storms Archives

A cyclone in Mozambique and Sailboat Brick House sailed right towards it?

Brick House Departed Tanzania in mid March when we saw a weather forecast on Predictwind, of Tropical Cyclone Idai. We departed to sail down the Mozambique Channel, nearly 1700 miles. Why would we do this? Then Cyclone Kenneth hit…

Find out where, when, WHY and how, in this video…

The Mozambique cyclone hit Beira, just 100 miles north of where we anchored, in Bazaruto, just days before. We sailed through the remnants of the cyclone in up to 50 knots. Once we arrived safely…another cyclone, Cyclone Kenneth wipped up over Mayotte, Comoros, and then hit Tanzania and Mozambique. Lucky for us, we dodged all the cyclones, but not the remnants of these storms at sea!

The weather program we use and love : Predictwind Free Software and Service

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Mozambique Cyclone Idai – Sailing towards a storm In March (a little earlier than planned-still in cyclone season!)

Communication Evolution on Brick House : Iridium GO! Predictwind!

Mozambique Cyclone Update – a short post to let you know we are alive and well on Sailboat Brick House! The Mozambique cyclone definitely did have some effect on us on our 1200 mile passage down the East African Coast, from Tanzania to South Africa this month (March), hence why this 1200 mile passage is taking so long and why there haven’t been any posts or videos!

We had made a carefully calculated plan to follow the cyclone down, according to weather at sea from preeictwind and our Iridium GO, riding the north winds on the tail of the cyclone and have had an interesting passage down…something we NEVER would have done without exceptional weather capabilities of Predictwind. Our Bluewater sailboat who is ready for storms at sea, as well as with the help of Des Cason, a cruiser who made this trip many times and kindly works with many cruisers traveling down this coast for local knowledge tips about the weather.

We left a little earlier than planned to come down the Mozambique coast, while it was still cyclone season, and it was certainly a little anxiety producing for us both. Weather at sea had to be watched closely and we had to be willing to turn in or even turn back if anything new popped up. I didn’t miss getting a single report this entire trip, that is for sure!

We have a video which we will try to post next weekend when we reach Richards Bay South Africa about the trip down, during what is being touted as the “worst cyclone to ever hit the east coast of Africa”. We feel horrible for the many Mozambique people who have lost everything including their lives in many cases. No photos or replies to comments until we get there since I’m using an expensive “World SIM card” to make this post, but we will reply to the many comments on YouTube and on this blog once we reach South Africa and get some real internet.

Again, we are safe, a bit tired of the passage, and hope to arrive South Africa this weekend or early next week! Please don’t worry about us…the video is ready to post about the whole adventure within a few days of arriving!

Thanks everyone for their concern over the last few days!!!

Here is our weather source: Predictwind Free

Rebecca Childress