Monday 11th April

I had been warned that there was rain on the way over night and that I was due for heavy rain all day today, so when I woke and heard a break in the rain on my tent I headed for a walk on the beach knowing it was probably my last chance for most of the day. Not many sandflies now that is a bad sign. The skies where dark and it was trying to rain on me as I walked the entire length of this gnarly, steep beach to the river mouth. Along the way low tide had placed a couple of snacks on the beach that I beat the birds too, yes a couple of paua on the beach. They had been smashed off the rocks and washed ashore.

I got the river mouth and there was no way of crossing this half flooded water and the rain had not even been that heavy yet. I headed back along the wide track, past a large hunters hut or someone's off the beaten track house, no sign of life, but there had been people there recently as still foot prints on the beach next to the large fire pit they have created. Back to the tent I headed as the rain was heading towards me and it was going to be intense and I did not want to get wet and cold to sit in a tent all day. My setup outside my tent made it sheltered enough to cook brekkie, make hot drinks and stay dry.

An indoor day, what to do? Eat, some tent tidying, and then... A sleep, a holy heck please et this tent survive all of this rain. I answer messages for a little while and then I am trapped from 9am till 4.30pm when it stopped raining! No joke when I did emerge and look out at the bay, half was blue ocean and the other half was flooded brown river water! Insane and wild ocean as the sea was retreating for yet another low tide. Quickly I went to stretch my legs then cooked my paua with pancetta, a classic Redz hot stew with potatoes, dehydrated vegetables, tomato paste, herbs, salt and olive oil. I have to say my one pot wonders just get better, I have these crazy but cool natural beetroot, kale and broccoli powders which seem to make the mixtures taste just like yummy thick soups. Being warm and hot is the biggest bonus, no fire today as everything is too wet to even bother.

It was soon night fall and I had to return to my tent. I ate my ration of dark chocolate and ginger, it is dark, another day done and dusted. I can not wait to be curled up tonight in bed. My sad moment today was when Nat messaged to say her great idea to hike out to me was not going to happen as there was no way for her to cross the river, which is totally true, there would be nothing worse than for Nat to get washed away in a flooded river.

Hopefully we can all see each other soon, the next weather window is in a few days. We have been patient this far so a couple more days is okay. As I said a few blogs ago, I knew this was going to happen and I keep saying to myself on my most recent paddle day what is five more hours of pain today to paddle or do you want to wait five more days on the beach! I just could not crack the final five hours with some of the time in the dark, not smart or clever on this section of the coast. So five days I may have to wait on this beach. Rain is falling again, I am off to curl up and try to sleep.

My smiles today:
I saw Dolphins this morning.
I was given paua for dinner from the sea.
I was able to hide from the pesky bugs all day.
I was able to focus on today and enjoy my own company.
I still have coffee, honey and food supplies.
I have a tent and flysheet that have kept me dry and warm.
I am smiling already about seeing Nat on the beach.

My thoughts today:
EAT SLEEP PADDLE REPEAT! Thanks Star Kayaks, luv it.

So to you all, good night from me

PS. The small baby stones on this beach are pretty special, it is a reminder of once they were massive boulders worn down by the ocean over trillions of years, flat and perfect but oh so tiny.