STOP PRESS!! WE
HAVE LESS THAN 1000 MILES TO GO!! AT 1416HRS UTC THE ON DECK DISTANCE-TO-GO
INDICATOR, STUCK AT 999 MILES SINCE THE BUTTER STARTED TO MELT AND WE CHANGED
COURSE ON 27 SEP, CHANGED TO 998 MILES TO GO. LOUISA SCOOPED THE POOL PREDICTING
THE TIME. EVEN THE SKIPPER WAS BREAK-DANCING ON THE FOREDECK. (NB. This is not quite true. The
Skipper actually took a break from the dancing by retiring to the foredeck
Ed).
As forecast, the
day's weather has been a mix of breezes, sunshine and squalls and we have been
able to run along the Rhumb Line all day. Throughout the crew have been busy
chattering, cooking and baking, whilst still finding time to carry out all the
daily checks, routine maintenance and other miscellaneous tasks. In other words,
it has been a normal day at sea.
The forecast has once more proved accurate. A day of fair weather was
promised, with windspeeds from 8-17knots blowing from north-east through to
east-southeast. With it would come seas of 2-3 and periodic swells of 4-7 feet.
And we were also advised to expect sometimes isolated and at other times
scattered squalls, with occasional rain. All of this data and syntax is precise.
But no forecast, whether generated by a weather model or interpreted by a
professional forecaster can predict exactly when and what will be happening at
any particular location. The UK Met Office helpfully provides a glossary that
explains the terms they use (eg 'soon' means within 12 hours, and 'later' means
not until after 12 hours). The analysis we receive is understandable, but we
remain puzzled by the difference between 'scattered' and 'isolated' squalls. Any
helpful answers gratefully received by email.
Whether isolated or infrequent, without the squalls our life would be
much less busy. Even at night we can see the clouds massing on the horizon. To
an extent we can also predict whether they will come over the top of us, or
whether the clouds will slide by to port or starboard. But without a radar, we
cannot tell whether or not the clouds will bring rain. The warm light showers
don't bother us apart from having to close off the companionway. But with cloud
there always seems to be a change of wind both in strength and in direction. The
increase in wind powers the boat up, sometimes to such an extent that we need to
put a reef in the mainsail or the genoa. We try to err on the side of caution,
and several times one watch has taken a precautionary reef, only for the
oncoming watch immediately to shake it out. Nobody minds that. We have all done
it so often now that it only takes a matter of minutes whether it is in darkness
or daylight.
On the domestic side, today was a cake day. This one was a lemon cake
with dark chocolate. There is almost none left now, even though it was quite a
large one. Aboard Cleone, we know how to live it up.
With very best
wishes and love to you all,
James,
Francesca, Louisa and Kaya
Yacht
Cleone
At
sea
Position at
1200UTC on 08 Dec 2024:
N19deg19min
W044deg12min