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The Middle of the World sea is mostly land locked. Close to land the winds run off shore (away from the shore) in the morning and then back to on shore (point

The Middle of the World sea is mostly land locked. Close to land the winds run off shore (away from the shore) in the morning and then back to on shore (point towards the shore) in the afternoon. This is because in the morning the land is relatively cool and in the afternoon it is relatively warm. The thermal gradient above the land and sea then determines the wind direction. This pattern is mostly seen in the summer and less so in the other three seasons, when it gets a bit more random. Now it all gets a bit complicated depending on which bit of sea is being affected by which bit of land. On top of that the Med has weather systems just like everywhere else and they can get a bit feisty. Early in the (Christian) New Year you get the big old winds like the Ghibli and co dumping sand into your Brandy Sour. I lived in Cyprus for two years back in the 1980s and spent quite a lot of that time in and on the water.

gerdesj 4y ago
I have now actually read the article. It seems that no sailors were harmed in it. I really don't buy this article's premise. Even a vessel with run only sails can plot a course by working out which bit of land is affecting the patch of sea they are traversing. In the areas where land doesn't have a direct effect, you get to play the usual lottery with wind and weather. Even when the wind is against them, they should be able to manage slightly better than a "abeam close reach" so go slightly against the wind. "Modern mariners can tack against the wind by setting the sails at sharp angles. That wasn’t feasible 2,400 years ago because sails were fixed then." No they were not "fixed" at all - look at the picture of the replica - it is running close hauled. The sail is tied off fore and aft and not at right angles to travel. The article literally contradicts itself with photo evidence. If you look really closely at the modern yacht with a Bermuda rig - it's sails are luffing!

gerdesj 4y ago

I have now actually read the article. It seems that no sailors were harmed in it. I really don't buy this article's premise. Even a vessel with run only sails can plot a course by working out which bit of land is affecting the patch of sea they are traversing. In the areas where land doesn't have a direct effect, you get to play the usual lottery with wind and weather. Even when the wind is against them, they should be able to manage slightly better than a "abeam close reach" so go slightly against the wind. "Modern mariners can tack against the wind by setting the sails at sharp angles. That wasn’t feasible 2,400 years ago because sails were fixed then." No they were not "fixed" at all - look at the picture of the replica - it is running close hauled. The sail is tied off fore and aft and not at right angles to travel. The article literally contradicts itself with photo evidence. If you look really closely at the modern yacht with a Bermuda rig - it's sails are luffing!