Some Where There Should Be None

Some Where There Should Be None

The sub-tropical high has no business here. Yet, here it is and it means to stay a while. Before it heads back north to its usual environ and a more normal latitude, elements of it will reach all the south to Kerguelen Island.

John informs me that the sub-tropical high is composed of a series of high pressure regions strung out west-east in latitude. Tropical Cyclone Herold and some other meteorological mysteries way beyond my pay-grade have pushed this particular member of the series south barring progress east while this whole portion of the Southern Indian Ocean adjusts.

For Seaburban it means we sail close-hauled under tropical skies. They should not be here and it seems an eerie premonition of what is to come in some 6 or 7 weeks. Soft rain that is surprisingly warm. Cumulus clouds dotting the horizon and squalls all around at night. All while we sail on our ear banging into the swell produced by the Cyclone north and east is us.

While skies and breeze are pleasant, the log is decidedly less so given we set a new record for forward futility. Noon-to-noon today amounted to a straight line distance of a sad 20 miles for a distance sailed of 101. Our outright record for futile effort is – 21. Current, wind, and swell conspired to spoil our efforts yesterday and today but at least we put some east into the books.

But we are safe. Safe from Herold. Safe from the lows that intensified and streaked eastward south while we were north. And safely positioned to regain the westerlies below 40 South when the remnants of the sub-tropical high reform north. All we need do is continue what we are doing now. Perhaps, however, with a little less futile in the mix…

Follow my tracks in real-time:
https://bit.ly/svseaburban