Hebrides / Bailey - Phenomenal Sea State In Today's Shipping Forecast

[dunedin]

The forecast of 100mph winds today does make me glad my boat is out of the water.

All I can suggest to owners of boats still afloat is 'despite instincts don't try it, this is a time for the insurance berks to earn their fees' !

Why? I am much happier with the boat low down in the water, strapped carefully to the pontoon, than up on flimsy wooden props.
I suspect many many more boats have been damaged in marina yards when ashore with masts up than in secure marinas when afloat

Exposed moorings are a different matter and presumably most folks will have moved off these for a cheap winter marina berth if still afloat

 

[PhilipF]

Situations like this, and I like to look at the Atlantic Pressure charts. Trouble is since the BBC have revamped their weather site the bookmark I used to use to link to it has gone, when I try the links given they all lead me to the same page, but.... so sign of a Pressure Chart.

Found the link here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2635167

 

[Conachair]

Situations like this, and I like to look at the Atlantic Pressure charts. Trouble is since the BBC have revamped their weather site the bookmark I used to use to link to it has gone, when I try the links given they all lead me to the same page, but.... so sign of a Pressure Chart.

More charts than you'll ever need here -- http://www.weathercharts.org/

 

[G12]

I'm in Kristiansund, Norway at the moment and I'm rushed off my feet with work as there are tons of supply ships in sheltering for most of the week. I did get offered a trip out in one tonight - she was going for a sea trial. I politely declined, especially as I would have been working through the duration!
Going aboard tomorrow instead!

 

[Stemar]

941mB in that depression tomorrow - that's the sort of pressure you find in Cat 4 hurricanes.

I think I'll wait a few days before taking Jissel round Cape Wrath

 

[ms.lau]

Seriously though,this was one cruise I was glad not to have gone on.[/QUOTE]

conditions around rockall are noted to be unusually severe. something to do with change in depth of the sea floor (atlantic shelf)?

98ft!!! all in a row!!! sounds like bungee jumping for lunatics!!! you'd never be afraid of a bit of bad weather after that...

hope all is safe and calm now, though it's even a bit breezy down here in bristol docks.

laura

 

[penfold]

The Red Baroness left here an hour or so ago but she looks as if she has only to get to Troon but a look at the Live Ship map of AIS plots shows quite a few boats in the Minch (and an SAR helicopter heading toward Stornaway) the ships going Northward are making speeds in the mid teens but a couple bashing south are down to 4-5 kts. Not all the ferries are tied up yet.

Thanks to the provider of the link, I find it fascinating to flash up the west coast shipping in conditions like this, to see who is still moving and how fast.

We were going into Lerwick for a crew change(course about 200); our usual transit speed is 9kts. The best we managed before we got in the lee of the land was 2.5kts. It's lumpy out there, the Northlink jessies chickened out and stayed in ABZ.

 

[Skysail]

6 day synoptics here:

http://www.weathercharts.org/ukmomslp.htm

it looks windy up there!
.

 

[binch]

Hurricane

We endured a full Huricane Alberto while about 200 miles NW of Bermuda. Caught in the dangerous semi-circle. Waves about 30 feet. Anemom cups blown away. Masts into the sea a few times but we did not roll over. The storm was fast moving in a NE diredtion. We got a plaque from the US Coastguard for being the only yacht to survive without assistance, though we had some damage when a 12oz mainsail was pulled out of its gaskets and ripped to ribbons.
Two days after, we were struck by lightening.
Did you have a nice sail daddy?
Interesting thing is that I rode out a hurricane in much the same place in the middle fifties when mate of a salvage tug.
It is my view that what makes hurricanes really dangerous is not the wind strength but the proximity of land. This reflects the wave pattern and one can get complex waves , complex in both direction of travel and in form (steeepness for eg)
In the open ocean, head out to sea, well out to sea. close all hatches, reinforce them, turn the boat into a submarine and, like St Paul, pray for the dawn. There is nothing else you can do.