Our first couple of weeks in Tasmania
were marked by incredible weather - light to moderate winds and only
occasional rainy days. We were out doing as many trips as possible,
and then, the inevitable happened and the weather became, what I
imagine, is much more "normal" for Tasmania. In other
words, rainy days became frequent, not just one here and there but
many days of continuous rain strung together, and the wind rose to
(literally) a fever pitch. Although we had plans to climb many more
mountains, staggering up mountains in rain, fog and wind seemed
silly, futile, potentially hazardous, so we left the west (wet?)
coast area and drove the windy roads to the north coast of the
country with plans of great sea kayak trips along this beautiful
coast. So far, the kayaks have been most useful as rain water
collection devices.
The last few days, we have had gale
force (really, the winds at Cape Grim today reached 50 knots) so the
kayaks have continued to sit on the roof of the car gathering rain.
We don't do "waiting for weather" well, although we should
as we have had over 30 years practice. Somehow, waiting for weather
just does not get any easier. I still feel as if my life, still
precious (maybe more precious) after 50 years is slipping away if I
am not kayaking, climbing or walking. The enthusiasm of youth seems
to have been scarcely mollified by age. I still feel, as Dylan
Thomas wrote, that we should "rage, rage against the dying of
the light."
Stormy morning at The Nut, Stanley
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