AnyOne who can read a weather chart for our area of the world will see that this coming weekend shows unprecedented good weather over a really wide area of the Atlantic Ocean. We have been waiting in the Canaries for three weeks for a change in the weather, hoping for a slight change.
This weekend is THAT period, and the change is not slight. It is HUGE!
The trade winds that usually kick in at around 14' 45" North and are 200 miles wide, are spread out over a 3000 mile wide band from the Canaries to their normal southern limits. Sailors here are saying they have NEVER seen them so wide and so strong. Predictions are for 20 - 25 knot following winds and 3 meter seas all the way across. We may not need to deviate south at all to pick up those trades.
Our spirits are from zero to hero in one step! Apparently, this high pressure system is SO strong that the sailing fraternity are placing an over 85% certainty on it remaining there for our entire crossing! That is phenomenal!
Let's hope we don't get up too much speed and start surfing too hard! The only danger will be that of pitchpoling down big seas. (For the uninitiated, this happens when a boat runs head-long down a big wave and goes beyond 90' from the vertical, and it rolls end over end).
Here's hoping!
Thanks to Richard for stepping in to the control of London to Paris to London while I am away "enjoying myself"!
Regards,
Roger G
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