Sea breeze

“ In the latter part of the night the land breeze sinks to sleep, for it seldom continues to blow with strength, but is always fickle and capricious. With the break of day it again awakes, to sport a while, and then gradually dies away as the sun rises. The time at which it becomes calm after the land and sea breezes is indefinite, and the calms are of unequal duration. ”

“ Now, I could perceive foam cresting the tops of the waves, and knew that the breeze was increasing to a gale—a gale that was blowing from the land.
This added to my despair, for the lights I had seen soon disappeared, and the dark outline of the coast seemed to sink lower and to blend with the sea. Clutching the weather rigging, I could scarcely keep my feet, so slippery was the now wetted deck, and so cold and benumbed were my hands and arms by the chill atmosphere of the ocean, and by the salt spray which ever and anon flew over me in bitter briny showers. ”

“ The Sea Breeze now and then is more violent than at other times, as at new or full Moon, and incroaches very much on the Land-wind, and the Norths when they reign, viz. in the months of December, January, or February, blow over the ridge of Mountains with violence, and hinder the Sea Breeze. Sometimes the Sea Breeze will blow all night, but this is to be taken notice of, that the Sea-Breeze blows stronger or longer near the Sea, as at Port-Royal, or Passage-Fort, than it does within Land, as at St. Jago de la Vega, or Spanish Town. ”

“ Along coasts, the sea breeze and the alternating land breeze are the rule rather than the exception during a considerable part of the year. As a rule, the sea breeze extends rarely higher than 3000 feet. ”

“ No sooner does the breeze freshen and the sea become ruffled than it hastens to take down its sail, and, quickly drawing its tentacula within its shell, renders itself specifically heavier than the water, and sinks immediately into more tranquil regions beneath the surface. ”

“ The second day after it began the tempest finally blew itself out, although the great surging seas still broke tremendously over the barrier reef and the spray shot a score of feet or more above the crests of the highest waves. It was only the reflex of the storm, however, for during the night the wind had subsided into a gentle breeze. All was calm and peaceful; nature never looked so bright and smiling, it seemed to me, as at the dawn of that eventful day.
When we scanned the sea early in the morning there was of course no sign of the ship. ”

“ Almost every morning, about two hours after sunrise, a gentle sea breeze commences, attaining its maximum velocity between one and three P.M., then decreasing, and changing to a gentle land breeze during the night. The sea breeze increasing as the sun gains its height, modifies the power of its rays, and keeps the skin just comfortably warm. ”

“ The awaking of the winds on the ocean is frequently attended with signs and portents as sublime as any the fancy can conceive. On the present occasion, the breeze that had prevailed so steadily for a week was succeeded by light baffling puffs, as if, conscious of the mighty powers of the air that were assembling in their strength, these inferior blasts were hurrying to and fro for a refuge. ”

“ Had the breeze been stronger, I think it would have fairly swamped us with the stern-way she had; and heave after heave swelled, glaring and weltering out of the pale blind sky, till our decks swam with light in the dusk under the bulwarks, and about the dark mouths of the hatchways. Just as suddenly the rollers seemed to sink in the smooth of the sea, and at last we payed off with the breeze as before, at the cost of a good fright and a famous ducking. ”

“ With its regular occurrence, and its cool, clean air, it serves to make many districts habitable for white settlers, and has deservedly won the name of “the doctor.” On not a few coasts, the sea breeze is a true prevailing wind. The location of dwellings is often determined by the exposure of a site to the sea breeze. ”

“ In the Mediterranean and the West Indies, the land breeze usually begins at six or seven o’clock in the evening, and blows until eight in the morning, when the sea breeze begins, increasing till mid-day, and gradually dying away in the afternoon, a period of stillness occurring between the changes, as between the ebbing and flowing of the tide. The sea-breeze of the Mediterranean in summer is said to be perceptible sometimes as far north as Norway. These draughts of the cool air of the ocean are important benefactions to various countries, where the heat would otherwise be insupportable. ”

“ During the hotter hours of the day a rather strong breeze set in towards the shore, and I have no doubt that it is to its full exposure to this ordinary sea-breeze that the city owes its comparative healthiness. ”

“ They are so exposed to the swells of the ocean, from all the south and west points of the compass, that the heavy seas come uncontrolled, and break on them with the utmost fury. Sometimes after a storm, when the sea in general is, to all appearance, quite smooth, and its surface unruffled by the slightest breeze, the growing swell or under current, meeting the slope of the rocks, the sea beats dreadfully upon them, and even rises above the lighthouse in a magnificent manner, overtopping it, for the moment, as with a canopy of frothy wave. ”

“ The wind continued very strong till twelve, then it began to abate; I have seldom met with a stronger breeze. These strong sea breezes lasted thus in their turns three or four days. They sprang up with the sunrise; by nine o’clock they were very strong, and so continued till noon, when they began to abate; and by sunset there was little wind, or a calm, till the land breezes came, which we should certainly have in the morning about one or two o’clock. The land breezes were between the south-south-west and south-south-east: the sea breezes between the east-north-east and north-north-east. ”

“ If a sea-breeze blows that assists the current, there is no remedy; and if the wind comes from land, the high mountain impedes its effect, and causes a calm, which allows the current full force, and then it whirls the ship against the coast, and dashes it to pieces, as ours was. ”

“ Nor does the flow extend far inland, which would be the case if there were up-rising currents. The sea-breeze is very shallow, generally not extending upward more than 200 metres, and often not above 100 metres. It [Pg 77] does not penetrate far inland, as a rule not more than 15 kilometres, 9 miles.
The sea-breeze is probably caused by a slow descent of dry, warm air, on an incline sloping from northeast to southwest. As it reaches the surface it is twisted more to the right; that is, becomes an east wind. ”

