Operation Deep Blue

A few years ago, a young surfing writer asked me if freaque waves can be surfed. My answer at the time was clearly negative, since we don’t know where or when it’s going to happen and when it happens, it is happening in the middle of the ocean so it appears to me to be nearly impossible for a surfer to get there to catch the freaque wave. That was a few years ago, of course. I thought I gave a reasonable answer albeit a little simple minded. Well, not anymore! Earlier this month Sunshine Coast Daily published this article “Mark Visser jumps into storm swell” that has made what I thought as nearly impossible a few years ago a distinctive reality: modern satellite technology can locate and track the giant waves and the surfers can fly there to jump into the waves to do the surfing – why didn’t I thought about that possibility?

Here's the story:

With the help of satellite technology and a group of scientists, Visser is in search for the next big thing that of which all big wave surfers dream about - the 100ft wave.

The 28-year-old athlete has been training with Navy Seals and a variety of specialized experts to complete his next “Nine Lives” project titled, “Operation Deep Blue”.

"Operation Deep Blue" follows Visser and researchers from the International Aerospace Centre as they discover massive waves located thousands of miles from land.

These "freak" waves have been responsible for sinking ocean-liners, naval vessels and destroying oilrigs.

Until now, they have been nearly impossible to predict and no athlete has ever gone to these lengths to find them.

Not only is Visser finding these waves, he’s surfing them.

“Everyone knew that these rogue waves were out there. We knew that they were bigger than 80 feet,” said Visser.

“The hardest part was figuring out how to get out into the middle of the ocean.”

In order to get to the waves in time, both he and his crew (including his jet skis strapped tightly with his surf boards) dropped from the air into outer sea locations where a seaplane could not land and helicopters did not have the fuel range.

These areas take up to four days to reach on a boat, so airdropping is the only option in order to arrive at the optimal window for surfing conditions.

“This project was really terrifying.

"Being out in the middle of the ocean without seeing a speck of land is a very humbling experience and you definitely feel very, very alone out there,” Visser said.

The article completes with a video and this breathtaking picture of the Operation Deep Blue project.

How can we not deeply appreciate and admire the courage and innovation of the surfer and his surfing team to successfully carried out this incredible operation? For ordinary people like me may considered it nearly impossible, but for an extraordinarily courageous young surfer like Mr. Visser, I don't think the word "impossible" had ever entering his mind! All the best to him in his future ventures. God speed!

A case of three-sisters in Lake Michigan with a happy ending!

I just came across this Lake Michigan case reported in the Ozaukee Press a week ago by Bill Schanen IV:

Veteran captain and Divers’ Delight owner says freak waves flipped boat, spilling him, his crew and 10 customers into a churning Lake Michigan.

Lake Michigan was already riled up by a freshening northeaster when veteran diver Ralph Ripple arrived at the wreck his customers wanted to explore Saturday morning, but Ripple had seen conditions like that more times then he can remember.

“We’ve gone out in conditions a hell of a lot worse,” said Ripple, who owns Divers’ Delight scuba diving charter service, which typically operates out of Port Washington but had departed from McKinley Marina in Milwaukee that morning to dive on the wreck of the car ferry Milwaukee about seven miles northeast of the city. “Heck, it was actually a pretty nice day.”

It happened in an instant. Hidden amid two to four-foot waves were three monsters — rogue waves that Ripple swears had to be 10 feet high — that swamped his custom 28-foot dive boat, then capsized it.

“We had just tied up to the wreck buoy and I was about to call off the diver because it was getting pretty lumpy, but I never got the chance,” Ripple said. “The first two waves swamped the boat and third rolled it over. It wasn’t violent, but there was nothing you could do to stop it.

“It was the strangest damn thing. These were freak waves that just came out of nowhere.”

Ten customers from Chicago, two crewmen and Ripple were left floating in the churning lake three miles off shore near Whitefish Bay.

“I think the divers jumped after the second wave hit,” said Ripple, who lives near West Bend. “They were about 20 feet from the boat when it rolled.”

The divers, all of whom were wearing wet suits, and Ripple, who had on a T-shirt and shorts, climbed onto the overturned boat.

It's a fairly long and detailed report, the rest was about getting rescued. This is a nice report with all the details about the freaque waves -- a case of 10' three sisters amidst 4' seas -- clearly provided by the experienced veteran captain. All 13 people on board the 28 feet boat were successfully rescued, no one was injured. A great happy ending story to read! Deo Gratias!

