Email Time: 09/01/2009 10:32:07
Lat: 20 52.63′ N
Long: 61 58.35′ E
Inst Speed: 13.1
Wind Dir: 3
Wind Speed: 14.6000
Distance last 24hr: 250.4070700340272787
Distance to finish: 21452.38
Although we left well prepared, there were still some small jobs to finish. Here, Thierry secures some chafe cover on the tricing line.
We are not alone, a day into our trip, and lots of traffic in the Indian Ocean.
Getting into our routine – the all important kettle.

Email from the boat to shore: 

From: OmanTri
To: update
Subject: Progress south
Date: 09/01/2009 10:32:07


no tear jerkers today i promise – we are heading south fairly quickly, we
have had more wind overnight than we expected ( not stopping at all ) and
the wind has not shifted yet to the NE as we had expected by now – mainly
N’lys and up to 16kts We have had no sail changes since starting yesterday
just two gybes. as we head down on port gybe we expect to be headed to a
more southerly heading during the next few hours ( perhaps 5).

It’s been really nice boat speeds as high as 18kts ( as i write with Th
driving) a small swell and bright sunshine – even last night was lit by a
huge full moon that made being on deck easy to work. We are slowly finding
our routine not so easy with thought still of home and what lies ahead.so
far we haven’t found anything missing that we wanted to take! or found
anything onboard that we should have left behind – i am sure we will
eventually.

We are slowly working our way through the fresh food, and eating the first
of our prepacked bags of food. I think may be the chrunchy nut bars may
have suffered somewhere in a bit of heat – but they taste ok. the freeze
dried food of the day is Chicken with mash, and pasta bol. Not sure too much
of either will get eaten today – but they are good ‘savers’ for future!
We have a condiment cupboard that any TV chef would be proud of with two
flavours of tabasco, mixed herbs, black pepper , white pepper, lea &
perrins…we’ve got the lot.

Date: 09/01/09
Time: 10:30:00
Posn: 2052.7788N 06158.2302E
Ave Boatspeed last 5 mins:14.20
Ave TWD last 5 mins: 001
Ave TWA last 5 mins: -138
Ave TWS last 5 mins: 13.8
Ave SOG last 5 mins:13.47
Ave COG last 5 mins: 138
Ave Pressure last 5 mins: 1016.3
Sea Temp: 24.7
Air Temp Fwd cabin: 26.9

Weather Router’s advice: 

From: Commanders’ Weather <info@
To:omantri
Subject: weather 14 UTC Fri 1-9
Date: 09/01/2009 14:05:53



To: Charles Darbyshire and crew of “Musandam”

From: Commanders Weather Corp

Event: sail around the world

Place: Muscat, Oman

Last Position: 20 37n/ 62 15w at 1200utc Fri, Jan 9, 2009

Prepared: 1400utc Fri, Jan 9, 2009



SummaryÖJust realizing how fast you can go so have adjusted boat speeds.



1) Expect increasing NE trades next 24 hours that will peak in the 20 kt
range Sunday night around

5n.

a) Direction will trend into NE next several hours
then go as far as 060-070 over the

weekend.

2) Enjoy the breeze next few days as Monday night and Tuesday when you get
south of the Equator

winds will diminish to < 10 kts as you enter the Doldrums.

3) The tropical system we have been watching continues disorganized center
near 16s/65e today.

4) Still forecast to track S to 20s/ 65e by Sunday then accelerate SE next
week eventually getting into

the westerlies.

5) This low will have no positive impact on you but will leave a large area
of light winds behind it south

of the Equator.

6) Unfortunately you will have to deal with this large doldrum pattern a
good portion of next week.

7) As you get further south Tuesday/Wed your wind will tend to back to N
then perhaps NNW by Wed.

a) Speeds likely 8 kts or less

8) Will be watching for any kind of disturbance near Mauritius later in the
week that may help us to get

S.

9) Then long term will need to go around high pressure which a week from now
will be near 35s/70w.

10) Will also be increasing threat of scattered squally shower or 2 as you
get S of the Equator.





RoutingÖ Max boat speed next few days crossing the Equator near 65w.

Want to go thru the doldrums south of the Equator as much
in a N-S fashion as possible.

Eventually getting south of high pressure usually along
35s and into the westerlies..



Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC



Fri, Jan 9

18: 030-050/ 10-14

WeatherÖFair to partly cloudy

Seas 1-3 ft



Sat, Jan 10

00: 040-060/ 9-13

06: 050-070/11-15

12: 040-060/13-17 nr 16n/63 30 e

18: 040-060/15-20

WeatherÖPartly cloudy

Seas 3-5 ft



Sun, Jan 11

00: 040-060/15-20

06: 040-060/15-20

12: 040-060/14-18 nr 0930n/65 e

18: 050-070/15-22

WeatherÖVariable cloudiness with increasing chance scattered squally shower
as you get S of 10n

Seas 3-6 ft



Mon, Jan 12

00: 080-100/ 17-20 ñ winds diminish

06: 080-100/ 15-20

12: 070-090/ 12-17 nr 0/ 65e

18: 060-080/ 10-15

WeatherÖVariable cloudiness with scattered squally shower or 2 especially to
the W

Seas 3-6 ft ñ NE swell



Tue, Jan 13

00: 040-060/ 8-12

06: 030-050/ 5-10

12: 020-040/ 5-8 nr 4s/ 66 30e

18: 010-030/ 4-7

Weather.. Variable cloudiness with scattered squally shower possible

Seas 3-5 ft NE swell



Wed, Jan 14 ñ on starboard

00: 330-350/ 4-7

12: 330-350/ 5-8 nr 7s/66e

WeatherÖVariable cloudiness

SeasÖ3-5 ft NE swell



Best regards,

Tom Mattus



PLEASE NOTE: AS OF JANUARY 1, 2008, OUR NEW EMAIL ADDRESS IS :
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Commanders Weather Corp.
Tel: 603-882-6789

A selection of pictures from today: