The ship was shaking from stem to stern and pounding just as if she were ashore on the rocks, the masts and rigging were shaking so violently I thought they were going to come down. ... The surface of the sea for miles around was trembling and broken with short chop.

-Captain Farrow of the S. S. Socony, 27 miles from Point Arguello.

[It was] a shock very similar to that experienced when the propellor strikes a submerged object, only that the resulting quiver throughout the ship continued longer than is generally experienced when the propeller strikes a log or submerged object. This was followed a few minutes later by a similar quiver throughout the ship without the sensation of striking anything. The sea was smooth at the time ...

-Captain Cagle of the Alaska Standard, 14 miles north of Point Arguello.