The tropics decided to skip today. The sun is gone, replaced by a sky full of dark grey clouds and even some rain. Not exactly tropical. The wind is also acting up, fluctuating wildly between 5 and 25 knots.
Despite the weather's best efforts to dampen our spirits, there's good news,. We're well over halfway to Trinidad with around 800nm to go, and our estimated arrival date is looking like Saturday. I even managed to get in touch with "Junior" who's going to help us with customs clearance. From what I hear it's going to be a bureaucratic adventure involving carbon paper and triplicate forms – a whole different kind of challenge. And definitly not something i enjoy.
Adding another layer of complexity is the marina situation in Trinidad. Apparently, thanks to hundreds of boats that rushed to get south before the hurricane, there are no berths left. The place is even more crowded than usual! Luckily, we only plan to stay for a few days – just enough time to catch up on some sleep,grab some fresh provisions, and get ready for the next leg of our journey.
Speaking of the next leg, it's known for being a particularly windy passage with large seas. To avoid the roughest conditions, we'll need to give the coast a wide berth. Sounds like another adventure is just around the corner!
But there's a more serious factor at play here – the hurricane season. We've been keeping a close eye on the forecasts, and things are looking a bit unsettling. This map we found of historical hurricane paths is a sobering reminder of the potential challanges.
The last time there were hurricane predictions this bad was 2005, the year Katrina hit New Orleans and there were two other Category 5 storms wreaking havoc. Back then, 2005 held the unfortunate distinction of being one of the warmest years on record. However, that record has been eclipsed – every year since 2014 has been hotter, making this entire decade the hottest ten years ever recorded. The science is clear: climate change is fueling these powerful storms, and the likelihood of seeing several more devastating Category 5 hurricanes this year is a very real possibility.
This adds a new level of urgency to our journey. Trinidad might be a bit crowded, but it also offers safety being outside the hurricane belt. We'll need to reassess our route for the next leg, prioritizing safety above all else. We'll keep a close eye on the weather and make sure we stay out of harm's way.
