the house, sides etc. Luckily, everything but our small port window was shut. Meredith thought it both scary and exciting. When we cleared it we looked at each other and started laughing. Laughing
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colobear



Joined: 23 Jan 2005
Posts: 2154
City/Region: Denver
State or Province: CO
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Photos: C-Cakes
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Isn't it great that we have these sturdy seaworthy boats that let us laugh about these things.
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hardee



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 12632
City/Region: Sequim
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sleepy-C
Photos: SleepyC
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mark,

Yes, I have been passed by some tugs too, and my preference is to be as far from them as possible. Big, big wakes, and no slow downs. But the tug wakes I have seen did have a high front wave, not just a huge hole in the water. But they were big and steep.

Rich,

Maybe it is a thing about the small freighters making big holes in the water.

Just want to help raise some awareness and keep folks looking around and over their shoulder.

Barry,

Right on. Thumbs Up Thumbs Up

Harvey
SleepyC Moon
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DaveS



Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 3204
City/Region: Arlington
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2004
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Shift
Photos: Sea Shift
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In 2001 when our C-Dory was a 16' Cruiser, I slept on the boat several nights secured to a mooring buoy on the East Side of Clark Island. On several occasions in the middle of the night, I was violently rocked by huge waves that made me feel as if I was going to fly out of the v-berth. I would clamor out of the berth to look to see where the wave came from, but could not discern the source.
It was only later, that I realized that the huge waves from ocean going tankers and tugs transiting between the West Side of Lummi Island (see Localboy...Marks remarks in the above posting) and the East Side of Clark Island were the cause of the huge waves, but by the time the waves were rocking the boat, the "culprit" vessels were long out of sight.

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C-Nile



Joined: 09 May 2008
Posts: 638
City/Region: Connecticut
State or Province: CT
C-Dory Year: 2012
Vessel Name: Betty Ann
Photos: C-Nile
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave,
Earlier this year while at anchor, I was making tea when the wake from a large power cruiser, approximately 300 yards away, hit us broadside. The wake was approximately two and half feet high. Our boat rocked violently several times. It felt like we were being slammed by five-footers, and it was so bad we could not stand on our feet without bracing ourselves. I learned two things from this: 1) never anchor in special anchorages where we could be hit broadside by boat wakes, and 2) the Marinaut and her cousin the C-Dorys are like leaves on the water, which allows them to slide away from waves while remaining highly stable; but when tethered by an anchor that advantage evaporates.

Rich
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Lanlocked



Joined: 05 Aug 2012
Posts: 87
City/Region: Chatham county
State or Province: NC
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Resilient
Photos: Resilient
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great story and lots of good information.
Thanks
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hardee



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 12632
City/Region: Sequim
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sleepy-C
Photos: SleepyC
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am still curious about the "hole in the water" phenomenon. I was not hallucinating, although it was a very unusually nice day, which in itself is probably cause for a good high, and even with the mirage effect of the warm sun and flat water, once that wake was close (100 feet and less), there was not an equally high build up on the front side as there was a depression on the back side. It was 3 times the depth at least, and the back wall of the first small wave was very steep. That steepness repeated on the front wall of the wave following that deep depression, thus the steady breaking of that crest. The second deep depression, again was followed by a steep wall again, and then there was a couple of little, (6-12") waves then back to the flat water.

Interesting and curious. Fun, in a way that learning is fun. Scary in the way that IF I had not been paying attention, it would have been a big shakeup at least and maybe worse at most. Just wanted to pass along those lessons.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

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TyBoo



Joined: 23 Oct 2003
Posts: 5310
City/Region: Warrenton
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 1996
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruise Ship
Vessel Name: TyBoo
Photos: TyBoo
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I fell into one of the water holes once in the Columbia River above Astoria near Tongue Point where the ebb tide, west wind and two channel currents coming together at once can make the water do weird stuff. We crossed a wave in a CD 22 that was actually breaking but looked to be only a couple feet high coming toward us. There was pretty much nothing on the other side. I have no idea how far we dropped, but it was not fun.

Did the scene on your boat look like this guy's?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXEYwgOUl7c

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