Strange Waves

Pineedles · 09-30-2005, 08:43 PM

About 5:30 PM this afternoon while I was reading on my front porch I was distracted from my book by a sound of waves breaking on the lake. It was strange to hear these cresting waves as I hadn't heard a boat pass by. I looked up and and saw a series of waves headed for the shoreline. I got up and walked down to the shore to see a triangular series of waves headed toward my dock. The point of origin of the waves apex was about 150 yds. wsw of the dock but there was no boat or any craft around. The winds were next to nothing at the time and even so, the height of the crests 6" - 8" were far above what even a rouge wind could create.

The triangular set of waves hit the shore with not more than a coverage of 300' of shore-line. There was a rippling set of waves that followed the first set but of a greatly diminished height of the first ones.

This occurred in Centre Harbor Bay in front of 1/2 mile island's southern most tip.

Any ideas what it was? All I know is, I'm glad I had my last swim of the year on Wednesday.

Resident 2B · 09-30-2005, 10:18 PM

A large school of Rock Bass?

ApS · 10-01-2005, 05:48 AM

I've seen it too: "boat-watching" on the dock — not a boat in sight for hours — then suddenly a series of waves unexpectedly breaking on shore.

It must be "Seiche waves": Waves (wakes, in our case) that bounce-back off the opposite shore on quiet days. Wakes from "unseen" boats can travel long distances. The situation can be enhanced by the course of the boat, boat size, shape of the shoreline, local depths, and flat retaining walls.

A little OT sidebar: "Perched" beaches may not be such a good idea. The retaining walls will reflect wakes back into the lake. Retaining walls (seawalls) have made some lakes unusable for family boats and sailboats. Stories from similarly-sized "Lake of the Ozarks" come to mind.

.

PaulS · 10-01-2005, 08:26 AM

Winnie - the cousin to the lockness monster, which has been in hiding all summer?

ITD · 10-01-2005, 08:28 AM

Lake Shark???????

KBoater · 10-01-2005, 12:52 PM

Winnie is back for a fall frolic. He is competing with the WOlfeboro scarecrows.

Pineedles · 10-02-2005, 09:05 AM

Sorry APS, it wasn't a bounce back. Waves originated from a single point mid-harbor and expanded from there. Wish it was. Also a school of fish would have had to be in fairly tight formation and quite large as far as a school goes to cause hte event. I hate to say it but, Winnie sounds like the only possibility for now.

Unless we have a sub running around the lake.

SAMIAM · 10-02-2005, 09:27 AM

Looks like a small tsunami

NHBUOY · 10-02-2005, 03:48 PM

...knock, knock....CANDYGRAM...................MUST be a lake shark!!!...lol..

jrc · 10-02-2005, 08:52 PM

It's the new GFBI (go fast be invisible). It's so fast you can see it.

Mee-n-Mac · 10-02-2005, 10:29 PM

I'll wager it's the constructive intereference pattern of 2, 3 or more boat wakes that travelled from out of sight and came together just off your dock. The triangular shape you mentioned leds me to guess this is the most likely culprit. Either that or some space junk re-entered the atmosphere and landed in the lake near your dock. The UFO that was following it skimmed the surface (causing the oddly shaped wake) and then submerged, which is why you saw nothing

ps - Anyone else see that Nat'l Geographic show re:lake monsters ? Of course Nessie and Champ got all the air time. Winni needs a better press agent !

