Well to begin with I was saying we couldn't go and that led to a discussion about alternates and fuel.
The he said ok I am PIC lets go, his interpretation of the rule at the time which was just as JAr was coming in similar to you, was the approach ban only applied if you intended to land..... which we weren't
What did I my upper air work in I don't have a clue. But I certainly didn't see any blue sky in the cracks round the screens.
Anyway it been the only time I have busted the approach ban in my career.... but I wasn't PIC and ATC certainly didn't seem to think it was strange.