Negotiating the winds and swells
Day: 93 — Position: N18 13’ E156 24’
Odometer since Waikiki: about 2,703M
Distance to Northern Marianas: 646M
Sea surface temperature: 81.3F - 27.4C
OCEAN ROWING RECORDS AS RUNNING TOTALS
Solo career total in days: 1,018 (New World Record)
Overall career total in days: 1,102 (New World Record)
Solo career total in miles by Waikiki: 22,173M now about 24,760M (New World Record)
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Overall career total in miles by Waikiki: 25,153M now about 27,740M
** Ralph Tuijn (NL) leads this with 35,635M
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Jason Christensen (https://racingthewind.com) noted that perihelon occurred at 05:52UTC on Tuesday Jan 4th, which is defined as the annual closest point to the sun. Near perihelon are the highest and lowest tides, especially if a spring tide and perihelon coincide, creating the highest highs and lowest lows at a coastal location with a diurnal tide schedule.
The regular winter storms traveling west to east passing north of me, have been creating swells from the NW. I am told this is a particularly active La Niña year which may be exacerbating these frustrating wind patterns. As these storms travel, the swells gradually veer to NNW and N then repeat with the following storm about ten days later, as do the winds. So there are swells that keep running at various intensity from the top NNW quarter of the compass. This pattern has slowed my pace and cost me northing. I think the next four weeks will determine how this attempt at a historic first to reach Asia from North America by human power, will proceed.
While I believe that I should be able to work these weather systems, I am concerned about the fate of my crossing; the outcome is not certain. I assign odds to various destinations once a week and contemplate alternate plans to execute, should that be warranted. My shore team is aware of alternate outcomes and will pave the way for my approach by notifying respective authorities, depending.
I knew this row would not be anything like other trade wind milk runs, but living it in person is priceless. I must put in overtime anytime that the winds turn in my favor. I recently had to row during the day to rise WNW if at all then sacrificed that northing overnight on para anchor. My daily mileage has thus been in the teens lately!
This coming week however, I have a couple of massive low pressure systems to my NW chasing each other, which will draw winds from my latitude and redirect my easterly winds turning them southeasterly. Those lows may also generate a long period NW sea state pulse, perhaps forcing me back on para anchor to wait for that pulse to subside. I will attempt to use those southerly winds to rise back up toward 20N…
You should keep an eye on my tracking page linked in the menu for a spot check on the winds around my location. If you have not already, please bookmark the Ocean Rowing Society tracking page at:
https://oceanrowing.com/map/live?expid=1073 which uses a Windy.com layer providing more options to browse wind forecasts.
Seeing this southerly forecast, I was at ease about descending WSW with the earlier NE winds. That allowed me to register some westing. Now I will be able to run with the SE winds, again registering additional westing. This is so much better than forever stalling on para anchor. Let’s hope that those NW swells which have been the bane of my existence for over a month now, don’t terribly complicate matters. I have to be patient and do what I can whenever I get a break. My hope is that the southerly forecast between 10-14 January, will help me rise back up near 20N. By banking that northing, I can spend it during the next northerly blow due on the 15th.
Erden