"Pouncer", a Twister 28 skippered and owned by CA Member Charlotte Wilkinson is the first foreign yacht to use the newly permitted passage to St. Petersburg.
A reminder to those sailing in French west coast waters covered by CROSS Etel and the Mediterranean covered by CROSSMED area Provence.
There are continuous broadcasts in French on Ch 63 for these areas. For those whose French is limited this is a good opportunity to get used to the terminology and the names of places that are referred to.
In Carlisle Bay, Barbados several of the boats at anchor belonged to CA members who had independently crossed the Atlantic in December 2009 and stopped in Barbados to visit the island and break their voyage before going on to the main Caribbean island chain.
In recent months, there has been some criticism of Met Office Inshore Forecasts for UK waters. In a letter published in the April PBO, the MCA has given some figures for “accuracy” of forecasts. They state that over a period of one year,
The “hit rate” for gale warnings (for sea areas) was 92%
The “hit rate” for coastal strong wind warnings 96%.
Within a typical 24 hour period forecast, 94% of winds were within one Beaufort force of prediction.
Leaving aside any remark about lies, damned lies etc, what do these figures mean?
Around the west of Scotland Portpatrick reception can be difficult to impossible because of topography. On 518 kHz, Malin Head broadcasts Sea Area forecastss for Shannon, Rockall, Malin and Bailey (as well as Irish Coastal and some High Seas Areas).
It is the season to be out there cruising, sailors are
dropping anchor
and looking through the binoculars’ at the cross trees of the
others in the bay. The CA burgee is a magnet and much convivial
planning has been achieved, a ‘Blue Water’ Section has now being
launched.
In Carlisle Bay, Barbados several of the boats at anchor belonged to CA members who had independently crossed the Atlantic in December 2009 and stopped in Barbados to visit the island and break their voyage before going on to the main Caribbean island chain.