The barometer is pumping, working its way down, and the wind is from the south at 20 knots, gusting higher. We’ve got the beginnings of stratus clouds overhead, and I don’t need to turn on the Weather Channel to know there’s a front coming.

Ready for take-off!

It is a glorious day to be sailing, but I’m a little irritated as I’m headed right now for the glider port to fly my new DG800 (for those of you into Harry Potter, this is even a cooler ship than his Nimbus 2000! – with a glide ratio of 52-1). The conditions are not conducive to safe soaring, and I’m just going to check my new ship’s moorings, and then return to the office.

Linda provides solace later in in the afternoon – the mail has brought the latest issue of “Mariner’s Weather Log”. This is a wonderful publication from NOAA, that includes fascinating analysis of marine weather situations for the previous quarter, along with data on sea state, current, and other timely topics.

And for an afternoon and evening like today, where I can’t sail or soar, it is the perfect way to avoid going back to work in the office (this is classified as research!).

The cover of the current issue has a photo of a “rogue” wave taken from the bridge of a tanker in the Gulf Stream. Inside there is an interesting story on “Waves and the Mariner, along with data on the Tropical Pacific, and extratropical happenings in the Atlantic and Pacific".

For those of you wishing to work on your weather skills, “Mariner’s Weather Log” is a wonderful resource. You will find subscription information at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/mwl/mwl.htm or, in the US, by calling 202 512 1800. Subscriptions cost $16.00 per year ($17.50 foreign) for which you get three issues per year.