gulf stream - warm and cold eddies

[john churchill]

i am getting ready to sail my cd26 from norfolk to bermuda. i have the raw data on the gulfstream temps from noaa, but remain ignorant as to exactly what to do with the info. i understand that these things rotate and can give either a lift (i'll need it) or a countercurrent. the info from noaa only give temps and not strength or direction of current. anyone care to educate me a little this week? thanks.
john churchill



jchurchill@erols.com

[Ryan Turner]

Congratulations on your upcoming sail. It sounds like quite an adventure. Wish I was going.

About the eddies. I'm no expert but I have talked with a couple of sailors who have used the eddie information. They say that the warm eddies spin counter-clockwise on the eastern side of the stream. So, if you're heading east you'd want to stick yourself in the southern half of a warm eddie. That could give you quite a kick from what I hear. Or, if you get in the wrong side of an eddie, it could give you a bit of an uphill battle. There is a web site and commercial product that can be purchased to help you figure all this out. Go to this web site for more info.

Good luck on your trip.

Ryan Turner



rdtec@aol.com

[Catherine Monaghan]

Ryan,

It's just the opposite, warm eddies circulate clockwise and cold eddies circulate counter clockwise.

<a href="http://www.wsanford.com/ma-aera/qtpix_h ... tml">Click here for more Gulf Stream info and links.</a>

Both <a href="http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/avhrr/">John Hopkins</a> and <a href="http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/">Rutgers Universities</a> offer real-time color imagery of the stream.

Also, make sure you bookmark NOAA's website for the <a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/">National Data Buoy Center</a>. From there you can get <a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/wrldmap.shtml">station information</a> (weather) directly from the sea buoys. You can also get to the <a href="http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/AtlRe ... ml">Marine Prediction Center</a> from the Real-Time Data link. The Marine Prediction Center provides regional sea-state analysis. It's nice to know what wave-heights to expect before heading offshore.

Monitor the stream for several days so that you can plot where it will be for the next few days while you're at sea, and note any warm or cold eddies. Plot your course to either avoid the eddies or take advantage of them. Make sure you hit them so that you'll be travelling with the current and not against it.

catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

Congratulations on your upcoming sail. It sounds like quite an adventure. Wish I was going.

About the eddies. I'm no expert but I have talked with a couple of sailors who have used the eddie information. They say that the warm eddies spin counter-clockwise on the eastern side of the stream. So, if you're heading east you'd want to stick yourself in the southern half of a warm eddie. That could give you quite a kick from what I hear. Or, if you get in the wrong side of an eddie, it could give you a bit of an uphill battle. There is a web site and commercial product that can be purchased to help you figure all this out. Go to this web site for more info.

Good luck on your trip.

Ryan Turner

catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[Catherine Monaghan]

I take that back, cold eddies circulte clockwise and warm eddies circulate counter clockwise.

Here's another <a href="http://www.nadn.navy.mil/SailingTeam/cs ... l">helpful website regarding the Gulf Stream</a>.

By the way, when we sailed from Stuart, FL to Grand Bahama in April, the Gulf Stream was running at 5 knots. So make sure you take the stream's velocity into account when you plot your course. You'll be making alot more leeway then you're probably used to.

catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

Ryan,

It's just the opposite, warm eddies circulate clockwise and cold eddies circulate counter clockwise.

<a href="http://www.wsanford.com/ma-aera/qtpix_h ... tml">Click here for more Gulf Stream info and links.</a>

Both <a href="http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/avhrr/">John Hopkins</a> and <a href="http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/">Rutgers Universities</a> offer real-time color imagery of the stream.

Also, make sure you bookmark NOAA's website for the <a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/">National Data Buoy Center</a>. From there you can get <a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/wrldmap.shtml">station information</a> (weather) directly from the sea buoys. You can also get to the <a href="http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/AtlRe ... ml">Marine Prediction Center</a> from the Real-Time Data link. The Marine Prediction Center provides regional sea-state analysis. It's nice to know what wave-heights to expect before heading offshore.

