Thunderstorm surprise!

 The weather turned on its best for us this morning; warm and brilliant sunshine with cloudless skies for the first time this week. We tried to get to the local farmer’s market, but hadn’t realised it began at 7am and was all done and dusted by 9:30! Never-mind, we regrouped and found a corner of the island previously unexplored. 

The Two Chimneys Reserve was well worth the drive along the pot-holed roads typical of the island. Every view of the coastline has something different to offer. The one thing that remains unchanged is the brilliantly clear azure-blue water. 

We drove down to Ball Bay and then on to Kingston Jetty to check whether there were any fishing boats out today. The windy weather early in the week had prevented the boats going out. Apparently however, incoming fishing boats bring with them a frenzy of hungry sharks which can be viewed from the jetty, so we were excited to see an empty boat trailer for the first time this week  

At St Barnabas Chapel there was a Spring Fair underway. The perfect weather ensuring a great attendance from both locals and tourists. After checking this out, we took the scenic route back home, via a couple of other vantage points, spotting a turtle from one cliff top. 

Following a light lunch we went to the Pitcairn Settlers Village for our final tour.  It was here, midway through the tour that we were surprised by a thunderstorm, turning the blue skies to black and sending us running from the drenching rain.  Our tour was cut short, and we missed out on a ride around the property on the original Model A Ford truck. We had enjoyed an interesting and informative time while it lasted and the 7.2mm of rain dumped by the storm was much needed on an island that relies solely on rainwater and had experienced a very dry August. 

Returning to the jetty on our way home, we found we had missed the return of the boats, so went home and began the process of packing our cases for the trip home tomorrow. Tonight we have celebrated, both the end of an amazing week, and Fiona’s forthcoming birthday, with a delicious dinner at  Baileys Restaurant, a short stroll down the road. 

It’s been a wild ride Norfolk; battling gale force winds, basking in beautiful sunshine, strolling through a wealth of history and enjoying stunning vistas on an isolated island populated with remarkably resilient and friendly people.  



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