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The Doldrums and other climatic information.
By Sean | March 3, 2008
As boring as the weather is to talk about – if you are thinking of migrating somewhere – the weather can become extremely important even in the tropics. For example in a tropical country it can make the difference of thousands of dollars per year, tens or hundreds of thousands in property cost, and have a major impact on your sense of well being. In other words be sure to match the climate you choose to your personality, expectations, financial considerations, and any climate related agendas you have or may develop as a result of personal or professional proclivities.
It is just the beginning of March and we are currently passing through the doldrums as the planet tilts the North back to the sunshine — after a particularly brutal winter in many Northern regions. During this season we can see several days with little more than a light breeze and, come to think of it, we have not had any rain for a few days. While that may seem normal — we live in a rain forest so we often get rain.
As the earth continues its steady tilt northward we in the southern tropics temporarily pass through the equatorial region, long referred to by seafarers as “The Doldrums” , where under power of sail centuries ago, their sails would hang listless sometimes for weeks without so much as a whisper of wind to drive them onward. Unprepared early seafarers frequently starved to death — not having stowed sufficient supplies to survive an extended stay through the doldrums.
Give it another month and the breezes will steadily become stronger and cooler until the trade winds return through the fall and winter season. In Hawaii the trades are typically much stronger than they are here. The average trade wind here is about 7 to 10 mph which is just about perfect to keep good air movement while the average trade wind in Hawaii is about 15 to 20 mph.
What a perfect day it has been today. About 77 degrees without wind and cooling down nicely around sunset. What a sunset. This place gets an amazing glow up on our hilltop above the ocean. I’m not too sure what causes the etheric glow that bathes everything in a brilliant luminesence as the sun is setting. However it is wonderful the way everything takes on this surreal kind of other worldly wonder.
Sean
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