drifting along
gazing at the sea
whilst doing some maintenance
Email from the boat to shore:
From: OmanTri
Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:15:11 -0000
To: update
Subject: there is no wind
There is no wind.There hasn’t been more than 9kts for 24 hours. and the
average has been 4kts for last 24hours, 2.5 kts for last 12, and 2.2 for the
last 6hours
In the last 24 hours we have moved 76nm , a record that could be broken
unles the wind fills in soon, as our boat speed remains in the 0-2kts range.
This is not a record we’d like to break.
Understandably life is fairly quiet onboard, there is frustration of course,
but an understanding that as sailors we live and die by the wind. We must
take the rough with the smooth, and we have had a good trip so far, and if
this is payment then OK we’ll take it. General feeling is that we’ll be all
debt free by noon and deserving some good sailing north bound!!!
Being in zero wind is different to being in light airs – light airs sailing
is a challenge, keeping pace with the changes. Sailing in Zero wind is not
a challenge – it’s just dreadful to hear the boat banging between each float
pivoting like a see-saw on the main hull. It’s conditions like this that
damage can occour. Not that you’d know about it until the load came back on,
and may be a displaced pin, or captivation plate may not cause an immediate
catastrophic failure, it could lay the foundations for a furture disaster.
Loik’s been around the boat trying to see if any have occoured that are
possible to see, catching them before they become a problem.
Over night there was a little cloud, and now it’s coming light agan there
are some clues ot what the wether bring the next few hours, some scattering
of cloud I hope indicates some breeze on the way, and hopefully good by to
the doldrums, though we may need to be another 100nm further north. ‘We
shall see’ is a well used phrase at the moment.
Other real life things continue around our little world, highlighted by
messages from home – including one that the local supermarket in Cowes is to
close in 10 days and reopen as Sainsburys – I had to check the date to check
it wasn’t an April Fool, but each of us is going to walk, or drive through a
familiar landscape, and things will have changed, new road layouts, old
familar shops closed, new shops opened. Being away for this long is going
to sharpen our senses to the world of change – we are looking foward to
seeing it!
Hoochie and I were talking about how great it woud be to do an education
pack to go with a round the world trip like this. We think every subject
followed in school could easily have something listed to it, including
French ( we ae sailing with two french people of course), more obviously
Geography, History – why are we sailing past so many places with french
names? Maths, English – can someone write a better update?! Biology, Physics
( lots of physics on board a boat ). We could also write a lesson on
‘Grinning and Bearing it’ and ‘The stifff upper lip” something to work on
when we are back.
Something for the school visits in oman would be a canvas strip screen
printed to show the living space inside the main hull.. I think you’d all be
shocked how small it is especially for 5 people.
right gotta go and do a rain dance ( or wind dance… which ever works to
get us moving again!!)
more tomorrow ( hope with better news)
Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:15:11 -0000
To: update
Subject: there is no wind
There is no wind.There hasn’t been more than 9kts for 24 hours. and the
average has been 4kts for last 24hours, 2.5 kts for last 12, and 2.2 for the
last 6hours
In the last 24 hours we have moved 76nm , a record that could be broken
unles the wind fills in soon, as our boat speed remains in the 0-2kts range.
This is not a record we’d like to break.
Understandably life is fairly quiet onboard, there is frustration of course,
but an understanding that as sailors we live and die by the wind. We must
take the rough with the smooth, and we have had a good trip so far, and if
this is payment then OK we’ll take it. General feeling is that we’ll be all
debt free by noon and deserving some good sailing north bound!!!
Being in zero wind is different to being in light airs – light airs sailing
is a challenge, keeping pace with the changes. Sailing in Zero wind is not
a challenge – it’s just dreadful to hear the boat banging between each float
pivoting like a see-saw on the main hull. It’s conditions like this that
damage can occour. Not that you’d know about it until the load came back on,
and may be a displaced pin, or captivation plate may not cause an immediate
catastrophic failure, it could lay the foundations for a furture disaster.
Loik’s been around the boat trying to see if any have occoured that are
possible to see, catching them before they become a problem.
Over night there was a little cloud, and now it’s coming light agan there
are some clues ot what the wether bring the next few hours, some scattering
of cloud I hope indicates some breeze on the way, and hopefully good by to
the doldrums, though we may need to be another 100nm further north. ‘We
shall see’ is a well used phrase at the moment.
Other real life things continue around our little world, highlighted by
messages from home – including one that the local supermarket in Cowes is to
close in 10 days and reopen as Sainsburys – I had to check the date to check
it wasn’t an April Fool, but each of us is going to walk, or drive through a
familiar landscape, and things will have changed, new road layouts, old
familar shops closed, new shops opened. Being away for this long is going
to sharpen our senses to the world of change – we are looking foward to
seeing it!
