More Weather Woes

Mr Met Man talks a load of crock! So does the TV weather forecaster, the radio weather reporter & my android weather app! All of them wouldn't know what day it was; "fine sunny day ahead" "high of 22 degrees"  "light breeze" "temperatures may dip overnight" "a few showers"  & the best one "all of NZ is in for a beautiful sunny summer's day".  Yeah right. All so very wrong!  Today we have a high of 14 degrees but if you add in the wind chill factor I reckon it's about 8 degrees. Everywhere people are wearing their winter woollies, beanies drawn down, thick jackets & gloves on. Small consolation but I believe we've sent some of the wind north for the rest of you to enjoy.

We are now being held captive by this bloody awful weather for which there seems to be no end in sight. After a brief respite on Wednesday when it was hot & muggy until mid-afternoon it then clouded over and ominous black clouds rolled in, we have had gale force winds and heavy rain squalls for 48 hours solid.  Invercargill can now count TWO rain free days this year, which is appalling! This is meant to be summer after all.  It was very strange to wake about 4am on Wednesday morning and lay there wondering what was wrong. It took a few seconds to realise nothing was wrong, it was the sound of silence. Not a hint of a rain drop or a murmur of a breeze. Peace at long last. Famous last words!

We were going to leave Invercargill yesterday, actually we were going on Wednesday but after the family decided they weren't going to battle the elements camping beside us back in the Catlins we stayed on one more day. Once the wind started up again on Wednesday evening we gave Thursday away & decided we'd wait to see how Friday dawned but after the horrendous time we've had this past 2 days & especially last night, we're now going to wait the wind out. There's no point in adding to the drama by being on the road towing a large wind sail behind us. A brand new caravan, around 7 metres long, pulled into camp last night. They have a new caravan because their last one was blown off & destroyed on one of the passes in the South Island awhile ago. 

The wind and rain along with the constant noise has rocked and buffeted the van continuously for what seems like days on end now, we are so over this weather. It's nearly as bad as boating in rough seas but without the seasickness which is a small bonus. We have had the side in for most of the last two days. It's not actually the side that is an issue itself, it's the awning that rolls out with the side and protects the top of the slide out from the weather. Even though it is very taut the wind gets under it and lifts and drops it and pulls on the rollers & we are worried it will eventually tear. It is worse if we have the side out just a short way as the wind unwinds the awning which then creates a balloon effect. At least we can still move about and live in the smaller space and when we do get to push the side out occasionally it feels like a ballroom!

The campground has been very full these past few days as more holiday makers take refuge from the extreme weather while there aren't nearly the amounts of tents arriving, I'm thinking that they are taking the cabin option just to get some peace & quiet as they have all been full. Although there are a still a few hardy souls arriving like this guy this afternoon, battling to get his tent up before the next downpour.

And I bet this guy wished he'd stayed at work.

Rachel says we'll now be having a last, last, last supper with the family after having dinner there Wednesday night expecting that we were leaving the next day, then dinner again last night thinking maybe today we'd be on our way. I think it'll be takeaways the next time....just in case it's another false start.