Helming downwind having fun
Despite the chill, Mohsin was always a happy shipmate
Days like these in the south are heaven sent
Email from the boat to shore:
From: OmanTri
To: update
Subject: Thursday 12th Feb
Date: 12/02/2009 01:25:47
Just as soon as the big swell arrived, the chop made an unwelcome return,
making all aspects of life uncomfortable again. Hooch and I were on deck
when a huge breaking quatering wave landed on the back beam and flooded the
cockpit, we had about 30cm of water across the whole cockpit floor, and the
small cuddy area rapidly filled up too – and sloshed from side to side
before the cockpit drains could clear it…. One life jacket hanging up in
the cuddy was set off such was the volume of water, incredibly none but a
splash went below thorough the main companion way. The new hatch in the
cuddy to bring light and ventilation to the aft cabin also had an immersion
test – and is now significantly taped up – awaiting sunnier times. Loik had
one aboard about 9 hours later and the newly taped hatch seemed to be
holding up – though the water wasn’t quite as deep.
After a period where the wind was up to 45kts the wind and seas dimminished
some what and we gybed to the SE for 6 hours – this means we are better
placed for the anticipated windshift to the NW later tomorrow, when we
expect the wind to be up again for around 18 hours – taking us E as far as
we need to go – before gybe and head for the horn – at that time the tip of
south america should be within 1100nm, and we’ll be heading directly for it.
We can expect some reasonable conditions on this leg, though it’ll be
getting cooler for sure as we plunge deep into the 50s to get to the Horn at
almost 56S – we are all desparately hoping that to be in daylight – our
track record for milestones isn’t good though – but perhaps it’s time to
have one in daylight.
Arriving with South America on the screen as it rapidly approaches does
make us think about the cultures we are passing by on the trip – leaving
the Middle East, past East Africa, and India, and past Australia and New
Zealand, and now south america appears – each so different, it really starts
a travel itch – what are these places we have been sailing past.In so many
ways it’s such a shame not to be stopping off to visit – once again we are
in too much of a hurry to get back to Muscat!
Today was food bag D35 – a good day for the lovers of Chilli Con Carne,
Pasta Bol, and today’s highlight Green and Blacks Dark Chocolate bars – one
35g bar each. Not sure yet of everyone eating techniques, but my betting is
that it’ll be gone fairly quickly, and with no shop to buy any from for over
2000nm then that’ll be it until the next time it appears in a food bag…..
To: update
Subject: Thursday 12th Feb
Date: 12/02/2009 01:25:47
Just as soon as the big swell arrived, the chop made an unwelcome return,
making all aspects of life uncomfortable again. Hooch and I were on deck
when a huge breaking quatering wave landed on the back beam and flooded the
cockpit, we had about 30cm of water across the whole cockpit floor, and the
small cuddy area rapidly filled up too – and sloshed from side to side
before the cockpit drains could clear it…. One life jacket hanging up in
the cuddy was set off such was the volume of water, incredibly none but a
splash went below thorough the main companion way. The new hatch in the
cuddy to bring light and ventilation to the aft cabin also had an immersion
test – and is now significantly taped up – awaiting sunnier times. Loik had
one aboard about 9 hours later and the newly taped hatch seemed to be
holding up – though the water wasn’t quite as deep.
After a period where the wind was up to 45kts the wind and seas dimminished
some what and we gybed to the SE for 6 hours – this means we are better
placed for the anticipated windshift to the NW later tomorrow, when we
expect the wind to be up again for around 18 hours – taking us E as far as
we need to go – before gybe and head for the horn – at that time the tip of
south america should be within 1100nm, and we’ll be heading directly for it.
We can expect some reasonable conditions on this leg, though it’ll be
getting cooler for sure as we plunge deep into the 50s to get to the Horn at
almost 56S – we are all desparately hoping that to be in daylight – our
track record for milestones isn’t good though – but perhaps it’s time to
have one in daylight.
