AND OTHER WATER WAVES 59 



rope hung over the lee side, I found to vary with 

 the oscillations of the ship and of the water from 

 2 9a to 33l ^et, giving an average of 31^ feet 

 for smooth water. Two days later, with lighter 

 bunkers, the height above the smooth water pf 

 the Solent was found by the rope to be 32^ feet. 

 Taking, therefore, the height of the deck at the 

 time of observation as 31^ feet, the height of the 

 waves which repeatedly passed us was : 



Height of deck 314 feet 



Added for roll 2 



Height of eye above deck 5i M 



Height of wave above the eye (at least) ... 2 



Wave height (at least) 41 feet. 



Whilst this is 2 feet less than that determined 

 for the highest waves during the strong gale of 

 December 7, 1900, there was much less variation 

 in size from one wave to another, and the average 

 height in this north-westerly swell was no doubt 

 quite as great as that during the strong southerly 

 gale. 



The sea -room on February 9, 1907, reckoned 

 from the coast of Greenland the direction of the 

 wind was about 1,100 geographical miles, and 

 from the Newfoundland Banks to the westward 

 about 1,200, 



