Med Gale - Anyone Else Out in This?

[Seaworthy Lass]

This is the current forecast from Poseidon for the Aegean. You can see how the central strip cops the brunt of it (its moderately calm on either side).

Here in the Cyclades its been averaging 35+ knots for about six hours now, with frequent gusts to the mid 40's.

Anyone one else anchored out in this at the moment?

[atoll]

tis about normal for this time of year!
i once sat for 10 days under crete in october waiting to for the wind to drop below 40 knots so i could head west.

cape kithera has a higher incidence of storm force gales than cape horn!

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by atoll

tis about normal for this time of year!
i once sat for 10 days under crete in october waiting to for the wind to drop below 40 knots so i could head west.

cape kithera has a higher incidence of storm force gales than cape horn!

Hi Atoll
Yes, conditions can shift quickly and dramatically here at this time of year. I was swimming in water as calm as a millpond yesterday. It is hissing today! Although this is only a gale, we generally get one storm going through about now each year, so I am glad its not worse.

I havent seen a boat at anchor for a while now. Was curious if anyone else is anchored out here in these conditions at the moment.

Anyone out there, or are you all tied up to quays and ashore at the nearest taverna having an ouzo while the wind is howling ?

[johnandtessa]

Seaworthy - We are currently on the eastern edge of this and it is getting bumpy here at the quay in Symi Island. We saw this coming and made our way east as fast as we could from Astypalia and Nisyros Islands. We will bounce around here until Sunday maybe then move over to Marmaris or Rhodes. Best of luck... John

[atoll]

worth noting the coptic weather calender when in those parts especially the south and south west gales

Date Name Direction Type (translation) Duration
27 Sept El Saleeb W Cross 3 days
21 Oct El Saleebish W Crusade 3 days
+26 Nov El Micness W Broom 3 days
+6 Dec Kassim SW Gale 7 days
20 Dec El Fadrel Saggra SW Small gale
+11 Jan El Fadrel Saggra S Strong Gale 3 days
19 Jan El Fedra El Kibirain W Feeder 5 days
27 Jan El Fedra El Kibirain W Feeder 2 days
+18 Feb El Shams El Saggira NW Feeder 5 days
10 Mar El Hossom SW Brings the Equinox 8 days
+20 Mar El Shams El Kabira E Big Sun gale 2 days
25 Mar Hawa E A wind
29 Apr Khaseen E Sand Wind 2 days
16 Jul El Nogia E Black wind 2 da

+ Indicates a severe gale !!!

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by johnandtessa

Seaworthy - We are currently on the eastern edge of this and it is getting bumpy here at the quay in Symi Island. We saw this coming and made our way east as fast as we could from Astypalia and Nisyros Islands. We will bounce around here until Sunday maybe then move over to Marmaris or Rhodes. Best of luck... John

Hi John and Tessa
Simi looks like a good spot to have headed to. Poseidon really illustrates how the wind drops off dramatically moving E or W out of that central portion of the Aegean. This is consistently seen all summer too when the meltemi is blowing.

Its not too unpleasant here. We have little fetch, no swell and the wind direction is reasonably steady, so we aren't being tossed about. I can barely stand when I venture out on deck though. At least our anchor is well dug in and we have plenty of scope out and no lee shore, so there are no concerns there.
It was a good day for baking and reading and backgammon .

Still consistently averaging over 35 knots here. Should hopefully start to abate soon.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by atoll

worth noting the coptic weather calender when in those parts especially the south and south west gales

Date Name Direction Type (translation) Duration
27 Sept El Saleeb W Cross 3 days
21 Oct El Saleebish W Crusade 3 days
+26 Nov El Micness W Broom 3 days
+6 Dec Kassim SW Gale 7 days
20 Dec El Fadrel Saggra SW Small gale
+11 Jan El Fadrel Saggra S Strong Gale 3 days
19 Jan El Fedra El Kibirain W Feeder 5 days
27 Jan El Fedra El Kibirain W Feeder 2 days
+18 Feb El Shams El Saggira NW Feeder 5 days
10 Mar El Hossom SW Brings the Equinox 8 days
+20 Mar El Shams El Kabira E Big Sun gale 2 days
25 Mar Hawa E A wind
29 Apr Khaseen E Sand Wind 2 days
16 Jul El Nogia E Black wind 2 da

+ Indicates a severe gale !!!

Seems we've fallen between a Crusade and a Broom this time
Do you know which part of the Aegean the Coptic wind calendar is valid for?

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Seems we've fallen between a Crusade and a Broom this time
Do you know which part of the Aegean the Coptic weather calendar is valid for?

that one is an ancient egyptian one ,but if you google there are many variations,more specific to the turkish side of the agean.

due to global weather change the predictions i have found are occuring about 2 weeks later than predicted.

so what you are getting is an el saleebish,or crusade

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by atoll

that one is an ancient egyptian one ,but if you google there are many variations,more specific to the turkish side of the agean.

due to global weather change the predictions i have found are occuring about 2 weeks later than predicted.

so what you are getting is an el saleebish,or crusade

Probably just coincidental, but interestingly, two of the five storms we have had over the last 5 years fell close to the Kassim. December 4th 2008 in the Ionian and December 11th 2010 in the Cyclades. All the forcecasts of Force 10 have luckily been really well predicted in advance, so we have had plenty of warning. We are just very wary about being close to protected anchorages from early November onwards here. Nice to have a bolt hole to escape to!

[barnakiel]

Ye, Med gets nasty in the winter.

b.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Ye, Med gets nasty in the winter.

b.

Means we have it to ourselves though . Well nearly at least, I dont think there is more than a handful of people in the entire Med who anchor 24/7/365.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Off to bed. Hasn't abated yet. Haven't seen the wind drop below 30 knots for at least 12 hours now. Funny how quickly you adapt to the howling, barely notice it now.
Night all.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Probably just coincidental, but interestingly, two of the five storms we have had over the last 5 years fell close to the Kassim. December 4th 2008 in the Ionian and December 11th 2010 in the Cyclades. All the forcecasts of Force 10 have luckily been really well predicted in advance, so we have had plenty of warning. We are just very wary about being close to protected anchorages from early November onwards here. Nice to have a bolt hole to escape to!

as they say in egypt" when the khamsim has been blowing for 3 days you kill your wife!",probably due to to being stuck indoors with the missus in a sand storm...................

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Off to bed. Hasn't abated yet. Haven't seen the wind drop below 30 knots for at least 12 hours now. Funny how quickly you adapt to the howling, barely notice it now.
Night all.

I hope you have a wind genny to charge the batteries to run the blender for clever nautical cocktails.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

I hope you have a wind genny to charge the batteries to run the blender for clever nautical cocktails.

No wind genny.
No cocktails in these conditions either . Hot chocolates substitute reasonably well though

10am now and the wind has subsided. A taste of what is in store for the next 3 months (plenty more hot chocolates LOL).