St George’s Esplanade is always breezy when there’s some west in the wind and that made it wet, too, yesterday for this unfortunate brolly user. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0876546)
Alderney flights were delayed and Condor cancelled its fast ferry service.
The conventional ferry Commodore Clipper sailed, arriving at 7.15pm, some three hours behind schedule as gale force winds whipped up high seas.
Jenny Adams, one of about 15 passengers to disembark, said she had been on board the vessel for 11 hours. It left Portsmouth at 9.15am, 15 minutes late, but was due in St Peter Port at 4pm.
‘It’s a fantastic boat but the crossing was horrendous,’ said Mrs Adams, a PA at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
‘It wasn’t too bad until we crossed the shipping lanes, but then the wind was side on.
‘We were on the top deck and had it not been for the glass, we could have put our hands in the water, it rolled so much.’
Mrs Adams had been to the UK over the weekend for a friend’s birthday. She planned to return by fast ferry but Condor had called her on Sunday to say yesterday’s 10am sailing from Weymouth was cancelled.
She said she took the Clipper by choice and had not been put off.
‘I’m a good sailor but I might take some seasick tablets with me next time. I flew to Exeter last weekend and that was even worse.’
The Clipper’s schedule for today has been revised due to the weather and the tides in Jersey.
Guernsey harbour master Peter Gill said the weather was affecting pleasure-craft moorings, too.
‘With the strong winds and rain that we have been having, many boats are filling up with water,’ he said.
‘I think that most people are being quite responsible.
‘For those who do value their boats, perhaps they will have to attend them more often when the weather is like it is because they do collect water.’
Jersey met office duty forecaster Malcolm Fosse said the weather would be unsettled all week.
But the worst of the winds hit yesterday, he said.
‘It will improve, but it will be a slow improvement towards the weekend.’
Article posted on 24th November, 2009 - 2.29pm
One Article Comment
The old dinasour made it. Back to the days of sail for the wave piecers when the weather dictated when ships sailed.
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