The coastguard forecast, from the Met Office gave SE force 4 or 5, occasionally 6 for Land's End to St David's head. We decided to go for a sail out to Skokholm, knowing we could get back quickly if it became uncomfortable. We set off around 10:00 - I stayed below as Louise wanted to plan and execute the trip on her own.
After about an hour and a half I realised the boat was rolling about a bit. I came up to find that we were to the West of Skokholm, heading for Skomer. The sky was leaden, and the wind much stronger than I had realised. I suggested to Louise that it would be better to circumnavigate skokholm and get back - it was becoming uncomfortable.
She agreed and we tried to do that. It was then I started to get worried. A combination of the SE wind, and the tide running North meant that we were being taken towards Jack Sound. Rather than risk that, we turned and headed back the way we had come, around the West of Skokholm.
As we cleared Skokholm, it really started to get bad. The rain was heavy, wind felt a good steady force 6 and there were swells from the South East at about 2m. With Engine and Genoa, I could make about 2 knots, but that was pretty much due East towards Gateholm, not towards St Anne's head at all. The boat was really rolling about by now so I asked Louise to go below and sit securely - Tigger would not be happy and he'd feel better if Louise was there.
St Anne's head was 3.75 miles, an easy hour if I could make progress. With only a small scrap of Genoa out, I could not point high, however, and a couple of tacks showed me that I had to get the main up.
I called Louise and we managed to raise the main with two reefs. By now I was certain it was stronger than a force 6, and the swells were still building.
I could point higher now, and began to make progress towards St Annes head. This was after about 2 1/2 hours of getting nowhere, increasingly worried as the weather and sea deteriorated.
I could see almost nothing. The rain reduced visibility so that I could see no land. Navigating by GPS and compass, I tacked back and fore, making 1/2 mile forwards for each 3 mile tack. I didn't see the Pembroke Ferry until it was almost upon me. The waves, especially on the extreme point of my Southwest tack, were around 4m.
I knwe the tide turned at 17:30. I'd then get wind against tide and, although the tide would be with me, I really didn't fancy the sea cutting up any more than it was. Luckily, the wind veered and I was able to point to about 120T, taking me past an impressive St Anne's head, with 5mwaves, breaking crests, and then back, with huge relief, to Dale.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Rough Weather"]
[/caption]It had taken 5 3/4 hrs to travel 3.75 miles. Back on the mooring We heard Angle Lifeboat towing in another yacht. I spoke to the sailors the following day amd they said conditions were appalling. A friend told me the wind was gusting over 34 knots at Dale, in the shelter of the bay.
My thoughts at the time were a mixture of trying to hang on and not panic, constantly checking position, breaking time down into half hour slots and just keep trying different things until something worked. Looking back, I have no idea why the forecast seemed so wrong, but it scared us both.
We tore a section from the UV strip on our genoa, ripped a batten pocket on the main and killed our autopilot. I badly bruised two fingers (no idea how) and we scared ourselves, knocking our confidence hugely.
When we bought Ishtar, we decided to build experience slowly. Setting targets like first overnight stay, first night at anchor, first long passage, first sail in a force 5. Indeed, the trip to Waterford was our first full night passage.
This day taught us one thing. You cannot always be in control. The wind, weather and sea are unpredictable, and the best plans in the world can be shredded.
I think we learned a huge amount. We made it back. Ishtar can probably take much more than we think, and using the mainsail(reefed) is better for pointing high than a reefed Genoa. Best of all, we know that we can get ourrselves out of conditions we would not have believed the day before.
