Winter on the pacific coast

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by evm1024

Those buoys send their full data stream back for analysis. The peak heights are in the data but not normally displayed. Just got to get access to the dataset to see the peaks.

Thanks, I figured as much. That was almost a 2:1 peak-to-Significant Wave Height ratio, which isn't completely surprising. I've been out in seas with 15-ft SWH reports, and I swear we saw a few that touched 25+ ft. Of course it's *really* hard to accurately eyeball these things, but I know for sure they were way over 20 ft (as should be expected, given the *average* of the highest third value.)

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Halien

What kind of boat is it? My boat is in Seattle too. If you're dead set on doing this, I'd go with you in February. Chances are it will be awful, but we'd most likely survive. Just getting out of the Strait can be punishing--at any time of year.

Wait, WHAT?

You just said you would never do it again.

[alctel]

This is the current forecast for the JDF. 65 knot gusts weeeeeeeee

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by alctel

This is the current forecast for the JDF. 65 knot gusts weeeeeeeee

and that's the east entrance bet the west entrance is much worse

[osprey877]

Saturna Island lightstation is showing S.E. 55kn gusting 65 kn at 8am. Extended forecast has gusts to 35 knots all next week.

[senormechanico]

I live about ten miles South of the East entrance on Whidbey Island.
It blew like stink all night long.
Just now it's beginning to calm down a bit.

[TrentePieds]

At this moment (1030 PST) it appears to be blowing SE8 at the eastern end of SJdF and SW30 just West of C.Flattery. I see that there's a bunch of commercial traffic - big ones - hanging about off the Columbia R. bar. It' s blowing SW30 there also, and obviously the commercial traffic is waiting for the seas to abate.

TP

[TrentePieds]

Just this moment had a notice that the ferry twixt Tsawassen (Mainland BC) and Duke Point (Vancouver Island) has cancelled sailings "due to adverse weather". This is INSIDE that breakwater/barrier against the weather in the Pacific that Vancouver Island is. And it's a 20K ton vessel. There is nothing pacific about the Pacific around here :-)

TP

[evm1024]

You all know that the real value of this thread it to alert anyone who >>Needs<< to head offshore on the Oregon or Washington coast in the winter to the very real hazards that these coasts present.

Of course with due care and a very good weather forecast in a well found boat the passage is doable.

The flip side is that it is very unforgiving....

[newhaul]

Trust me when I say those rogue waves are scary as hell when they are hitting you. Got pounded by some horrific ones in '89 in the south China sea. Cost me Donald Evans . Took him right off the ship broke his tether and all .

[buzzstar]

If the OP's question is about a volunteer meteorologist, it sure seems one is unnecessary. There is an abundance of easily reached information about conditions past, present, and predicted. No harm in having one, but seems almost redundant. There also seems to be a consensus that it can always be a dangerous trip, particularly at certain times of the year, but more so in the winter. While there are varied opinions, it also seems that well offshore is safer than hugging the coast.