There's a storm coming 42:46.5N 11:14.5W
Ellatrout3
Sat 21 May 2016 16:51
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There is a storm coming! A deep depression heading
for the Bay of Biscay with forecast winds of 30 to 40Kts. Sarah and Niall had
been telling me they could see this storm over the last few days. Well it
finally took shape yesterday, now I was connected, and I extended my weather
forecast further west and saw the size of the thing coming. I also got reports
of other Jesters retiring and heading back to Blighty for shelter.
I then had a very uncomfortable few hours going
over my options, I couldn't see any way it coud miss me. Carrying on to the
Azores and it would pass right over me and I would have to take what came. Not a
happy thought having been in one before. I started to look at my
options:
I the meantime Sarah sent a text to say she had
looked at every weather site she could find and the concensus was head south to
avoid the worst, at the time I was heading west to get maximum sea room to lay
on my sea anchor. The current wind would allow me to set a course east of
south, give up some sea room and maybe miss it, especially if it turned north a
little into the Bay of Biscay. So that
is what I decided.
I had a good run overnight averaging 4 to 5 knots,
and achieving a heading of 150 degres. Unforunately this afternoon the wind
has gone light and only now managing 2 to 3kts. My latest estimate
suggests I have a chance of missing the front of the storm, i.e. the southerly
and westerly winds, but not sure about the northerly winds at the back as the
low seems to be changing shape. I can get a fresh forecast tonight which will
let me look another 12 hours ahead. I feel far more comfortable at sea with
plenty of sea room than close to land. Currently 100 miles of the Spansh
coast.
Fingers crossed,
Poppa/Dad/Roger
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