Storm waves in the Bering Sea have been known to grow to more than ninety feet, the stuff of apocalyptic movies. Walls of water that big can roll a ship in seconds. But the size of a wave isn’t its only deadly threat. Timing is critical. A medium-sized wave can topple an already-listing ship. Placement matters, too: Is it a broadside blow or a top-down slam? The upkeep of a vessel, especially its drainage capacity, also can determine whether it survives a good drubbing.
