a rare opportunity to dry some kit – before the rain
clear skies, before the rain came
Mohsin doing a turn on deck
Email from the boat to shore:
From: OmanTri
To: update
Subject: it’s raining
Date: 13/02/2009 05:41:04
It’s quite torrential, these last few hours have been super wet on deck,
it’s darker than the inside of your hat, and Thierry and Hooch are crouched
in the cuddy out of the rain and spray on deck. Loik and Mohsin deep into
their sleeping bags. We are sailing downwind with 3 reefs and the solent
jib, making about 13-17 kts of boatspeed and the occasional bump as we
bounce over a wave. The light can’t come soon enough, though it is still 7
hours away. This is the first night like this, and whilst we normally can’t
stand to see the voltage of the batteries drop to the point of having to
charge again ( the noise and vibration of the generator destroys the peace),
tonight the volt meter isn’t dropping nearly fast enough, we might start it
early to give it a good warm up….. It’s not too cold, and we are fairly
well protected from the elements, you just know it’s not so nice outside,
and the mood onboard is reflected in that to a degree. We are still around
1500nm from the horn, and we’d all just like to be there, and onto the next
leg – it’s been too long on the right of the picture… it’s coming, and we
shouldn’t wish our time away… but at the same time impatient to be on with
the next leg – some fresh water to sail in.
Once you are all suited up( yellow for followers of our latest fashions)
it’s quite nice to be on deck, especially to have more fresh water ( rain )
than salt water ( waves/spray) over everything – certainly washing salty
hair and faces properly is nice, and the boat gets a proper freshwater clean
too – which is good for the deck gear. Getting in and out of the yellow
suits is a bit of a challenge – especially as you try to limit the amount
of water that’s carried from outside to inside the boat, and also as you
dress or undress the amount of water from the outside surface of the suit to
your midlayers below. This happens 4 or 5 times every 3 hours, and can take
a good 10 mins to get into the suit, there is a ranking list of speed of
dressing – but it can’t be published here!
I woke up from a short sleep ( without sleeping bag- so now a bit chilled)
and from a fairly vivid dream about camping in the rain – it must have been
triggered by the rain falling on the deck above me, and only a little
disappointed at not being able to get in the car and head to the nearest
greasy spoon for a warm cup of tea, and a full English, going to have to
settle for a choc chip Clif Bar, and a cup of hot chocolate – now
perfected as 1 part milk powder to 2 parts hot choc powder… size of part
? – depends how indulgent you need it to be a heaped table spoon make a
great mix, but soon gets through the limited supplies we have – another
reason to be around the horn and heading home. I don’t miss too much from
life on land – but scrambled egg on toast would be a welcome treat on this
dark night.
Don’t read this and feel sorry for us – the cabin tempreture is still 16
degrees, and we have been lucky with the weather so far this trip, so
deserve a dark and rainy ( and yes it’s still blowing a bit ) night just to
balance things out.
To: update
Subject: it’s raining
Date: 13/02/2009 05:41:04
It’s quite torrential, these last few hours have been super wet on deck,
it’s darker than the inside of your hat, and Thierry and Hooch are crouched
in the cuddy out of the rain and spray on deck. Loik and Mohsin deep into
their sleeping bags. We are sailing downwind with 3 reefs and the solent
jib, making about 13-17 kts of boatspeed and the occasional bump as we
bounce over a wave. The light can’t come soon enough, though it is still 7
hours away. This is the first night like this, and whilst we normally can’t
stand to see the voltage of the batteries drop to the point of having to
charge again ( the noise and vibration of the generator destroys the peace),
tonight the volt meter isn’t dropping nearly fast enough, we might start it
early to give it a good warm up….. It’s not too cold, and we are fairly
well protected from the elements, you just know it’s not so nice outside,
and the mood onboard is reflected in that to a degree. We are still around
1500nm from the horn, and we’d all just like to be there, and onto the next
leg – it’s been too long on the right of the picture… it’s coming, and we
shouldn’t wish our time away… but at the same time impatient to be on with
the next leg – some fresh water to sail in.
