If the wind is to your back the eye is sorta to your left. If you are in its path you might want a tailwind for a time to get out of the direct path but you need to get a way from the eye to get to an area with reduced wind speed which means getting the wind to your right. But, when the wind is 80 mph the junk flying through the air is dangerous so you'd best hunker down. When you are further away with lower wind speed it might be happier pedalling. Some books on sailing have strategies for getting away.