(Various Sizes priced individually)
Sea like a mirror
Ripples with appearance of scales are
formed, without foam crests
Small wavelets still short but more
pronounced; crests have a glassy
appearance but do not break
Large wavelets; crests begin to break;
foam of glassy appearance; perhaps
scattered white horses
Small waves becoming longer; fairly
frequent white horses
Moderate waves taking a more
pronounced long form; many white
horses are formed; chance of some
spray
Large waves begin to form; the white
foam crests are more extensive
everywhere; probably some spray
Sea heaps up and white foam from
breaking waves begins to be blown in
streaks along the direction of the
wind; spindrift begins to be seen
8. Moderately high waves of greater
length; edges of crests break into
spindrift; foam is blown in
well-marked streaks along the
direction of the wind
9. High waves; dense streaks of foam
along the direction of the wind; sea
begins to roll; spray affects visibility
10. Very high waves with long
overhanging crests; resulting foam in
great patches is blown in dense white
streaks along the direction of the
wind; on the whole the surface of the
sea takes on a white appearance;
rolling of the sea becomes heavy;
visibility affected
11. Exceptionally high waves; small- and
medium-sized ships might be for a
long time lost to view behind the
waves; sea is covered with long white
patches of foam; everywhere the
edges of the wave crests are blown
into foam; visibility affected
12. The air is filled with foam and spray;
sea is completely white with driving
spray; visibility very seriously affected
By Francis Beaufort