Gaging Wave Height

A visual reference of wave height while on the water:

• if your paddling partner's kayak disappears behind a wave, but you can see the rest of the paddler that is 1 feet waves 
• if you can see just the head of your paddling partner, that is 2 ft waves
• if you don't see the partner, but you can see his/hers paddle tip, that is 3 ft waves 
• if you loose sight of your partner/group that is 4 ft+ waves
• if you have a distant horizon, the waves are less than 3 ft
• if your horizon is the crest of the wave immediately in front of you, the waves are over 3 ft

Wave heights on the NWS Marine Forecast site are reported as "significant wave height", which is the average of the highest third of the waves. Individual wave heights may be more than twice the "significant wave height".