Hoochie and I were talking about how great it woud be to do an education
pack to go with a round the world trip like this. We think every subject
followed in school could easily have something listed to it, including
French ( we ae sailing with two french people of course), more obviously
Geography, History – why are we sailing past so many places with french
names? Maths, English – can someone write a better update?! Biology, Physics
( lots of physics on board a boat ). We could also write a lesson on
‘Grinning and Bearing it’ and ‘The stifff upper lip” something to work on
when we are back.
Something for the school visits in oman would be a canvas strip screen
printed to show the living space inside the main hull.. I think you’d all be
shocked how small it is especially for 5 people.
right gotta go and do a rain dance ( or wind dance… which ever works to
get us moving again!!)
more tomorrow ( hope with better news)
Second email from the boat:
From: Commanders’ Weather
To: OmanTri
Subject: Re: ec grib file
Date: 13/03/2009 16:35:27
Hi Charles,
Thank you for calling – very important to do that when we have questions.
My 1st reaction when you told me you had light SE to S winds was – you guys
are on the
E side of the light wind area and I think you are, so
if we truly are on the E side of the light wind area and we sail W, then we
are essentially sail with/along the light wind area.
The doldrums are very difficult to get out of, once we are stuck and the
best way to get out is to get N. Sailing W and E won’t get us out. NW and NE
are okay, but N is best.
Do not think the European or GFS are accurately depicting the light wind
area. Both models do have the light wind area elongated NE to SW. No new
quikscat for your area, but the light wind area was circular on the 0200UTC
quikscat and the light wind area had moved SW from the previous ob.
With the GFS model, the light wind moves SW and settles a little S and
sailing west will cause winds to back, which is a sign we are getting out of
the doldrums. The GFS suggests your present course is best. The European
suggests sailing W will just keep us in the light S and SW winds, so we are
not getting out of the Doldrums. Hard to say which is correct, but hoping
and leaning towards the GFS being more correct.
With a S wind, sailing W is best right now, but by priorities,
1) N is best until we get into E and NE winds then NW is priority 1
2) NW heading is next best
3) NE is 3rd best
4) W is 4th best
5) E is 5th best
6) anything S of W or E stinks!
The GFS & Euro model are good, but they both stink in the Doldrums. Right now, using quikscat and your present
trends, I think the GFS is best, no so much in exact location of the light
wind area, but in overall trends.
I’ll be in early tomorrow and hopefully you are out of the doldrums. Keep
in mind, we are out of the doldrums when the winds back into the E and NE.
Sailing in southerlies is fine, but it just means we still have the
transition zone to deal with further N/ahead of us!
Kind regards, Ken Campbell
To: OmanTri
Subject: Re: ec grib file
Date: 13/03/2009 16:35:27
Hi Charles,
Thank you for calling – very important to do that when we have questions.
My 1st reaction when you told me you had light SE to S winds was – you guys
are on the
E side of the light wind area and I think you are, so
if we truly are on the E side of the light wind area and we sail W, then we
are essentially sail with/along the light wind area.
The doldrums are very difficult to get out of, once we are stuck and the
best way to get out is to get N. Sailing W and E won’t get us out. NW and NE
are okay, but N is best.
Do not think the European or GFS are accurately depicting the light wind
area. Both models do have the light wind area elongated NE to SW. No new
quikscat for your area, but the light wind area was circular on the 0200UTC
quikscat and the light wind area had moved SW from the previous ob.
With the GFS model, the light wind moves SW and settles a little S and
sailing west will cause winds to back, which is a sign we are getting out of
the doldrums. The GFS suggests your present course is best. The European
suggests sailing W will just keep us in the light S and SW winds, so we are
not getting out of the Doldrums. Hard to say which is correct, but hoping
and leaning towards the GFS being more correct.
With a S wind, sailing W is best right now, but by priorities,
1) N is best until we get into E and NE winds then NW is priority 1
2) NW heading is next best
3) NE is 3rd best
4) W is 4th best
5) E is 5th best
6) anything S of W or E stinks!
The GFS & Euro model are good, but they both stink in the Doldrums. Right now, using quikscat and your present
trends, I think the GFS is best, no so much in exact location of the light
wind area, but in overall trends.
I’ll be in early tomorrow and hopefully you are out of the doldrums. Keep
in mind, we are out of the doldrums when the winds back into the E and NE.
Sailing in southerlies is fine, but it just means we still have the
transition zone to deal with further N/ahead of us!
