Back and forth

25 March 2025

Back and forth

Looking at our track from the past few days, it’s clear that we didn’t take the most direct route. We spent two days essentially heading northeast, only to turn back southwest along the same path. Shortly after crossing the Greenwich Meridian, the weather forecast presented us with a challenge. A low-pressure system was expected to develop and sit directly on our course. We were left with three options: sail straight through it on the shortest route, sail around it to the north or south, or wait for the system to pass and then continue on our journey.

Sailing directly through a low-pressure system can be very uncomfortable, with strong winds and rough seas, so that option was immediately ruled out. Instead, we considered sailing around the system and even began planning that route. Our initial plan was to head north, aiming to avoid the area with the strongest forecasted winds. However, upon reviewing the latest weather charts, we noticed that the low-pressure system was expanding and shifting its predicted path. If we continued with the plan to sail around it, we would face at least a 500-mile detour, and possibly even more.

At this point, we decided to go with the third option: waiting for the weather system to pass. We reduced our speed and spent two days slowly traveling northeast before turning back southwest, staying on course until the stronger winds had moved away. During this time, we crossed the Greenwich Meridian, briefly returning to the western hemisphere before making our way back to the eastern hemisphere. Now, we’re back on our direct route to Cape Town. The wind is still strong, and we’re feeling the powerful swells created by the weather system. The ride is a bit bumpy, but far more comfortable than being at the center of the depression. It just goes to show that sometimes taking a slower, slightly longer route can turn out to be the better option.