Once you are all suited up( yellow for followers of our latest fashions)
it’s quite nice to be on deck, especially to have more fresh water ( rain )
than salt water ( waves/spray) over everything – certainly washing salty
hair and faces properly is nice, and the boat gets a proper freshwater clean
too – which is good for the deck gear. Getting in and out of the yellow
suits is a bit of a challenge – especially as you try to limit the amount
of water that’s carried from outside to inside the boat, and also as you
dress or undress the amount of water from the outside surface of the suit to
your midlayers below. This happens 4 or 5 times every 3 hours, and can take
a good 10 mins to get into the suit, there is a ranking list of speed of
dressing – but it can’t be published here!
I woke up from a short sleep ( without sleeping bag- so now a bit chilled)
and from a fairly vivid dream about camping in the rain – it must have been
triggered by the rain falling on the deck above me, and only a little
disappointed at not being able to get in the car and head to the nearest
greasy spoon for a warm cup of tea, and a full English, going to have to
settle for a choc chip Clif Bar, and a cup of hot chocolate – now
perfected as 1 part milk powder to 2 parts hot choc powder… size of part
? – depends how indulgent you need it to be a heaped table spoon make a
great mix, but soon gets through the limited supplies we have – another
reason to be around the horn and heading home. I don’t miss too much from
life on land – but scrambled egg on toast would be a welcome treat on this
dark night.
Don’t read this and feel sorry for us – the cabin tempreture is still 16
degrees, and we have been lucky with the weather so far this trip, so
deserve a dark and rainy ( and yes it’s still blowing a bit ) night just to
balance things out.
Weather Router’s advice:
From: Commanders’ Weather
To: Musandam
Subject: weather Fri 2-13
Date: 13/02/2009 13:11:30
To: Charles Darbyshire and the crew of
“Musandam”
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Last Position: 47 10s/100 21w at 1130utc Fri Feb 13, 2009
Prepared: 1300utc Fri Feb 13, 2009
SummaryÖ Rough today improving significantly over the weekend.
1) Low pressure nr 51s/102e at 12 utc Fri will ESE and intensify next 24
hours.
a) By 00 utc Sat low will be nr 53s/91w
b) By 12 utc Sat low nr 55s/76w and continue to S of Cape
Horn
2) You are close to its strongest winds now which are stronger(35-50 kts) to
your S and SE and lighter
to your N.
3) Continue E thru 18 utc and north of east is better.
4) Then as winds back to more W direction can head SE on starboard after 18
utc Fri.
a) At that time the strongest winds will be pulling rapidly
away to the SE with the low.
5) Your winds will and seas will diminish significantly Friday night and
Saturday as high pressure ridge
expands southward ahead of next low which will be near 50s/99w ñ just
to your W ñ at 12 utc Sat.
6) This low looks to track E-ENE toward the Chilean coast north of you and
new high pressure ridge
expands in toward you Sunday.
a) This means more light winds Sunday.
b) Direction a little more shifty and uncertain ranging
from NNW to SW
7) Do you best to continue SE.
8) Next strong wind will come from approaching front from the W Sunday night
and Monday.
9) You r wind will strengthen to 30 kts by 12 utc Mon as it clocks to N
perhaps NNE for a short time later
Monday.
10) Then with frontal passage winds shift to WNW-W about the time you are
approaching Cape Horn.
11) This looks manageable at this time as seas forecast to be 6-10 ft.
12) With low pressure to your S expect W-NW breeze diminishing some as you
head E of the Faukland
Islands.
RoutingÖ Can tack to starboard and head SE toward Cape Horn after 18 utc Fri
as the low accelerates away.
– Some estimated positions below
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Fri, Feb 13 – winds stronger to the S lighter to the N
18: 270-290/30-40 ñ now heading SE on starboard
WeatherÖMostly cloudy any squally showers ending
Seas 15-25 ft
Sat, Feb 14 ñ winds diminish
00: 260-280/25-35
06: 260-280/30-20
12: 270-290/20-15 nr 49 30s/91 30w
18: 310-330/15-10 ñ temporary tack to port
WeatherÖCloudy to partly cloudy
Seas 15-22 ft WSW swell slowly diminishing
Sun, Feb 15- back to starboard
00: 300-240/10-5
06: 230-250/10-15
12: 240-260/12-17 nr 52 30s/84 30w
18: 270-340/10-15 ñ back to port as winds clock
WeatherÖconsiderable cloudiness.
