With a northerly gale incoming I decided to try to get ahead of the storm. Wind was around 20 knots SW, my first ever solo sail on a yacht.

The first challenge was to raise the anchor by hand, a lot hard expected. I work out a system and pulled up enough by hand to get the rope on a winch. Then drive forward to release the anchor. Missing 1 complete, next to get out the bay. With sting headwinds and a tight tide window at Ramsey sound, I opted to motor. With the autopilot working I got the music going.

After rounding strum or head the swell increased rapidly and I was beginning to feel sea sick. Another half an half and the engine cut out completely. I decided to turn around and admit defeat. I wasn’t going to fix the engine in this swell if I didn’t have to. I eased the no 2 Jib and head back to Fishguard. Then the rain came in hard.

I called up my mum to let her know, and tbh I think she was more worried than me.

A couple hours later we were sat safely back at anchor. I stayed on board but we actually had pretty great shelter in Fishguard.

On the Sunday the wind was swinging northerly and I wasn’t shore how well the anchor would hold. The wind was clearly picking up by I went to sleep around 11. I woke at around 1.30 am being thrown across the cabin, I really should have put the lee cloths in by now. I could up and check our position. We were safe we hadn’t moved but we’re in serious swell. I stayed up night but we didn’t move at all.

looking out in the morning saw that all though it had charmed down a little the was little chance of me making it safely to land and into work. I texted my boss and waited it out eventually getting some sleep. I got off the boat around 3

As rough as it had been I was proud of how me and pink delt with it. And what I experienced was nothing compared to that which was happening in the Fastnet, thought my time I heard stories of boats retiring, being dismasted and people in the water. So should out to all those brave people