Life in the doldrums
Becalmed
The ‘slatting’ back and forth of the sails has driven many sailors mad in the doldrums
Email from the boat to shore:
From: OmanTri <omantri@
To: update <updateoman@
Subject: lovely morning out here
Date: 14/01/2009 03:53:51
so the sea if pretty flat, and although the winds have droped significantly,
for now we continue to make progress, this is pretty much the start of the
doldrums, we can expect over the next few hours the winds to start becoming
variable in direction, and any time that we are heading south or south east
are big gainers – if we get pushed to the east too much our progress through
the doldrums will be slowed, the longer we can stay heading around 150 the
better for us as it will be shorter to get to the new breeze which is
forecasted to be somewhere around 4-500miles away… so expect a couple of
slow days from us…it’s a chance to check everything and make some repairs
before the trade winds return and the deck again becomes wet and we take off
south.
Life onboard continues to settle into some kind of pace, so far the sailing
has been fairly straight forward – it’s been the other bits that have
complicated things!
I haven’t had too much time to read or listen to anything – but i am getting
through some of my christmas books – the first is a book about a night club
doorman from Blackpool, and his stories – it’s pretty amazing stuff the kind
of things that went on, coming from blackpool myself it’s great to read
about all the clubs and pubs that he worked , wondering if at some time i
walked past him and into his bar!
To: update <updateoman@
Subject: lovely morning out here
Date: 14/01/2009 03:53:51
so the sea if pretty flat, and although the winds have droped significantly,
for now we continue to make progress, this is pretty much the start of the
doldrums, we can expect over the next few hours the winds to start becoming
variable in direction, and any time that we are heading south or south east
are big gainers – if we get pushed to the east too much our progress through
the doldrums will be slowed, the longer we can stay heading around 150 the
better for us as it will be shorter to get to the new breeze which is
forecasted to be somewhere around 4-500miles away… so expect a couple of
slow days from us…it’s a chance to check everything and make some repairs
before the trade winds return and the deck again becomes wet and we take off
south.
Life onboard continues to settle into some kind of pace, so far the sailing
has been fairly straight forward – it’s been the other bits that have
complicated things!
I haven’t had too much time to read or listen to anything – but i am getting
through some of my christmas books – the first is a book about a night club
doorman from Blackpool, and his stories – it’s pretty amazing stuff the kind
of things that went on, coming from blackpool myself it’s great to read
about all the clubs and pubs that he worked , wondering if at some time i
walked past him and into his bar!
Weather Router’s advice:
From: Commanders’ Weather <info@
To: Musandam <omantri@
Subject: weather 1430 utc Wed 1-14
Date: 14/01/2009 14:54:44
To: Charles Darbyshire and crew of “Musandam”
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Last Position: 6 42s/ 69 14e at 1330utc Wed, Jan 14, 2009
Prepared: 1430utc Wed, Jan 14, 2009
SummaryÖStill think strategy from yesterday is ok. Do the best you can to
get SE next 48 hours.
1) You are in the Doldrums now as you now ñ winds light and variable
2) Model guidance still showing this light and variable wind patch shifting
westward next 12-24 hours.
3) Then light S-SSE breeze develops around 00 utc Thu and begins to back to
SE after 12 utc Thu.
4) Use this wind to get E on starboard.
5) Then when winds back to 130 onto port and head S.
a) Hopefully you are over to 72-73e when you tack to port.
6) Remember this easterly is stronger to the E but will gradually expand
westward as well later this
week.
a) The further E you can get the earlier you will get into
it.
7) The line to get to on 00 utc GFS guidance is 0730s/75e to 10s/70e.
a) Winds will be 10+ kts E of this line
b) We have you there around 12 utc Fri
8) So a slow go until then but E trade winds will be increasing after 12 utc
Fri as you get S of 10s
into the 15-20 kt range by 12 utc Sat and likely 20 kt range Sunday.
9) The big high to your S will be near 35s/80e Sat then track E to 35s/90w
by 12 utc Mon.
10) There it becomes stationary next week.
11) Winds will lighten midweek next week as you negotiate its western
periphery.
RoutingÖ You want to get SE of line 0730/75 to 10s/70w to get into
increasing E-ESE trade winds .
Once into increasing easterlies then head S as fast as
possible probably along 72-73w
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Wed, Jan 14
18: light and variable
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness with scattered squally showers developing
Seas 2-4 ft – NE swell
Thurs, Jan 15 ñ winds backing slowly
00: bcmg 170-190/ 0-5 ñ now on starboard
06: 170-190/ 3-6
12: 140-160/ 3-6 nr 7s/71e Winds stronger to E
18: 120-140/ 6-9 – Tack to Port and heading S
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness with scattered squally showers possible
Seas 2-4 ft
Fri, Jan 16 ñ Winds stronger to the E- try to get some easting whenever
possible
00: 090-110/ 5-8
06: 060-080/ 5-8
12: 080-100/ 8-12 nr 9s/72 30e
18: 070-090/ 10-14
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness with scattered squally showers becoming less
frequent.
