THE SOUTH SEA SWELLS.
We all remember with what frequency in the old narratives of experience of the South Seas reference is made to the heavy swells of the ocean, which, impressed the navigators with the idea of their remoteness from land. The great size of the sea waves in high southern latitudes has been explained by the fact that south of the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn there is neither windward nor leeward shore, and the prevailing wind of all longitudes i^ westerly. Thus when a west wind spring up it finds a long westerly swell, the effect of the previous wind still running. The newborn wind increases the steepness of this swell, and so forms majestic storm waves, which sometimes attains a length of 1,200 ft. from crest to crest. The average height attained by sea waves in feet is about half the velocity of the wind in miles per hour.
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Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 22 May 1912, Page 7
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155THE SOUTH SEA SWELLS. Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 22 May 1912, Page 7
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