Bruce’s Weather Brief for November 9-11 and the Round The County!

Absolutely one of our most favorite races with challenging conditions, challenging tidal currents, incredible scenery, and best of all, great competition with great parties before, during, and after the racing.

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This year will be no different except that, as always, no two races are ever the same. The good news is that at least for Saturday, the currents will be relatively favorable. Sunday a slightly different story with the tides being against us until Patos, at least they won’t be very strong. The really good news is that while there won’t be a lot of wind either day, there should be enough to get around the course and there shouldn’t be any rain. I have Crossfire taking about five hours to complete the course, both days.

 

Tidal Currents

Rosario Straits                                                                          Turn Point, Haro Straits

Nov 10th                                                                                         Nov 10th

0848      Slack                                                                1248      Slack

1148      Max Ebb                 1.43 knts                            1512      Max Flood            1.56 knts

1530      Slack                                                                 1742      Slack

1636      Max Flood            .29 knts

Nov 11th                                                                           Nov 11th

0936      Slack                                                                 0948      Slack

1242      Max Ebb                 1.23 knts                             1112      Max Ebb                 .72 knts

2318      Max Ebb                 3.16 knts*                           1330      Slack

*Not an error see the chart                                             1548      Max Flood            1.39 knts

 

We have a weak frontal system passing over us today after which high pressure will build over the area bringing a northerly flow over the area. For the race course, this will mean 5-10 knots of north-northwesterly in the starting area making for a colorful, downwind start and with the ebb tide you should make pretty good time down to the bottom end of Lopez. The problem will be that with the northerly flow over the Islands it will be light and shifty across the bottom of the course until you get past Eagle Point and False Bay where you’ll back into a more solid northerly for the beat up to the finish.

Click any map to enlarge.

As you can see from the surface chart for Sunday, it doesn’t change much, except for that whopping big low out in the middle of the Pacific. The high over our interior is building in strength that will act as a blocker until the end of next week. For the race course, this will mean a nice breeze of 8-12 knots from the north in the starting area and this will drop slightly after you get around Turn Point, with slightly more breeze just to the north of the rhumb line to Alden Pt. After Alden, it should be a pleasant run south to the finish with the northerly building slightly after early to mid-afternoon. The real challenge will be from Lawrence Point to the finish because the closer you get to the finish the less wind there will be in the lee of Orcas so watch the boats ahead of you as they fall into the holes and sail around them, just don’t get swept past the finish line in the ebb tide.

For the delivery home, it doesn’t matter if you’re going north or south, it’s going to be light.

Have a great race, be safe and have fun.

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