I was somewhat confused at first when they indicated that the boat was near Whitefish Bay. I know Whitefish Bay in eastern Lake Superior -- I have been there! It turned out that there is also a Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin in Lake Michigan. This, of course is only my personal ignorance. You learn something new every day!

Wave watchers beware!

This picture was published in Scarborough Evening News showing a spectacular waves crushing over Royal Albert Drive. The picture was taken by Andrew Higgins.

HOLIDAYMAKERS have been warned that they are playing with their lives in heavy waves along Scarborough’s seafront.

Both the police and the coastguard yesterday spoke out against wave dodgers on Royal Albert Drive, alongside the railings in North Bay. Their warnings come on the sixth anniversary of the inquest on a family of three – swept to their deaths after a freak wave dragged them out to sea.

Kim Barrett, 33, and her two children, Luke and Aimee Greenwood, 11 and 13, drowned after being pulled into the sea from the slipway at North Bay. This week in 2005, coroner Michael Oakley said: “It is clear the deaths of these two children and their mother was an accident and demonstrates the power of the sea cannot at any time be ignored.”

There could have been another tragedy during Tuesday’s high tide, as a family were witnessed making their daughter, about six years old, pose in front of the railings on Royal Albert Drive as waves came crashing behind her.

Well wave watching is always fun -- but make it certain that you are safe first and foremost! There are plenty of lives lost just to post for a picture in front of the waves.

Giant waves crush over

This is not freaque wave as we think, still some experience! Even though I think they expected that, it's not clear that they knew exactly what was going to happen:

Whatever, it can't possibly be a pleasant experience especially when those muddy water crush on you. Give a thumb up to the poor reporter.

Happened in Caribbean waters

This case, with one unfortunate casualty, happened a few days ago in Caribbean waters, just reported in this Westport News:

A former Westport resident died Tuesday when he was swept off a boat owned by supermarket magnate Stew Leonard Sr. into rough Caribbean waters off the Virgin Islands.

Robert Speranza, 73, the owner of the Ocean Club in St. Maarten, according to the St. Maarten-based Daily Herald website, was one of four people aboard Leonard's 70-foot powerboat, "Stew's Special," when it was hit by large waves traveling from the island to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Leonard Sr., his son Tom and the powerboat captain, Martijn Haasdit, were also on the vessel when it was struck by what Leonard described as a "rogue wave."

Recounting the accident in a statement issued Friday to the Westport News, Leonard Sr. said, "As we got further out to sea, the waves turned from 2- to 3-foot to 5 to 6. As we were approaching Virgin Gorda, about one mile offshore, a rogue wave about 12 to 15 feet high suddenly came out of nowhere and hit the bow of the boat.

"I was behind the 10-foot-wide bulletproof windshield, which took the full force of the impact of the avalanche of water, and put my two arms up to protect my face," he said in the statement. "But both Bob (Speranza) and my son Tom were swept down to the back of the boat. Tom was able to grab onto a railing, but the torrent of water swept Bob overboard and he was left drifting unconscious in the water."

Haasdit, the captain, dove in and was able to bring Speranza back the to boat, Leonard Sr. said, "and we immediately began CPR, which continued for the next 30 minutes until we reached the dock in Tortola" in the British Virgin Islands.

According to the Daily Herald website, the efforts to revive Speranza -- who suffered a gash on his head -- were unsuccessful on board the boat. Tom Leonard was also injured, but not as seriously.

An ambulance was waiting at the dock, Leonard Sr. said, and Speranza was transported to Peebles Hospital, where he later was pronounced dead.

"The hospital did everything they could. They were excellent," Leonard Sr., who has a home on St. Martin as Westport, told the Daily Herald.

Speranza, he added, had lived in Westport for several years and "had been my friend for 40 years, and his death is so unexpected and very saddening. Our family's thoughts and prayers are with his wife Barbara and the entire Speranza family."

This report consists detailed account on what had happened that includes even the sizes of the waves encountered given by the owner of the boat. This is, without a doubt, a real case of freaque wave encounter. Besides that being sudden and totally unexpected "came out of nowhere", the owner of the boat proficiently estimated that they were sailing in 5-6 ft waves and being hit by one 12-15 ft. That's exactly meeting the conventional ad hoc, or operational definition of a freaque wave! Sadly the tragedy happened when "the torrent of water swept Bob overboard and he was left drifting unconscious in the water" and Bob was never being revived. May God bless him to rest in peace! It is demonstrated once again that a freaque wave can happen anywhere, anytime -- and a tragedy is lurking not far behind!

