[PUP] West Coast offshore winds

[Tim Johnson]

In 2000, my wife, a crew member and I took the "short cut" across the  
Gulf of Tehuantepec based on the prediction of eight foot seas with a  
15 second period.  Winds were projected to be 15-20 knots.  Well, the  
prediction was partially right.  We were one-third of the way across,  
when the wind and seas kicked up. The seas were eight feet, alright,  
but the period became four seconds and the winds became a steady 35-40  
knots, gusting to 50.  We initially mistook the rough water ahead as a  
school of spinner dolphin.  The change in weather was so abrupt it  
appeared as if we had hit a wind shear.  At 2 am (it's always in the  
middle of the night) we lost our stabilizers as a fitting had backed  
out due to the stress on the system and dumped its oil all over the  
engine room.  We changed course and "tacked" into the wind to Salina  
Cruz, a 12 hour trip, where we made repairs.  I'll think twice before  
taking the "short cut" again.