We’ve been watching the weather on “Predict Wind” for the last week and all the different models seem to match and we seem to have a weather window for our return trip today. We were initially going to leave at 1900 to miss heading straight into 3 metre swell and also catch the wind which picks up from nothing to a 8kt south easterly at the same time.However, walking along the sea wall after breakfast, suggested that the swell was minimal. So we decided to leave early and motor the first few hour to miss the ever increasing wind and swell towards the end of our planed passage. This was predicted to increase to 30 kts from the south east with a 3 to 4 metre swell in the same direction.

We slipped lines at 1100 the 19th of January, gently springing off the harbour wall and heading out through the entrance and into the open sea on a beautiful sunny day with no wind. As we engined out our own swell prediction was correct. The was a metre swell heading towards us, but not breaking and we easily skimmed over it as it had a fairly long wavelength. Just goes to show, that the forecast can be out, this time in our favour. But the prediction was correct as far as the wind was correct, picking up at 1750 and enabling us to unfurl the genoa, turn off the nine and start sailing.

The wind progressively increase, also as predicted and we had a cracking sail all the way to our destination of Villasimius. The last few hours were challenging, with gusts of over 32 kts and 3 to 4 metre swell. Our boat speed was consistently over 7.5 kts, hitting over 12 kts surfing down the swell and breaking waves.

I must say that the sail was exhilarating and I personally enjoy pushing myself as each time you gain more experience and confidence, no matter how many miles or hours one has sailed.

We arrived at Villasimius at 1410 the 20th of January, reversing into our mooring, to a waiting Marta, who greeted us after travelling from Cagliari to Villasimius by bus that day.

We almost immediately ordered a cab and headed out to town by taxi and to probably the only open restaurant. We all had steak and I also had a spaghetti vongole. The food was good, but not cheap.

And so we returned to Aria, to a very well deserved rest and sleep having managed our crossing of 154 nms in 27 hours, door to door, averaging 5.7 kts, which included getting in and out of moorings and harbours.