Does lightning strike ships in the ocean?

Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas and for five weeks in 1492, the mainmast of his Santa María was the tallest point on the Atlantic Ocean. Weren't the wooden ships of the Age of Exploration susceptible to lightning strikes? Absolutely. read more

Tall ships did get struck by lightning quite often, but just because a ship is struck by lightning doesn't mean it will be completely destroyed. In 1852, British inventor Sir William Snow Harris published the first systematic study of lightning strikes on wooden ships. read more

What happens when lightning hits the sea, asks Justin Parkinson. If you are in the sea and a thunderstorm looks likely in the area, there are two ways to cut the risk of getting hit - get out and find some shelter, or swim deeper. read more

Lightning doesn’t strike the ocean as much as land, but when it does,it spreads out over the water, which acts as a conductor. It can hit boats that are nearby, and electrocute fish that are near the surface. If you’re at the beach and hear thunder or see lightning, get out of the water. read more