Monday, August 5, 2013

SV BALTHAZAR stops during 'good' Chukchi Sea weather - YOU MAKE THE CALL CAPTAIN


Zone Forecast: Point Franklin to Cape Halkett (PKZ235)
Synopsis...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHERN CHUKCHI SEA WILL SLOWLY BUILD THROUGH TUE AND THEN DRIFT NORTHEAST. 

Today: N winds 15 kt. Fog. Rain showers. Vsby 1 nm or less.

Tonight: NE winds 15 kt. Fog.

Tue: NE winds 20 kt. Fog. Rain showers. 

Tue Night: E winds 20 kt. Fog.

Wed: NE winds 15 kt. Fog.

Wed Night: NE winds 15 kt. 


Zone Forecast: Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin (PKZ230)
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING......

Synopsis...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHERN CHUKCHI SEA WILL SLOWLY BUILD THROUGH TUE AND THEN DRIFT NORTHEAST. 

Today: NE winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. Fog. Rain showers. Vsby 1 nm or less. 

Tonight: NE winds 25 kt. Seas 5 ft. Fog.

Tue: NE winds 25 kt. Seas 5 ft. Fog.

Tue Night: NE winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Fog.

Wed: NE winds 15 kt. Seas 4 ft. Fog.

Wed Night: NE winds 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. 


Zone Forecast: Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort (PKZ225)
Synopsis...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHERN CHUKCHI SEA WILL SLOWLY BUILD THROUGH TUE AND THEN DRIFT NORTHEAST. 

Today: NE winds 15 kt. Seas 5 ft subsiding. Fog. Vsby 1 nm or less. 

Tonight: NE winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Fog.

Tue: NE winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Fog.

Tue Night: NE winds 20 kt. Seas 6 ft. Fog.

Wed: NE winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. Fog.

Wed Night: N winds 20 kt. Seas 5 ft. 


Zone Forecast: Dall Point to Wales (PKZ210)
Synopsis...A 1003 MB LOW NEAR NUNIVAK ISLAND WILL DISSIPAE BY LATE MON NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL PERSIST OVER THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA. A LOW PRESSURE CENTER OF 995 MB OVER INNER BRISTOL BAY TUE NIGHT WILL MOVE TO DALL POINT 10 AM WED. 

Today: NE winds 25 kt. Seas 4 ft. Fog. Vsby 1 nm or less. 

Tonight: N winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Fog.

Tue: N winds 25 kt. Seas 7 ft. Fog.

Tue Night: N winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. Fog. Rain showers. 

Wed: NE winds 25 kt. Seas 5 ft. Fog. Rain showers. 

Wed Night: N winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. 

Thu: N winds 25 kt. Seas 6 ft. 


THE WEATHER PICTURES...





THREE DAYS PLUS OF 'GOOD' WEATHER (3 days X 24 hours = 72 hours x 7 knots = 504 nautical miles)

PEARD BAY TO PORT CLARENCE = 535nm
PEARD BAY TO NOME = 604nm

"GOOD" WEATHER IN THE CHUKCHI SEA TO RUN ALONG THE BEACH WITH THE WIND BEHIND YOU OR OFF THE BEACH... DOES IT GET BETTER? NOT LIKELY... CONSIDER THE LIKELY ALTERNATIVE WITH WINDS AND SEAS COMING FROM THE WEST-NW WITH SEAS BUILDING UP AGAINST THE BEACH... OUCH!

YOU MAKE THE CALL... IT IS ALWAYS EASIER TO SIT IN THE EASY CHAIR AND MAKE THE CALL... BUT UNLESS YOU PRACTICE YOU WILL NEVER MAKE THE RIGHT CALL WHEN OUT THERE PROCESSING ALL OF THE INFORMATIONS...

RUN OR ANCHOR ???  PEARD BAY IS THE ONLY 'ANCHORAGE' BETWEEN BARROW AND PORT CLARENCE AND IT IS EXPOSED - SEE MAP ABOVE. 

JUST WAIT UNTIL LATER IN THE FALL WHEN MORE OF THE NW PASSAGE BOATS HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION AFTER 'TURNING THE CORNER' AT POINT BARROW...

I KNOW WHAT I'D DO... GET THE HECK TO PORT CLARENCE OR ALL THE WAY TO NOME HARBOR.

A THREE DAY PLUS WEATHER WINDOW IS A GIFT FROM MOTHER NATURE... I'D TAKE IT!


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