Any colour you want as long as it’s grey! That’s my overriding memory of life in the Southern Ocean – we tend to forget the sun reflecting off icebergs and the aurora of the Southern Lights on the horizon at night, because it is the relentless succession of low-pressure systems rattling around the world that dominate the weather.
This gives periods of low cloud and rain to be followed by an active cold front and squally conditions. A temporary lull may occur as a ridge of high pressure builds…. before the next low is upon us and the pattern repeats until we escape from the area.
For many sailors the Southern Ocean is the holy grail of racing, with its reputation for fearsome storms and monster waves. But what makes it different from other storms and oceans? The remoteness, for one: knowingInternational Space Station than any other person (beyond fellow competitors). The Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility is at 48° 52.6’S and 123° 23.6’W and is the point on the globe furthest from any land (over 1,400 miles) – and it feels it!
