People have had a lot of questions about how we choose our route, how we know what type of winds to expect, etc.  Since we’re getting ready to pass through the ITCZ (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone) on our way to the Galapagos, I thought I’d post a short note about the basic wind patterns we take advantage of.

 

World Wind Patterns

World Wind Patterns

The image above shows the predominant winds for the whole world.  Most of our sailing will be in the trades, with nearly all of the Pacific crossing in the southeast trades.  Where the southest and northeast trades meet, there is an area of light winds, rain, and squalls know as the doldrums or the ITCZ.  Its exact location and width varies throughout the year, but in the eastern Pacific it is typically between 5 and 9 degreees north lattitude.  Once we make it through the ITCZ (hopefully about half way from Panama to the Galapagos) we should have nice tradewinds all the way to Fiji.  In order to get across the ITCZ as soon as possible while also trying to avoid the contrary current near the coast of South America, we’ll likely head south-southwest until we pick up the trades and then change course toward the Galapagos.