A separate news item in WestportNow by James Lomuscio has this picture of the powerboat 70 ft Stew's Special:



Clearly this is a local case happened to a well-known, well-to-do local family and only local newspapers were interested in reporting. Nevertheless it is a clearly full-fledged freaque wave case that should always being reported. I can't help wondering though if it might not be reported if the people involved were not famous local personalities?! How many cases could have happened out there but never get reported?

A great Oregon/Washington coast rescue story

Here is a heart warming story that once you start reading it you just can't stop (at least that's what happened to me). It's from myCentralOregon.com :

As Charles Ostrander flailed in the turbulent waves of the Pacific, it was another 12-year-old who put her life on the line to save him - the first in a series of responders who eventually pulled Ostrander back from the brink of death.

Nicole Kissel's daring actions provided rescue crews with what turned out to be a crucial extension of time. Ostrander, who goes by his nickname Dale, ended up spending several minutes lost in the water, was found lifeless in the surf but has since been revived in a remarkable recovery that defied even the expectations of his parents.

On Wednesday, he was out of the ICU and starting to talk with his family.

After hearing Dale's call for help Friday, Nicole immediately turned her boogie board toward deeper waters despite the objections of her father, who shouted over the crashing waves about the dangerous conditions. Nicole managed to reach Dale, who was struggling to stay afloat, and helped him onto the three-foot board. Together, the two youths struggled against the rip current that had turned an average day at a popular beach into chaos.

"When we were on that board, I kind of shouted out to myself: `We're going to die. I can't die like this,'" Nicole recalled.

Dale, meanwhile, had offered words of assurance: "Keep paddling. We're almost there."

If only.

A rogue wave slammed into the pair, knocking them off the board. Nicole managed to get back up, but Dale disappeared back into the surf.

By the time rescuers had reached the beach, fellow members of the church group Dale had been traveling with were huddled in tears and prayer while some stood on trucks trying to get a vantage point to spot him.

Eddie Mendez, a volunteer water rescuer, was working his day job at a construction site when the emergency call came in. The 34-year-old immediately drove over to the beach and changed into a wet suit while his colleague launched two jet skis.

Mendez said he saw a shadow moving under the breaking water offshore, so he and a diver rushed over. They scanned the area for a few minutes before Mendez spotted the shadow again. They found the boy floating about two feet below the surface of the water.

"He was white-pale and face down," Mendez said.

As they pulled the boy on board, Mendez realized he was rescuing a child - about the age of his own daughter.

"I thought, `Wow, this is like my own child,'" Mendez said.

Mendez drove the boy to the beach, where emergency responders began trying to revive him. There was no sign of life but they kept performing CPR as they transported him. Finally, after Dale reached a nearby hospital, his pulse returned.

Then Dale was flown from the southwest Washington coast to OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Ore. His parents were still steeling themselves for the worst.

"I expected to say our goodbyes and so did my wife, and we were just prepared for that," said Chad Ostrander, who was at the family's home in Spanaway, Wash., when it happened. But on Sunday night, as he was eased off sedatives, Dale opened his eyes.

"At that moment, that was the first glimmer of any hope," his father said. "It didn't mean he was going to make it. It just meant that there was hope."

It's unclear whether he'll fully recover, but his parents have hope.

"There's been several miracles just in the circumstances of finding him, the fact that he's not dead, the fact that he can move, the fact that he can speak," Chad Ostrander said. "Unbelievable."

Generally, the chances of surviving a near-drowning increase when a person is young, the water is cold and the time spent underwater is short. Dr. Mark Morocco, an emergency room doctor at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, said medical literature cites at least one case in which a person survived after being submerged for about an hour.

Morocco said the fact that Dale was wearing long sleeves probably helped him.

It is not clear how long the boy was actually underwater. Mendez said about 15 minutes elapsed between the time rescuers were dispatched and the time Dale was pulled from the ocean.

Morocco, who was not involved in Dale's care, said swift treatment was key. He credited rescuers for continuing resuscitation efforts even though the boy lacked a pulse and reflexes.

