Fastnet, Force 10

I'm finally getting around to reading this book and so far just the Foreward and Introduction leave me staring at the ceiling at night.

They had 50+ knots of wind and 30-40 foot seas.
I've been in those conditions but where they were it was shallow water so they were not only big seas, but close together, and that alone is straight up terrifying.

Even the big battlewagons (old super heavy IMS boats) were in big trouble with short wavelength breaking seas.

"Man marks the earth with ruin-his control stops with the shore." -Byron

"Get in an open ocean and even 50 foot seas are safe, get into shallow water or the gulf stream and well, heh, its a horror show." - my father