Descriptive Terms for Sea Conditions: Calm vs. Rough

Mariners and writers use specific vocabulary to convey sea state:

Calm Conditions

• Like glass / glassy
• Millpond
• Mirror-flat

Rough & Stormy Conditions

• Roiling
• Raging
• Tempestuous
• Tumultuous
• Turbulent
• Choppy
• Heavy swell
• Surge / surging

These terms reflect increasing wave height, wind speed, and navigational difficulty.