.jpeg "Miles Seddon RORC Caribbean 600 © Tim Wright/RORC")
At the RORC Caribbean 600 Skippers’ Briefing, navigator for MOD70 Final Final – Zoulou Miles Seddon “walked the course” for the fleet, highlighting how this year’s weather pattern could reshape the familiar 600-mile challenge. With a more southerly flow forecast for the start, the race could look very different from the classic trade-wind edition many crews expected.
A Different Start: Southerly Trades
Instead of the typical 90–100° trade winds, models suggest winds dragged around to 120–130° due to a dominant low-pressure system north of the Caribbean. That shift could affect the opening legs and remain influential through Monday and Tuesday, with a more “normal” trade pattern possibly returning midweek.
For early finishers, this means adapting quickly to a non-standard Caribbean 600.
Reading the Islands: Wind Bends & Acceleration Zones
Seddon emphasised understanding how wind flows around islands — “like water around rocks”. Local acceleration zones, compression between Antigua and Barbuda, and bending effects around headlands could create significant scenarios for gains or losses. Forecast models often struggle with these micro-effects, so visual awareness and anticipation are key.
Barbuda & Nevis: Setup Matters
With a southerly component, the traditional shapes of legs may change. Expect acceleration between Antigua and Barbuda, and potentially altered reaching angles toward Nevis. Boats may need to rethink conventional sail selections and approach strategies.
St Barths: Critical & Technical
The rounding of St Barths remains a pivotal moment. Seddon urged navigators to prepare bearings, sail plans and manoeuvre sequences in advance. Numerous outlying rocks require vigilance, especially in rough sea states and or night conditions.
Traffic management will also be crucial as faster boats converge with those on opposite legs.
Down to Guadeloupe: Wind Shadow Chess
The Guadeloupe wind shadow is always decisive. With a more southerly breeze, its shape may change dramatically. Offshore detours to escape the shadow can be costly, adding significant distance before rejoining the course. Timing of arrival, particularly day versus night, could determine whether crews benefit from katabatic effects or suffer extended lulls.
Seddon pointed to historical track data showing most successful approaches hug the rhumb line before fighting through the shadow and catching the wrap along the island’s southern flank.
Convergence Lines & Big Shifts
Crews should watch for convergence zones capable of producing 40–45° wind shifts. These are often visible in cloud formations by day but harder to detect at night, yet potentially race-defining if anticipated.
The Big Picture
For faster boats, much of the race could be upwind early on. For others, angles may gradually free as the pattern evolves. The key takeaway: this edition may not follow the textbook Caribbean 600 script.
The 17th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 starts from Antigua on Monday 23 February.
Further reading: Extracts from Brian Thompson's '600 Playbook
