Thursday’s Cruises were a nice ride with some slight motion as the Victory 1 made her way through 2-3 foot seas and winds from the North-Northeast around 15 knots.  Seas were originally forecast to be 3-5 feet, but the Southeast Shoal provided some good protection for us.

Today we can expect the winds to freshen a bit as more high pressure moves into our area.  Winds are forecast for 15-20 knots from the North-Northeast.  The seas will most likely increase to anywhere from 3-4 feet with some slight motion experienced mostly during the turns.  We will continue to stay under the shoal and take advantage of its protective nature.  In fact, you will probably notice the ship turn more frequently than normal as we maneuver to give you the best ride possible.  

So for today’s fun fact, I will pick up where I left off last month.  You may recall I mentioned Buy’s Ballots Law and different methods of predicting the approach of bad weather before weather satellites and modern day forecasting technology.  Another method used by sailors was monitoring the change in the direction of the wind.  Wind changes direction either by “veering” or “backing.”    A wind that “veers” changes its direction to your right as you face it.  A wind that “backs” changes direction to your left. Generally, a veering wind suggests fair or improving weather (in the northern hemisphere due to clockwise rotation of high pressure areas).  A backing wind comes from a low pressure area and suggests bad weather.  The rule: “A veering wind will clear the sky; a backing wind wind says storms are nigh.”  

It’s going to be a beautiful day and weekend.  Come sail with us.

Capt. Sean