These days any fool with a smart phone and a weather app can make predictions about wind strength and direction. Suitably informed, ten optimistic competitors fell out bed and rigged their boats on Sunday morning. Other regular racers, who one assumes had checked their weather apps and drawn a different conclusion, chose not to show up at all.

In race one a light and shifty northerly allowed Hywel to capitalise on being gate boat and pull out an early lead on the fleet. The weather gods, who obviously hadn't properly checked their smart phones, promptly threw in a 180 degree windshift, reduced the breeze to a whisper and generally became more mischievous as the minutes ticked by.

Despite this all ten hopefuls continued to make their way around the course to an early finish after a short beat to the (gybe mark?!). Alan was first across the line, closely followed by Chris, Hwyel and Simon. As the breeze faded to nothing the straggler rule was invoked to mop up the last few boats, but everyone managed to return to the slipway without needing a tow. The task of pulling up anchors and hauling orange inflatables back into the rib was undertaken with great efficiency and enthusiasm by Mary, I could only sit and watch from the comfort of the helm, whilst giving advice.

I don't think Lord Byron had a weather app back in 1824 but as he said in Don Juan  'Of all the horrid, hideous notes of woe, sadder than owl-songs or the midnight blast, is that portentous phrase, I told you so.'