Coasties earning their pay today in S Florida

[capngeo]

I've spent the last 40 years on the waters in Florida; in everything from a kayak to 250' of pushboat and barges. I can tell you without a doubt, the Gulfstream can generate those (and bigger/closer) seas..... and more! When the Northers blow, you don't wanna go!

[Elie]

[QUOTE=UNCIVILIZED;
Not to sound (too) harsh, or like an ass. But, in theory, people like that go offshore in such weather, & self-remove from the gene pool. And as such, can't reproduce. Thus allowing for Darwinism. But thanks to modern tech. such things happen less often.[/QUOTE]
If I understand well with such powerfull Norther, even some area of the Intracoastal might present their own problems in wast, open and shalow bays. And some times, inlet become dangerous when the wind pipes up a bit. I have seen the Ft Lauderdale inlet innaccessible during a strong norther, even for larger ships.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

This weather has been forecast for at least a week. It absolutely amazes me that so many idiots went out in small boats.

Isn't that the truth! I went into an expensive marina and even had to stay an extra day to avoid the weather. But the cost was less than repairing my boat!

[Captain Bill]

While the USCG was busy performing rescues they were also coordinating rescues by the national Park service off of Biscayne National park and the FWC. Several rescues were actually performed by fellow boaters. I guess the USCG is not totally to blame for the lack of natural selection in this event. One fellow boater picked 6 people out of the water if what I heard on the radio was correct. One part of me says well done, while the other part says we could do without so many stupid people inn the world.

For uncivilized, in the gulf stream, particularly where it's squeezed between Fl and the Bahamas the wind being against the current significantly shortens the natural wave period. Where in open water with no current it would be pretty hard to make an 18ft wave with a 6 second period, that is quite possible in the gulf stream off south Florida with a strong north wind.