Monitor the stream for several days so that you can plot where it will be for the next few days while you're at sea, and note any warm or cold eddies. Plot your course to either avoid the eddies or take advantage of them. Make sure you hit them so that you'll be travelling with the current and not against it.

catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

Congratulations on your upcoming sail. It sounds like quite an adventure. Wish I was going.

About the eddies. I'm no expert but I have talked with a couple of sailors who have used the eddie information. They say that the warm eddies spin counter-clockwise on the eastern side of the stream. So, if you're heading east you'd want to stick yourself in the southern half of a warm eddie. That could give you quite a kick from what I hear. Or, if you get in the wrong side of an eddie, it could give you a bit of an uphill battle. There is a web site and commercial product that can be purchased to help you figure all this out. Go to this web site for more info.

Good luck on your trip.

Ryan Turner

catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[Robert M Paterson]

i am getting ready to sail my cd26 from norfolk to bermuda. i have the raw data on the gulfstream temps from noaa, but remain ignorant as to exactly what to do with the info. i understand that these things rotate and can give either a lift (i'll need it) or a countercurrent. the info from noaa only give temps and not strength or direction of current. anyone care to educate me a little this week? thanks.
john churchill

John, Looks like Catherine has given you enough imformation to keep you well informed and insure a save passage. As you well know there are no road signs out there,even with the latest imformation at our finger tips Weather changes ,wave patterns and currents are not as clearly definde as shown. This i found out on a trip from Mystic Ct last Oct,still it was a great trip,both ways. Bermuda has a great web site that you may want to down load also (yachts sailing to Bermuda)..http://www.gobermuda.com/faqsail.htm At the customs house at St George you can also get weather faxes for your departure Also if you can dig past imformation,'' Islands and beyond'', ''Bermuda,the insiders guide'',Cruising world April 92''.. also'' Choosing your weather window' 'Sail Feb 98'' these may help you also. Best of luck, and have a safe trip. P.S say hi to Bernie for me at St Georges yacht Club, great place to stay. .........Bob P



wskyr3d@aol.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Bob,

I'd, someday, like to sail my CD-30 to Bermuda. I was wondering if you could tell us a little more of your trip. I would be leaving from Noank Shipyard, so our track would likely be close to the same. Any details or log notes you would care to share would be appreciated. What vessel did you sail? How many crew? etc., etc.....

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei, CD-30

[Catherine Monaghan]

Dave,

Some of our Cape Dories have made the trip to Bermuda several times. Armond Perretta, owner of the Cape Dory 28 Kerry Deare has sailed her twice to Bermuda. She's also been sailed to Nova Scotia and Cuba!

He's got a collection of Kerry Deare's adventures, including the trips to Bermuda available on the web. His writings include information regarding trip planning, provisioning, navigation, including some Gulf Stream tips, and landfall.

Check out Armond's and <a href="http://members.tripod.com/kerrydeare/">Kerry Deare's adventures here</a>.

catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay


.: Bob,

I'd, someday, like to sail my CD-30 to Bermuda. I was wondering if you could tell us a little more of your trip. I would be leaving from Noank Shipyard, so our track would likely be close to the same. Any details or log notes you would care to share would be appreciated. What vessel did you sail? How many crew? etc., etc.....

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei, CD-30

catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[Robert M Paterson]

i am getting ready to sail my cd26 from norfolk to bermuda. i have the raw data on the gulfstream temps from noaa, but remain ignorant as to exactly what to do with the info. i understand that these things rotate and can give either a lift (i'll need it) or a countercurrent. the info from noaa only give temps and not strength or direction of current. anyone care to educate me a little this week? thanks.
john churchill

John; The URL that I posted dose not seem to work for me. Go to http://www. bermudatourism.com click on FAQ, then Sailing to Bermuda,you will find a wealth of imformation on all subjects.
Also Dave if you are reading this post it took 4 1/2 days down .7 days back, I am working on a reply that I will post shortly, on the trip down and back...........Bob P



Wskyr3d@aol.com