Katherine Ann Westabout

Had it all planned to perfection. The cake the candles the works. With the iPad poised to capture every unforgettable moment we were to cruise right over the top of the Antipodal to the start point, at 33 49.724N:28 42.531W with the distance locked on 10800 miles but the bearing sweeping round clock. Any which way was the shortest way home. As it stands now it's 10780 miles direct, except bits of Florida and Mexico get in the way. So what went wrong? Alex. Alex is the name just given to an extra tropical low formed to the South of here and expected to travel North or North East and its expected coordinates later today? You guessed it. MY Antipodal. The forecast strengths on the Beaufort Scale are 8 ( Fierce ) to 10 ( Frightening ) and come with the usual disclaimers - Cyclonic winds to within 120 miles of centre, violent storm , severe or violent gusts, make sure the dogs are chained up, lock up your daughters etc etc. Now a quick mental calculation ( 120 - 20 100 ) showed I was 100 miles away from where I'd preferred to be. Guy Ballotts Law states that if a man stands with his back to the wind in the Southern Hemisphere the low pressure system will be on his right hand side. I like the shortened version. A man shall put his back to the low pressure system. So acting on this advice lowered and lashed the jib, chucked another reef in the main making three and am heading away from all the action. Su rely a sign that as a man spends his 77th birthday he just seeks the quiet life.