The Power of the Sea

When the Sea Turns Against Us: Escaping its Fury through Prediction
The Earliest Predictions for the Sea: The Tide
The Moon, the Sun, and the Sea: The Tide Predictions for D-Day
The Sea's Greatest Killer: Predicting Storm Surges
Defending our Coasts: Flooded Cities
Stormy Seas: Predicting Sea, Swell, and Surf
'Holes' in the Surface of the Sea: Rogue Waves
The Sea's Response to an Unpredictable Earth: Trying to Predict Tsunamis
December 26, 2004 (Part 1): Tragic Surprise in the Indian Ocean
December 26, 2004 (Part 2): Learning from a Tragedy
Predicting the Future - and Saving Lives: El Niño, Climate Change, and a Global Ocean Observing System
Endnotes
Acknowledgments

Bruce Parker is a world recognized expert in the oceans. He is former Chief Scientist of the National Ocean Service and occupied various posts in international organizations that study ocean behavior. He is presently Visiting Professor at the Center for Maritime Systems at the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. Among his awards are the U.S. Department of Commerce Gold Medal and the Commodore Cooper Medal from the International Hydrographic Organization. He lives in Virginia.

"Mixes hair-raising descriptions of disasters with efforts to understand them... the author provides a lucid, original contribution to popular-science writing." - "Kirkus Reviews"

..". prediction is the focal point of Parker's narrative, and a lively, story-driven one it is. ... Riveting readers with analyses of catastrophes such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Parker delivers science in dramatic and digestible form." - "Booklist"

"Anyone who appreciates the fact that the sea remains something we cannot control will love this book from Bruce Parker. You will come away with a better understanding of why the sea will leave us in awe till the end of time." - Jim Cantore, "The Weather Channel"

"I suggest you read "The Power of the Sea," a fascinating exploration of the subject by Bruce Parker" - Andrew Revkin, Dot Earth blog, "The New York Times"

"Bruce Parker's "The Power of the Sea" is an engaging and essential history of science. It's also a terrific account of survival on our wild blue planet." - David Helvarg, author of "Saved by the Sea: A Love Story with Fish"

""The Power of the Sea" presents the destructive nature of ocean waves in human terms. For me, the power of "the Power of the Sea "lies in the compelling personal stories that make the book immensely readable. From Napoleon's near death encounter with a raging Red Sea tide, to the vital importance of predicting tide and swell before the D-Day landings, to the individual acts of heroism during the tragic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, to the epic storm surges that continue to flood Bangladesh and Myanmar today, Parker never loses sight of the uneasy alliance between man and sea. All who ply or live near the sea should read this book. Be warned, you may never look at the ocean the same way again." - John Kretschmer, columnist for "Sailing "magazine and author of "At The Mercy of the Sea"

"Rarely does a book written by a practicing scientist grab you like this one. Intelli