The breeze for yesterday’s start was a good deal stronger than forecast with Force 6-7 southwesterlies giving the fleet a lick as soon as they passed through the Needles. As forecast here, the wind did die latter in the day and later today we will see the winds veering and dropping as the low pressure system bringing this weather moves over to Scandinavia.

Winds were expected to drop late yesterday as a new low pressure system moved in from the Atlantic. The incoming low is moving more slowly than expected and so the veering, then variable and decreasing winds forecast yesterday should arrive later today.

The fleet is currently chopping upwind through fog and drizzle along the southwest coast of Britain powered by gusty Force 4-5 southwesterlies. These will drop to Force 3 and become variable by mid afternoon when a weak sea breeze will vector a southerly component into the wind direction.

The warmth of the weather will come as little comfort to the crews swathed in oilies as they batter upwind but the temperature should stay pleasant until later in the week when the incoming low moves over northern Scotland.