Today is Saturday, January 31, 2009 and another big cold front is here wreaking havoc in paradise.
It seems that the big weather event in the Bahama winter season is the Cold Front. Although, a cold front doesn’t sound like much to most of us from the States, folks in the Bahamas know the disruptive pattern of these fronts. Apparently, most of them are easy to predict as they wander over from Florida. The cruisers and locals begin talking about them a few days before they arrive. Cruisers find a cove to hide from the wind and waves. The day prior to the arrival of the front may have a shower or two, but usually is nice and sunny. Then the front moves in with 20 mph winds and gusts up to 25 or more which causes lots of rocking and rolling in the anchorages. In crowded anchorages, we always worry about boats dragging anchors, but have been pretty lucky so far. Dinghies sometimes break loose and often stuff in the cockpits like solar showers and yoga mats get washed over to another boat or onto shore or out to sea. The wind which usually blows from the east begins to clock around to the south, southwest, west, northwest and then the north—and that northwest stuff is usually pretty strong. If the front decides to stay, the winds rage on for days. When the front moves on, the winds clock back around to the east and life is normal again. Strange—very strange. This is a winter thing and we are hoping to see more moderate weather in February.
It seems that the big weather event in the Bahama winter season is the Cold Front. Although, a cold front doesn’t sound like much to most of us from the States, folks in the Bahamas know the disruptive pattern of these fronts. Apparently, most of them are easy to predict as they wander over from Florida. The cruisers and locals begin talking about them a few days before they arrive. Cruisers find a cove to hide from the wind and waves. The day prior to the arrival of the front may have a shower or two, but usually is nice and sunny. Then the front moves in with 20 mph winds and gusts up to 25 or more which causes lots of rocking and rolling in the anchorages. In crowded anchorages, we always worry about boats dragging anchors, but have been pretty lucky so far. Dinghies sometimes break loose and often stuff in the cockpits like solar showers and yoga mats get washed over to another boat or onto shore or out to sea. The wind which usually blows from the east begins to clock around to the south, southwest, west, northwest and then the north—and that northwest stuff is usually pretty strong. If the front decides to stay, the winds rage on for days. When the front moves on, the winds clock back around to the east and life is normal again. Strange—very strange. This is a winter thing and we are hoping to see more moderate weather in February.
These two pictures don’t really show it well, but these are the 20 knot winds in the normally peaceful little anchorage at Norman’s Cay. You can see the white caps and one picture is a bit blurry as it was hard to hold the camera steady. We are beginning to trust our anchor and are learning to sleep through most of the rocky nights.
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