Maritime Topics On Stamps :
	State of the Sea Scale !

Next to the Beaufort Scale for the force of the wind, with a range from zero to twelve, there is a similar scale describing sea conditions, with categories from zero to nine.
	The height of a wave is the vertical distance from the top of a wave to the following trough. The length of a wave is measured from one wave crest to the next, or between two successive troughs. The wave period is the observed time difference between two successive crests.

State of the Sea Code 0 : Mean max. height of waves : 0 Mean lengths of waves : 0 Description: glassy calm, mirror-like sea Windforce Beaufort scale : 0
	State of the Sea Code 1 : Mean max. height of waves : 0-1 foot / 0.1 m Mean lengths of waves : 0-3 feet / 0-1m Description: calm, ripples, sea appears to represent scales Windforce Beaufort scale : 1

State of the Sea Code 2 : Mean max. height of waves : 1-2 feet / 0.1-0.6 m Mean lengths of waves : 3-23 feet / 1-7 m Description: smooth, wavelets, crests of glassy appearance Windforce Beaufort scale : 2 and 3

State of the Sea Code 3 : Mean max. height of waves : 2-4 feet / 0.6-1 m Mean lengths of waves : 23-50 feet / 7-15 m Description:slight, small waves,becoming longer, numerous whitecaps Windforce Beaufort scale : 4

State of the Sea Code 4 : Mean max. height of waves : 4-8 feet / 1-2 m Mean lengths of waves : 50-90 feet / 15-28 m Description: moderate, long waves with many whitecaps, some spray Windforce Beaufort scale : 5

State of the Sea Code 5 : Mean max. height of waves : 8-13 feet / 2-4 m Mean lengths of waves : 90-160 feet / 28-49 m Description: rough, large waves, whitecaps everywhere, more spray Windforce Beaufort scale : 6

State of the Sea Code 6 : Mean max. height of waves: 13-20 feet / 4-6 m Mean lengths of waves: 160-250 feet / 50-76 m Description: very rough, sea heaps up, white foam from breaking waves begins to blow in streaks Windforce Beaufort scale : 7

State of the Sea Code 7 : Mean max. height of waves: 20-30 feet / 6-9 m Mean lengths of waves: 250-540 feet / 76-165m Description: high waves of increasing length, crests form spindrift Windforce Beaufort scale : 8

State of the Sea Code 8 : Mean max. height of waves: 30-45 feet / 9-14 m Mean lengths of waves: 540-880 feet / 165-240 m Description: high waves, rolling seas,dense streak of foams, spray reducing visibility Windforce Beaufort scale : 9

State of the Sea Code 9 : Mean max. height of waves: over 45 feet / above 14 m Mean lengths of waves: over 880 feet / larger than 240 m Description: phenomenal, exceptionally high waves, sea covered with white foam, ‘medium sized’ ships disappear in wave troughs Wind force Beaufort Scale.....: 10 (wave heights up to 38 feet / 11.5 m) and11 (waves heights above 46 feet/ 14 m)

The state of the sea consists not just of single waves, but of groups of many waves, so-called ‘wave packets’. Such groups have five to seven noticeably higher waves. A popular expression speaks of ‘the seventh wave’, the one with the highest crest. Take a look to our wind force Beaufort scale!