HURRICANES. 245 



to cross in front of a Cyclone, and so get into the navigable semicircle, is 

 fraught with the greatest danger, and should never be done except as a 

 last resort. 



(187.) Practical Hints for the Benefit of Vessels leaving the Port of 

 Havana, or Navigating in the West Indies, during the Hurricane Season.— 

 We cannot do better in closing this subject than to quote the excellent 

 advice given by Padre Vines, of Havana, translated from the pamphlet 

 mentioned in the note on p. 225. — (Nautical Magazine, November, 1885./ 



When there are Indications of a Hurricane to Windward : — 



1. From Havana to the Eastward, navigation is very dangerous in 

 August and September, but not so much so in October, as the Hurricanes 

 then come in lower latitudes. In this last case, a sailing vessel should 

 wait until the Hurricane has passed into the third quadrant, or bears 

 somewhere between South and West, in order to take advantage of the 

 winds from the S.E. shifting to South and S.W. 



2. Navigation to the Northward is also very dangerous in this case. No 

 sailing ship should try it, but a steamer can do so if sure to have time to 

 get out of Florida Strait and away from the coast before the storm can 

 reach her. If the captain resolves to do this he should go at full speed, 

 to get clear of the strait and as far away as possible from the coast of 

 Florida and the Gulf Stream, in order to have plenty of sea-room. He 

 should do this from the moment he observes the first indications of the 

 Hurricane, which may possibly be close upon him. 



This is, without doubt, one of the regions of greatest danger, not only 

 on account of the many storms which cross it with various directions and 

 velocities, but also because in the bight between Cape Canaveral and Cape 

 Fear there is scarcely a manoeuvre possible which is not dangerous. 



In this part of the ocean it is preferable for a vessel to be in the dangerous 

 iemicircle of the storm, because at least there is always left the expedient 

 of getting out by lying-to with the ship's head to the N.E., East, or S.E., 

 a.3 the occasion demands, while in the navigable semicircle the ship is 

 squeezed between the track and the coast without space to run. Innu- 

 merable are the ships which in the last few years have been wrecked on 

 khis coast. If the steamer is going to Spain, by making an Easterly course 

 South of the Bermudas after leaving the Strait, she soon leaves the zone 

 where the storms occur. She will probably have headwinds at first, which 

 will somewhat retard her voyage, and which would prevent a sailing vessel 

 from following the course indicated. 



3. Navigation to the Westward in the case supposed is scarcely attended 

 with any danger, on account of the few Hurricanes which cross the Gulf 

 Df Mexico on the first branch of their track, and in case of curving well to 

 ihe Southward they do not enter the Gulf very far. They give plenty of 

 time, so that captains, being forewarned and having enough sea-room, can 

 easily keep clear of the Hurricane in case of necessity. 



If the Hurricane presents itself fro^n the S.S.E. to South or S.W., or 

 with Easterly winds shifting to the Southward : — 



1. Navigation to the Eastward presents no danger. 



2. The voyage to Vera Cruz and New Orleans may be very datiwerous, 



