Entries tagged "sailing"
2012-07-24
The week is already feeling full with the task of collating and writing up observations from the sail north. At the end of the month I will be submitting them as part of article to the Journal of the Royal Institute of Navigation, for their perusal.
Moving slowly from line to line down the log book has made me reflect on the journey. As is so often the case, the most recent experiences bully the earlier ones out of the way.
At the end of the sail, safely moored at our destination, we treated ourselves to a…
2012-07-05
Yesterday I arrived back home after sailing north from Scotland via the Faroe Islands into the Arctic, finishing at Reykjavik. I used the trip to study the relationship between the environment, the distance to land and other factors like depth.
I'd like to thank my Mate and only crewmember, John Pahl, for volunteering for such an unlikely voyage and for being such an invaluable help throughout the trip.
There's lots to report both here and in the articles I will be writing, but in the meantime I've just got time to share what felt like a great…
2012-02-25
Following on from my last blog post about the windvane self-steering marvel, comes another wonderful piece of sailing technology. Although this one also works closely with nature, you will be delighted to read it is brilliant in its simplicity.
A couple of weeks ago I had the immense privilege of accompanying Eric Staples in Oman on a small voyage. Eric and his team restore historic Omani boats and build many from scratch. From fantastically detailed models, through small reed boats to great vessels, Eric brings back to life craft that might have feared their days had been…
2012-02-22
Although microchips have a childlike tendency to steal our attention away from almost anything else, I am not against technology itself. Once we have steeled ourselves to the risks of using any device, it is possible to have the best of all worlds: convenience, information, safety and awareness.
If I was forced to choose my favourite piece of navigation technology, I would find it hard. The GPS, for all its many known vices, really is an extraordinary piece of kit. But it will never be my favourite, because... of all its many known vices. Also, because I'm very…
2011-12-14
I was interviewed by Susan Gray on behalf of the Ramblers yesterday. We chatted over tea, blasts of icy December air and then some more tea. Did you know that the amount of tea walkers drink is inversely-proportional to the number of days we are from the winter solstice?
We only went for a short walk, it was more of an indoor interview than a walking one, but we were outdoors just long enough to appreciate the difference a couple of hundred feet of altitude can make. In the valleys it was far from balmy, but it…
2011-03-17
Congratulations to Sam LLewellyn on the launch of The Marine Quarterly. A more handsome nautical vessel would be hard to find. (The Marine Quarterly that is.)It would be considered poor form for me to comment at length on the quality of the content, since the launch issue includes a piece by me, 'Stars and Waves' on the subject of traditional Pacific navigation techniques. Suffice to say, the whole is beautiful and fascinating.I suspect that the nautical community will soon be divided into two groups, those that know of the MQ and those that do not.For more information or…
2010-12-12
Just back from a bracing and invigorating couple of days on the water. My wife and I sailed from Chichester to Cowes, where we met up with the Contessa 32 Association's Christmas Rally.
The sail back today allowed us to revel in one of those winter days that make the others more bearable. Barely a cloud in the sky, Force 3 or 4 sailing all the way.
Here is a riddle for nautical navigators:
At about lunchtime today I took this photo from our yacht. What is slightly strange about this picture?
As usual answers…
2010-09-29
A weekend of sailing has just passed, one that was full of meteorological kindness.
Nature was generous in two ways over the weekend - perhaps as a reward for my having set up a page of weather lore?
Firstly, blue skies, fair winds and warm sun ruled over the Solent. Secondly, an approaching warm front signalled its intent, in line with meteorological science and common folklore, by sending a team of mares' tails ahead. These cirrus clouds would be followed by cirrostratus, altostratus and then the rain-bearing nimbostratus. A show was being promised, and then put…
2010-06-25
My thanks to everyone who came to my talk last night at the Weald and Downland Museum. What a wonderful place to spend a summer's evening, I recommend a visit to anyone who has yet to sample its delights.On a different note, I received a fascinating letter recently from someone who has read the book. They wrote to me with an unusual observation.I have touched the phenomenon of the 'green flash' at sunset in this blog and elsewhere, it is well documented and well heard-of. My correspondent is keen to learn more about something different and since I have…
2009-05-15
The land's wind shadow can be seen in the smooth water nearest the foreground of this picture of Nutbourne Marshes. This is an effect sailors, particularly dinghy sailors, will be very familiar with. It is the same effect that causes a build up of ice, sand and dust deposits on the lee side of obstacles on land. It is not usually quite as simple as the object getting in the way of the wind though, because of something called Bernoulli's Law.It is one of those laws that features a lot in our lives, but gets little credit. It helps chimneys…
2008-10-16
On Sunday morning, when sailing off the south coast, visibility came down to a few hundred metres at times. The sun played some of its usual tricks in the fog and one that I don't think I've seen before. When looking down-sun it created a colourless rainbow-like arch with pure white underneath, it was very like sailing past the Millennium Dome, or whatever it's called these days. At one point there was one visible when looking towards the sun as well, it felt like sailing between two domes. Surreal.…
