From summer breezes to tornados, wind comes in many forms. We never see it, but we certainly feel it. We’ll explore everything about the wind: Where does it come from? Why do prevailing wind patterns differ around the globe? How do tornados, hurricanes, and cyclones form? We’ll also discuss some of the historical, deadly storms that destroyed cities, homes, and coastlines.

We’ll look at disasters at sea, those where ships sailed into dangerous ocean storms. We’ll talk about energy from wind and our ability to harness that energy for sailing, windmills and wind turbines.

Format: Participants will be asked to select a topic from the syllabus and make a presentation and lead a discussion. Wide-ranging topics are covered in the text—global wind systems, sailing, major hurricanes, others—and presenters are encouraged to enhance their presentations with additional research.

Resources/Expenses: The text for the course is The Breath of the Gods by Simon Winchester, a New York Times Bestseller (about $17).

Coordinator: Chuck Nickles is a retired physics instructor who has coordinated several course in science and technology. He has a background in alternative energy and he is a long time bay sailor.