Last year there was a lot of drifting and more of it is promised this time around. Photo by Jan Anderson.
If you enjoyed Winter Vashon last month, you’re going to love Duwamish Head. At least there won’t be as much rain, but it will be cold. The official forecast says variable to 10 knots in the morning becoming light. Unfortunately all three models are in agreement with winds to 4 knots becoming lighter in the afternoon. Tides won’t help much as slack is at 0515, max ebb is .5 knots at 0730, slack is at 1110, max flood is .3 knots at 1300, slack at 1507, then the big ebb of the day kicks in at 1900 hrs at 1.1 knots.
There has been more wind on the west side of the course since Wednesday as what wind there has been has been a drainage easterly coming down the Cascades and then touching down on the west side of the course. Unfortunately the course is on the east side of the Sound for the first half of the race and it has been pretty much dead calm with occasional puffs to 2 from the northeast.
The only hope for breeze might be a thermal northerly coming down the Sound if there’s clearing over the east side and some heating of the land mass occurs. Doesn’t look like much chance of that at this point.
Wear your woolies and bring your sunblock.
Don’t kill the messenger. 80% confidence in the forecast……
