Jared wrote:What was the wave height during that particular time frame when the winds were knocking close to a 100 mph? Was there any real threat of losing the boat?
Hi Jared
The effects of the Blizzard made it real difficult to see and judge wave heights.
I have found observing and guessing a sea state to be VERY subjective. When your pitching, twisting and rolling in a heavy sea, you really have no perspective like standing on shore and watch waves hitting a breakwall.
One man's 20 footer is another's 25.
That being said, at the time of the highest winds we were well enough off shore to be feeling the full effects of a sea running unhindered for several hundred miles and the consensus between Mates and Captain was an average of 25' with a lot of 30'+ mixed in.
The highest seas were between Wind Point and Rawley Point which we took a bearing abeam @ 16:50. At that point we adjusted course somewhat more NE
And the winds went NNW so we were picking up a bit of a Leeward shore effect.
This was actually our 3rd full fledged STORM for the month. On Jan 2nd we crossed Lake Superior in NW Storm with peak winds at 55+, the Storm I wrote about earlier when I posted the pic of Storm Warnings at Fort Gratiot Lt on Jan 10 and then this one.
The other 2 had really given me a lot of confidence in the Whites seaworthiness in just about any kind of weather, and the Blizzard of '78 put any lingering doubts to rest. That and trusting a very good crew with qualified professional Mates, Engineers and a well seasoned Heavy Weather Skipper, lol