Day 23

Time: 0 hrs

Distance: 0 km (407.9)

When I awoke in the morning little had changed, a bit more light came through the hut fabric but the wind continued more or less as before. The skies are grey as is the water other than a series of whitecaps out in the middle of the river. With nothing to protect us on our grassy knoll we can get a good feel for what paddling would be like. It seems we are wind bound again! Steve has added and adjusted the support lines, for the majority of the time the hut is stable, the poles bending but not to the extreme, the leeward flap thrashing in the wind. Another line of showers is passing overhead, as it does the wind increases in strength but we remain dry and reasonably warm inside. Even the bugs inside the hut spend their time finding shelter rather than attacking. It's now 1:45pm, we must just sit and wait this out, and so it goes unabated.

Around 4:00pm I make a Natural High Peasant Omelet with added cheese and a full pack of bacon, settle in to read and drink tea. Not looking good for any progress today, at 7:30 we make it official, at 8:00pm I called Doug, trains are running again, everything is arranged including our Friday pick-up that we know we may have a tough time meeting. Upcoming weather forecast is for more of the same. We have no choice really, we must get to the coast in 3 days, do a Saturday pick-up in time to catch the train. Steve & I agree to an early start tomorrow regardless of conditions and return to the hut for some Knorr cheddar/veg rice supplemented with a chicken breast in a pouch, a good filing combo!