An Aerial Study of Hawaiian Wave Patterns

Abstract

Most of us who have had some experience at sea on small power or sailing boats have noted that the sea surface is crossed by usually more than a single train or set of waves. Each train can be identified by its direction, period, and height. Sometimes one train is so dominant that others may not be noticed. The Marshall Islanders of the nineteenth century and earlier, past masters in the art of handling small boats, used wave trains as a navigational aid with their famous stick charts . The dominant train of waves, produced by the trad e winds, was designated by long parallel sticks tied to a rigid frame. Trains of smaller waves, some produced by bending around islands-were shown by small sticks attached at angles to the long ones. A brief review of these maps and of pertinent literature was given by Emery, Tracey, and Ladd (1954:5).