Tuesday 12th April

It rained, it blew and the sea was extremely deafening until bout 3.30am! I was sure at times my fly sheet was being blown away and I would stick my head outside to check on how secure it all was. It was okay, each side did have big bits of driftwood on the pegs and along the sides but I still was in doubt. I was also a little worried my tent pole repair with the gaffa tape would fail and I would be just lying with a flat tent on top of me! I munched on chocolate in the dark and thought bout the noise, the what if's and what would I do. I was dry and warm just waiting for the storm to pass so I could sleep a little more settled. It was now a full on SW wind I could feel the change in temp so I pulled my hood up and around my face. This blocked out the sea and wind noise a little too.

Sunrise and quiet did arrive, so I escaped for a morning brisk walk along the beach, the steep banks of small baby stones where all beautifully smooth from the out going tide and all that marked the beach was my trail of footprints. The wind was still cold and I did attempt to climb over the rocks at this low tide, always forever hopeful of finding my next meal. I even chatted to the oyster catcher birds, but they were telling me nothing.

No sandflies is great but it also means a crap weather day. I brew my coffee and I manage to knock the pot over! I waste not a gram of the ground coffee as I scrape it back into the pot to boil. I then make up my sweet flour cinnamon breakie, it has a couple of changes as my option for ingredients diminish, but still warm in my tummy and filling. Today to some this would look a little like sticky porridge. The wind has picked up once again, it seems to want to foil my attempt at charging anything for the moment as large rain droplets fall. My fly sheet attempts to break free and fly like a kite, so I wrap every loose section around my Macpac tent and secure it down, then I have to lie on my tummy and slither under a small gap to gain access to inside. I wait till the storm has passed then reappear to the day, what an entertainment video this would make, but no it is not captured on camera! Sometimes you all will need to use your imagination.

Third day on this beach, for some reason both Nat & I always said if Stewart Island was a quick is trip then we reckoned MN would make me pay for this by hammering home her message on the Fiordland section and she surely has. I dare not even look forward to Friday, as that weather could change and I could be sitting for longer! Today I turned by back to the ocean, I had listened all night and been blown and tormented enough. I zipped up this end of my tent, weighted it down with huge rocks and unzipped the calm side looking into the flax. Calm and sunshine was not the most riveting view, but to get away from the blowing wind was an instant mind calmer for me.

I then set about plaiting things from the flax, nothing to exotic but it replaced my knitting and kept me busy. I know an amazing creative lady back in Auckland, Royda you and I must catchup on my return I need lessons. I ate and drank, dried my clothes by hanging them in the sun and wind off the dry flax flower heads. Everything is blowing in this insane wind, I have dry paddling clothes now that is a bonus. The wind has chased all the sandflies away today now that is another bonus, solar panel is working its magic as well.

Nothing now to complain about, I could be stuck in a traffic jam, I could be answering crazy last minute email requests, I could be complaining I never get enough time to myself, ha! I am enjoying my day. I have been told it is going to get cold tonight so will light a fire soon so I can have hot water for my hottie tonight, once dinner is cooked and the night arrives I can tick off another successful day and I will be one day closer to paddling.

My smiles today:
Plaiting and weaving flax bracelets.
Turning my back on the ocean.
My early morning beach walk with the oyster catchers.
The sunshine, now that makes us all smile.
The crazy ocean today, I am truly pleased not to be paddling today.

My thoughts today:
Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength. None of us are that strong everyday of our lives. Live for today.

Red