Index |
1. Size does matter 2. Watch Diving Stations 3. Tribal Jet Setters 4. Singapore 5. The RN in 1947 6. Alcohol at Sea 7. An RN Sub and its gun 8. 9. Women in UK Submarines 10. Bluejacket Food |
11. Yours Aye 12. The Demob Suit 13. Ex Members Armed Forces 14. A Rude Fact of Life 15. Days before Radio Comms 16. What's in a Name 17. Wind, Sea State and Swell 18. Museum, B&B or Submarine 19. For the Fallen 20. Big, Small, Faster |
21. A Few Wets 22. Unknown Warrior/Sailor 23. The Naval Crown 24. The Bosun's Call or Whistle 25. Faslane 26. Fluorescent Lighting 27. Naval Recruiting Offices 28. How to join the RN 1938 29. WW2 Thru enemy eyes 30. Flip-Flop |
0 | Calm | 0 knots | 0 feet | Sea is like a mirror. Smoke rises vertically. |
1 | Light Air | 1-3 kts | 1/2 ft | Ripples with the appearance of scales are formed, but without foam crests. Smoke drifts from funnel. | 2 | Light breeze | 4-6 kts | 1/2 ft (max 1) | Small wavelets, still short but more pronounced, crests have glassy appearance and do not break. Wind felt on face. Smoke rises at about 80 degrees. |
3 | Gentle Breeze | 7-10 kts | 2 ft (max 3) | >Large wavelets, crests begin to break. Foam of glassy appearance. Perhaps scattered white horses (white caps). Wind extends light flag and pennants. Smoke rises at about 70 deg. |
4 | Moderate Breeze | 11-16 kts | 3 ft (max 5) | Small waves, becoming longer. Fairly frequent white horses (white caps). Wind raises dust and loose paper on deck. Smoke rises at about 50 deg. No noticeable sound in the rigging. Slack halyards curve and sway. Heavy flag flaps limply. |
5 | Fresh Breeze | 17-21kts | 6 ft (max 8) | Moderate waves, taking more pronounced long form. Many white horses (white caps) are formed (chance of some spray). Wind felt strongly on face. Smoke rises at about 30 deg. Slack halyards whip while bending continuously to leeward. Taut halyards maintain slightly bent position. Low whistle in the rigging. Heavy flag doesn't extended but flaps over entire length. |
6 | Strong Breeze | 22-27 kts | 9 ft (max 12) | Large waves begin to form. White foam crests are more extensive everywhere (probably some spray). Wind stings face in temperatures below 35 deg F (2C). Slight effort in maintaining balance against wind. Smoke rises at about 15 deg. Both slack and taut halyards whip slightly in bent position. Low moaning, rather than whistle, in the rigging. Heavy flag extends and flaps more vigorously. |
7 | Near Gale | 28-33 kts | 13 ft (max 19) | Sea heaps up and white foam from breaking waves begins to be blown in streaks along the direction of wind. Necessary to lean slightly into the wind to maintain balance. Smoke rises at about 5 to 10 deg. Higher pitched moaning and whistling heard from rigging. Halyards still whip slightly. Heavy flag extends fully and flaps only at the end. Oilskins and loose clothing inflate and pull against the body. |
8 | Gale | 34-40 kts | 18 ft (max 25) | Moderately high waves of greater length. Edges of crests begin to break into the spindrift. The foam is blown in well-marked streaks along the direction of the wind. Head pushed back by the force of the wind if allowed to relax. Oilskins and loose clothing inflate and pull strongly. Halyards rigidly bent. Loud whistle from rigging. Heavy flag straight out and whipping. |
9 | Strong Gale | 41-47 kts | 23 ft (max 32) | High waves. Dense streaks of foam along direction of wind. Crests of waves begin to topple, tumble and roll over. Spray may affect visibility. |
10 | Storm | 48-55 kts | 29 ft (max 41) | Very high waves with long overhanging crests. The resulting foam, in great patches is blown in dense streaks along the direction of the wind. On the whole, the sea takes on a whitish appearance. Tumbling of the sea becomes heavy and shock-like. Visibility affected. |
11 | Violent Storm | 56-63 kts | 37 ft (max 52) | Exceptionally high waves (small and medium-sized ships might be for time lost to view behind the waves). The sea is completely covered with long white patches of foam lying along the direction of the wind. Everywhere, the edges of the wave crests are blown into froth. Visibility greatly affected. |
12 | Hurricane | 64+ kts | 45+ ft | The air is filled with foam and spray. The sea is completely white with driving spray. Visibility is seriously affected. |
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fall in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal, Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, There is music in the midst of desolation. And glory that shines upon our tears. They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow, They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again, They sit no more at familiar tables of home, They have no lot in our labour of the day-time, They sleep beyond England's foam. But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known, As the stars are known to the Night. As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain, As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain. |