During the Storm

I'm not really one to be easily scared. The wind last night woke me up due to the clanging metal - I woke whenever there was a loud gust of wind. So, I didn't really sleep very well, but I didn't think that the storm had been that bad. I drove to school this morning, and it was strange seeing how high the water was in Bideford - it reached the top of the arches of the old bridge.

Coming home this evening has been a bit of a different matter. I knew that there was a bit of wind - but the rain was stronger, and the wind didn't seem so strong. That all changed as I drove along the link road - before the turn-off to Westward Ho! - the back road, I could feel that the wind had picked up. I had BBC Radio Devon on, and heard that the new Barnstaple down stream bridge had been closed due to the high winds. As I drove down the hill, I saw the massive waves. I got into the flat and decided that I had to take a photo:

We have heard that the wind is going to continue, and there has been a severe (?) flood warning issued for the North Devon coast including Westward Ho!, due to the high winds together with the spring tides.

At this moment in time, I would rather be up in the house than here in the flat. I can see very grey skies behind the house at the moment - and I know that we can't be living up at the house at the moment - the ceilings have come down upstairs, and there is no carpet in our room, or in Nathan's room. Therefore, Nathan is coming to live in the flat for the moment. I have spent a little bit of time clearing the spare bedroom so that Nathan has somewhere to stay.

The biggest problem here at the moment is the high winds. It is really quite scary here at the moment, the high winds are shaking the flat - I have seen the windows vibrating, and even the green roof of the flat shaking. You can feel the flat shaking - whilst sitting on the sofa the wind can be felt shaking the whole place. I really don't like it - I didn't like it when it happened back in December, and I like it even less now. I would much rather be in our house, but Keith tells me it is worse up there.

I suppose I shouldn't complain - we do live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. It's funny - I remember strong winds and gales when sailing - remember Dartmouth Dad?, and then when I was on the Sir Winston Churchill, we left Alderney in force 8 winds. It all seemed fairly safe then - you expect boats to be moving about on the water, pitching and rolling and the wind whistling in the rigging, but not on dry land.

I shall now post the blog and finish my beer - and try to keep myself warm and calm.