"When this kid came out of the surf, he looked dead," he said. "But you have to ignore the fact that he looks dead" and give CPR.

Dale starting talking on Monday. When his parents encouraged him to cough to clear his throat, he replied, "I don't have to."

Doctors have cautioned his parents that even if Dale survives, he could have permanent brain damage.

The physicians "were very clear that he had been under for too long, had been without oxygen for too long," Kirsten Ostrander said. "We trust (God) no matter what."

Dale will need speech and physical therapy, and can't get out of his hospital bed yet, his father said.

"Things are going along better than anyone expected so at this point we're very happy," he said.

"Honestly, all of the doctors' prospects are very negative. They're very honest and blunt. But they said every once in a while there's a miracle, and we don't want to give up on that," Ostrander said.

Dale has uttered a few more words. Ostrander said that when he told him he couldn't get out of bed, "He reared up and said, `Yes, I can.'"

Two more words came Wednesday, when Nicole Kissel visited him.

She said he seemed to have trouble focusing his eyes for most of the 15-minute reunion. But as she left, he made eye contact for the first time and said, "Thank you."
___

Barnard reported from Grants Pass, Ore. Associated Press writers Jonathan J. Cooper in Portland, Ore., and Alicia Chang in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Whoever penned this final version has done a good job of story telling. I have to quote the whole thing. The story encompassed two major substantive most dangerous phenomena in the nearshore region: the rip current and freaque wave. it could be deadly if one encounters one of them. But with God's grace, Dale really survived thanks in particular to Nicole's early help. The story certainly enhances our enthusiasm for life. Oh, please don't fault Nicole's father for advising her not to go for the rescue at first. I would do the same thing to my daughter if I were there. I guess Nicole probably did not hear her dad when she embarked on the rescue. At any rate, God's hand is right there doing His work. As a result both Nicole and Dale are going to have a brilliant future ahead of them. God's will be done!

Life jackets saved her family

A nice family visit, a nice pontoon boat outing, a thrilling visit of the dolphin pond, then on the home stretch, "out of nowhere, a rogue wave hit the bow . . . "

Here's the nice sea story by Teresa Denny of 53rd Wing I found on the U. S. Air Force Web Site:

8/1/2011 - EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- My brother and his family visited us here in the beautiful Florida Panhandle last summer. I looked forward to showing them all the exciting things to see and do.

I was also eager to take them on a boat trip. I spoke extensively about the area wildlife and the beautiful waters. My niece was especially thrilled at the possibility of seeing dolphins. I rented a pontoon boat from outdoor recreation and waited impatiently for their arrival.

The time finally came, and we embarked on an awesome day on the water. As we got closer to our destination, a pod of dolphins came into view. My niece was mesmerized. They gave us a thrilling show to remember. I was so happy it was all going so well.

We spent a good four to five hours cruising around before deciding to go home. By then, it was hot, and the kids wanted to take off their life jackets because of the heat, but I told them Florida law required them to keep them on while in the boat. However, none of us adults were wearing them.

On the way home, the water became choppy. Out of nowhere, a rogue wave hit the bow, and the front of the boat was instantly submerged. My brother's wife and two kids were thrown overboard. The rest of us went flying down the length of the boat. It was total chaos.

The boat finally straightened out, and we were able to stand. My brother and husband jumped into the water and pulled the three back into the boat. They were scared, coughing up water and battered. The adults on the boat were pretty bruised up as well and bewildered at how something like this could happen so quickly.

I hate to imagine what would've happened if those kids hadn't been wearing life jackets. I know now that the adults should have also been wearing them too.

This is a lesson I'll never forget. No matter how confident you are in your environment, never let your guard down, and never think that you can do without a life saving device that is readily available to you.

I thank God we all came out of it safe, but I'm not sure my brother and his family will want to go out on a boat again anytime soon.

All's well that ends well. Life jackets saved the day and her family. The author provides a great lesson that everyone should keep in mind all the time: No matter how confident you are in your environment, never let your guard down, and never think that you can do without a life saving device that is readily available to you. It can not be over emphasized!

The sentence "out of nowhere, a rogue wave hit the bow . . . " is almost like a cliché now, but it is not. It is in fact a true experience of real life encounter with freaque waves that many had shared but no one would relish. Teresa concluded her article with "I thank God we all came out of it safe" which I can only say "Amen!"

