Sailing in Winter - the Good Life

by Cruising Editor on 5 Jun 2006 While spring is fast giving way to summer in the northern hemisphere and the snow birds are flying south for their summer sailing holidays, the charter boats are busy and the anchorages are filling quickly, spare a thought for the southern hemisphere, where they are curling up for winter – or are they?

‘My friend asks what it's like to sail in the winter, and why I do it. It seems like both a good question and a bad one. I mean, I sail because I love to sail. The weather doesn't have much to do with it. The things I love about being on a boat -- the complexity of making the boat go fast, the challenge of reading the water to figure out where the wind is and where it's going, the signals the tiller sends me by the way it tugs on my hand about how the boat is trimmed, the interaction with my crew and with the other boats - none of that has much to do with the temperature. I love it, and will do it when I have the opportunity. So I sail in winter because it's there.’ – Anonymous

Henton Jaaback, a sailing instructor in South Africa for many years loves sailing in winter too.
‘Winter is mild with steady Westerly winds interspersed with rain’ He says. ‘The weather is generally excellent with lots of sunshine and plenty of wind. We are indeed privileged to sail in these beautiful waters that abound with sea life of all kinds. Fish in plenty with Tuna and Marlin at the top. Whales and Dolphins, Seals and Penguins are common The birds range from Storm Petrels to Wandering Albatrosses.’

Diana Cousins from www.yachtmaster.co.za!Yachtmaster_Ocean_Services in South Africa agrees with this, but maintains it's because of the superior weather in the underside of the world.

'Around South Africa East Coast temperatures seldom go below 15°C. So sailing here in winter is like sailing in summer in many other places!

West coast temperatures are occasionally below 10°C but the wind is seldom gale force, and when it is, it does not last longer than a few hours or very seldom a larger part of 24 hours. Any rain seldom continues for more than 2 or 3 hours as cold fronts pass over. The dominant wind direction is from the south west which is approximately 90° to the coast line. That means when sailing up or down the coast one is often on a beam reach - a very nice wind
angle for sailing. Some of our best sailing is winter, especially when one has experienced frequent sailing in summers' South Easterly gales.'

In Sydney Australia, Alan Bridge of Pittwater Boating Club , thinks it’s the best time to sail.

‘There is something special about this time of year, the light seems a bit different, crisp nights and warm days – you really feel the change of season. Best of all there’s no-one out there!

‘This is our playground at it’s best. Great sailing in the light morning Westerlies and warm sunshine in the middle of the day, just perfect to crack that special bottle of wine with some fine Australian cheese, lay back and enjoy your favourite book with only the chatter of the natives (birds that is). When it’s time to select your overnight anchorage you’ll probably have a bay virtually to yourself - even the popular Refuge and Americas Bays are empty. Ah this is living – and we all deserve to live life to the full.’

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