Arriving with South America on the screen as it rapidly approaches does
make us think about the cultures we are passing by on the trip – leaving
the Middle East, past East Africa, and India, and past Australia and New
Zealand, and now south america appears – each so different, it really starts
a travel itch – what are these places we have been sailing past.In so many
ways it’s such a shame not to be stopping off to visit – once again we are
in too much of a hurry to get back to Muscat!
Today was food bag D35 – a good day for the lovers of Chilli Con Carne,
Pasta Bol, and today’s highlight Green and Blacks Dark Chocolate bars – one
35g bar each. Not sure yet of everyone eating techniques, but my betting is
that it’ll be gone fairly quickly, and with no shop to buy any from for over
2000nm then that’ll be it until the next time it appears in a food bag…..
Weather Router’s advice:
From: Commanders’ Weather
To: Musandam
Subject: weather Thu 2-12
Date: 12/02/2009 13:57:19
To: Charles Darbyshire and the crew of
“Musandam”
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Last Position: 46 24s/109 37w at 1200utc Thu Feb 12, 2009
Prepared: 1330utc Thu Feb 12, 2009
SummaryÖ Becoming rougher next 24 hours then conditions improve
1) Expect low pressure to develop near 50s/112w by 00 utc Fri and
intensify as it tracks SE.
a) By 12 utc Fri low will be nr 53s/102w
b) By 00 utc Sat low nr 54s/91w
c) By 00 utc Sun low will be near Cape Horn.
2) Developing trough north of the low will pass thru you around 18 utc Fri.
a) Your winds will clock into the NW-NNW next 12 hours ahead
of the trough.
b) Then back to westerly behind it near and after 18 utc.
3) Strongest winds look to be 6-18 utc Fri but it looks now as though the
strongest winds(40-50+ kts)
will occur to the SE of your expected position( north of the low
center).
a) So no need to be any further SE than our 12 utc estimated
position.
4) After the low continues toward Cape Horn over the weekend your winds will
diminish and also may
tend to back into the W-WSW as high pressure expands southward from the
main South Atlantic
high.
a) Speeds may drop to as low as 15 kts by 00 utc Sun and
continue light thru Sunday.
5) Then early next week the next front will approach and shift winds into
the N later Sunday night and
Monday.
a) Speeds back to 25-35 kts.
6) This front will swing SE thru you just before getting to Cape Horn and
looks to be weakening as well.
7) So with some luck winds and seas rounding Cape Horn may not be too bad.
8) Seas though in the short term look to be quite high building to 15-20+ ft
by Friday ñ higher to the SE.
a) Then as the high pressure ridge builds in seas will
diminish significantly over the
weekend.
RoutingÖ Do not want you any further SE then 47s/101w by 12 utc Friday to
avoid 50 kt winds
Further SE north of the low. Then can actively head SE
toward Cape Horn after 12 utc Fri
as the low accelerates away.
– Some estimated positions below
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Thu, Feb 12
18: 300-320/25-35
WeatherÖPartly cloudy to cloudy
Seas 12-18 ft with a W swell ñ seas come down for a time then will increase
again overnight
Fri, Feb 13 – winds stronger to the SE north of the Low
00: 320-340/25-35
06: 290-310/25-35, g40
12: 300-320/25-35 g 40 nr 47s/101w
18: 270-290/25-35 g 40 ñ now heading SE on starboard
WeatherÖMostly cloudy with squally showers developing
Seas 15-22 ft
Sat, Feb 14
00: 270-290/25-35
06: 270-290/22-30
12: 260-280/18-25 nr 49s/92 30w
18: 260-280/15-20
WeatherÖSqually showers ending then mostly cloudy
Seas diminishing to 12-18 ft
Sun, Feb 15
00: 240-260/12-20
06: 240-260/10-15
12: 250-270/15-20 nr 52 30s/84 30w
18: 270-290/15-20
WeatherÖconsiderable cloudiness.
Seas come down to 10-15 ft
Mon, Feb 16
00: 300-320/15-25
06: 350-010/25-35
12: 360-020/25-35 nr 55s/76w
18: 360-020/22-30
WeatherÖMostly cloudy with squally showers possible
Seas 8-12 ft
Tue, Feb 17
00: 330-350/22-30
12: 290-310/15-20 E of Cape Horn
WeatherÖCloudy to partly cloudy
Best regards, Tom Mattus
—
PLEASE NOTE: AS OF JANUARY 1, 2008, OUR NEW EMAIL ADDRESS IS :
info@commandersweather.com
Commanders Weather Corp.
