In the mid latitudes of the northern hemisphere, weather systems generally move from west to east. A red sky in the west, as the sun sets, indicates a clear atmosphere between you and the sun, which is an indication of tomorrow’s weather.
On the other hand, a red sky in the east at sunrise suggests that the clear weather has passed and the odds are, that the “not so nice” weather is moving in from the west. In other words, you are looking through yesterday’s weather.
At sunset and sunrise, the sky appears red because the shorter blue wavelengths are filtered out by the thicker atmosphere, while the longer red wavelengths are able to get through.
Wind is described based on the direction from where it is blowing, i.e. a west wind is blowing out of the west. In marine forecasts, wind speed is expressed in knots (nautical miles per hour).
If you stand on a stationary dock, the wind that you feel is the true wind. If you stand on the deck of a moving boat, the wind that you feel is the apparent wind.
If you are a sailor, wind can be fun, particularly if there are no significant waves. Waves are generated by the wind.
The other factor impacting the sea surface is the depth of water. When waves move from deep water to shallow water, friction with the bottom slows their forward motion. As the forward motion of the waves slow, they become steeper and higher. If the water gets more shallow, the waves begin to break.
When a boater observes waves that are becoming steeper and breaking, it can be an indication of shallow water. But breaking waves can also be caused by strong winds. Breaking wavws that are caused by high winds are often referred to as whitecaps. Whitecaps begin to appear when the wind speed reachs 10 knots and increases as the wind speed increases.
Marine weather forecasts predict the speed of surface winds. Surface wind speeds over land and surface wind speeds over water can be significantly different. While the land surface includes moutains, hills, trees, etc, the water surface is relatively flat. In other words, the relative flatness of the water results in minimum friction while the friction over the land surface is considerably higher resulting in slower surface winds.
In a Southeast or East wind, the Cabot Strait in the vicinity of “Wreckhouse” can be particularly rough.
Whether you are sailing near shore or out of sight of land, you need to be aware of the wind at all times.
Docking in high wind conditions can be difficult and even dangerous. Under such conditions, it may be wise to remain offshore until conditions improve. If, on the other hand, conditions are worsening, it may be prudent to seek shelter in a sheltered anchorage.
