Saturday 19th March
This morning started at 2am, not to paddle but to be woken by the noise of my fly sheet trying to fly like a kite! I had not tied off to a tree or down to the ground so in the rain I crawled out of my tent, head torch on, and attempted to rearrange the fly tent and hunt for the pegs to secure it. Back into the tent I crawled and sat and listened, it was eerily calm and tranquil until like a freight train you would hear the wind spiral off the mountains, through the trees and then hit the tent. For the next two hours I suffered through my mediocre attachment of the flysheet then at 4am I got up again. I pushed each peg as far in the ground as I could and placed rocks on any flapping surfaces. I returned to my sleeping bag but still could not sleep, so I just lay and tried to smile at being dry and not on the water. I thought, imagine if I was in my hammock tent tonight, I would have been blown right out! By day light I got up and watched the whirlwinds on the water spiral towards us and around on the water, it was pretty incredible. T2 was high and dry on the bank, far away from the high tide line, thank goodness, as I had thought about tying her to a tree and leaving her afloat! At ten am there are still big gusts but they seem to have calmed a little and the birds are now singing, so, good news I guess. To keep myself happy I am having hot sweet popcorn for breakfast , I love the fact that it is so quick and easy but still delicious. It will be a lot of tent time today, resting until the storm passes, I am okay with this.
As I write my blog in the evening, I can say that my earlier thoughts of the storm abating were wrong. The entire day we were bashed and beaten by the wind, intense rain, crazy wind gusts, poor me and my tent. In a brief respite from the wether I unpegged my tent and quickly dragged it, still erect, behind some bigger trees for a little more protection. I think it helped, it helped my mind and nerves at any rate! It is still raining and there are a few thundering gusts but it is a lot better at the moment. An early dinner of mussels and pipi fritters with fresh tomatoes care of the CB guys, a sweet hot tea and I am ready to sleep, I am not sure what tonight will bring.
Today I was inside my tent 90% of the day, I was only outside to check tie downs and look at the crazy weather. The report is for more of the same tomorrow, two launches and one yacht are with me in this harbour so I am thinking I will be safe from the wind tonight.
My smiles today:
Mother Nature and her immense force.
My 20+ year old Macpac tent surviving.
My sleeping bag, dry and warm.
The peaceful sounds of no wind.
My thoughts today:
I am in such a special place, the battle to get here has been tough somedays, just like our lives we all live in. Keep battling and keep dreaming BIG.
Red
Can you see the weather coming through the valley?