SeasÖincrease to 3-5 ft E swell
\
Sat, Jan 17
00: 070-090/ 11-15
06: 080-100/ 13-17
12: 090-110/ 15-20 nr 14s/ 73e
18: 090-110/ 15-20
WeatherÖPartly cloudy brief scattered trade wind shower possible
Seas 3-6 ft
Sun, Jan 18
00: 090-110/ 17-22
06: 090-110/ 17-22
12: 090-110/ 17-22 nr 21s/ 73w
18: 090-110/ 17-22
WeatherÖPartly cloudy , brief scattered trade wind shower possible
Seas 4-7 ft
Mon, Jan 19
00: 080-100/ 15-22
12: 080-100/ 15-20 nr 27s/ 74e
WeatherÖPartly cloudy, brief scattered trade wind shower possible
SeasÖ4-7 ft E swell
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 <omantri@
Subject: weather 1430 utc Wed 1-14
Date: 14/01/2009 14:54:44
To: Charles Darbyshire and crew of “Musandam”
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Last Position: 6 42s/ 69 14e at 1330utc Wed, Jan 14, 2009
Prepared: 1430utc Wed, Jan 14, 2009
SummaryÖStill think strategy from yesterday is ok. Do the best you can to
get SE next 48 hours.
1) You are in the Doldrums now as you now ñ winds light and variable
2) Model guidance still showing this light and variable wind patch shifting
westward next 12-24 hours.
3) Then light S-SSE breeze develops around 00 utc Thu and begins to back to
SE after 12 utc Thu.
4) Use this wind to get E on starboard.
5) Then when winds back to 130 onto port and head S.
a) Hopefully you are over to 72-73e when you tack to port.
6) Remember this easterly is stronger to the E but will gradually expand
westward as well later this
week.
a) The further E you can get the earlier you will get into
it.
7) The line to get to on 00 utc GFS guidance is 0730s/75e to 10s/70e.
a) Winds will be 10+ kts E of this line
b) We have you there around 12 utc Fri
8) So a slow go until then but E trade winds will be increasing after 12 utc
Fri as you get S of 10s
into the 15-20 kt range by 12 utc Sat and likely 20 kt range Sunday.
9) The big high to your S will be near 35s/80e Sat then track E to 35s/90w
by 12 utc Mon.
10) There it becomes stationary next week.
11) Winds will lighten midweek next week as you negotiate its western
periphery.
RoutingÖ You want to get SE of line 0730/75 to 10s/70w to get into
increasing E-ESE trade winds .
Once into increasing easterlies then head S as fast as
possible probably along 72-73w
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Wed, Jan 14
18: light and variable
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness with scattered squally showers developing
Seas 2-4 ft – NE swell
Thurs, Jan 15 ñ winds backing slowly
00: bcmg 170-190/ 0-5 ñ now on starboard
06: 170-190/ 3-6
12: 140-160/ 3-6 nr 7s/71e Winds stronger to E
18: 120-140/ 6-9 – Tack to Port and heading S
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness with scattered squally showers possible
Seas 2-4 ft
Fri, Jan 16 ñ Winds stronger to the E- try to get some easting whenever
possible
00: 090-110/ 5-8
06: 060-080/ 5-8
12: 080-100/ 8-12 nr 9s/72 30e
18: 070-090/ 10-14
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness with scattered squally showers becoming less
frequent.
SeasÖincrease to 3-5 ft E swell
\
Sat, Jan 17
00: 070-090/ 11-15
06: 080-100/ 13-17
12: 090-110/ 15-20 nr 14s/ 73e
18: 090-110/ 15-20
WeatherÖPartly cloudy brief scattered trade wind shower possible
Seas 3-6 ft
Sun, Jan 18
00: 090-110/ 17-22
06: 090-110/ 17-22
12: 090-110/ 17-22 nr 21s/ 73w
18: 090-110/ 17-22
WeatherÖPartly cloudy , brief scattered trade wind shower possible
Seas 4-7 ft
Mon, Jan 19
00: 080-100/ 15-22
12: 080-100/ 15-20 nr 27s/ 74e
WeatherÖPartly cloudy, brief scattered trade wind shower possible
SeasÖ4-7 ft E swell
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: