Atlantic West to East.

majdrew

majdrew

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Hi Folks,

I'm planning to sail solo from Florida early May to Bermuda. Leave there late May, head NW'ish to the 40th parallel at about 50 West and then the great circle route to Falmouth.
(Jimmy Cornell's recommended northerly route).

Once I leave the internet cafe in Bermuda I'll have no access to weather info, and
I've been hearing of possible storms at that time of year along that track which is kind of unsettling ..

I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this route at that time of the year they can relate?

Thanks.
 
just one of many options open to you

check out Herb

google.... southbound 2 for more info

This man is a gem for north atlantic sailors
 
Hiya, whilst not doing exactly the route you plan, this has been my experiences. You will see I like the Azores!

Azores - UK June. Wet leaving, got one gale, SW in Biscay.

Bahamas - Bermuda - Azores - Gib. May departure from Bermuda. Took the NW route up to 40N and on to Horta. Had two significant strong wind systems, gale force plus. SW.

Windies - Azores - Gib. Left late April, first week good then took a right slapping for 10 days tacking around rhumb line to Azores. Lots of North East in wind. Got 55 knots for a while.

Miami - Bermuda - Gib. Late June from Miami. Was a tad concerned about hurricane season. Was flat all the way, took loadsa diesel refuelling in Bermuda and Azores twice, top off in PDG. Rhumb line, glorious sunshne all the way. Arrived late July.

St. Maarten - Azores(!) - Gib. Late May, early June, rhumb line. Last week into Horta was very wet, heavy airs, mostly north west.

Antigua - Azores - Canaries. Problems with boat meant very late June and well into July. Fabulous trip, sunshine, about half sailing, half motoring. By now I realised the advantages of taking lots of diesel.

Canaries - Azores - Solent. Mid June, last week wet and windy across Biscay. SW. Cold! Sunny in Bucklers hard though!

So, my preference is a late season departure with as much fuel as you can carry. Azores are great for diesel, fresh food and lager. Should not be missed! Also cheap enough to hang about a bit for good passage weather to UK.

Hope this helps.
 
more info


I only had a ssb receiver radio , but due to the many yachts out there
in contact with herb, you can usually get an idea of what the weather is doing
in your area

during our crossing herb was telling yachts to stay below 30 north for a week to miss a nasty low system passing around 40 north..
this gave us a safe passage from the carib to the azores

Hearing these report gives you great peace of mind which is important

also its the best radio soap opera in the atlantic

Herb helped a family who got caught in a storm in the gulf stream, because there engine broke down on the way to bermuda
got the navy involved,
Im sure he saved there lives

Cant praise herb enough.... top man


Must say we think the azores are great
love it there.. friendly people and marinas and beer are very reasonable priced
 
Thanks everyone for that info which is most helpful.

It seems to me quite possible, even probable, that I'll encounter storm force winds somewhere along the way.. not something I relish, having avoided any serious weather since leaving the UK 18 months ago.

Herb's site is very interesting. I've never heard of him before. I'm going to see if I can get hold of an SSB radio so I can receive his forecasts, since staying south of any serious depressions is my main concern.

Thanks again.
 
May or early June is the best time to go. I left it until July and was troubled by an early-season hurricane that fortunately petered out but did leave us with a gale. It's not really that epic a crossing at this time of year, but not as soft as the trade-wind milk run the other way. Winds, though generally from the west, are not always favourable. Don't plan in terms of latitudes but aim to keep in the main flow of the Gulf Stream, at least as far as the longitude of the Azores. The United States CG Atlantic weather forecast (CAMSLANT) gives its position daily and Herb reports it too.

Gales are less likely if you keep further south, e.g. 37N, but I found myself in a big counter-eddy from the Gulf Stream which really slowed me for a while. Too far south and you'll be in the horse latitudes - long periods of dead calm.

An SSB radio for, at least, receiving forecasts is really essential. Herb gives excellent forecasts for yachts that have signed in with him, but if you can't transmit you'll still get plenty of information listening to the forecasts for nearby yachts - there will be plenty at this time of year. I found the CAMSLANT forecast on 6510 and 8764 MHz four times daily more than adequate, though its style, forecasting in terms of the position of weather systems rather than for sea areas, needs getting used to. It ends at (from memory) 35°W and Herb will fade out then too. There used to be a spoken English forecast from Portishead for the rest of the north Atlantic east of 35°W but I think that's now gone. If your French is OK, there is a daily forecast from Radio France International covering this area.

Finally, don't get too worried about meeting a gale, up to 40kts, which is the normal maximum at this time of year. In open ocean its nothing like as bad as near land. You'll probably be able to keep going under storm sails but if it should come from ahead, don't fight it just heave to and ride it out.
 
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Many thanks for your reply AndrewB. Seems like the SSB is the right way to go. It sounds from what your saying that I could maybe buy one for receiving only.. and save myself some pennies. Well I have five months to find out I guess!
 
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