The bad weather over the weekend forced the Scillonian to make an early trip back to the mainland this Saturday. Those who did make the trip encountered some of the worst conditions possible for the short journey.
The weather for the return trip could hardly have been poorer, as the Scillonian had to battle into a head sea as she made her way to the mainland. The largely unexpected ferocity of the South Easterly gale meant that the Scillonian had to refuse day trip passengers as the return journey was rescheduled to 2:00 o’clock, barely two hours after she docked.
The heavy seas were coupled with a strong wind and bright sunshine. The fact that these conditions peaked on Saturday was unfortunate for the many visitors who use that day as their day of arrival or departure. Due to the conditions several inter Island boat services were also cancelled.
In recent years, these South Easterly gales have become more and more rare. The gale in this direction brought extremely heavy seas around Peninis Headland and on Gugh Shore.