What Is A Fetch In The Open Water?

What Is A Fetch In The Open Water?

Once of the most frustrating elements for open water swimmers to deal with is wind and the resultant surface chop or whitewater. Whether the wind is blowing against, with or laterally, the wind waves are obstacles for open water swimmers to overcome.

So when mariners talk about “fetch“, what do they mean?

Fetch is the area of ocean or lake over which the wind blows in a constant direction, generating waves. Fetch is an important factor as wind waves develop. Waves increase in height when fetch increases.

But there is a limit of 1,600K. Wave heights do not increase with increasing fetch beyond 1,000 miles.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source
Steven Munatones