I've been a bit down in the dumps the last couple of days. The Tsunami disaster has been part of the reason. I just can't fathom it, and I feel powerless, in that I can't do anything directly to help. The effect was seen in the tides here in NZ. We sit on the same fault line and there have been a couple of significant quakes near here lately, thankfully deep out to sea of our southern coast. I also feel lucky. It could have been us.
Also contributing to my mood has been our unseasonable weather. Dark grey skies and steady rain for the last couple of days. Today it cleared and with the sun came a Northerly breeze... time for some kite buggy therapy.
I made it out to Rabbit Island by about five o'clock. The low tide was due about 6.45pm and the sun didn't set till 9pm, so a big buggy session was on the cards. Marty from the kite club was there, along with one other buggy pilot and about half a dozen land yachts and blo-karts (we're starting to be out numbered regularly by these guys now). The wind was coming in at a slight angle so it meant a slow zig-zagging tack all the was to the East end, then a fast run back to the West. After all the rain it was a very wet beach today, so everything (and I mean everything) got coated in wet sand. In my ears, up my shorts, all through my beard, and up my nose. In my eyes (even around my sunglasses), in my hair, and down my back. Its actually rather invigorating. I buggied so long and hard that when I did stop, I had a bad case of buggy knees. That's when you go to leap up out of your buggy only to realise that your knees don't work anymore and refuse to straighten. It looks really funny as you waddle around in a half crouch, for the few minutes it takes to wear off.
This is my buggy helmet caked in sand after the 3 hour buggy session. Imagine what my face looked like.
10:43:59 PM 
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