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Rafiki - Evading the Doldrums Effect (or not quite)



Thursday 6th December

El Capitano Roberto writes:

Today, we continued on about 245deg on port tack and will probably
carry on this way until tomorrow afternoon. This will mean we have
been on the same point of sail for over five days and about 1000NM on
our log (probably nearer 900 in reality)! We have recently been
maintaining our course to avoid a ridge of high pressure to our west
which has generally light and variable winds which we are keen to
avoid, even if it means sailing for longer – it beats motoring or
being becalmed. We also heard report on our radio net this morning of
boat who have sailed through this ridge experiencing heavy squalls
with strong winds and rough conditions in between calm patches, not a
happy combination.

As well as receiving email forecasts and downloading data from
computer models (known as GRIB files), we have been joining a free
weather routing network over our SSB radio each night. It is very
reassuring to have a conversation with someone who has plenty of
experience and to listen to reports from other yachts in other parts
of the Atlantic to see if the conditions that they are experiencing
are the same as the computer models that we can see. This radio net
is run by Herb who has been doing this for free for over 25 years, all
from his home in Ontario, Canada. I find it amazing that someone does
this and also that it is possible to talk to him over a relatively
small radio, powered by 12v batteries who is 2600NM away.


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