Author George Day

Anyone who has spent extensive amounts of time at sea, particularly in the higher latitudes, will tell you that rogue waves do indeed exist but until recently the rare phenomenon has not been given a clear scientific explanation and was largely relegated to myth. It seems hard to fathom but the first rogue wave to ever be scientifically measured was along the Norwegian coast in 1995.  The Draupner wave, as it was called, was a true beast. In gale conditions with swells running at up to 40 feet, the Draupner wave stood an amazing 84 feet tall. “It confirmed what…

At the end of Herman Melville’s great novel Moby Dick, after doing battle with Captain Ahab and drowning him, the white whale turned it malevolence on the whaling ship itself. Ramming the Pequot at high speed, the whale sent its tormentors to a watery grave with only one survivor, the story’s narrator, Ishmael. While the tale is often thought of as an allegory, it is in fact based on two very real incidences of whales in the South Pacific sinking whaling ships, the Essex and the Ann Alexander. A survivor of the Essex sinking, Owen Chase, wrote a memoir of…

Last Sunday, in fair weather, Arthur Furtney, 88, and his companion Paul Brown set off in Furtney’s 23-foot center console to transit Bogue Inlet, which cuts between Bogue Sound, North Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean. The Inlet is known to be swept by strong currents, and it appears that the 23-foot was caught in choppy waves and flipped throwing both men into the water. Furtney did not survive the accident and drowned. Brown was able to stay afloat and swam to the inlet’s Buoy #1 where he was able to hang on until help arrived. Help did arrive in the…

A government shutdown will affect recreational boating by closing boat ramps, marinas, and recreation sites in areas managed by federal agencies, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Park Service. While essential services like the U.S. Coast Guard will continue, other agencies responsible for infrastructure, safety, and water quality could be disrupted. Direct impacts on access Army Corps of Engineers (USACE): Based on past shutdowns and current plans, most USACE-managed boat ramps, campgrounds, and day-use parks are expected to close entirely. Some concessionaire-operated facilities on leased land, however, may remain open. National Park Service (NPS): National parks and recreation…