What a Réunion passage shows about weather and currents

What happened

Yachting World has published a report by Rupert Holmes on the French island of Réunion, which it describes as a vital haven for sailors. According to Yachting World, the island sits at 21° South in the Indian Ocean. Its peak, Piton des Neiges, rises to 3,070m. The island is a regular stop on both the World ARC and the Oyster World Rally, and an important cruising hub for boats preparing for the leg to South Africa.

Holmes spent almost a fortnight there late last year, on a stopover during the Globe 40 double-handed round the world race. He describes arriving at the end of the longest leg of the race: almost 7,000 miles and 40 days from Cape Verde. South of the Cape of Good Hope the crew had to contend with big weather and the Agulhas current, with its many powerful eddies. Boat speeds were frequently in the upper teens.

Crossing the Mascarene high pressure ridge then gave them respite, before they picked up the south-easterly tradewinds in which Réunion sits.

What it means for you

You are unlikely to be racing round the world this season, but the report is an example of how weather and current feature in a long passage. In this account, the challenges on the leg were big weather and the Agulhas current, not just the distance.

The onward route is described in similar terms. Richard's Bay in South Africa is a popular next destination, a 1,370-mile passage that crosses the Agulhas further north, where the article says it is less pronounced. From there it is only 720 miles to Cape Town. According to the report, crews with flexibility in their schedule can sail inshore of the Agulhas in good weather, making two or three stops on the way. The World ARC allows six weeks of free sailing over Christmas for this section.

In our view, that is a useful illustration of how a choice of where to cross a current, and the weather on the day, shape a passage.

The article also notes that Réunion has good facilities, some 2,000 yachts and motorboats based there and a small but well-stocked chandler at the marina in Le Port. Even so, spares sent in are subject to customs checks at the airport. It is a reminder that knowing what support a harbour offers matters when you plan.

Where Sail Academy fits

Sail Academy covers all 18 modules of the RYA Day Skipper theory syllabus, with a film for each, three boat-handling simulators and a mock exam. It is theory only and is not a substitute for practical training on the water.