La Paz to Marquesas - too late?

[Oceangybe]

Hi all,

I am looking for some advice from what is clearly an extensive and very knowledgeable network - whatever guidance you can pass on would be greatly appreciated!

Our tradewinds T40 is finally ready to go. The past two months have been a whirlwind of system modifications, replacements, provisioning, testing, retesting, re-retesting and finally our three man crew is confident that we are ready to do the puddle jump to the Marqueasas, planning to raise new Zealand by November...

Our current departure date is 30June2007, roughly three weeks from now. We are fully aware that this is rather late in the season to go, but situations have been that we could not leave any earlier. My questions is: What is the safest way to get into the southern hemi trades from La Paz at this time of year? I am tempted to go due south and get across the storm belt, but a part of me is telling me to head due west for 1000 miles or so, and head south across the doldrums at that point.

Is there anyone out there that has been in this situation before and/or has any advice to give?

Thanks in advance,
Ryan, Brys and Hugh

[Paul L]

I was going to give you this link so you could read someone elses thoughts who just left for Marquesas - late in the season. But I just looked at it, and it appears that the attempt was aborted. Either way, their reasoning on the route they were taking seems sound. If it was me, I probably would not push it through the storm season.

Here's the link: S/V Songline - Vancouver to New Zealand

Paul L

[Brent Swain]

The doldrums widen drastically as you cross further east. Crossing too far west, can make it close to the wind against the trades and current to get your easting back. I 've crossed just east of 140. Both times the SE trades began SW then gradually clocked around to S, then SE then E and finally ENE by the time I made landfall. The current strengthens as you approach the Islands ,so make landfall on Hiva Oa, from due east. Otherwise you have to beat against wind and current to reach the other islands from Nuku Hiva.
Brent
Winds lighten drasticaly the further south you are on the Mexican coast.

[Oceangybe]

Thanks for that, Paul

I read Pete's account of his attempt with interest, and agree with his approach. Luckily two of the three of us have been tried and tested against the 'ol sea sickness, so hopefully that wont be an issue.

I just realised this is a topic that may be hard to respond to, as no-one is going to recommend anyone go anywhere at the start of storm season. We definitely aren't looking for that, just a little enlightenment into the fastest, quickest/safest route to the south pacific for this time of year!

Thanks again!
Ryan

OceanGybe - A Global Research and Outreach Expedition

[Oceangybe]

Cheers for that info, Louis

Light air and wide doldrums, combined with increasing tropical activity, sure doesn't make the south option an attracive one. Thanks for the caution re. the easting... did your "just east of 140" approach work well, or would you recommend even earlier?

Cheers,
Ryan

[Starbuck]

Louis Riel, he say:
Both times the SE trades began SW then gradually clocked around to S, then SE then E and finally ENE by the time I made landfall

When the wind shifts in this manner, isn't it said to be veering, instead of clocking?

[salient]

Originally Posted by CaptainJeff

When the wind shifts in this manner, isn't it said to be veering, instead of clocking?

Veering and clocking are the same - a right shift or movement in a clockwise direction around the compass. The wind shift described above is "backing" - going left or anticlockwise

[GordMay]

As Salient says: Veering is (the more technically correct term for) as Clocking:

VEERING (Clocking) - annotated "V"
Winds which shift in a clockwise direction, with time at a given location ,(e.g., from southerly to westerly), or which change direction in a clockwise sense with height (e.g., southeasterly at the surface turning to southwesterly aloft). The latter example is a form of directional shear which is important for tornado formation.

BACKING - annotated "B"
Winds which shift in a counterclockwise direction with time at a given location (e.g. from southerly to southeasterly), or change direction in a counterclockwise sense with height (e.g. westerly at the surface but becoming more southerly aloft).

In storm spotting, a backing wind usually refers to the turning of a south (or southwest) surface wind to a more east (or southeasterly direction). Backing of the surface wind can increase the potential for tornado development by increasing the directional shear at low levels.