Rescue at Moi Hole of Oahu, Hawaii

There will be a National Geographic program tonight with this overview:

A four-day trip to Hawaii turns deadly in a few seconds. Hugh Alexander and his girlfriend, Katja visit a high cliff to view giant waves. Suddenly a freak wave crashes right over them, taking Hugh and Katja down instantly. Katja manages to keep her grip on the rocks, but Hugh is washed off the cliff towards the thundering waters and sharp rocks below. He is sucked into a deadly underwater cave, not once, but twice! After hours of working to rescue Hugh, lifeguards finally pull him free of the surf and rush him to the hospital. Miraculously, he recovered and is now on a mission to understand what caused him to survive. Well study oceanographic data from that day to pinpoint the exact characteristics of the surf to understand what really happened.

There's also video and pictures on this web site. It is exactly within the broad interest of this blog. That web site has the videos and pictures about the case. Actually the History channel had shown the same case about the rescue at Moi Hole before. Both programs told the story sufficiently. It would be better to take a look at both programs to get the complete story. While the History Channel concentrated on the rescue, this new National Geographic is trying to look into the data and some science about the wave. Somehow neither of the programs tell when that was happened. Anyway it's a dramatic case with a happy ending, that's the best part of the story. Thanks be to God!

Found and rescued the Lost at Sea!

This was in the Cayman Islands News a few days ago:

Sea search for missing vessel

Posted on Fri, 07/22/2011 - 17:18 in Local News

A 37-foot vessel, the Miss Janice, with six crew on board has gone missing on its way to Swan Island and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service says it has launched a combined air and sea, search and rescue operation to find it, with the assistance of a visiting Navy ship's helicopter.

And here's a headline on 7/26/2011:



Now this is the headline in Houston Chronicle this morning: Houston-bound tanker saves 6 adrift for days! And the story written by Allan Turner, 7/28/2011:

Travis Hinds knows the ways of the sea. But even the lifelong Cayman Islands fisher­man was caught by surprise when the Caribbean turned mean, sinking his boat and leaving him and a crew of five adrift for nine days with little food and often no water.

For days, crammed in a raft and a tiny lifeboat and beseeching God with nonstop fervor, the crew of the fishing boat Miss Janice watched in despair as up to a dozen ships sailed past without stopping.

Then, in a driving rain shortly before noon on Tuesday, a British-flagged tanker bound for Houston slowed and turned toward the castaways.

"We thanked God. We were trusting in him," Hinds said Wednesday from the tanker, CPO Sweden, as it approached the Texas coast.Among Hinds' crew were his son, Elvis, and brother-in-law, Ernest Rankin. All were in good health.

Thanks be to God!

Now here's what had happened:

Hinds, speaking via satellite phone, said the ordeal began on July 17 as the Miss Janice, heavily laden with freight, left Grand Cayman en route to Honduras.

The 37-foot boat was scheduled to return to the Caymans with seafood. At departure, the water and wind were calm, the sun shining, he said. Five hours later, though, heavy waves pounded the boat.

"I think it may have been overloaded," Hinds, 50, said. "We were low in the water."

Waves slammed the deck as crew members desperately manned the pumps. Then, two giant waves swamped the vessel. Miss Janice's crew jumped overboard, then retrieved the raft and lifeboat from their capsized boat.

"Flash! The boat filled. It all happened so fast …" Hinds said. "We watched it sinking, going down, going down.

"Emergency rations — a little water and a parcel of nearly inedible food — soon were depleted.

After two days without water and hours of impassioned prayer, it rained. Hinds and the crew captured rainwater in a two-liter container, then, in ensuing days, rationed it a tiny cup at a time.

Spirits drooped as ships passed, oblivious to their presence despite efforts to signal them with a mirror.At 6 a.m. Tuesday, members of the Miss Janice crew shared a cup of water, embarking on a fast dedicated to God. A little more than five hours later, the Sweden hove into view.

So it was a case of "two giant waves swamped the vessel" but no one has blamed it on freaque waves yet. But regardless the semantics, the two giant waves were certainly not expected and unwelcome -- typical of what most likely what had happened. Another case of vulnerable fishing boat in trouble. I must say that I really admire the faith of the fishermen, never despair or dispirit, placed their total trust in God. And God duly answered them! Thanks be to God!

An encounter in Lake Michigan

News of freaque waves in the Great Lakes has not been very frequent in the Google News. But there is one reported yesterday by WWMT, NewsChannel3:

NEAR TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Tuesday saw a massive Coast Guard rescue in Lake Michigan.

