Waterspouts

[scubabunny]

Does anyone know if waterspouts are dangerous to divers? I have seen some off shore here (way out) and they are cool to see, but what exactly are they? They look like little tornadoes, but not as violent...but I'm sure they can trash a boat.

How deep do they go? Are they strong enough to suck up a diver? Not really worried, but just curious.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

From doing a quick Lycos search,


You got it right a water spout is a small tornado over the water. Some waterspouts/tonados are larger than others and therefore stronger than others. Waterspouts can and do come onto land and become real tornados.
I don't think a diver would be in any danger in the water, but I would also be in favor of leaving the area if the weather started to turn that nasty and before something like that could form.


Tom

 

[Ber Rabbit]

There's a short article about them at http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wspsafe.htm


Ber

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Scubabunny,

Go here http://www.scubadiving.com/members/photogalleries.php?s=462 to view a waterspout I watched form from a tiny nipple on a cloud over Cozumel. It came down over a site we had just finished diving.

Happy holidays.

DocVikingo

 

[Rick Murchison]

A waterspout is simply a tornado that forms over water. It can be just as big as the biggest land tornado, though once it gets to the surface the water it picks up tends to sap more from it and make it shorter-lived.
Over the years I've seen 'em big and small. Most of the big ones in WESTPAC but the biggest of all ran right up the intracoastal canal between Bear Point and Wolf Bay, AL.. Pretty close to Ono, there Scubadoc. (that was about '65, give or take a few years)
Rick

 

[Norm]

We saw seven of them one day, off Charleston. I was so intrigued, I only got a shot of one of them before they disappeared!