Freaque waves hit French Riviera

Here's a AFP photo of supposedly freaque waves breaking onto the Promenade des Anglais of Nice, France on May 4, 2010 as reported by France 24:

Freak waves battered the southern French coast between Cannes and Nice on Tuesday afternoon, causing major damage to beach constructions only a few days before the Cannes film festival is set to begin.

Ten-metre-high waves (33 feet) battered the coastline, leaving one woman with a fractured leg and causing major material damage."There were very big waves this afternoon that caused major material damage to beach constructions, but there were no disappearances," regional authorities told AFP.

In Cannes, some 20 restaurants were damaged and several cars overturned.

In Nice, not only the beaches were closed but also part of its famous Promenade des Anglais.

I was there once a few years ago. Luckily there was no ferocious waves like that then.

Tragedy at south end of New Zealand

This tragic case happened last Wednesday in the south end of New Zealand, according to 3news.co.nz:

Thu, 06 May 2010 7:25a.m.

A fishing trip turned to tragedy when a freak wave hit a small boat near Bluff yesterday, leaving one man shaken and cold atop the capsized vessel while his companion drowned.

The men were fishing off the east coat of Dog Island, 5km from Bluff Harbour, when the wave hit at about 2.30pm.

The 4.7m boat capsized and the men scrambled on top to stay afloat.

Passing fisherman John Dick spotted a man wearing a life jacket atop the capsized boat about three hours later and alerted emergency services.

"He was sitting up there and was in good spirits. I was absolutely surprised how good a condition he was in for the time he was on the boat," he told the Southland Times.

"He was pretty shaken and cold and was pretty worried about what I think was his father-in-law."

The survivor told Mr Dick that his 50-year-old companion had also climbed onto the boat after it was hit by a freak wave, but had decided to swim to Dog Island after he got cold and slipped off the boat.

Senior Sergeant Maggie Windle of Invercargill police said the man's body was found by a helicopter near Dog Island.

"The body has been recovered and the matter has been referred to the coroner," she said.

Bluff and Riverton Coastguard, five fishing vessels and two helicopters with night vision equipment were involved in the search.

The survivor was taken to Southland Hospital for observation.

We have no doubt that it was a freaque that capsized the small fishing boat. Here's a picture of the upturned boat being towed into Bluff Harbour after it capsized in Foveaux Strait.


What we really would like to know is more information about the freaque wave that the boat encountered. Unfortunately no one seems to be able to shed more information about the wave. It was hit by a wave. Was it a freaque wave or other kind of waves that caused the tragedy? Sadly that this is just another tragic case with no possible answer to the questions.