On the one hand, Tasmania is right in the middle of the "Roaring Fortys"[1], where the winds have come whistling three-quarters of the way around the planet since they last saw land in Argentina, so the waves are pretty spectacular.
On the other hand, they are about as far south as Michigan is north, and the water mixes a lot with the runoff from Antarctica. Even at the end of the summer, the ocean is kind of, well, "nippy". You may note that those guys are all wearing wet-suits.
[1] I got to visit the aptly-named Cape Grim Weather Station once. It's right at the extreme northwest corner of Tasmania, and that's where the wind hits the shore. While I was there, a storm blew in, and I got to watch the anemometer readout wind up to about 120 kilometers/hour while the whole building thrummed and shook in the wind, and the waves smashed into the shore at the base of the cliff. The guys who worked there kind of shrugged, and said "Yeah, it blows like that for at least part of every day".
I understand they just installed a wind turbine farm there. Good place for it.
On the one hand, Tasmania is right in the middle of the "Roaring Fortys"[1], where the winds have come whistling three-quarters of the way around the planet since they last saw land in Argentina, so the waves are pretty spectacular.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, they are about as far south as Michigan is north, and the water mixes a lot with the runoff from Antarctica. Even at the end of the summer, the ocean is kind of, well, "nippy". You may note that those guys are all wearing wet-suits.
[1] I got to visit the aptly-named Cape Grim Weather Station once. It's right at the extreme northwest corner of Tasmania, and that's where the wind hits the shore. While I was there, a storm blew in, and I got to watch the anemometer readout wind up to about 120 kilometers/hour while the whole building thrummed and shook in the wind, and the waves smashed into the shore at the base of the cliff. The guys who worked there kind of shrugged, and said "Yeah, it blows like that for at least part of every day".
I understand they just installed a wind turbine farm there. Good place for it.
That was amazing to watch! Those guys look like they were having the time of their lives :)
ReplyDeleteOoops... sorry, I didn't mean to be anonymous!
ReplyDeleteAmazing waves! I'd love to just stand on the beach and watch.
ReplyDeleteCapcha: tailol- internet speak for laughing my tail off
nice waves. Makes you want to go out and rent Big Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteNo waves in MN today...