[outbound]

Maybe this will turn into the usual CC knocking heads but I hope not.
I’m relatively new to long term Eastern Caribbean cruising so don’t feel I have an adequate sample over time. Still since 2013 every year it seems windier. I look at the usual gribs and watch Chris and it seems this is true both for the windwards and leewards but more apparent the further south you are. Is this a simple bump in the road or am I going to be in high teens low twenties most days even not counting gusts and compression zones.

 

[colemj]

I'm not sure about it being windier, but high teens low twenties is about what we've always experienced in the East Caribe since the 90's. Particularly now. Summer will bring some lower winds, but these are called the trade winds for a reason.

Mark

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

The Trade Winds are windy. All of the time.
I felt it had a cumulative effect and by my last years I was getting a bit annoyed by it. But I don't think it's getting stronger.
I had a large wall clock in my cabin about 5 feet from my head but I could never hear it tick in the Trades either Caribbean or Pacific, Indian Ocean. As soon as I head north out of the Trades like when I arrive in New York or Europe I have to take the clock out of the cabin because it's far too loud to sleep with.

Mark

 

[RegisteredUser]

Did you get that clock so you could see it from the cockpit

 

[hpeer]

I’m a fan of Jennifer Lawrence, a Rutgers meteorologist who specializes in wind currents.

Her take is that yes CC is changing our winds but you have to do some very serious statistical work to pick the signal out of the noise. She predicts this trend will get stronger over time, but as of now normal folks can’t detect it.

She has given some pretty interesting talks which have been video taped and put on you tube. Smart lady, good info for sailors.

 

[capta]

Actually, from my perspective, this is the kindest winter we've had since we arrived in 2011. Certainly not every day, but over all, the winds have been lighter than any of the past years.
Had you asked last year, I might have agreed with you, though we had two consecutive years of over enthusiastic Christmas Winds about 6 years back. Almost 5 months of 25 to 30 nearly every day! Ugh.
It may not be the worst year for weed, but I'm getting real tired of that stuff. It's getting harder and harder to catch anything but that damn effing salad! I'm pretty sure this is a new phenomenon for here.

 

[MikeOReilly]

CC does predict a general increase in average wind speeds, but whether this is detectable by specific humans over our brief period at sea (measured in a few decades at most), is doubtful.

However, it likely is possible to see these changes by comparing past editions of the various Pilot Charts of the oceans. These have been issued going back over a century now. Someone who has the time and inclination could probably track down and analyse the documents.

 

[outbound]

Guess I’m a wimp or getting old. Still miss having having all the rags up. Leaving tomorrow for Grenada in 5-7’. Wife preferred the sailing in the leewards but see they’ve had similar conditions for most of the last month. That’s why I thought this year was different. Guess I’m wrong.
We both have liked the windwards better for the people, fruits, natural wonders and absence of the drunken holiday frame of mind. More live corals, waterfalls, nice hikes, cruisers

 

[capta]

Guess I’m a wimp or getting old. Still miss having having all the rags up. Leaving tomorrow for Grenada in 5-7’. Wife preferred the sailing in the leewards but see they’ve had similar conditions for most of the last month. That’s why I thought this year was different. Guess I’m wrong.
We both have liked the windwards better for the people, fruits, natural wonders and absence of the drunken holiday frame of mind. More live corals, waterfalls, nice hikes, cruisers

I prefer the Windwards because there are no long channel bashes. Most sails are under 10 miles, and even at 15 or 16 (tacking, you know), you still have plenty of time to snorkel or explore ashore in a day at both anchorages. One of the truly great things down here is to sail in through the reefs in the Tobago Cays. So few do it, but it's very doable and really fun. One can sail into almost every other anchorage down here, which increases the fun for those of us who enjoy that kind of sailing. Only Clifton presents some degree of difficulty on a 50 footer in the height of the season.
The only real bash is Grenada to Carriacou, and we've avoided that lately by having our customers use the fast ferry.
The Windwards may have a bit more wind, but much of the sailing is behind islands and quite often the currents run favorably.
Good luck on your sail tomorrow. May you miss all the weed patches and catch some good fish. Don't forget lunch at the Creole Shack in St. George's and say hi to Shademan from Nikki and I.
We'll be headed south to Tyrrel sometime soon, and then on to Trinidad without a stop in Grenada. Better fishin on the windward side.

 

[Minnewaska]

I think we all get a bit less risk tolerant as the years pass. Normal.

 

[outbound]

Seems the windward side of Grenada is a better sail as you are then going downwind to get into the southern most bays. Wife wants to see the sculptures at Dragon so we’ll go down on the leeward side this time and just motor if we have to to get to Prickly to get diesel. Clarke’s has no diesel. Any other thoughts on good easy places so I can leave the tanks full for the summer?

 

[capta]

Seems the windward side of Grenada is a better sail as you are then going downwind to get into the southern most bays. Wife wants to see the sculptures at Dragon so we’ll go down on the leeward side this time and just motor if we have to to get to Prickly to get diesel. Clarke’s has no diesel. Any other thoughts on good easy places so I can leave the tanks full for the summer?

The Yacht club in St Georges may have cheaper fuel than Prickly. Easy in and out. If I were you I'd stay at the St Georges anchorage as long as possible, at least until a northerly swell pushes you out. You can dinghy to the supermarket, hardware store, and Island Water World, just to name a few, whereas Prickly is at least a bus ride for anything other than budget Marine.
Turbulence is a good place for any sail repairs. Though it may take time (they can be busy). We've gotten very good quality work for a fair price.

 

[outbound]

Told the holding is iffy in St George. Where’s good?
Btw thanks for the local knowledge.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Told the holding is iffy in St George. Where’s good?
Btw thanks for the local knowledge.

St George's is fine but there is some surface of the sand sgrigwtion where the top 6 inches might be quite hard. Difficult to get through and when the puck dies it hooks under a bit of hard stuff.

When U think you are set pull back hard... Like 2,000 rpm for a full minute.

But it's worth it as it's bliss

 

[outbound]

Thanks Mark. G-d watches out for fools and sailors. Dropped in sand between grass in 25’ on south side fairly far out. Roc a dg right in. Used the gusts not engine for the set. Haven’t moved an inch. Pickling the watermaker, doing oil changes and other little chores before gong on the hard. Having a bit of trouble finding sc-1 or high concentration propylene glycol but hopefully palm tree will have some. Dinghy is getting quite a workout as avoiding going south to Clarke’s until we have too. Went there by bus to check it out. Seems real isolated.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Went there by bus to check it out. Seems real isolated.

Yes it is. Shopping bus once per week.
CCB is Far too isolated for me.
If I'm going to be that isolated it needs to be a deserted island where I can snorkle all day.

Have fun.


Mark

 

[outbound]

No snorkeling I could see. Water looks even too dirty for watermaking. Upon coming back will leave and go to Bequia. Liked it there.

 

[Bleemus]

In the early 80s they used to joke about the local radio station in Antigua having two cassette tapes. One for summer weather and the other for winter.

Summer tape. Winds variable building to 15 knots in the afternoon. 70% chance of thunderstorms.

Winter tape. Winds building to 20-25 knots from the East with higher gusts.