A couple of hours after the start, we gather for a ‘selfie’
Waving good bye
Hooch helps hoist the mainsail, as we prepare to start, little lost in thought here
Email from the boat to shore:
From: OmanTri <omantri@
To: update <updateoman@
Subject: the watch system has begun
Date: 08/01/2009 14:28:31
as I sit down to write this it’s just going dark it’s around 4 hours since
we started and it’s hard to imagine better conditions to start. Down wind
in sunshine and 10-12 kts of wind… perfect.
It was an emotional send off, with us all choking on a few words at some
point, for me – I was up and down one min totally fine, the next hardly able
to speak! Why is saying good bye so difficult. There were so many people
to say good bye to and everyone was very egar to wish us good luck,
sometimes it was difficult to reply, i had some emails and text messages
from friends and family before we left, and just seeing their name come up
was enough to bring a lump to my throat……I hardly managed to eat
anything all day… going to have to make up for that over the next few
days – I did mange an apple before the photo rib went in, but that was as
much as I wanted, one final wave and we were on our own – quite quickly it
seemed. There wasn’t much chat on the boat after that – probably an hour
without almost a single word everyone lost in their own thoughts I did a
little piece to camera with everyone, and again there were lumps in the
throat. I just hope what we experience these next weeks will make up for
the toughness of the good byes. by tomorrow the mood will have picked up a
bit and we’ll open our first food bag and start getting into a good rythum,
but for now, i’ll leave you with all our thanks for helping us get to this
point, the boys who worked so hard on the boat, OmanSail for putting a nice
project together, and to all our friends and families who let us set off
over the horizon.
C
To: update <updateoman@
Subject: the watch system has begun
Date: 08/01/2009 14:28:31
as I sit down to write this it’s just going dark it’s around 4 hours since
we started and it’s hard to imagine better conditions to start. Down wind
in sunshine and 10-12 kts of wind… perfect.
It was an emotional send off, with us all choking on a few words at some
point, for me – I was up and down one min totally fine, the next hardly able
to speak! Why is saying good bye so difficult. There were so many people
to say good bye to and everyone was very egar to wish us good luck,
sometimes it was difficult to reply, i had some emails and text messages
from friends and family before we left, and just seeing their name come up
was enough to bring a lump to my throat……I hardly managed to eat
anything all day… going to have to make up for that over the next few
days – I did mange an apple before the photo rib went in, but that was as
much as I wanted, one final wave and we were on our own – quite quickly it
seemed. There wasn’t much chat on the boat after that – probably an hour
without almost a single word everyone lost in their own thoughts I did a
little piece to camera with everyone, and again there were lumps in the
throat. I just hope what we experience these next weeks will make up for
the toughness of the good byes. by tomorrow the mood will have picked up a
bit and we’ll open our first food bag and start getting into a good rythum,
but for now, i’ll leave you with all our thanks for helping us get to this
point, the boys who worked so hard on the boat, OmanSail for putting a nice
project together, and to all our friends and families who let us set off
over the horizon.
C
Second email from the boat:
Date: 08/01/09
Time: 14:40:00
Posn: 2313.1148N 05922.4482E
Ave Boatspeed last 5 mins:13.94 , target this windspeed/angle – 8.37
Ave TWD last 5 mins: 349
Ave TWA last 5 mins: -121
Ave TWS last 5 mins: 11.3
Ave SOG last 5 mins:13.78
Ave COG last 5 mins: 109
Ave Pressure last 5 mins: 18.3
Sea Temp: 24.0
Air Temp Fwd cabin: 25.0
Time: 14:40:00
Posn: 2313.1148N 05922.4482E
Ave Boatspeed last 5 mins:13.94 , target this windspeed/angle – 8.37
Ave TWD last 5 mins: 349
Ave TWA last 5 mins: -121
Ave TWS last 5 mins: 11.3
Ave SOG last 5 mins:13.78
Ave COG last 5 mins: 109
Ave Pressure last 5 mins: 18.3
Sea Temp: 24.0
Air Temp Fwd cabin: 25.0
Weather Router’s advice:
From: Commanders’ Weather <info@
To: Musandam <omantri@
Subject: weather Thu 8 utc 1-8
Date: 08/01/2009 07:59:03
To: Charles Darbyshire and crew of “Musandam”
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Place: Muscat, Oman
Departure: 1000utc Thu, Jan 8, 2009
Prepared: 0800utc Thu, Jan 8, 2009
SummaryÖFirst 24 hours still look light then increasing NE trade winds as
you get S of 21n
1) No real changes in the GFS model guidance from a few days ago in the
short term.
2) Will be dealing with thermals and local affects first 24 hours or so.
