Cloud Spotting - by Vicki

Cloud spotting has been a past-time I have adopted, and enjoyed, since leaving Australia in 2011 on Mojombo. A Brisbane work colleague introduced me to this past-time and a little book published by the Cloud Appreciation Society. Cloud spotting is probably not that unusual for yachties given that the weather dominates our lives and how comfortable we are.

Indian Ocean
Sunrise and sunset provides a colourful atmospheric display. These moments can be difficult to capture due to their scale and the quick transition from night to day and day to night. Sometimes the colour display can be subtle and other times dramatic. I saw more sunrises than sunsets due be sitting the last watch of the night on ocean crossings.

Sunrise in the South China Sea Indonesia

Sunrise between Sri Lanka and Maldives 

Sunrise between Maldives and Chagos 

Sunset over Galle Fort, Sri Lanka

During the day clouds are studied because they alert you to weather changes. Through-out South East Asia the daily parade of thunder-heads across the horizon is the norm. Each cloud group is watched closely so the boat can be prepared for the sudden onset of strong wind and rain and possibly thunder and lightening.

In South East Asia thunderstorms are short and intense – they arrive with a wall of wind around 20-30 knots and mostly last for around 30 minutes. The most intense thunder and lightening activity is in and around Singapore. In this region thunderstorms are also associated with the transition from one monsoon to another. At night the presence of electrical activity and thunderstorms is noted by dark shadows of clouds and lightening flashing – sometimes it surrounds Mojombo and other times it just shows above the horizon.

Afternoon thunder-heads moving across the Malacca Strait 

Thunderstorm approaching as we near Galle, Sri Lanka

Cloud spotting can be pure pleasure as you share the ocean with sea birds, moving with the wind. Some days the clouds are inspirational and poetic in their presence. The tropics provide just as dramatic cloud formations as the sub-tropics and temperate climates.

Fine weather in Malaysia

Clouds over Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

 Blue skies of the doldrums (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone). Maldives to Chagos 

Multi-layers of cloud, fine weather approaching. Chagos to Mauritius 

Dark clouds on the horizon do not always have you jumping to reef the mainsail, however, there are some cloud formations that can at first appear benign. The barometer has not moved! Just after dawn on our ocean crossing between Sri Lanka and the southern Maldives I am on watch and watching the sky lighten and the dark clouds move towards us. The clouds look like they will pass behind us. Whilst I am watching I see that there is a black line extending down to the water, probably the rain front. No...it looks likes a water spout and far bigger than anything I had expected to see in these parts. It is more like a tornado. As I watched the first spout disappeared and another dropped to the sea and the swirl of water on the ocean could be clearly seen some five nautical miles away. I call Gary, he is off watch, and together we watch the storm pass behind us. We both agree we hope never to have such a close encounter with a large water spout or tornado again.

Water spout or tornado very similar to the one seen near the Maldives (photo from the internet)