Seas 8-12 ft WSW swell
Mon, Feb 16 ñ heading SE
00: 320-340/15-20
06: 340-360/22-30
12: 350-010/25-32 nr 55s/76w
18: 360-030/22-30
WeatherÖMostly cloudy with squally showers possible
Seas 6-10 ft
Tue, Feb 17
00: 340-020/15-20
06: 270-290/ 18-25
12: 270-290/25-35 E of Cape Horn, S of Staten Island
18: 290-310/ 25-35
WeatherÖCloudy to partly cloudy
Seas 6-10 ft
Wed, Feb 18
00: 330-350/ 20-30
12: 260-280/ 18-25 E of Faukland Islands.
WeatherÖ.Considerable cloudiness
Seas 6-10 ft
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 Fri 2-13
Date: 13/02/2009 13:11:30
To: Charles Darbyshire and the crew of
“Musandam”
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Last Position: 47 10s/100 21w at 1130utc Fri Feb 13, 2009
Prepared: 1300utc Fri Feb 13, 2009
SummaryÖ Rough today improving significantly over the weekend.
1) Low pressure nr 51s/102e at 12 utc Fri will ESE and intensify next 24
hours.
a) By 00 utc Sat low will be nr 53s/91w
b) By 12 utc Sat low nr 55s/76w and continue to S of Cape
Horn
2) You are close to its strongest winds now which are stronger(35-50 kts) to
your S and SE and lighter
to your N.
3) Continue E thru 18 utc and north of east is better.
4) Then as winds back to more W direction can head SE on starboard after 18
utc Fri.
a) At that time the strongest winds will be pulling rapidly
away to the SE with the low.
5) Your winds will and seas will diminish significantly Friday night and
Saturday as high pressure ridge
expands southward ahead of next low which will be near 50s/99w ñ just
to your W ñ at 12 utc Sat.
6) This low looks to track E-ENE toward the Chilean coast north of you and
new high pressure ridge
expands in toward you Sunday.
a) This means more light winds Sunday.
b) Direction a little more shifty and uncertain ranging
from NNW to SW
7) Do you best to continue SE.
8) Next strong wind will come from approaching front from the W Sunday night
and Monday.
9) You r wind will strengthen to 30 kts by 12 utc Mon as it clocks to N
perhaps NNE for a short time later
Monday.
10) Then with frontal passage winds shift to WNW-W about the time you are
approaching Cape Horn.
11) This looks manageable at this time as seas forecast to be 6-10 ft.
12) With low pressure to your S expect W-NW breeze diminishing some as you
head E of the Faukland
Islands.
RoutingÖ Can tack to starboard and head SE toward Cape Horn after 18 utc Fri
as the low accelerates away.
– Some estimated positions below
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Fri, Feb 13 – winds stronger to the S lighter to the N
18: 270-290/30-40 ñ now heading SE on starboard
WeatherÖMostly cloudy any squally showers ending
Seas 15-25 ft
Sat, Feb 14 ñ winds diminish
00: 260-280/25-35
06: 260-280/30-20
12: 270-290/20-15 nr 49 30s/91 30w
18: 310-330/15-10 ñ temporary tack to port
WeatherÖCloudy to partly cloudy
Seas 15-22 ft WSW swell slowly diminishing
Sun, Feb 15- back to starboard
00: 300-240/10-5
06: 230-250/10-15
12: 240-260/12-17 nr 52 30s/84 30w
18: 270-340/10-15 ñ back to port as winds clock
WeatherÖconsiderable cloudiness.
Seas 8-12 ft WSW swell
Mon, Feb 16 ñ heading SE
00: 320-340/15-20
06: 340-360/22-30
12: 350-010/25-32 nr 55s/76w
18: 360-030/22-30
WeatherÖMostly cloudy with squally showers possible
Seas 6-10 ft
Tue, Feb 17
00: 340-020/15-20
06: 270-290/ 18-25
12: 270-290/25-35 E of Cape Horn, S of Staten Island
18: 290-310/ 25-35
WeatherÖCloudy to partly cloudy
Seas 6-10 ft
Wed, Feb 18
00: 330-350/ 20-30
12: 260-280/ 18-25 E of Faukland Islands.
WeatherÖ.Considerable cloudiness
Seas 6-10 ft
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: