Rain rain…

 The day stared well, we were woken by the sun heating the tent almost instantly to unbearably warm. This is generally a sign of good things to come. This time though it did come with warnings of rain. Breakfast was made particularly good by both Emil and Sonja going shopping and somehow not meeting each other so we got a double ration of rolls. 

Although warm there was a little drizzle in the air so we didn’t linger over breakfast. We took the chance to get packed while things were mostly dry. The campsite was very long and narrow. Only a few caravans wide by very long - the recycling being by the entrance and the tents at the far end, it was a long walk to take glass and paper for recycling. I was almost back at the bikes when the heavens opened. We waited out the initial onslaught under a tree before venturing forth under a drizzle. 

As we rode on this got steadily heavier till we were riding on under solid rain. Sonja and I stopped as her brakes were rubbing and the the first lightning came… I didn’t manage to fix the brakes but we decided to ride on as the boys had disappeared into the distance. We found them under the nearest roof of a beach cafe. We spent the next hour and a bit there drinking coffee - marooned with a few other tourists and cyclists counting the time between flashes and thunderclaps. Fortunately coffee chocolate and chips helped. 

At some point it cleared a bit and we headed out - but soaked to the skin and cold we soon decided to cut our losses and head via the main settlement on the island, Burg, and directly to the next campsite on the south coast just before the bridge back to the mainland. 

We had a lunch stop (on a bench - harassed by two seagulls - a parent and juvenile who seemed to be able to mount attacks on all fronts at the same time) and a coffee in a warm cafe before riding the last few km to the campsite. By now the weather seemed to have settled down, but the wind strong from the west, giving a headwind for the last km. 

I was interested to see on the hard at the marina in Burg a well known junk rigged Vertue; Chu-Fa - a recent build made from the start with the junk rig in mind not a later conversion. I would have like to see her close up - but we had to get to the camp site before the reception closed. 

We made it on time and were allocated a nice camping spot with lovely short grass any cricketer would have  been happy with.  After the wet day we ate in the campsite restaurant and are now happily in bed. Although not a long ride it felt much longer than it was - likely from being cold for so long (for the first time this trip)

I was also very happy that my squeaky brake got fixed with a washer made from a yoghurt pot lid. I thought I had it fixed a few days ago - but it had been back and plaguing me for days. Today it was quiet again. I hope it remains so.