3) Last observations from the airport showed light and variable conditions
at mid morning
but with sunshine expect the thermal breeze from the N- NE to develop
shortly
4) Would expect the thermal breeze to get to 6-10 kts this afternoon and
could be strongest
5+ offshore.
a) Concerned if there are headlands then the
onshore breeze near shore gets lifted
vertically leaving light and variable in the
afternoon close to the beaches.
6) In general would expect the onshore NE to clock to E then SE as it dies
with wind speeds< 8 kts
overnight.
7) Could be another light and variable period late night before becoming
light N-NE toward and after
sunrise Fri .
8) Continue to get SSE as best you can away from the coast and into
increasing NE trade winds
approaching and south of 21n
9) This breeze does not look quite as strong as it did a few days ago but
still should get to 15-20+ kts
over the weekend.
10) Trade wind breeze will diminish south of 10n early next week but this
process will be gradual.
11) Latest on the possible tropical low is that it may develop near 15s/65e
today or Friday.
a) Latest satellite pictures show considerable squall
activity develop in area from 10-18s
and 65-75e with some curved banding.
12) Expect the low to settle southward to near 20s/65e by Saturday ñ become
stationary for a few days
then continue southward to near 25s/65e by next Mon Jan 12.
13) The change from yesterday in the GFS is that this model now accelerates
this low SE to 35s/75e by
next Wed which gets it out of the picture completely.
a) If correct it will leave a light wind regime
behind it south of the Equator which would
not be good for you.
14) Lets hope the European is right having the low further north.
15) Anyway this is a long way off.
16) In the mean time do the best you can with the light winds starting out
and get S to the increasing
NE trades.
17) Please let us know how often you want updates.
RoutingÖWant to utilize the onshore thermal breeze as best we can Thursday
afternoon.
May have to get 5+ miles for best thermal as winds closer
in could be light and flukey if
there are headlands.
Probably need to get 10 + miles offshore in the evening to
stay away from possible flukey
winds closer to shore after sunset.
Then once E of Ral’s al Hadd by 10-15 miles get S as fast as
possible to 21n where you
should see increasing NE trades.
Sail best boat speed SSE crossing equator nr 65e
Long term goal is to get south of the high pressure zone
and into the westerlies usually
between 40-45s
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Thurs, Jan 8
0200: 190-230/ 4-8 ñ light offshore land breeze
0600: lt/variable – Wind holes develop just before sea breeze
1000: 020-050/ 6-9 departure – sea breeze ñ could be wind holes < 5
miles from shore.
1400: 050-080/ 9-6 ñ sea breeze diminishes and shifts right.
1800: 090-120/ 4-7 ñ getting S slowly
WeatherÖFair
Seas < 2 ft
Fri, Jan 9
00: 140-090/ 3-6 – off Ra’s al Hadd 10+ miles and aiming SSE
wind could be light and variable but should fill in late am
06: bcmg 360-030/ 4-8
12: 020-040/ 5-10 nr 21 20n/60 40e ñ winds increasing
18: 050-070/ 8-12
WeatherÖFair
Seas increase to 1-3 ft
Sat, Jan 10
00: 040-060/10-14
06: 050-070/11-15
12: 050-070/12-16 nr 17n/62 e
18: 050-070/13-17
WeatherÖFair
Seas 2-4 ft
Sun, Jan 11
00: 050-070/14-18
06: 050-070/15-20
12: 050-070/15-22 nr 12n/63 e
18: 050-070/15-22
WeatherÖFair
Seas 3-6 ft
Mon, Jan 12
00: 050-070/ 15-20 ñ winds diminish
06: 060-080/ 12-17
12: 080-100/ 10-15 nr 7 30n/ 64e
18: 080-100/ 12-17
WeatherÖFair to partly cloudy
Seas 3-5 ft ñ NE swell
Tue, Jan 13
00: 080-100/ 12-17
12: 080-100/ 10-15 nr 3n/ 64e
Weather.. Partly cloudy
Seas 3-5 ft NE swell
Wed, Jan 14
00: 050-070/ 5-10
12: 040-060/ 4-8 nr 1s/64 30e
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness
SeasÖ3-5 ft NE swell
Thu, Jan 15
00: 020-040/ 4-8
12: 010-030/ 5-10 nr 03 30s/65 30e
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness risk scattered shower/squall
SeasÖ3-5 ft NE swell
Best regards,
Tom Mattus
To: Musandam <omantri@
Subject: weather Thu 8 utc 1-8
Date: 08/01/2009 07:59:03
To: Charles Darbyshire and crew of “Musandam”
From: Commanders Weather Corp
Event: sail around the world
Place: Muscat, Oman
Departure: 1000utc Thu, Jan 8, 2009
Prepared: 0800utc Thu, Jan 8, 2009
SummaryÖFirst 24 hours still look light then increasing NE trade winds as
you get S of 21n
1) No real changes in the GFS model guidance from a few days ago in the
short term.
