Pounding to Windward!

[Christian Van H]

Here's a pic I found of the destroyer Remey taken during heavy weather refueling. She's 376 feet overall. Any questions about the power of Mother Ocean?

[Randy]

Yes, that photo defines pounding! I can guarantee the destroyer sailors weren't happy.

[speedoo]

I've been on a destroyer just like that one in similar weather. No fun at all!

[LtBrett]

My favorite cautionary mother nature picture:
<a

This is the USS Pittsburgh (CA-72) after having its bow removed by a storm.

Brett

[Talbot]

I have been in a cruiser in BAD weather where the whole of the main big gun turret forward was underwater going through a wave, and the crest of the wave parted at the next turret up.

But worst was minesweeper in force 11 in north atlantic, north of scotland. We rolled over 70 deg on one occassion. I have seen other minesweepers with the only thing in the water was the propellors.

There have been occassions where a similar minesweeper doing the same trick over a big wave had such a big impact that the wooden hull was splintered underwater.

My brother was on a merchent vessel several hundred miles south of japan when they stuffed the bow into a big one, and the stress ripped a crack all the way across the deck and halfway down the sides of each hull - a mayday was immediately signalled but they managed to jury rig some plates to hold the bow on long enough to get into harbour.

[imagine2frolic]

Kind of reminds me of the Baja Bash.....oh what fond memories.......i2f

[Dick Pluta]

My brother was on the Remey and has home movies taaken from the bridge showing this same scene...green water all the way to the foot of the bridge. That was in the 60s(?) when she was a reserve destroyer based, I think, in Brooklyn. WOW!

Dick PLuta
AEGEA

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by Dick Pluta

My brother was on the Remey

Thats amazing! Has he ever digitized them? Would be fun to see this on YouTube!

[Dick Pluta]

I sent a link to him and am waiting for a reply. It's been a lot of years and, for all I know, the movies are gone. He did, however, give me a gift that I still have, a commissioning pennant for the Remey. I used to fly it on special occasions.

Dick Pluta
AEGEA

[SkiprJohn]

In '63 I was a Navy Seaman Apprentice aboard USS Carpenter. In the straits of Taiwan our squadron of destroyers was overtaken by a typhoon. We would try to maintain 6 knots for steerage into the seas but as we plowed into the seas we'd be pushed back 3 knots. We were taking 45 degree rolls and green water over the bridge. I remember being a lookout on the bridge wings and the seas nearly coming up to meet me when we rolled. At that point the Officer of the Deck invited me into the sheltered bridge. By all means it was not fun. I can't imagine going through that in a sailing vessel. One of the destroyers in our squadron lost its mast with all antennas. We broke a boat boom and had many stanchions torn from gunwhales.
Since that typhoon I've been through 2 hurricanes in the Atlantic at sea on a cruiser but they weren't nearly as bad compared with that one in the western Pacific.
It never hurts to have a healthy respect for the sea.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[anglooff]

The most cautionary image of the power of the sea, that reverberates since I was a teenager, was the opening sequence of a second world war documentary series. I cannot remember whether it was “The world at war” or “These valiant years” but part of the title sequence was a British battleship on the Murmask run (during a severe storm (Filmed from above the bridge …I believe the crows nest) whereby waves literally were swamping the bridge. Kept me away from the sea for a few years. Still never seen anything like it.

In my thirties traveling on North Sea ferries UK run between Newcastle and Kristiansand Norway in November. (Did a lot of business with them-used to get free staterooms and VIP service…Long story) Anyway the weather was so bad that they contemplated postponing. People were seasick while tied alongside in the river Tyne. We finally departed a few hours later.

Once out at sea all public places were deserted… I and perhaps three others were dining in a restaurant that could seat hundreds. The Captain sent a note welcoming me on board and as usual with these type of notes a few lines of “ Anything we can do etc.” I asked the Purser who brought it, whether it would be possible for me to visit the bridge. I believe the request intrigue him or he just wanted to see what a madman looked like, as a few hours later I received his invitation to join him.

It was night, we were doing about 7kts and this fair-sized car ferry was plowing its nose into massive waves and shuddering to throw the water off. I was mesmerized and stayed for thirty minutes. We passed quite close to a brightly lit oil rig platform that was taking a lot of punishment. My experience was nothing like that of the battleship noted above… nowhere near. Notwithstanding that an awesome experience.

I was pretty vigilant before that, regarding checking weather reports… One must if sailing UK waters. Since then I have never gone to sea, anywhere, without ensuring and rechecking one. The sea can be an unforgiving entity which if treated with impunity is likely to come along and bite one on one’s ass.

[islanderskipper]

about as bad as it gets

YouTube - Huge Wave hits cruise ship

Think what that would have done to a small boat....

[imagine2frolic]

A small boat could've very likely floated over the top like a duck. It's the breaking waves that eat small boats......i2f

[islanderskipper]

yea you are proberbly right, still I would have given it a miss

[imagine2frolic]

It's definatley not where one woyuld want to be in a small boat. Although in my youth & stupidty found myself in a situation very close with only the tops breaking. My dear Frolic was much like a duck. It was one heck of an experience...lolololol.....i2f