The wind started to back again in the afternoon and by a little after 15:00 it was approximately SSW and almost on the nose, I had three options; tack and head for Dundalk Bay, but that was now almost as far as the Skerries, second beat on to the Skerries and arrive well after dark and struggle getting to Dublin as an early or very late start would be needed for the tide. Or third to put on the engine.
Wanting to press on and not miss favourable winds the next day and to get south as quick as was sensible because of easterly winds promised (which did not turn up) I put on the engine, as it turned out a very good choice. I arrived at The Skerries at 20:00 with a Beef Bourguignon ready to eat once I was anchored.
"It's like déjà vu all over again." [Yogi Berra]
I hardly had time to finish it and a sun downer before a phone call; a repeat of last years second cruise, my wife was calling to say she had fallen and was in hospital (no she does not 🍷) tests were still being done (and were still not completed at mid night when her friend left) and it was not known if she would be kept in or sent home. If the latter she would probably need more help than her friends in the village could reasonably give.
I spent until 23:30 telling relations etc., organising and planning as best I could. My sister volunteered to come up to Oxfordshire from Somerset on Sunday if my wife was sent home and I said I would be in Milford Haven on Monday or Tuesday at the latest if she was kept in or home probably earlier if I flew back from Dublin - always try and over deliver in these situations!
There was no point in staying where I was, so it would be an 04:00 start next day to get the first of the south going tide and hopefully find out what was happening before getting to Dublin so I could make a sensible decision as to the best option.
46 miles in 12 hours
What happened next.
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