Greek Princess 245: Bembridge Crossing Force 6/7 - Friday 5th

Sunday, 7 June 2015

Bembridge Crossing Force 6/7 - Friday 5th - 7th June

We headed to Bembridge on Friday 5th June and were caught out with an horrendous increase in wind speeds (South/South Westerly Gusting Force 6/7). It was predicated to be F3/4 and I checked the wind at 14.00 and it was F3. We picked up Jude & Zena from School and headed off at 15.45, when entering the Run at the Hayling Ferry there were rollers coming down at us at 1 Metre high. Thinking it was freak waves I ploughed on to open water, where the wind was rapidly increasing! I did not attempt to take the boat to plane so pushed on at 7 knots, however the waves were increasing to 2-3 Metres high, not wishing to turn in such heavy seas and risking a broadside wave we pressed on for the IOW. It took us an hour or so of Hell !!! Never again though... need to be checking wind speeds up until the time of departure. The weather was supposed to be a Heat Wave this weekend (they never mentioned 2 days of blowing a hooley). Sunday it all calmed down and normal service was resumed....(thank goodness) definitely our worst ever crossing to the IOW in 8 years...wasn't helped by Jude asking 'were we going to die'?

Foot Note: Checking the winds they reached 26.5 knots (1/2 Knot off Force 7), that rough!