SURES. Peculiar southerly winds which blow on the coasts of Chili, Peru, and Mexico, accompanied by a fog or vapour, called sures pardos.
SURF. The swell and foam of the sea, which breaks upon the shore, or any rock lying near the surface. The most violent surfs are those which break upon a flat shore, as on the Coromandel and African coasts.
SURFACE CURRENT. A current which does not extend more than 8 or 10 feet below the surface. Also, fresh water running over salt at the mouths of great rivers.
SURF-BOAT. A peculiar kind of flat-bottomed boat, varying according to local exigencies, for landing men, or goods, in surf. (See [Masulah Boats].)
SURGE. A large swelling wave. Also, the tapered part of the whelps between the chocks of the capstan, upon which the messenger is readily surged.—To surge, is to slacken up suddenly a portion of a rope where it renders round a pin, windlass, or capstan; as, "Surge the messenger." A ship is said to surge on a reef when she rises and falls with the heave of the sea, so as to strike heavily.
SURGE HO! The notice given when a rope or cable is to be surged.
SURGEON. A competent medical officer, appointed to attend the sick and wounded on board a ship of war, for which purpose he has, according to the rate of the ship, from one to two assistants, once called surgeon's mates, but latterly [assistant-surgeons] (which see).
SURGE THE CAPSTAN, To. To slacken the rope heaved round upon its barrel, to prevent its parts from riding or getting foul.
SURINGER. An archaism for surgeon.
SURMARKS. In ship-building, the points on the moulds where the bevellings are to be applied to the timbers.