Tony Bullimore
Blue Ocean Wireless Solo Round the World Challenge

Dateline: January 6, Hobart, Tasmania
Lee Bruce, Team Bullimore’s weather guru,  had hopes that a change in the wind on February 9 would provide the weather window Tony Bullimore to start his long awaited record attempt. However, close scrutiny of the predicted weather patterns have not proved so promising.  Lee writes:

“We want to find a starting weather pattern that has a pre-frontal wind a bit north of east, and at a speed that isn't too strong.  In the forecast timelines starting 5 February, the wind near Hobart shows just such a pattern for the 9th--with NNE wind to 20kt.
 
At the very least, we would like to see that pattern continue with enough favorable wind direction and speed to get Tony past New Zealand, and if possible, well beyond.

Unfortunately, the second timeline (which shows the wind near the area that Tony would reach after sailing for 24 hours) displays a rapidly decreasing wind (from 7-8kt, down to near calm).  This is because a high-pressure center is forecast to stall to the southeast of Hobart, which means that Tony would sail out of the good wind and end up near the center of high pressure in 24 hours.

If that high were forecast to move eastward, Tony could stay in the band of good winds longer.  But the high is expected to stall, blocking Tony's path - well before he reaches the southern islands off New Zealand.  And diving farther south to get around the bottom of the high does not look worthwhile.  So we must watch and wait--and hope for a favorable change in the coming days”.