Gale force winds forced a huge cargo ship to take shelter in Weymouth Bay yesterday. At 1.41pm, Portland Coastguard maintained a VHF communications safety watch with the cargo vessel CATHMA, while the ship stopped in mid-Channel to clean engine filters. On completion of the task the vessel initially made to rejoin the Casquets Traffic Separation Scheme to resume passage to Villanova, but then shortly afterwards reversed course to make for shelter anchorage in Weymouth Bay, in view of the impending gale.