Dozens of people were rescued by helicopter on Tuesday after their tour boat was damaged by a wave Monday night.

This happened by Sleeping Bear Dunes near Traverse City.

Officials say a rogue wave crashed over the boat's bow, smashed a window and fried the boat's electronics.

More than 60 people were on board the tour boat at the time.

Two people were airlifted with shoulder injuries, everyone else is expected to be okay.

The above photo of the involved 60 ft tour boat "Pictured Rocks" was taken from another news item in MLive.com by Zane McMillin of the Grand Rapids Press. Here's the Associated Press report:

Authorities say dozens of people waded to shore and two were rescued by helicopter from a tour boat that was damaged by a wave in Lake Michigan near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

No major injuries were reported.

The Coast Guard says the operator of the tour boat Pictured Rocks called for help Monday evening after a wave reportedly went over the boat's bow, smashing a window and causing the boat's electronics to malfunction. The boat had 61 people aboard.

The boat's operator told the Coast Guard he grounded the boat near the shore in Empire in part to prevent further damage.

All but two of the passengers waded to shore. The Coast Guard says two with apparent shoulder injuries were lifted from the boat by helicopter.

So it's basically a minor incidence that called fore Coast Guard support. Probably other similiar minor occurrences that did not request Coast Guard help may have just been skipped the reporters' attention. Anyway it was unquestionably a case of freaque wave encounter. Fortunately there have not been a whole lot of this kind of reports in the Great Lakes area. Count our blessings!

Happened at San Jose Del Cabo

It's always sad to read a tragic story, this one in Vancouver Sun yesterday is especially so. It should not have happened. Only if they knew the wave was coming and stayed away. It's so unnecessary . . .

Fighting a relentless Pacific current with a damaged right shoulder, Dale Clack pulled his 15-year-old son's arm from around his neck and said, "I love you, son, go get help."

Then he drifted away.

Clack, a 51-year-old Stony Plain, Alta., resident, was found dead Tuesday morning, less than a day after a wave swept him from the shores of a San Jose Del Cabo resort on the west coast of Mexico.

The medical examiner told family Clack had drowned, said friend Fred Fudger, whose daughter has been dating Clack's 15-year-old son Dakota for a year.

Clack was at the Hola Grand Faro resort for the wedding of his 23-year-old daughter Karchiri. On the second day at the resort, he was wading up to his waist with Dakota.

"A big wave knocked Dale down and pulled him out further," said Fudger.

"He yelled to Dakota, 'I can't touch the bottom and I can't swim.'"

A rotator cuff injury from work several years ago left Clack unable to swim, despite two surgeries to fix it. Dakota went after his dad. He reached him, but was unable to pull him to shore. The current kept pushing them out.

"Another wave took both of them out farther and farther. Dakota struggled for some time to get his dad back to shore," Fudger said.

Clack went under the waves. Dakota reached down and pulled his father up by the neck. Clack clenched his chest as his lungs filled with water. As Dakota pulled vainly against the wave, Clack grabbed his son's arm from around his neck, pulled it off and told his son he loved him.

"I think he probably knew he wasn't going to make it and if Dakota kept trying, Dakota wasn't going to make it," Fudger said.

After he finally let go, Dakota himself nearly drowned, struggling for nearly an hour to get back to shore.

Unlike those along the Caribbean coast, resorts along the west coast of Mexico — including Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta — are notorious for strong currents, said Lesley Paull, owner of Paull Travel in Edmonton. These areas are usually marked quite clearly, Paull said.

"You have to be careful where you swim. We always advise people going to Mexico to be careful of the red flags."

In February, a Calgary couple was holding hands with family members on a beach in Cabo San Lucas, about 30 kilometres away from the most recent drowning, when a rogue wave washed them and their family into the sea. All except one were swept into the Pacific.

Dale McDougall, 62, and his wife Linda McDougall, 59, were killed.

Paull said the San Jose Del Cabo area isn't known to be as bad as Cabo San Lucas, but it's still dangerous.

Clack has already been cremated. Funeral plans have not been finalized.

The wedding will go ahead Thursday, though it won't be on the beach as planned. Clack would have wanted the wedding to go ahead, Fudger said.

