A feature of recent years is the increasing number of days when the
temperature has reached (or exceeded) 15C.

This year is already a new record, with 204 days reaching this
figure.
Helped by the very warm Spring.

Followed by 2003 - 194 days
2005 - 192 days
2006 - 191 days
The average for the 16 years (1991-2007 incl.) being 175 days.

Still a big swell forecast for this week end.
http://magicseaweed.com/UK-Ireland-MSW-Surf-Charts/1/ . A consistent
20-25' for west Cornwall, with a long 16sec wave period. (Likely
height 10-12' actually on the beaches - possibly much bigger on the
reef at Porthleven.) Likely to be blown out & dangerous though, unless
there's a lull in the wind at some point.

Graham
Penzance

On 29 Nov, 12:11, Graham Easterling
wrote:
A feature of recent years is the increasing number of days when the
temperature has reached (or exceeded) 15C.

This year is already a new record, with 204 days reaching this
figure.
Helped by the very warm Spring.

Followed by 2003 - 194 days
2005 - 192 days
2006 - 191 days
The average for the 16 years (1991-2007 incl.) being 175 days.

Still a big swell forecast for this week end.http://magicseaweed.com/UK-Ireland-MSW-Surf-Charts/1/. A consistent
20-25' for west Cornwall, with a long 16sec wave period. (Likely
height 10-12' actually on the beaches - possibly much bigger on the
reef at Porthleven.) Likely to be blown out & dangerous though, unless
there's a lull in the wind at some point.

Graham
Penzance

I have just checked my figures for North Somerset, and the total is
exactly the same:- 204 days so far.

On 29 Nov, 12:11, Graham Easterling
wrote:


Still a big swell forecast for this week end.http://magicseaweed.com/UK-Ireland-MSW-Surf-Charts/1/.

Those swell animations are fascinating. They make me realise just what
the folk on the Weather Ships India and Juliet (amongst others) had to
put up with. I was turned down in the early 1970s because I had no
radio-sonde training, but looking back - perhaps I was very fortunate.

Graham Easterling wrote:

Those swell animations are fascinating. They make me realise just what
the folk on the Weather Ships India and Juliet (amongst others) had to
put up with. I was turned down in the early 1970s because I had no
radio-sonde training, but looking back - perhaps I was very fortunate.

Although I only did one 4½ week trip (on the 'Weather Adviser') in 1975
- to test the feasibility of using Vaisala LORAN (LOng RAnge Navigation)
based radiosondes for wind-finding (to replace ship based radar
observations) - it was one of the most memorable things I ever did.

Seem to remember we had Force 9 or Force 10 winds at one time. Eating
meals and trying to sleep were 'different'!

It was the last voyage to Station 'India' and the first to Station 'Lima'.

Eventually ship based radar wind finding was phased out.

A different era I'm afraid.

--
Mike LONGWORTH, Yateley, Hampshire, UK

wrote:

On 29 Nov, 12:11, Graham Easterling
wrote:


Still a big swell forecast for this week
end.http://magicseaweed.com/UK-Ireland-MSW-Surf-Charts/1/.

Those swell animations are fascinating. They make me realise just what
the folk on the Weather Ships India and Juliet (amongst others) had to
put up with. I was turned down in the early 1970s because I had no
radio-sonde training, but looking back - perhaps I was very fortunate.

I served on the Weather Ships for 3 years in the 1960's. It was one of
the great experiences of my life and was a marvellous introduction to
what has turned out to be a career specialising in marine meteorology.
I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

Norman
--
Norman Lynagh
Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire
85m a.s.l.
(remove "thisbit" twice to e-mail)

On 29 Nov, 13:17, wrote:
On 29 Nov, 12:11, Graham Easterling
wrote:



Still a big swell forecast for this week end.http://magicseaweed.com/UK-Ireland-MSW-Surf-Charts/1/.

Those swell animations are fascinating. They make me realise just what
the folk on the Weather Ships India and Juliet (amongst others) had to
put up with. I was turned down in the early 1970s because I had no
radio-sonde training, but looking back - perhaps I was very fortunate.

