By Rory Garland
Fiji has a fantastic cruising climate. It is situated in a tropical trade wind belt providing fresh steady winds for easy passage making.
Regularly, as the subtropical highs pass to the east, the wind backs off and even reverses counterclockwise around the compass. These reversals are well forecast and provide the cruising sailor with opportunities to sail to the east -unthinkable in some tropical trade wind cruising grounds. Using the weather to expand your cruising opportunities this way means you have to pay a little more attention to weather observations and forecasts. If you choose to stay around for the summer, watching the weather sometimes becomes a more serious business.
So where do you go to for weather information in the South Pacific region? The number of different online weather and climate resources available can seem daunting. However, it is this diversity of weather information that helps make better decisions. Comparing information from different sources will give you some idea of the degree of certainty.
It is human nature to want to know exactly what will happen in the future, but the reality is that no one knows for certain. The bottom line is that you have to use what’s available to form a conclusion which helps you make good decisions.
You can find a great list of links to some of the most commonly used online weather resources for the South Pacific region, compiled by Fiji cruising regulars Rory and Kate here.
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