Disappeared News

This surf forecast just in via Brad Parsons:

From Pat Caldwell/NOAA: Outlook through Thursday Dec 27. A moderate northwest swell will arrive Saturday night. A larger northwest swell will roll in Sunday night with surf above the advisory level of 15 feet for north-facing shores and near the advisory level of 12 feet for the west facing shores. A small to moderate trade wind swell will continue through next week with surf along east-facing shores staying below advisory levels. Surf heights are forecast heights of the face or front of waves. The surf forecast is based on the significant wave height in the zone of maximum refraction. Some waves may be more than twice as high as the significant wave height. Expect to encounter rip currents in or near any surf zone.

I'm not familiar with surf forecasts. It would be nice if there were a way to translate the numbers into some kind of index, let's call it the Superferry Barf Index, which could give passengers an idea of just how sick they'll be going to or returning from their holiday. Something like, from 1-5, 1=moderate discomfort to 5=wretchedly ill.

Cartoonist John Pritchett caught the essence of the Superferry experience in his Honolulu Weekly cartoon in the current issue. Check it out here, on his website.

Maybe John would make up some postcards using that image for people who've experienced high seas on the Superferry to send back to their friends and relatives (hint).