The Storm

When we completed the passage of the Strait of Bonifacio and entered the Tyrrhenian Sea we were confronted by electric storms that had us surrounded in all four of the horizon’s cardinal points.  Lightning illuminated the night sky between the clouds and the sea in a phantasmagoria of “fireworks”, a stunning and awesome example of nature’s titanic power.  The spectacle was so astonishing that it made us reflect about something “out there,” higher than humans and difficult to comprehend.

The earth is the only known planet with an abundance of liquid water, which covers 70 percent of its surface and gives the planet its blue appearance from space. Earth has been aptly nicknamed the “blue marble”.  Incidentally, NASA recently found and reported evidence of high salinity water on Mars—a discovery that may have major implications regarding the existence of life outside earth.

Sea waves are oscillations caused by the friction of air when it moves across the surface of the water. This friction transfers energy and forms surface waves that are perpendicular to the direction of the wind.  When the wind is from the north, the direction that the waves move is southerly.  In a big body of water like the Tyrrhenian Sea, as depicted in a study from the University of Athens, the waves can be very large, and the longer a northerly wind blows, the larger the waves can become in the southern boundaries at the latitudes of Aeolian Islands and northern coast of Sicily.    

The top of a wave is known as its crest and the foot as its trough. The distance between two crests is the wavelength. The size of ocean waves depends upon the wind speed and the distance over which the wind blows upon the water. The smallest waves are called ripples.  As strong and prolonged winds push against raised crests, though, larger and more irregular waves form, which are known as seas.  When the waves reach shallow waters near the coast they slow down, but their height increases. 

The waves reach their maximum height when the rate at which they are traveling nearly matches the speed of the wind. Over time, they naturally separate into long, powerful waves with a common direction and wavelength. Constructive interference can cause rogue waves with documented heights above 25 meters.  An encounter with rogue waves can have serious or even catastrophic consequences, even on large vessels over 100 meters in length. 

When the wind dies down, seas and swells are slowly reduced by gravity and destructive interference from other waves.

Most waves are less than 3 meters high although it is not unusual for strong storms to double or triple that height especially in open seas.

When I was watching the electric storms, which had us surrounded, I was wondering which one could reach and strike us.  The northern one caught up with us just as the clouds were covering up the stars. The seas were roaring and building up, but since it was pitch-black we could not see the waves’ height. We could feel that we were being propelled by big waves and strong winds, though, and we could hear the “whistling” of the wind’s song produced by the strumming of the shrouds.  The anemometer at the top of the mast was recording wind velocities of 30-35 knots and gusts of 40-50 knots, so our captain Nikos decided it was time to reduce canvas.  With Kostas, our youngest sailor, doing the heavy lifting in front, and me in the middle handling the lines, we quickly double reefed the main and hoisted a storm jib in front—actions that kept the boat well balanced.  The experience during the night was frightening and made us feel vulnerable, especially when we realized the waves’ size at sunrise.  Riding the waves and occasionally achieving speeds up to 12 knots, due to planning, the fright turned into exhilaration and eventually changed into a peaceful state that was beyond our understanding.  It was at this moment that our desire to continue became paramount not because of an innate desire to experience more thrills but because of our longing to reach “Ithaca,” where loved ones were eagerly waiting for our return.