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It’s no secret. I’ve spent many years in strategic planning and I subscribe to Dwight Eisenhower’s view of it. D-Day’s architect once said, “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” Empirically ol’ Ike was completely correct. Every time I’ve made a plan for business or personal reasons it’s broadly panned out.
Here’s an example. A few weeks ago I downloaded the North Atlantic pilot charts. I marked up June’s pilot chart with an optimistic course. This video shows what actually happened.
By design, pilot charts give you a general understanding of monthly ocean weather patterns by area. They are a marvel of concise and attractive data presentation. Edward Tufte would be proud. Note: I am readily available to consult on your strategic plans.
Naught 2 shabby, Cap! I would only add that your propensity for checking weather and other realities frequently, and being ready to change tactics as required, does a lot to keep the pieces together. I recall your seeing that squall line off Pt. Judith before I did, a few years ago.
I was in a CCSPS mate’s Catalina 320 at dockside in Oak Bluffs last Saturday, and watched the meanest, angriest, clenched-fisty clouds ever; some thought they promised tornados. It was an easterly hypersquall with 70-kt gusts, and I was happy to be at ease in a sturdy tied-up vessel. An unoccupied boat (not of our group) was torn off its mooring, whacked a slip piling, and was blown neatly, backwards, into the empty slip. No (other) boats or people were hurt in the making of this miracle.
There’s nothing like being in weather on someone else’s boat! Glad to hear that there were no injuries.
Pt. Judith was the first squall line I’d ever seen, but it saved our bacon in Greece. I was very glad you knew what it was and what to do. My second squall line was off the island of Paros six years ago. They behaved similarly. The wind shifted out of the south and turned hard out of the west. We managed to drop our sails as the temperature dropped 15 degrees(F) and we motored towards the harbor in 30 knot gusts. Inside the breakwater we were about to drop anchor when the heavens opened. I couldn’t see past the dodger. Fortunately, Carol and I were pretty adept at anchoring by this point and we managed to secure the boat by feel. Good, character building experience. Plus, I know what a squall line looks like now!