Sunday, September 29, 2013

What's on our mind? The Graveyard of the Atlantic

The Graveyard of the Atlantic will be our first challenge.  It starts at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay goes along the coastline to the Outer Banks of Virginia and North Carolina (Cape Hatteras).

When the cold waters of the Labrador Current collide with the warm water of the Gulf Stream, it results in fast changing weather, strong currents, rough waters and related navigational challenges.  It can be better understood by viewing this animation below.

It uses a multi-resolution method for blending the different sea surface temperatures. One year of daily readings from 2010 were used to produce these animations. Temperatures start to warm up during spring, maximum values occur in late summer or early fall, cooling in the fall, and minimum values are observed at the end of winter.  You will see that the contrast between the winter and summer temperatures is stark.

 Gulf Stream vs. Labrador Current
Ref: Rosenstiel School Of Marine and Atmospheric Science - U of Miami.


Therefore we are trying to organize a passage to bring Agave south to Florida before the end of November.  Lots of logistics involved so the departure date is not set yet - but it will be within 4 to 6 weeks.

File:Cape hatteras 1989.jpg
Cape Hatteras