09-30-2005, 08:43 PM	#1
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,545 Thanks: 1,072 Thanked 668 Times in 367 Posts	Strange Waves About 5:30 PM this afternoon while I was reading on my front porch I was distracted from my book by a sound of waves breaking on the lake. It was strange to hear these cresting waves as I hadn't heard a boat pass by. I looked up and and saw a series of waves headed for the shoreline. I got up and walked down to the shore to see a triangular series of waves headed toward my dock. The point of origin of the waves apex was about 150 yds. wsw of the dock but there was no boat or any craft around. The winds were next to nothing at the time and even so, the height of the crests 6" - 8" were far above what even a rouge wind could create. The triangular set of waves hit the shore with not more than a coverage of 300' of shore-line. There was a rippling set of waves that followed the first set but of a greatly diminished height of the first ones. This occurred in Centre Harbor Bay in front of 1/2 mile island's southern most tip. Any ideas what it was? All I know is, I'm glad I had my last swim of the year on Wednesday.

09-30-2005, 10:18 PM	#2
Resident 2B Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Shore, MA Posts: 1,357 Thanks: 994 Thanked 313 Times in 163 Posts	???? A large school of Rock Bass?

10-01-2005, 05:48 AM	#3
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 5,938 Thanks: 2,205 Thanked 776 Times in 553 Posts	And nobody in sight -- for hours! I've seen it too: "boat-watching" on the dock — not a boat in sight for hours — then suddenly a series of waves unexpectedly breaking on shore. It must be "Seiche waves": Waves (wakes, in our case) that bounce-back off the opposite shore on quiet days. Wakes from "unseen" boats can travel long distances. The situation can be enhanced by the course of the boat, boat size, shape of the shoreline, local depths, and flat retaining walls. A little OT sidebar: "Perched" beaches may not be such a good idea. The retaining walls will reflect wakes back into the lake. Retaining walls (seawalls) have made some lakes unusable for family boats and sailboats. Stories from similarly-sized "Lake of the Ozarks" come to mind. .

10-01-2005, 08:26 AM	#4
PaulS Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 55 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	???? Winnie - the cousin to the lockness monster, which has been in hiding all summer?

10-01-2005, 12:52 PM	#6
KBoater Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 521 Thanks: 10 Thanked 29 Times in 15 Posts	Winnie Winnie is back for a fall frolic. He is competing with the WOlfeboro scarecrows. __________________ Home Permanently in NH

10-01-2005, 08:28 AM	#5
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,928 Thanks: 476 Thanked 691 Times in 387 Posts	Lake Shark???????

10-02-2005, 09:05 AM	#7
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,545 Thanks: 1,072 Thanked 668 Times in 367 Posts	No bounce back Sorry APS, it wasn't a bounce back. Waves originated from a single point mid-harbor and expanded from there. Wish it was. Also a school of fish would have had to be in fairly tight formation and quite large as far as a school goes to cause hte event. I hate to say it but, Winnie sounds like the only possibility for now. Unless we have a sub running around the lake.

10-02-2005, 09:27 AM	#8
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,896 Thanks: 334 Thanked 1,676 Times in 586 Posts	Looks like a small tsunami

10-02-2005, 03:48 PM	#9
NHBUOY Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Loon Mtn. winters...Meredith Neck summers Posts: 398 Thanks: 288 Thanked 94 Times in 60 Posts	...knock, knock....CANDYGRAM...................MUST be a lake shark!!!...lol..

10-02-2005, 08:52 PM	#10
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	It's the new GFBI (go fast be invisible). It's so fast you can see it.

10-02-2005, 10:29 PM	#11
Mee-n-Mac Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,943 Thanks: 23 Thanked 111 Times in 51 Posts	It's 1 of these 2 possibilities ... I'll wager it's the constructive intereference pattern of 2, 3 or more boat wakes that travelled from out of sight and came together just off your dock. The triangular shape you mentioned leds me to guess this is the most likely culprit. Either that or some space junk re-entered the atmosphere and landed in the lake near your dock. The UFO that was following it skimmed the surface (causing the oddly shaped wake) and then submerged, which is why you saw nothing ps - Anyone else see that Nat'l Geographic show re:lake monsters ? Of course Nessie and Champ got all the air time. Winni needs a better press agent ! __________________ Mee'n'Mac "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by simple stupidity or ignorance. The latter are a lot more common than the former." - RAH