Tel: 603-882-6789
To: Musandam
Subject: weather Thu 2-12
Date: 12/02/2009 13:57:19
To: Charles Darbyshire and the crew of
“Musandam”
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Last Position: 46 24s/109 37w at 1200utc Thu Feb 12, 2009
Prepared: 1330utc Thu Feb 12, 2009
SummaryÖ Becoming rougher next 24 hours then conditions improve
1) Expect low pressure to develop near 50s/112w by 00 utc Fri and
intensify as it tracks SE.
a) By 12 utc Fri low will be nr 53s/102w
b) By 00 utc Sat low nr 54s/91w
c) By 00 utc Sun low will be near Cape Horn.
2) Developing trough north of the low will pass thru you around 18 utc Fri.
a) Your winds will clock into the NW-NNW next 12 hours ahead
of the trough.
b) Then back to westerly behind it near and after 18 utc.
3) Strongest winds look to be 6-18 utc Fri but it looks now as though the
strongest winds(40-50+ kts)
will occur to the SE of your expected position( north of the low
center).
a) So no need to be any further SE than our 12 utc estimated
position.
4) After the low continues toward Cape Horn over the weekend your winds will
diminish and also may
tend to back into the W-WSW as high pressure expands southward from the
main South Atlantic
high.
a) Speeds may drop to as low as 15 kts by 00 utc Sun and
continue light thru Sunday.
5) Then early next week the next front will approach and shift winds into
the N later Sunday night and
Monday.
a) Speeds back to 25-35 kts.
6) This front will swing SE thru you just before getting to Cape Horn and
looks to be weakening as well.
7) So with some luck winds and seas rounding Cape Horn may not be too bad.
8) Seas though in the short term look to be quite high building to 15-20+ ft
by Friday ñ higher to the SE.
a) Then as the high pressure ridge builds in seas will
diminish significantly over the
weekend.
RoutingÖ Do not want you any further SE then 47s/101w by 12 utc Friday to
avoid 50 kt winds
Further SE north of the low. Then can actively head SE
toward Cape Horn after 12 utc Fri
as the low accelerates away.
– Some estimated positions below
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Thu, Feb 12
18: 300-320/25-35
WeatherÖPartly cloudy to cloudy
Seas 12-18 ft with a W swell ñ seas come down for a time then will increase
again overnight
Fri, Feb 13 – winds stronger to the SE north of the Low
00: 320-340/25-35
06: 290-310/25-35, g40
12: 300-320/25-35 g 40 nr 47s/101w
18: 270-290/25-35 g 40 ñ now heading SE on starboard
WeatherÖMostly cloudy with squally showers developing
Seas 15-22 ft
Sat, Feb 14
00: 270-290/25-35
06: 270-290/22-30
12: 260-280/18-25 nr 49s/92 30w
18: 260-280/15-20
WeatherÖSqually showers ending then mostly cloudy
Seas diminishing to 12-18 ft
Sun, Feb 15
00: 240-260/12-20
06: 240-260/10-15
12: 250-270/15-20 nr 52 30s/84 30w
18: 270-290/15-20
WeatherÖconsiderable cloudiness.
Seas come down to 10-15 ft
Mon, Feb 16
00: 300-320/15-25
06: 350-010/25-35
12: 360-020/25-35 nr 55s/76w
18: 360-020/22-30
WeatherÖMostly cloudy with squally showers possible
Seas 8-12 ft
Tue, Feb 17
00: 330-350/22-30
12: 290-310/15-20 E of Cape Horn
WeatherÖCloudy to partly cloudy
Best regards, Tom Mattus
—
PLEASE NOTE: AS OF JANUARY 1, 2008, OUR NEW EMAIL ADDRESS IS :
info@commandersweather.com
Commanders Weather Corp.
Tel: 603-882-6789
A selection of pictures from today: