In article ,
Jim Kewley writes:
In message bf2d32ce-b665-48a2-a4bf-9783410ed3cc@googlegroup
s.com, Lawrence13 writes

You always did have a latitude problem. But seriously the
Southern oceans seem to me some real challenge for sailors. Is it
purely the fact it all fairly flat sea which allows winds to howl
unabated or more than that?

The Southern Ocean is sailing's great challenge, you are correct in
thinking it's because the waves are free to roar unhindered round
the planet.
snip

I think it might also be because with almost no land there's no scope
for major winter anticyclones like we see in Siberia every winter, and
thus nothing to disrupt the Jet Stream. There might also be a steeper
thermal gradient close to Antarctica than what we see in the Northern
Hemisphere, which might lead to deeper lows and hence stronger winds.
--
John Hall

"Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong."
Oscar Wilde