Ocean outlook: Red, Caribbean, Atlantic and Mediterranean seas
by Noonsite 3 Mar 2023 11:44 UTC
SV Joana made a successful passage from Cochin, India to Turkey through the Red Sea and Suez Canal © Noonsite
Red Sea:
By the end of February, yachts are busy crossing the Red Sea in both directions. The big news is that the HRA designation has been lifted, and this should be reflected with insurance coverage starting to be offered to vessels. Experienced cruiser and Red Sea passage maker Wade Alarie, admin for the Red Sea Passage Facebook Group, outlines the latest situation for those planning a Red Sea passage and gives his recommendations and advice.
?Agency Prince of the Red Sea have confirmed the non-prohibited anchorages in Red Sea Egypt for yachts transiting north or south and needing to seek shelter.
Spanish yacht "Tuvalu" reports from Djibouti, having just transited the Gulf of Aden.
Caribbean Sea:
Unsettled weather in the Caribbean this season has seen fronts making their way down as far south as Guadeloupe, an unusual occurrence that means the winds and squalls have been fairly relentless. Finding decent weather to make a move has been challenging for many cruisers.
Mid-March sees another SSCA gathering of yachts at Black Point, Exumas, Bahamas, hosted by Lorraine's Café and Bakery. The event is open to all boaters, but is sponsored and supported by SSCA. This is an opportunity to donate school supplies (paper notebooks, black pens, scissors, coloring materials, sports equipment etc.) which Lorraine hands out to the island's youngsters.
SY Idril report on clearing into the Bahamas at Clarence Town, Long Island - the most convenient port of entry for boats arriving from Turks and Caicos.
Sally Currin reports from Isla de Providencia, off the coast of Nicaragua in the Caribbean Sea and gives details of clearing in and getting around.
Effective 1 February 2023, yachts sailing to or from the Turks and Caicos Islands must use SailClear to submit information about their voyage to Customs and Immigration at least 24 hours before arrival or departure.
SailClear can also be used to enter Belize. Read this feedback from a cruiser who recently cleared into San Pedro, concerned about the high fees.
Yachts transiting the Panama Canal should be aware that lines used in transit may well become oily, greasy and/or stained from rusty moorings and dirt from the locomotive railways. Agent Erick Galvez has brought this to the attention of the Panama Canal Authority urging a solution be sought, but yachts transiting should be aware that lines coming back from the wall, or moorings in Gatun, may bring unwanted dirt back to the boat, and appropriate precautions should be taken.
Erick also recommends that yachts coming from Colombia to Panama or going to San Blas Islands first, should check in with the Port captain in Puerto Obaldia and request a manual cruising permit on the spot. Cruising permits are taking almost two weeks in Main ports through their data system. There also have been reports about an individual in the San Blas acting as a "clearance agent" and charging excessive fees for assisting with clearance. Sailors should avoid this person and go directly to the Port Captain in Puerto Obaldia if checking in or checking out.
Atlantic:
Orca interactions continue off the western Iberian Peninsula. Two WhatsApp conversation groups for yachts transiting the Spanish/Portuguese Atlantic coast have been established by Portuguese sailor Rui.
"Last Autumn I began to think about how to reduce the risk of an incident with an orca, and one solution that occurred to me was to share in the sailors' community the position of orcas in a similar system as we do with car accidents."
One of the groups is for sharing the location of orcas only, and the other is a discussion group to exchange experiences and mitigation actions to avoid an incident. The groups now have more than 500 members and are very active with many yachts transiting the coast reporting on their route taken, and if orcas have been sighted or not. Visit here to sign up.
Used in tandem with the CA's online reporting form, advice and findings and the new app Orcinus, cruisers now have several tools at their disposable to better-prepare for a transit around this coastline. After approximately six months of collating data, the CA's Orca taskforce are currently looking at the possibility that black antifoul might factor into the orca behaviour.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida is hosting a series of Weather Hazards Workshops in March for mariners and sailors who want to learn how to access and interpret weather forecasts and warnings while at sea and before setting out.
Mediterranean:
Two earthquakes hit southern Turkey on the border with Syria on February 6th leaving hundreds dead, thousands more injured and generated a small tsunami which was recorded on the nearby island of Cyprus. Reports received from surrounding countries indicate that there has been no damage to marine infrastructures in the region.
The team at YachtAid Global has initiated Operation Lalesi focusing on providing shelters for those who lost their homes, and specialty items such as heaters, blankets, infant care foods and needed medications and medical supplies.
If you are planning some European/Mediterranean cruising this year, the CA are hosting a useful seminar on 8 March to include discussions on orcas, windfarms, VAT and post-Brexit cruising. You can find out more and book on the CA calendar.
This article has been provided by the courtesy of noonsite.com