BEAUFORT WIND SCALE  ( The comments in brackets are mine, otherwise the words are direct quotes from the scale descriptions)  Aubrey Millard/Searoom.com A knot is one nautical mile (2000yards) per hour or about 2 kilometres per hour.  Force 1 – Wind speed from 1 to 3 knots, described as LIGHT AIRS (a drifter)   Force 2 – Speed 4 to 6 knots, described as LIGHT BREEZE (a slow sail)  Force 3 – Speed 7 to 10 knots, described as GENTLE BREEZE (a pleasant, easy sail)  Force 4 – Speed 11 to 16 knots, described as MODERATE BREEZE ( a good sailing breeze) Force 5 – Speed 17 to 21 knots, described as FRESH BREEZE, with up to 2 metre waves (a challenging sail)  Force 6 – Speed 22 to 27 knots, described as STRONG BREEZE, with up to 3 metre waves (a heavy sail)  Force 7 – Speed 28 to 33 knots, described as NEAR GALE, with 4 metre waves, seas heaping up, white foam from breaking waves (don’t go out in it, or seek shelter if caught out) Force 8 – Speed 34 to 40 knots, described as GALE, with 5.5 metre moderately high waves of greater length; edges of crests beginning to break into spindrift (you are in for it!)  Force 9 – Speed 41 to 47 knots, described as SEVERE GALE, 7 metre high waves, dense streaks of foam, crests begin to topple, tumble and roll over, spray may affect visibility (pure survival)  Force 10 – Speed 48 to 55 knots, described as STORM, with up to 9 metre very high waves, long overhanging crests, foam blown in great patches along direction of the wind, surface takes on a white appearance, tumbling of the sea heavy and shock-like (you or your boat will sustain damage)  Force 11 – Speed 56 to 63 knots, described as VIOLENT STORM, sea completely covered by long white patches of foam (Aaagghhh!!!)   Force 12 – Speed 64 to 71 knots, described as HURRICANE with up to 14 metre waves, air filled with foam and spray (Our Father Who art in…)