Yes he would have certainly wanted the wedding to go ahead. But how can anyone be still joyful as a wedding should now! All it was was an unexpected wave at the beach -- and nothing is the same again. May God help the family to cope with this tragedy and bless Clack's soul, may he rest in peace!

Happened during a regatta race

Freaque waves are certainly not immune to anyone including enthusiastic sailors during a boat race. This story reported yesterday in thisisthewestcountry.co.uk:

A BURNHAM sailing enthusiast was rescued after her boat was capsized by a ‘freak wave’ during a regatta race.

Sue Walker had been competing against around a dozen other boats with husband Andy when their 16ft vessel was struck and she was tipped over the side.

She was in the water near Stert Island for about ten minutes but fellow Burnham Sailing Club members came to her aid.

Sue said: “It happened so quickly. We saw a wave behind us but we couldn’t really do anything about it. It tipped the boat and my weight was on that side, and over I went.

“I’m a strong swimmer, so I wasn’t frightened and stayed surprisingly calm. We were doing well with the race and thought we were in for a chance – but that was cut short.

“There were no injuries, except to my pride, perhaps. It was comforting to know there were other people around and everybody rallied around – but I didn’t want to spoil their race.

“The lesson is these things happen and you have to be prepared.”

Burnham RNLI was alerted at 1.34pm, following the incident on Saturday, but stood down five minutes later.

Club president Dave Humphrey said: “I was on the committee boat and the race was going well but, unfortunately, due to the weather, the boat was tipped over. Other boats were nearby and Sue was picked up within ten minutes, so all’s well that ends well.”

Mrs Walker has not been deterred from sailing and took part in a race the following day, where they came ninth out of 11 competitors.

I guess the lesson to be learned from this story is the comment by Mrs. Walker: “The lesson is these things happen and you have to be prepared.” It is easy to say than done. But one just can not over emphasize such a life lesson by any means!

Life or death struggle

This story from Australia as told in the Ballina shire Advocate today under a headline of "Life or death struggle" :

A FISHING trip quickly turned into a fight for survival for Ballina men Ray Fox and Barry Fuller, after their boat capsized on the Richmond River bar earlier this month.

The pair was returning from fishing at the 48-fathom line when a freak wave hit portside and flipped the boat upside down.

“I’d gone to have a look at the bar early in the morning and I watched five boats go out with no problem,” Mr Fox said.

“So we decided to go out.

“We came back to the bar just before 2pm and were coming across when it just came out of nowhere.”

Mr Fuller said the bar was “pretty low” and that as soon as they hit the river, there was a “washing machine effect”.

“It all happened very quickly,” he said.

“I didn’t even realise what was going on until the boat was up in the air.”

Both men were trapped in the water underneath the boat.

Although they were wearing lifejackets, these actually prevented the men from escaping easily.

“It was such a weird sensation,” Mr Fox said.

“I was plunging down into the water, the noises were all distorted and I knew I had to get out of there.

“I had no time to think about anything.

“It was a desperate and life-threatening situation.”

Mr Fuller said waves were breaking over the top of them, but then he caught a glimpse of sunlight.

“I thought I was gone,” he said.

“I’d been trying to get out and I couldn’t.

“This was definitely life or death.

“I’ve been on the water for 16 years and nothing like this has ever happened before. I would never want to go through something like that again.

“But this bar has been getting worse and worse.

“We are going to have another death here unless it is dredged – something has got to be done.”

Mr Fuller and Mr Fox are “extremely grateful” for the assistance provided by Marine Rescue Ballina, Ballina Jet Boat Surf Rescue, Ballina Lighthouse and Lismore Surf Life Saving Club and two young men on jet skis.

They also appreciated the assistance from Ballina ambulance, Ballina police and the staff at the Ballina Hospital.

“Those organisations do such a good job – I don’t know what would have happened to us if they weren’t there to help,” Mr Fox said.

Is this an unusual happening? I doubt it. But it always seems to have happened unexpectedly -- especially to the ones that got entangled. But when it happens, "it just came out of nowhere"! That seems to be the basic characterization of a freaque right now. It is to be expected even though no one expects it in general. So when it happens it becomes a life or death struggle. In this story Mr. Fox and Mr. Fuller are the fortunate ones. They became the clear winner of the struggle. Thanks be to God!

Happened at Logan's Beach Warrnambool, Victoria.

This news story by Jono Pech in The Warrnambool Standard :

THREE children and a man escaped injuries on Sunday after a monster wave swept them from Logan's Beach's stair walkway.

