Two degrees of longitude

Fronts have changed over the last 38 years maintains Sir Robin Knox-Johnston

Yacht Saga Insurance
Sunday 17th December 2006
Miles To Fremantle: 1,952 nm
Distance In 24 Hours: 258.4
Average Speed In 24 Hours: 10.77 knots

Between noon and 1800 yesterday we covered almost 2 degrees of longitude. It was fantastic sailing, surfing and then, when we hardened slightly, sertting off on long rushes that peaked at 23 or so knots. It was far too noisy below, and alarming, so I enjoyed it on deck. The forecast said a front was due, Force 7 from the north becoming Force 7 from the west and then easing, so I was prepared as the wind rose. Had the usual problem with battens, caught behind the shrouds but managed to free that and get the third reef in before the front hit. In fact I had just exchanged the Solent for the storm jib when a wet and very windy squall struck. I am just glad the sail was reduced as we took off at high speed even with such limited sail set. Yet within 50 minutes the sky was clearing from the west and the wind easing and within 2 hours I had one from storm jib, through Solent to jib and managed, with some difficulty, to let out the main to the second reef.

After that I could have done with a stiff noggin, but sadly this is through unfortunate circumstances, temporarily a dry ship. The wind came up later and I was stuck with more mainsail than I really wanted all night because of a broken batten, which had pinced a shroud. At this moment I have three broken battens on deck and no mainsail set while I try and sort out something that will at least stop this danger.

The problem is that these fronts don't show the way they did 38 years ago. That may sound a bit odd, but back then a front did show. The barometer fell, as it did yesterday, and started to rise the moment the front was level, but I remember fronts as a long line of black towering cumulus cloud moving towards us, and the wind swinging from a light northerly to a southwesterly gale in ten minutes and then blowing like that for 8-12 hours. I have not had a front like that this time at all. It's been all miserable rain, poor visibility, the wind rising with the northerlies and easing very quickly once the front has passed. These fronts do not give such an obvious warning of their approach.

The memories of Condor and ENZA are not so vivid so I do not remember what the fronts were like then. The waves too, seem smaller, but I suspect that is, in part anyway, because I was on a boat half the size, and also we are three months later in the season, so nearer mid-summer. It is like comparing March with June.