Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls (French: les Chutes du Niagara) are massive waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. The falls are 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo, New York, 75 miles (120 km) south-southeast of Toronto, Ontario, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York.

Niagara Falls is composed of two major sections separated by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side of the border and American Falls on the United States side. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls also is located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island. Niagara Falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age), and water from the newly-formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than six million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow,^[1] and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average. It is the most powerful waterfall in North America.^{[citation needed]}

The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Managing the balance between recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 1800s.

MS Freedom of the Seas -World's largest passenger ship

MS Freedom of the Seas is a cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. It is the namesake of Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class of cruise ships, and can accommodate over 4,300 passengers and 1,300 crew on fifteen passenger decks. In addition to two sister ships, Freedom will keep the title of the largest passenger ships ever built until construction of the Oasis Class ships in 2009, also owned by Royal Caribbean International.

Career
Name:	Freedom of the Seas
Namesake:	Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class of cruise ships
Owner:	Royal Caribbean International
Operator:	Royal Caribbean International
Port of Registry:	Bahamas
Ordered:	September 2003
Builder:	Aker Yards (Turku, Finland)
Cost:	US $~800,000,000 (~750m Euro or GB£520m)
Laid down:	November 9, 2004
Christened:	May 12, 2006 at Bayonne, NJ on New York Harbor by Katherine Louise Calder[1]
Maiden voyage:	4 June 2006 (Caribbean)[1]
In service:	4 June 2006
Status:	In service
General characteristics
Class and type:	Freedom Class, cruise ship
Tonnage:	154,407 gross register tons (GRT)
Length:	1,111.9 ft (338.91 m)
Beam:	126.64 ft (38.60 m) waterline 184 ft (56.08 m) extreme (bridge wings) ,
Height:	209 ft (63.7 m or 15 decks high)
Draught:	28 ft (8.53 m)
Decks:	18 total decks, 15 passenger decks
Installed power:	Six Wärtsilä 46 V12 diesels each rated at 12.6 MW (~17,000hp) driving electric generators at 514 rpm.
Propulsion:	Three ABB Azipod podded electric propulsion units, two of them azimuthing, one fixed. 4 additional bow thrusters.
Speed:	21.6-knot (40 km/h/25 mph)
Capacity:	4,370 passengers
Crew:	1,360 crew

Big Ships & oil platforms in storm.

Tankers are a BIG wave target:



"Erika" - a massive oil tanker succumbed to the power of the storm in the waters of Northern Gascony. A little rescue ship "The Abeille Flandre" have been able to secure the tanker even after it split in two, keeping the stern afloat and preventing the ship to run aground, which could've caused a huge oil spill.



Nothing can help this tanker:
("Levoli Sun", in the English Channel, north of the Isle of Batz)



Big cruise ships are tossed around in the heavy seas like a child's toy:



"Voyager" - very modern ocean liner, in the middle of Mediterranian swells:






Here is another big ship: New Zealand' ferry "The Aramoana" in the Cook Strait - one of the roughest stretches of water in the world:


The wreck of oil tanker "Prestige" off the coast of Spain (more info) -




Evacuate! Evacuate!

When big offshore oil rig is damaged, it's not a pretty sight; it is rather a testimony to the power of hurricane's wave surge, which can crumble the structure like a bunch of sticks:

This is the current facility off the shores of Mexico (14,000 workers evacuated, production completely shut down, oil rigs abandoned) "Dean bears down on oil fields" - article.



Here is what it might look like after Dean passes over:

"NEW ORLEANS, La. (July 12, 2005)--Thunder Horse, a semi-submersible platform owned by BP, was found listing after the crew returned. The rig was evacuated for Hurricane Dennis. USCG photos by PA3 Robert M. Reed"