Tuesday 15th March
Southwesterly winds straight into my bay, the tent is pitched sideways to the wind and rain, but it is still unpleasant. I stayed tucked up in my tent until 11am, then the rain stopped and I got out. There was no way to light a safe fire, in this wind sparks would go everywhere, and my flysheet would already know what that is like, a few brown holes.
Today breakfast was a hot, sugary sweet popcorn with lashings of coconut oil and a hot, sweet ginger tea. I sit for a while and have to encourage myself to head out in the cold strong winds, but I put on heaps of layers, grabbed my foraging knife and headed off into the intense blustering wind. Out on the rocks and low tide rock hopping, looking, hoping and still nothing. I spent two hours today on the low and incoming tide and this is not my lucky beach, never mind. As the high tide rolled in again I looked and made a mental note that I would not be finshing tonight if the winds were still the same as it is gross and yuck on the beach today, bone chilling if not in the sunshine and even then the wind wins the day, cold.
Back at the tent I check my recharging unit, it has been working its magic and the rechargeables are fully charged. I check in with the support crew and get a lovely message, saying my fellow kayakers from earlier in the trip, John and Kristie, have left me their spare food at Kisbee lodge, about 25km back from where I have come. Thanks to you both, I do envy the chopper ride you both had :) Safe paddling, see you both one day soon. Probably a very smart idea as the weather is still being very unkind at the moment. Will it change? I am not sure. Kisbee Bay, now here is my dilemma, 25kms back to look for food, or 140kms to my nest food drop? Lets see what the weather does, and maybe a fishing boat might be ale to help me out, I do not wish to paddle backwards.
A long windy day, what to do? I was cold so I lit a fire well away from the wind, then I filled my hot water bottle with water and cooked dinner. I put the hot water bottle in my sleeping and once my food was cooked I also got into my now warm sleeping bag, bliss. The best piece of equipment, my $2 hot water bottle. It is still blowing a gale, now directly into the back of my tent. I had tent moving time this afternoon as I felt any minute now the tent was going to be blown sideways, so I unpegged it and dragged it. Chaos for a little while but I am much happier now, and far more secure.
A happy day, well, there has been moments and there have been some times when I wished I had packed my book, my knitting needles and a deck of cards, but I wandered, kept positive and even talked to the bird life. It feels weird wandering though this dense NZ bush, lots of deer have been around but none in my sights, I only have my video camera so they are safe. Bed time, more yuckie winds tomorrow, but my time soon.
My smiles today:
The birds, so friendly.
My hot water bottle.
My moving my tent while still upright.
My sweet popcorn for brunch.
My day 2 nil success on foraging.
My thoughts today:
Today you have the choice to smile ranter than frown, be grateful, accept. Today you have the choice to laugh or cry, both will make you feel better.
Goodnight from Red and T2