backgrounds

Twenty nautical miles offshore and it looks like this. It doesn't happen often so we all make the most of it when it does.

The cloud over the middle horizon is above another reef. The water in the lagoon heats up more than the surrounding water, evaporates more, and typically forms a small altocumulus cloud. In some places you can find your way by this 'map in the sky'.

The cloud in the picture will do you no harm, but on a hot, still day like this it is good to keep a weather eye for developing thunderstorms.

There are two main methods for dealing with a squal too strong for normal passage. One is to power slowly into it, because the bows are the best able to cope with the wind and waves. The second is to power slowly downwind, because the apparent wind will be up to 10 knots less than going into it. The correct response depends on your vessel and searoom/dangers in the chosen direction.

When the sea surface is like this you get no visual indication of rocks, reefs, etc by the breaking of waves over them. However, a pair of polarised glasses does let you see through the surface more easily.