Monday 20th May 2002

Place: Ramsey Sound, St Davids
Weather: heavy rain and gale force winds (at least it felt like it!)

Simon and I went for a 5 1/2 mile walk around the coastal path round Ramsey Sound. It was so windy my cheeks were inflating when I breathed, and the rain lashed so hard against us it hurt our skin. At some points along the path the wind just blew me over & Simon had to hold me down.

We saw oystercatchers mobbing a very pale buzzard that kept flying about the cliff, 2 gannets that flew so close to the sea their wings almost skimmed the water, stone chats and a shag.

Between Ramsy Island and the mainland is a narrow stretch of sea and you could see the tide racing in, creating rolls of undulating water. The wind would keep blowing the spray up over the cliff.

We were tired and hungry by the time we met Sarah & Andy in St Davids who had been surfing. We went to a fish and chip shop for dinner and had a look around the smalled city. Afterwards we walked past the cathedral and ruins of the Bishops Palace back to the car and drove on to Whitesands Bay to watch the surf.

After stocking up on provisions from Tesco in Haverfordwest, Andy cooked us stew for tea. We went down to the cove after tea; Sarah & Simon took photos of Andy skateboarding down the hill and through the water at the bottom. I went down to the seas edge to see if I could see a bit of blue sky. It struck me that the sea and the waves looked much higher than me and as a wave came in I realised it wasn't going to stop and I had to run back up the beach being raced by the sea. When I looked back, where I had been stood next to a rock with some oystercatchers stood on, it must have been a foot under water. I had very wet feet.

Simon & I drove up the road to a viewing place and watched a sunset of golden slivers amongst banks of dark clouds, then we went home and played Jenga with a glass of wine.