Poem by the Dutch writer Anneke Brassinga

Beethoven on the Beaufort scale

sea like a mirror

scaly ripples, no

foam –

small wavelets, do not

break, crests have glassy appearance –

small waves, crests begin

to break, scattered

foam –

small waves becoming

larger, fairly frequent

foam crests –

moderate waves of pronounced

longer form, many

foam crests –

larger waves, breaking crests, cause

white crests of everywhere to be blown

into froth –

taller waves,       white

foam –

of breaking crests along the direction of the wind

moderately high waves, crests of

waves form spindrift, well-marked

streaks of foam –

high waves, dense

streaks of foam –

along the direction of the wind, roller-forming, driving

foam –

very high waves with tumbling

wave-crests, sea takes on a

white appearance due to foam

exceptionally high waves, sea covered with

foam –

visibility strongly

reduced

air filled with foam

and driving

spray

sea completely

white

due to foam, practically

no visibility –