How do you respond to unexpected headwinds?

[w00dy]

How would you respond to this hypothetical situation?

You raise anchor and get underway follow the tide out the inlet and set a course for your destination. Unfortunately in spite of the favorable forecast and your hopeful expectations, you find yourself " headed" and are not able to make good your course. You are being inoxerably pushed toward a Lee shore. How do you respond? Do you:

Turn around and fight the tide back to your starting point to wait for a fair wind?

Do your best to tack tour way offshore, even if it is grossly inefficient and you find yourself heading almost directly away from your intended course?

Do you fire up the engine and bash against wind and wave or perhaps they to motor sail o windward if possible?

Do you aim for an intermediary inlet, even though it may be risky to run the shifting bar at night?

Do you sacrifice your best bottle of rum to Neptune and carry on hoping the wind will change in your favor?

Of course, there is an unlimited spectrum of action to be taken, depending on the specific situation. Mostly I am curious about your general attitudes and inclinations, or how you think your choices would define your "style" of cruising. 

[Captain Smollett]

I've done 'b' turn away and sail for searoom. Losing ground to 'destination' may have to take back seat.

I've also fired up iron jib and motorsailed, but not w/o backup plan as I don't trust engines on the whole.

I probably would not try to run an unknown / dangerous inlet.

My choice would be buy searoom and maybe heave-to (alternating if need be) to not lose too much ground on desired course....time permitting and all that.

Also, might find more favorable winds consistent with forecast farther offshore...might not lose as much ground as feared.

[Jim_ME]

...in spite of the favorable forecast and your hopeful expectations, you find yourself "headed" and are not able to make good your course...

This seems to happen to me most of the time. Then if I turn to make my way back in, the wind will surely shift and I'll be headed again, in addition to the foul tide. [and of course the motor will not start...]  :'(

Probably heading farther out and heaving to, in combination with the "sacrificing your best bottle of rum to Neptune" is the best option, provided that this means drinking it and not doing anything crazy like throwing it overboard unopened. I would favor sacrificing the empty bottle with a distress note to please send more rum... ;)

[Grime]

I would heave to chase the little woman around the boat a time or two. Drink the rum and put yellow stuff overboard for Neptune. Maybe next time he wouldn't mess with the weather window. 

[Tim]

These days I would be inclined to sit tight in the anchorage for better wind. But you are right there are so many variables, if the wind shifts does that mean the onset of foul weather? Or have I set myself up to HAVE to be somewhere.

There was a day I would bash my way forward by whatever means possible, not so anymore.

[Bonzai]

Last time that happened I just changed course 180 degrees and went with it. Was out far enuff to where tides weren't a factor. So we went to Beaufort instead of Green Cove Spgs.... I guess if I HAD to continue in one direction then going out and heaving to would be my choice. Relax and wait it out.

[Godot]

On my current trip, I just fire up the diesel (now that it appears to be working fine). Time is ticking and work is awaitin', unfortunately. If an alternate destination works in the plan I'll head there instead. I'm saving my bad weather days for bad weather.

Unfortunately, this means I'm running the engine more than I ever imagined. Given a choice (and no job to go back to), I'd just slow down and make smaller legs, hole up in harbors for longer periods, or just go where the wind blows.

[Captain Smollett]

Given a choice

There's the rub.

When we make cruising fit into larger plans, that demands certain compromises. 

If/when cruising IS the life, different choices are available.

[w00dy]

Compromises indeed! We both regret pushing ourselves to meet a scheduled goal this summer and have already decided that once we "arrive" to our destination up in the Chesapeake, our next cruise will in no way feature a fixed destination, time goal, or schedule, if at all possible. We both regret that we have had to keep moving in order to make it up north, without taking the time we would have liked to enjoy the scenery as much as we would have liked. Which is not to say that we haven't enjoyed ourselves, but we are both resolved that we can do much better. Looking forward to more relaxation, meandering, unhurried exploration and less fuel purchasing!

[Grime]

Lisa and I were talking about you guys today. It seems that you are more on a delivery than just cruising up north. You guys worked to hard for 2 years to travel like you have. I hope you do slow down and enjoy what is around you.

It is good to read about your adventure being we are landlocked.

[w00dy]

Sometimes I think I'd rather be right back in Port Lavaca than "delivering" our boat northward. Still, we've had plenty of good experiences, when we slowed down and took our time. I suppose we are just learning to settle into this lifestyle. It's coming, in it's own time. Good to hear from ya!