Kind regards, Ken Campbell
Weather Router’s advice:
From: Commanders’ Weather
To: Musandam
Subject: Weather 3/13//09
Date: 13/03/2009 11:46:24
To: Charles Darbyshire and the crew of
ìMusandamî
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Last Position: 6 10s/62 08e at 1015utc Fri, Mar 13
Prepared: 1030utc Friday, March 13, 2009
SummaryÖ
1) Quikscat showed the little wind area centered to the NE of you 24 hrs ago
a) the center of little wind at 0200UTC was over and just N of you, so it
has moved SW
b) the little wind area is forecast to drift a little more to the SW and
S, so our best move is to the NW and N, just like what you are doing
2) The weather models suggest you will get a little NE and E wind just N of
6S
a) continue to move N and NW with whatever wind you find and hopefully we
are out of this in 12-24 hrs
3) If we can get N and NW, it slowly gets better and better
4) I am a little concerned about getting too close to Somalia and the
pirates, but there is a very large
naval presence now and hopefully we donít have a problem
5) By next Wed, there is high pressure SE of Oman near 18N/62-64E
a) we will try to go W of this high and straight into the shoreline ñ the
afternoon sea breezes, from the SW and SSW can exceed 20 kts
RoutingÖ
1) As best you can to the N and NW ñ looks like slow improvement once we are
N of 05 30S
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Fri, Mar 13
18: 080-040/ 4-7
Partly cloudy to fair with small seas thru Sat
Sat, Mar 14
00: 060-090/ 4-7
06: 060-090/ 5-8
12: 050-080/ 4-7, near 4S/61 30E
18: 070-100/ 6-10
Sun, Mar 15
00: 070-090/ 6-10
06: 080-050/ 7-11
12: 080-040/ 8-4, near 01 10S/61E
18: 050-020/ 6-10
Fair skies thru Wed and NE seas slowly to 3-6 feet
Mon, Mar 16
00: 030-050/ 6-10
06: 050-070/ 6-10
12: 050-070/ 6-10, near 1 50N/59 50E
18: 055-075/ 8-12
Tues, Mar 17
00: 060-080/ 8-12
06: 070-090/10-15
12: 090-110/11-15, near 5 30N/58 40E
18: 080-100/12-16
Wed, Mar 18
00: 080-100/10-15
12: 080-100/10-15, near 10N/58 30E
Best regards, Ken Campbell
—
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 3/13//09
Date: 13/03/2009 11:46:24
To: Charles Darbyshire and the crew of
ìMusandamî
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Last Position: 6 10s/62 08e at 1015utc Fri, Mar 13
Prepared: 1030utc Friday, March 13, 2009
SummaryÖ
1) Quikscat showed the little wind area centered to the NE of you 24 hrs ago
a) the center of little wind at 0200UTC was over and just N of you, so it
has moved SW
b) the little wind area is forecast to drift a little more to the SW and
S, so our best move is to the NW and N, just like what you are doing
2) The weather models suggest you will get a little NE and E wind just N of
6S
a) continue to move N and NW with whatever wind you find and hopefully we
are out of this in 12-24 hrs
3) If we can get N and NW, it slowly gets better and better
4) I am a little concerned about getting too close to Somalia and the
pirates, but there is a very large
naval presence now and hopefully we donít have a problem
5) By next Wed, there is high pressure SE of Oman near 18N/62-64E
a) we will try to go W of this high and straight into the shoreline ñ the
afternoon sea breezes, from the SW and SSW can exceed 20 kts
RoutingÖ
1) As best you can to the N and NW ñ looks like slow improvement once we are
N of 05 30S
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Fri, Mar 13
18: 080-040/ 4-7
Partly cloudy to fair with small seas thru Sat
Sat, Mar 14
00: 060-090/ 4-7
06: 060-090/ 5-8
12: 050-080/ 4-7, near 4S/61 30E
18: 070-100/ 6-10
Sun, Mar 15
00: 070-090/ 6-10
06: 080-050/ 7-11
12: 080-040/ 8-4, near 01 10S/61E
18: 050-020/ 6-10
Fair skies thru Wed and NE seas slowly to 3-6 feet
Mon, Mar 16
00: 030-050/ 6-10
06: 050-070/ 6-10
12: 050-070/ 6-10, near 1 50N/59 50E
18: 055-075/ 8-12
Tues, Mar 17
00: 060-080/ 8-12
06: 070-090/10-15
12: 090-110/11-15, near 5 30N/58 40E
18: 080-100/12-16
Wed, Mar 18
00: 080-100/10-15
12: 080-100/10-15, near 10N/58 30E
Best regards, Ken Campbell
—
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: