Conway's logbook shows she left the mooring at 0822 and arrived at Britannia Bridge at 0850, which was the locally recommended time for starting the outward transit and Jones the pilot naturally advised keeping her going with the last of the northeast-going flood tide behind her. Instead Captain Hewitt had the ship brought up for half an hour to wait until 0920. The severe wind in the Irish Sea caused the stream in the Strait to turn to the westward earlier which eliminated the brief slack water period. Captain F J Durrant, marine manager of the towing company, observed "The anticipated ten minute slack water did not materialise. The ebb set in immediately the flood ended at 0920." With the ship far too late and sensitive to the adverse conditions the pilot advised going back. Captain Hewitt passed the ship under Britannia Bridge at 0923 even though the ebb tide was already setting against him.