Next Race:

June 19, 2026
00
days
00
hours
00
minutes
00
seconds

2018 Gulf Stream Analysis, Two Weeks Out

June 1, 2018

By Frank Bohlen


Daily composite image of sea surface temperatures May 25 2018
[instagram feed="46731"]

As May turns to June, the Gulf Stream watch intensifies and navigators study the structure and flow of the Stream for winning clues. By W. Frank Bohlen

With 14 days until the start of the 2018 Newport Bermuda Race, navigators are watching a deep meander in the Gulf Stream, turning towards Bermuda, that promises sailors a fast ride for 70 nautical miles. After that, however, a series of clockwise and counter-clockwise rotating features add complexity to the routing choice.

Daily composite image of sea surface temperatures May 25 2018
A sharp meander is a notable feature of the Gulf Stream near the rhumbline to Bermuda in this daily composite image of sea surface temperatures, May 25, 2018.

Cloud cover has limited the views of the Stream for much of the spring, making altimetry-based models from NOAA more valuable, such as this one, which suggests potential adverse currents in more than one location once across the Stream. In particular, near the rhumbline and not far from Bermuda, a clockwise-rotating feature may be flowing at close to 3 knots towards the northwest.

satellite altimetry-derived surface currents May 27 2018
View of NW Atlantic satellite altimetry-derived surface currents, May 27, 2018 (black line is rhumbline to Bermuda).

For much more detail, read the full text of Analysis #2 and study several views of the Stream. Both Analysis #1 and #2 are located on the Gulf Stream Tutorials page, where you can also find an archive of pieces written on the Stream from 2002-2016.

 

 

 

 

Latest Bermuda Race News


May 28, 2025

Fleet Surgeon’s Memorandum for Offshore Passages 

By CCA Fleet Surgeon, Jeffrey S. Wisch, M.D.* Updated 2025 *This memorandum is informational only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice  Medical skills, first […]

May 27, 2025

Don’t Wait To Prepare: Biggest Takeaways from the 2025 Newport Bermuda Race Prep Seminar Series

Next month, entry opens for the 54th Newport Bermuda Race and throughout the spring, the Race Prep Seminar Series offered invaluable insights, hard-earned lessons, and tactical guidance for sailors at […]

May 15, 2025

Technical Report on the 2024 Sinkings of S/V Gunga Din and S/V Alliance

Newport, RI (May 12, 2025) – The Bermuda Race Organizing Committee (BROC) partnered with US Sailing and the Cruising Club of America to release a detailed investigative report titled “Report […]



Safe Harbor Marinas logo
Helly-Hansen-Newport-Logo
SUPPORTERS

Interested in becoming a 2026 Sponsor?, Contact [email protected]
or check out our Sponsorship Guide