From a viewer offshore -

These pics were taken around 3:00 pm on 11-09-09. I am on the rig Ocean America & we are located in block Viosca Knolls 917. For those of you not familiar with that location, it is South-East of Venice, LA., or approximately 90 miles due South of Mobile Bay, Alabama . We are pretty far out & the water depth is 4,378'. When I took these pics, it was apparent IDA was passing right over us as we were clocking sustained winds of 70 knots (80 mph) & had gusts of up to 78 knots (90 mph). We had steady 20-25' seas with the occasional 35'-40+ rolling through. We know this by counting the 1' markers on the rig structure at the water line as the waves passed through. These are the biggest seas I have seen in the Gulf of Mexico in my 22+ year career working out here. I thought you would all enjoy these. And trust me, these pics dont do those seas any justice! Those waves are HUGE!!!!

Regards,
Dennis J. Menard