Two Melbourne families were left in shock as a father and his seven-year-old daughter were swept into the ocean, during a visit to the popular whale-watching lookout.

The father of the two other children, who were hit against the cliff face, yesterday questioned the beach's hazard signage and suggested blocking access during dangerous conditions.

Passing through Warrnambool on Sunday, the two families stopped at Logan's Beach for lunch after spending four days holidaying in Mount Gambier.

While taking photos on the beach's stair walkway, a wave came up to the tenth step and totally submerged the tourists, dragging one man and his daughter to sea.

Melbourne resident Terence Alvares said his two children, aged 12 and 14, were hit against the cliff face but managed to grasp onto some long sea grass, while the others waded back to shore.

"I was on the tenth step and water hit me around my waist; it was that high," he told The Standard yesterday.

"We weren't anywhere near the water. You wouldn't expect anything like that and if you can't swim you'd be in trouble.

"My friend's daughter lost her glasses and lost her shoes."

Mr Alvares said the children just wanted to have a play and had no intention of going in the water.

While car park signage warns of large surf and overtopping waves, there is no reference to the stairway being hazardous at Logan's Beach.

Mr Alvares said he was amazed there were no signs on the beach and access had not been closed in the dangerous conditions.

"There was a real danger of loss of life," he said.

"I want to make sure someone else doesn't have same situation as us.

"My kids were having nightmares last night."

Now this is a good news/bad news thing, the bad news is clearly that it happened and it gave the children nightmares, but the good news is that everyone was safe and sound, nothing worse had happened, thank God.

According to this Olive Journey blog post,

Logans Beach is said to be one of the finest whale viewing location in the world. The whales perform their annual pilgrimage to Logans Beach between mid June to early October to give birth and prepare their babies for the long journey to Southern Antarctic.

So this is the right time for whale watching there and it's certainly should not be surprised that whatever or wherever a freaque wave case will always make its appearance.

Olive Journey presented this picture in the March 11, 2011 post.

I don't know if this is the same stairway as reported in the above news article. But whatever if wave can comeup to 10th steps of the stair way, it is frightening not only to the children. Thankfully this story had a basically happy ending. Still it is again a sober reminder that freaque waves are everywhere and anywhere. When it happens it just happens. Beware!

Tramore beach tragedy

Image: davidodriscoll via Flickr

The above is a nice picture of Tramore beach of Ireland. According this travel advertisement, "Meaning “Big Strand”, Tramore is one of the most aptly named towns in the region, with its famous 5 km golden, sandy beach surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and one of the regions most popular resorts." But this Irish Journal just reported a tragedy happened here:

A WOMAN WAS DROWNED after being caught by waves as she visited a beach with her young daughter yesterday.

The 39-year-old, named by official sources as Mary Kelly, was walking along the shoreline with her family at Tramore beach in Co Waterford when they were hit by a freak wave, according to reports. Her daughter managed to reach safety but Mary was swept out to sea at around 8.40am.

The alarm was raised and crews at Tramore RNLI and the Coast Guard helicopter were dispatched. Gardaí arrived at the scene to find the child, believed to be aged under ten, safe but the mother caught in the waves, the Irish Independent reports. A local surfer helped bring Mary ashore and there were attempts to administer CPR, but she was pronounced dead after being airlifted to hospital, according to RTE.

According to the Irish Daily Star (print edition only), Mary’s mother also witnessed the tragedy as the family were on holiday in Tramore at the time. A relative told the paper: “From what we’ve been told, it happened all of a sudden. A wave came in and knocked Mary over and then another came in and pulled her into the water.”

The daughter is reported to be now back at home with her father.

A very tragic story -- but not surprising to this blog. How can anyone be expecting freaque waves when enjoying a stroll on a beautiful beach like this one? But that's always happening all around the world. This time it's the beautiful Tramore beach of Ireland. The more depressing thing is, however, that knowing the fact that no one is ever trying to do any practical research about it. So it just happens here, there, somewhere, sometime, somehow! May the good Lord bless Mrs. Mary Kelly's soul and helping her family to cope with this tragedy. Another little girl is going to grown up without her loving mother. But it can happen to the little girl or Mary's mother also. We need to find out what's going on and how to prevent them. Unfortunately at the present there is no one doing that. So when you go to the beaches, beware!