Mariners Weather Log Vol. 46, No. 1 Spring/Summer 2002 “…and then we saw a Corpus Sant at our Main-top-mast Head, on the very Top of the Truck of the Spindle. This sight rejoiced our Men exceedingly, for the height of the Storm is commonly over when the Corpus Sant is seen aloft. But when they are seen lying on the Deck, it is generally accounted a bad Sign. “A Corpus Sant is a certain small glittering Light. When it appears, as this did, on the very Top of the Main-mast or at a Yard-arm, it is like a Star. But when it appears on the Deck, it resembles a great Glow-worm…” Additional Observations of a Seventeenth Century Seafarer: William Dampier (see page 16) Mariners Weather Log From the Editorial Supervisor Mariners Weather Log elcome to Spring. The birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and the sun’s W warmth is re-energizing the earth. So I happen to look at the world from a northern hemispheric perspective - sorry to my friends in the South. It is just that I get all excited as the warm weather of spring returns. Of course, living in southern Mississippi, it only lasts a few weeks until the sweltering heat and humidity of the deep south returns. When you add the fire ants, the overabundance of mosquitoes, and the intense, springtime U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE thunderstorms, you wonder why anyone would want to live here at all. Donald L. Evans, Secretary Actually, I believe that being out at sea is the best you can National Oceanic and ask for in life. You get the warmth of the sun and the wind in your face to make you feel free and alive as you travel Atmospheric Administration all around this beautiful orb that we call home. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Administrator As the seasons change, so does life. There will be good times as well as bad, and it is up to us as to how we read the clouds and weather our storms. National Weather Service John J. Kelly, Jr., In this issue, we have changed our issue date to reflect the Assistant Administrator for Weather Services seasons. We also say farewell to one of our own, Jim Nelson, our Houston PMO, who has retired and found his snug harbor. We get a valuable history lesson about the Editorial Supervisor Edmund Fitzgerald that can keep us safe in the future, Robert A. Luke and to reflect upon the past, the British Met Office donated an interesting article about the escapades and Editor observations of a seventeenth century seafarer named Bernadette T. Duet William Dampier. Layout/Design So, no matter on what bearing life has you traveling today, find a leeward shelter for awhile and enjoy our latest Bernadette Duet offering of the Mariners Weather Log. – Luke Stuart Hayes Patti Geistfeld Some Important Web Page Addresses Articles, photographs, and letters should be sent NOAA http://www.noaa.gov National Weather Service http://www.nws.noaa.gov to: National Data Buoy Center http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov AMVER Program http://www.amver.com Mr. Robert A. Luke, Editorial Supervisor VOS Program http://www.vos.noaa.gov Mariners Weather Log SEAS Program http://seas.nos.noaa.gov/seas/ NDBC (W/OPS 52) Mariners Weather Log http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/ Bldg 1100, Room 353D mwl/mwl.htm Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000 Marine Dissemination http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/ marine/home.htm Phone: (228) 688-1457 Fax: (228) 668-3153 U.S. Coast Guard http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/ Navigation Center marcomms/ E-mail: [email protected] See these Web pages for further links. 2 Mariners Weather Log Mariners Weather Log Table of Contents Edmund Fitzgerald Remembered .................................................................................................................. 4 Shipwreck - George Stone ........................................................................................................................... 11 The Beatrice Hurricane ...............................................................................................................................12 Houston PMO Retires .................................................................................................................................14 Seventeenth Century Seafarer, William Dampier .......................................................................................16 Marine Prediction Center Sets Sail on First Alliance ...................................................................................23 VOS Climate Project ...................................................................................................................................24 Attention Ship Owners, Ship Operators and Navigation Officers - We Need Obs South African Weather Service ..................................................................................................................37 New Great Lakes Weather Station .............................................................................................................79 Departments: Marine Weather Review North Atlantic, Sept.– Dec. 2001 ...................................................................................................38 North Pacific, Sept. - Dec. 2001 ....................................................................................................51 Tropical Atlantic and Tropical East Pacific, Sept. - Dec. 2001 .....................................................62 Coastal Forecast Office News ....................................................................................................................80 Alaskan Waters: Collecting Ships Observations.............................................................................80 Awards ...........................................................................................................................................83 VOS Program ..............................................................................................................................................86 VOS New Recruits ........................................................................................................................86 VOS Awards ..................................................................................................................................87 Meteorological Services Observations ...................................................................................................................................92 Spring/Summer 2002 3 Edmund Fitzgerald Great Lakes Storm November 9-11,1998: Edmund Fitzgerald Remembered Kirk Lombardy Marine Forecaster NWS, Cleveland, Ohio The author wishes to express his respect toward the Captains and crews of the Great Lakes shipping industry. The issue of the great tragedy of the Edmund Fitzgerald would rather be kept solemn by many. The intent of this article is to show how the interaction between the National Weather Service and marine interests has progressed in the last 24 years. n 10 November 1975, the Dock No. 1, in Superior, WI. The shore of Lake Superior. (Strong most notorious Great ship’s final voyage would carry northeast storm force winds OLakes shipping disaster taconite; destined for Detroit, MI caused extremely high waves at occurred. The SS Edmund (Figure 1). the end of the fetch on the south Fitzgerald sank and it’s crew of shore of the lake). 29 men perished in the deep Fitzgerald departed at full speed waters of Lake Superior during of approximately 14 Knots (16 Fitzgerald’s new course passed an intense storm which had mph). Two hours into the voyage, approximately half way between developed over the central United the ship arrived at a point near Isle Royal and the Keewanaw States and made a bee-line for Two Harbors, MN. The SS Peninsula. At this point, the ship the western Great Lakes. Arthur M. Anderson, owned by turned eastward to parallel the the United States Steel Corp., northern shore of Lake Superior Twenty-three years later, a case bound for Gary, IN proceeded and then southeast-ward along the of deja vu settled in on the eastward on a similar course as eastern shore. Fitzgerald reached anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The two ships were a point approximately 11 miles Fitzgerald. From 9 - 11 approximately 10 to 20 miles apart. Northwest of Michipicoten Island November 1998, a storm of equal at 1800 UTC (1300 EST), proportions developed over the Routine weather reports, via radio, 10 November. The ship passed to same area as the Fitzgerald were made at 0600 UTC (0100 the West of Michipicoten West storm and followed a similar path EST) and 1200 UTC (0700 EST) End Light. At this point, toward the western Great Lakes. by the Fitzgerald on 10 Fitzgerald changed course to However, this time there was an November. At 1220 UTC (0720 pass north and east of Caribou improved forecast, warning, and EST), a normal radio report was Island on a southeast heading dissemination system in place. made to the company office. The toward Whitefish Bay, MI. report indicated the estimated time Final Voyage of the SS of arrival was indefinite due to The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank Edmund Fitzgerald weather. near the International Boundary Line some time after 0015 UTC On 9 November 1975, Fitzgerald headed northeast (1915 EST). Her final coordinates Fitzgerald began loading at away from the recommended were 46°59.9’N, 85°06.6’W. Burlington Northern Railroad shipping lanes along the south 4 Mariners Weather Log Edmund Fitzgerald SS Edmund Fitzgerald increasing the wind speed and forecast to build to 8 to 16 feet by Encountered Weather wave heights. Monday afternoon. The storm of historical proportions Gale warnings were issued in early