I used to work for the Isles of Scilly Steamship Co., who also run
Skybus flights from Exeter/Newquay/Lands End to Scilly. I always took
the flying option when going to the Islands.

With a big swell, going out on a RIB is pure fun, going out in
something like the Scillonian III, which is flat bottomed dure to the
shallow entrance to the harbours at both Scilly & Penzance, is pure
hell. On the other hand I've been on the Greenpeace Ship 'Solo' (which
is converted tug) in St Ives Bay in a gale, and it was fine.

Graham
Penzance

On Nov 29, 12:11 pm, Graham Easterling
wrote:
A feature of recent years is the increasing number of days when the
temperature has reached (or exceeded) 15C.

This year is already a new record, with 204 days reaching this
figure.
Helped by the very warm Spring.

Followed by 2003 - 194 days
2005 - 192 days
2006 - 191 days
The average for the 16 years (1991-2007 incl.) being 175 days.

Still a big swell forecast for this week end.http://magicseaweed.com/UK-Ireland-MSW-Surf-Charts/1/. A consistent
20-25' for west Cornwall, with a long 16sec wave period. (Likely
height 10-12' actually on the beaches - possibly much bigger on the
reef at Porthleven.) Likely to be blown out & dangerous though, unless
there's a lull in the wind at some point.

Graham
Penzance

Graham, I only have complete records for 2006 & 2007 but here they
are.

No of days when 15.0 has been reached, or exceeded.

2006 = 197 (whole year)
2007 = 197 (to 29/11/07)

Earliest date 15.0c reached.
2006 = 13th April, 15.1c (very late)
2007 = 18th January, 15.0c (very early)

Latest date 15.0c reached
2005 = 3rd November, 15.0c
2006 = 5th December, 15.0c
2007 = 8th November, 15.0c

208 days here have reached 15C or higher this year.

I've been on the Scillonian III a few times and I can testify that it can be
a roller-coaster of a ride.

I have never seen so many people ill from sea-sickness. One particularly
rough crossing (it was July!!) there were holiday makers getting on the
ship, probably expecting a nice, pleasant trip as it was calm in Mounts Bay.
Things took a turn for the worst as the ship past Gwennap Head and into the
big swell of the Atlantic. There were bodies and puke everywhere! Even
crossing the Pentland Firth on the St Ola many times during gales was
nothing compared to this. When the ship arrived at St Mary's many people
were too ill to walk and had to be helped off the ship. I pity the poor crew
that then had the job of cleaning the ship, then again, they're probably
used to it!

Best to fly to Scilly (carbon emissions probably are not that different
either).
________________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

In article ,
says...
There were bodies and puke everywhere! Even
crossing the Pentland Firth on the St Ola many times during gales was
nothing compared to this.


St Ola was a deep hulled boat and surprisingly stable, as was her
sister. You should try the crossing now in a gale with the shallow
hulled Hjatland or the Hrossey.

When the boats first came over there were no sick bags and none of the
furnishings were fastened down. The Norwegians, with all their
experience in running ferries around the Scandinavian coasts, were
convinced that the stabilizers would handle anything the the firth could
throw at them.

I think it was the Hjatland that did the first sailing in rough weather,
and after the subsequent unscheduled refit, all furnishings are now tied
down and sick bags are in abundance. I understand the gaming machines
made quite a mess as they slid from beam to beam, especially as they
were enclosed in a glass walled area.

Chortle

--
Alan LeHun

On 29 Nov, 18:41, "Nick Gardner"
wrote:

I've been on the Scillonian III a few times

Very brave of you!

Things took a turn for the worst as the ship past Gwennap Head and into the
big swell of the Atlantic.

There's an area off Gwennap Head near the Runnelstone Reef where
currents meet & the sea conditions can be particularly bad.


Best to fly to Scilly (carbon emissions probably are not that different
either).


That's a point. The Scillonian III is a heavy ship, and sometimes runs
with very few passengers on board. Although she can take 600, I
suspect the average is near 100. The 'Islanders' from Land's End
provide a taxi service to meet demand. It would be interesting to know
the comparable carbon emissions per head over the year.

Graham
Penzance