If you were on a ship at sea, and a tsunami passed under your ship, what would probably be your reaction?

Question

c

Answer 1

I would be swimming.

Answer 2

whoa what was that

Answer 3

Almost certainly, you wouldn't notice it at all. A tsunami at sea is generally less than one foot in height, rather insignificant compared to the sometimes 30'+ swell and wind-waves that are already happening around you.

Here's what Bowditch says about it--

"In deep water the wave height of a tsunami is probably never greater than 2 or 3 feet. Since the wavelength is usually considerably more than 100 miles, the wave is not conspicuous at sea."

Answer 4

At sea, you probably wouldn't be able to distinguish it from normal wave action. It's only when tsunamis enter shallow water that they're recognizable for what they are.

Answer 5

Truthfully, my reaction, your reaction would probably be absolute and pure panic... which was well described in J. A. Remington's description of that exact experience... He was sailing west to east in the Indian Ocean in the late 1960s when he heard warnings on the radio of a "rouge wave".

A "tsunami" at sea comes in the form of a "rouge" wave. This one was being reported as high as 70 feet.  And was travelling hundreds of miles from the south at a speed of 60 miles per hour.  Remington, and his 36' sloop survived with his vessels worst damage that of being demasted.  A 600 foot freighter which was less than a quarter mile off his starboard was never seen again.

Remington says in his book... that he cursed and prayed simultainiously while watching the wave approach until the wave itself became all he could see of a horizon.  "The sight of it caused me to suddenly and involuntarily pee my pants" he said, and "In one last panic stricken effort to cling to life" he says, he put on all his diving gear and tied himself "with several rounds of anchor rode to his helm".  He then went on to describe the "all encompassing wave" as a "ball busting, s*****m tightening, snot green wall of sea".

So, if Bob B thinks a sailor can't tell 'em from normal wave action on the open sea - he needs to pick up some good books and turn off Gilligans Island reruns.  Far too many actual accounts have been written about them...  They are even picked up on radar... for goodness sakes...

In Remington's book, he describes how he and the Captain of the freighter had (via radio warnings) a 4 hour notice the wave was headed their direction.  

So, I think I would wet my pants too... and pray... and hopefully have enough common sense about me left to take care of my self, my vessel and my crew... as did Remington.

Happy & Safe Boating!

Answer 6

I've sailed 35,000 miles......I'm going with the guy who quoted Bowditch, not the guy who tells sea stories......

Answer 7

"Im sure glad im out here"

Answer 8

I know of a few reliable sources that were at sea in the area where the Indian Ocean earthquake happened.

They said that they had absolutely no idea that anything had happened until they returned (to the coast) and found the ocean full of bodies and debris.

Pretty scary.

Answer 9

Depends if there was a wave being pushed> If no wave than a roll you would feel>Rise then a fall>