2) Will be dealing with thermals and local affects first 24 hours or so.
3) Last observations from the airport showed light and variable conditions
at mid morning
but with sunshine expect the thermal breeze from the N- NE to develop
shortly
4) Would expect the thermal breeze to get to 6-10 kts this afternoon and
could be strongest
5+ offshore.
a) Concerned if there are headlands then the
onshore breeze near shore gets lifted
vertically leaving light and variable in the
afternoon close to the beaches.
6) In general would expect the onshore NE to clock to E then SE as it dies
with wind speeds< 8 kts
overnight.
7) Could be another light and variable period late night before becoming
light N-NE toward and after
sunrise Fri .
8) Continue to get SSE as best you can away from the coast and into
increasing NE trade winds
approaching and south of 21n
9) This breeze does not look quite as strong as it did a few days ago but
still should get to 15-20+ kts
over the weekend.
10) Trade wind breeze will diminish south of 10n early next week but this
process will be gradual.
11) Latest on the possible tropical low is that it may develop near 15s/65e
today or Friday.
a) Latest satellite pictures show considerable squall
activity develop in area from 10-18s
and 65-75e with some curved banding.
12) Expect the low to settle southward to near 20s/65e by Saturday ñ become
stationary for a few days
then continue southward to near 25s/65e by next Mon Jan 12.
13) The change from yesterday in the GFS is that this model now accelerates
this low SE to 35s/75e by
next Wed which gets it out of the picture completely.
a) If correct it will leave a light wind regime
behind it south of the Equator which would
not be good for you.
14) Lets hope the European is right having the low further north.
15) Anyway this is a long way off.
16) In the mean time do the best you can with the light winds starting out
and get S to the increasing
NE trades.
17) Please let us know how often you want updates.
RoutingÖWant to utilize the onshore thermal breeze as best we can Thursday
afternoon.
May have to get 5+ miles for best thermal as winds closer
in could be light and flukey if
there are headlands.
Probably need to get 10 + miles offshore in the evening to
stay away from possible flukey
winds closer to shore after sunset.
Then once E of Ral’s al Hadd by 10-15 miles get S as fast as
possible to 21n where you
should see increasing NE trades.
Sail best boat speed SSE crossing equator nr 65e
Long term goal is to get south of the high pressure zone
and into the westerlies usually
between 40-45s
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC
Thurs, Jan 8
0200: 190-230/ 4-8 ñ light offshore land breeze
0600: lt/variable – Wind holes develop just before sea breeze
1000: 020-050/ 6-9 departure – sea breeze ñ could be wind holes < 5
miles from shore.
1400: 050-080/ 9-6 ñ sea breeze diminishes and shifts right.
1800: 090-120/ 4-7 ñ getting S slowly
WeatherÖFair
Seas < 2 ft
Fri, Jan 9
00: 140-090/ 3-6 – off Ra’s al Hadd 10+ miles and aiming SSE
wind could be light and variable but should fill in late am
06: bcmg 360-030/ 4-8
12: 020-040/ 5-10 nr 21 20n/60 40e ñ winds increasing
18: 050-070/ 8-12
WeatherÖFair
Seas increase to 1-3 ft
Sat, Jan 10
00: 040-060/10-14
06: 050-070/11-15
12: 050-070/12-16 nr 17n/62 e
18: 050-070/13-17
WeatherÖFair
Seas 2-4 ft
Sun, Jan 11
00: 050-070/14-18
06: 050-070/15-20
12: 050-070/15-22 nr 12n/63 e
18: 050-070/15-22
WeatherÖFair
Seas 3-6 ft
Mon, Jan 12
00: 050-070/ 15-20 ñ winds diminish
06: 060-080/ 12-17
12: 080-100/ 10-15 nr 7 30n/ 64e
18: 080-100/ 12-17
WeatherÖFair to partly cloudy
Seas 3-5 ft ñ NE swell
Tue, Jan 13
00: 080-100/ 12-17
12: 080-100/ 10-15 nr 3n/ 64e
Weather.. Partly cloudy
Seas 3-5 ft NE swell
Wed, Jan 14
00: 050-070/ 5-10
12: 040-060/ 4-8 nr 1s/64 30e
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness
SeasÖ3-5 ft NE swell
Thu, Jan 15
00: 020-040/ 4-8
12: 010-030/ 5-10 nr 03 30s/65 30e
WeatherÖVariable cloudiness risk scattered shower/squall
SeasÖ3-5 ft NE swell
Best regards,
Tom Mattus
A selection of pictures from today: