WeatherOnline Limited, has become a partner to Geoff Holt's Personal Everest project.
The meteorological services company will provide weather reports tailored to Geoff's route around Great Britain, to enable the Personal Everest team to make the most of any weather window which will allow Geoff to sail to the next port of call.
The unseasonal weather experienced in the UK this summer has greatly hampered Geoff's attempt to be the first disabled person to sail around the coast of Great Britain.
Geoff, who was paralysed as the result of a swimming accident when he was 18 years old, left Southampton on May 20th in his 15ft Challenger trimaran and has reached Abersoch, North Wales, where he and his team have been weatherbound for 11 days.
“It's fantastic that WeatherOnline has become a partner to our project”, says Geoff. “The unusual weather these past few weeks has played havoc with our sailing schedule and we are itching to get going again. The entire project relies on the weather and having good weather data is essential to our passage planning.
“To confuse matters there are several weather sources each supplying weather information in different formats but the service we have found to be most useful to us since leaving home has been WeatherOnline.
“We spoke to them earlier this week and they have kindly agreed to provide us with their Personalised Sailing Forecast product, a highly detailed forecast showing localised weather data specifically tailored to a sailor's needs.
“For example, we've discussed the wind limits for sailing my 15ft trimaran and the forecast I received today makes allowances and recommendations specifically with those factors in mind. It has fast become an invaluable planning tool which will not only ensure we have the most accurate data, but that in itself will hopefully buy us time by allowing us to sail when decisions are borderline in our favour and stopping us from sailing when they are borderline against us.
“Sadly they can not make the weather, only report it and based on the latest report, we'll be weatherbound for some days to come as yet more unseasonal low pressure systems roll in across the Atlantic.”
Geoff and his team, including wife Elaine and son Timothy, aged 5. have been staying at the Deucoch Touring Camping Park near Abersoch for the past 11 days, during which time Geoff and his project manager Ian Clover have had a lot to consider.
“It's fast becoming apparent that this particular stretch of coastline has its own unique set of complexities for route planning. For example, it is 65 nautical miles from Abersoch to Holyhead, too far to sail in one hit. There is only one possible port of refuge on the west side of the Lleyn peninsular, Morfa Nefyn, which is 25 miles from Abersoch.
“However it is not a good shelter and has no overnight parking facilities. It is only practical to leave the boats there for one night at the most and to drive back to Abersoch to overnight the vehicles so the weather needs to be clear for at least two consecutive days.
“To get to Morfa Nefyn we have to go through the notorious Bardsey Sound where the tide rips through at up to 6 knots and there are dangerous overfalls so we must go when the tide is in our favour. To complicate matters, if the wind is blowing against the tide, it creates a very dangerous sea state for me to sail.
“So to get to Holyhead, not only do we need a wind strength of less than 15 knots to be blowing a minimum of two days, it must not be blowing from a northerly direction and we can only sail on the north-bound flood tide on each of the days - each tide gives us about 6 hours in our favour.
“Having outlined the complexities, you'll see why it is taking so long to make the break from Abersoch. It's been 10 days now, the longest we've been weather-bound in any port, and it is taking its toll on all of us. Maybe this is the meaning of 'Cabin Fever.' There's a real need to be moving on.”
Geoff's Personal Everest Project has been made possible by sponsorship from law firm Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons, who are providing the funds to ensure that Geoff has the necessary back-up team and equipment to make his record attempt safe and efficient.
For more information visit www.weatheronline.co.uk and www.personaleverest.com