“ On the contrary the Sea-breeze driving the water on the shore of the island, makes the Flood, so that in the evening it may be said to be high water, especially if a South, or other Wind, blows violently into the Land for some time together, with which the water comes in, and is much higher than ordinary. The Breezes being stronger or weaker according to the Moons Age, it may be thought the Tides or Currents may follow that; but I rather believe they only are the effect of the Winds. ”

“ Where they do exist, they do not always blow, but are wanting during the hottest days; and careful observers have identified their appearance with the formation of cumuli, or other condensation, upon the hills inland. They are not, therefore, the result of ascending currents of heated air.
The received theory regarding sea and land breezes is a mistaken one in another respect. There is no such thing as a land wind corresponding in force to, and the opposite of, the sea breeze—occasioned by the comparative warmth of the ocean. These breezes blow mainly within the trade-wind region. ”

“ There are no manufactures of any kind on the island, nor is anything present to vitiate the air. Sea breezes, from the illimitable reaches of the ocean, sweep at will across these tiny bits of land, from every point of the compass, in quick succession. ”

“ At noon we had sailed 240 knots. The head-sea we could dispense with, as it makes us all very uncomfortable. Muriel, Baby, the three maids, and several of the crew, are ill to-day with influenza, and I have a slight touch of it, so I suppose it will go right through the ship. Towards the evening the breeze increased to a gale.
Saturday, January 6th.—The gale increased during the night, and the head-sea became heavier. There was a good deal of rain in the course of the day. The wind dropped about sunset, and was succeeded by intervals of calm, with occasional sharp squalls. ”

“ Comes again beautiful with again that fresh breeze at E. S. E. We are both feeling effects of our hard preparatory work [Pg 5A] and strenuous days following, and so it is 10 o’clock before we are half down the river. Once out and away, we begin to bruise water in great shape. Finally hove to and rigged spinnaker in spite of quite a rolling sea. I hoisted it and with a cheer we broke it out to as fair and pretty a breeze as ever christened a new sail. And how we legged it then and when tide turned some more. For seven hours we never started sheets or halliards. ”

“ During the entire day this breeze increased, with frequent squalls and a gloomy, lowering sky, and the wiseacres amongst us prognosticated bad weather. Of course it is always safest to prophesy bad weather at sea, because you naturally make up your mind that it is coming and prepare yourself for any emergency ”

“ Our passage on September 26th was made with some difficulty, owing to the heavy sea that prevailed. A moderate gale, or even a fresh breeze from certain directions, causes a dangerous sea for boats running between Countess of Warwick's Sound and Bear Sound, a fact we proved by personal experience. ”

“ Nobody could catch cold by the Sea, Nobody wanted appetite by the Sea, Nobody wanted Spirits, Nobody wanted Strength.—They were healing, softing, relaxing—fortifying & bracing—seemingly just as was wanted—sometimes one, sometimes the other.—If the Sea breeze failed, the Sea-Bath was the certain corrective;—& where Bathing disagreed, the Sea Breeze alone was evidently designed by Nature for the cure.—His eloquence however could not prevail. ”

“ The odorous, fresh sea-breezes are distinct from the fitful breezes along river banks, which are humid and freighted with inland smells. The bracing, light, dry air of the mountains can never be mistaken for the pungent salt air of the ocean. ”

“ He said that this regular alternation of the sea and land breeze in warm latitudes, as in the tropics generally, when the wind blows for so many hours in the day on and off-shore, is owing to the different powers for the radiation and absorption of heat possessed by land and water, so that when the day temperature is highest on the land the alternating breezes will be stronger, and vice versa. ”

“ They blow all day and all night, and all the year round, except in some particular places. The southerly sea-breezes on your coasts, indeed, blow chiefly in the afternoon. In the very long run from the west side of America to Guam, among the Philippine Islands, ships seldom have occasion to hand their sails, so equal and steady is the gale, and yet they make it in about 60 days, which could not be if the wind blew only in the afternoon. ”

“ Sea-breezes, which occur in regions bordering on the ocean in hot climates, are produced by causes similar to those which give rise to the south-west monsoon, but on a more limited scale of action, and changing their direction daily. ”

“ Land and sea breezes along the shores of intertropical countries.—Within the tropics, however, the land and sea breezes are more gentle, and, though the night scenes there are not so suggestive as those just described, yet they are exceedingly delightful and altogether lovely. ”

“ Cause of land and sea breezes.—When a five is kindled on the hearth, we may, if we will observe the moats floating in the room, see that those nearest to the chimney are the first to feel the draught and to obey it—they are drawn into the blaze. ”

“ Down dropt the breeze, the Sails dropt down,
'Twas sad as sad could be
And we did speak only to break
The silence of the Sea.
All in a hot and copper sky
The bloody sun at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the moon.
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, ne breath ne motion,
As idle as a painted Ship
Upon a painted Ocean,
Water, water, every where ”

“ Away they go, ’midst mist and sudden gale,
O’er stormy seas, through Biscay’s Bay they sail.
The sun is covered by dark lowering cloud,
And heaven seems hidden in a dusky shroud.
Hark! the huge vessel felt the thund’ring stroke,
While whelming waves in sudden deluge broke;
The seas around for horrid vengeance rave,
And every yawning gulf now seems a grave.
Again—the storm is o’er, with steady breeze
They glide in safety upon summer seas,{103}
Whose azure surface as a mirror tries
To catch the sunny radiance of the skies. ”

“ From steadfast Wind-belts, giving birth to steadfast Ocean-streams, we pass naturally to those fitful storms which lash the ocean into passing passions, and to the uncertain breezes of temperate climes.
There are currents and counter-currents, breezes and contrary breezes, winds from north and south and east and west, over the whole earth. Each separate movement of air helps to stir the waters of the sea into renewed restlessness. ”