roaring forties
Stormy southern belt
The roaring forties are the ocean latitudes between 40 and 50 degrees south, notorious for powerful westerly winds and rough seas.
The name comes from the winds that roar across vast stretches of open water unobstructed by land.
Sailors have long respected and feared these waters: We hit the roaring forties and the swells never dropped below fifteen feet.
Geographic or personal freedom
- Southern OceanSea around Antarctica
- westerliesWinds from the sunset
- southern hemisphereRegion below the equator
- Cape HornSouth America's southernmost point
circumnavigation · parallels · Antarctica · Falkland Islands · Tasmania · New Zealand · Patagonia · Indian Ocean
Very powerful winds
- squallsSudden violent windstorms
- swellsEnlarges or billows
- whitecapsFoam-topped breaking waves
- stormsViolent atmospheric disturbances
tempest · turbulence · heavy seas · relentless · unpredictable · treacherous · formidable · howling
Fast ship or trimmer
- yachtLarge pleasure vessel
- square-riggerShip with horizontal-yard sails
- circumnavigationComplete journey around something
- spinnakerDownwind sailing sail
helm · keel · mast · rigging · tack · jibe · windward · leeward
Destroyed vessel at sea
- navigationDetermining position and course
- seamanshipSkill in operating vessels
- voyageJourney by sea
- passageSegment of text
sea route · merchant shipping · whaling · exploration · expedition · sextant · charts · logbook
latitude
Geographic or personal freedom
- Southern OceanSea around Antarctica
- westerliesWinds from the sunset
- southern hemisphereRegion below the equator
Cape Horn · circumnavigation · parallels · Antarctica · Falkland Islands · Tasmania · New Zealand · Patagonia · Indian Ocean · Pacific Ocean
gales
Very powerful winds
storms · tempest · turbulence · heavy seas · relentless · unpredictable · treacherous · formidable · howling · battering
clipper
Fast ship or trimmer
- yachtLarge pleasure vessel
- square-riggerShip with horizontal-yard sails
- circumnavigationComplete journey around something
spinnaker · helm · keel · mast · rigging · tack · jibe · windward · leeward · knots
shipwreck
Destroyed vessel at sea
- navigationDetermining position and course
- seamanshipSkill in operating vessels
- voyageJourney by sea
passage · sea route · merchant shipping · whaling · exploration · expedition · sextant · charts · logbook · bearing
- windswind, breeze, gust, gusts, gale
- earth zonesarctic zone, temperate zone, tropical zone, climate zone, cold zone