MONSTER WAVE MEASURED BY SOUTHERN OCEAN WAVE BUOY [64 feet]

Met Ocean Solutions ^ | May 20, 2017 | Staff

[C19fan]

Earlier today, MetOcean Solutions' wave buoy in the Southern Ocean recorded a whopping 19.4 m wave.

Senior Oceanographer Dr Tom Durrant is thrilled. "This is one of the largest waves recorded in the Southern Hemisphere," he explains. "This is the world's southern-most wave buoy moored in the open ocean, and we are excited to put it to the test in large seas."

[C19fan]

Cthulhu or Godzilla on the move.

[dfwgator]

Surf’s Up!

[Army Air Corps]

Charlie don’t surf!

[Hot Tabasco]

Could this be the big one that takes California into the sea?

[simpson96]

[dfwgator]

“If I say it’s safe to surf this beach, then it’s safe to surf this beach.”

[Puppage]

[dfwgator]

Talk about having brass ones.

[BenLurkin]

Or maybe an anti-cyclone.

[M Kehoe]

Where is it going?

5.56mm

[Delta 21]

Any other buoys confirm? Speed? Direction?

[freedumb2003]

Everyone remember the surfer?

[21twelve]

I read a great book called “The Wave”. It starts out with this scientist lady researching large, rogue waves. And what the largest ever recorded was, what it could be, etc. She started off going around to various labs. But after the third lab told her that she would be better off talking to surfers - she did.

She followed them around on their crazy quest for catching “The Big One”. The surfers had a network of people all over the world connected via emails, etc. Many of them were also really into forecasting the weather, etc. Disagreements on where to fly to next. (Mozambique or California?) The dream was to surf a 100-footer. With dozens of extreme surfers showing up on some remote beach trying to catch it.

I'm not sure if the 100-footer was officially ever documented. I think the surfers said there have been a couple. But a really interesting book (true story) with a good mix of science and people and the surfer attitude.

[editor-surveyor]

.
64’ waves occur off the coast of San Mateo county frequently at certain times of the year.

Ever hear of “The Mavricks?”
.

[outofsalt]

[21twelve]

World record

In November 2011, chasing storms and tracking swells paid off for McNamara as he entered the Guinness World Records. He caught a 78 foot (24 m) wave in Nazaré, Portugal after being towed into the wave from a jet ski riding a 6’0 Dick Brewer Tow Board. His record beat the prior world record by over a foot,[7] but the premature announcement (by others, not by McNamara) proved a source of controversy in the surf world.[8] Meanwhile, McNamara continued to search for an even larger wave.

In January 2013, McNamara broke his own world record by surfing an estimated 100-foot (30 m) wave.[9] He also did this off the coast of Nazaré, Portugal.[10]

[capt. norm]

Oh NO....Elizabeth.....it's the big one.

[21twelve]

I think the big difference is that this buoy was out in the open ocean - not surf. The study of open-ocean “rogue” waves is important to shipping, etc. Every once in a while one will catch a boat by surprise and sink it. Although I have no idea if this was one isolated monster wave - or was in the middle of a storm and was the tallest one.

[Bob]

Strange graph — for wave height, the lowest point on it is about 10 meters on large dips below what looks to be a nominal level of 14 meters. I just don’t understand.

[CaptainAmiigaf]

Having Brass Ones is standing on the 05 level (5 levels ABove the main deck which is 30 feet above the water line) and looking UP at the wave bearing on the starboard side. It makes no difference if the skipper turns toward it, that is a nervous time. Especially when you are still sailing into the storm.