When looking at shipping forecasts, for example on the Met Office website, there are references to the sea state using terms such as smooth, moderate etc. In addition to the normal shipping forecast areas, that we, as sea kayakers are familiar with from the BBC Radio 4 forecasts the Met Office issues forecasts for what it refers to as the High Seas Forecast. It was whilst looking at this the other day that I came across a reference to Phenomenal, in relation to sea state. The actual forecast was:

Denmark Strait 25.10.08
Wind In west, westerly 5 or 6, veering northeasterly 5 to 7 for a time then becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
In east, northerly storm 10 to hurricane force 12, decreasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea State In west, very rough or high.
In east, high or very high, perhaps phenomenal at first.
Weather In west, occasional snow.
In east, snow.
Visibility In west, moderate or very poor, occasionally good. light or moderate icing, temperatures ms02 to ms05.
In east, poor or very poor. moderate or severe icing in north, temperatures ms02 to ms05.

After all my years of sea kayaking and living by the sea I realised that I didn't actually know what these terms really meant. Clearly I had an image in my mind of a smooth sea or a rough sea state but what do they actually mean?

I woud suggest that this is "Calm"

The World Meteorological Organization has a defined a sea state code as follows:

* 0 Calm (glassy) 0 m
* 1 Calm (rippled) 0 to 0.1 m
* 2 Smooth (wavelets) 0.1 to 0.5 m
* 3 Slight 0.5 to 1.25 m
* 4 Moderate 1.25 to 2.5 m
* 5 Rough 2.5 to 4 m
* 6 Very rough 4 to 6 m
* 7 High 6 to 9 m
* 8 Very high 9 to 14 m
* 9 Phenomenal Over 14 m

The wind at this moment in Westerly F5 gusting 30 knots. Sea state from the local met office was moderate locally rough.

So the answer to my original question as to what is meant by Phenomenal, it is when the wave height is greater than 14 metres. Hopefully something which we will never encounter regardless of the size of the vessel that we are in.

This is one of the roughest days I can remember, the forecast from the local met office was very rough to high. A good day to be on the beach.

Kevin Mansell

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