Wet.

Unlike yesterday which was hot and sunny all day long, today started very wet and only began to brighten up late in the afternoon. Earlier I drove Peter into town as he planned to meet up with some of his ex-workmates for a drink. Anytime now I expect the phone will ring and I'll go and collect him. At home I have been cleaning in the kitchen. First out came all the saucepans so that the shelves and the undersides of the saucepans could have a good scrub. Peter doesn't see the need to clean the bottom of a saucepan though maybe now I've pointed out how much work not doing so causes he might deign to wash the outside as well as the inside of the saucepans. Then I was slaving over a hot stove, not cooking but attempting to scrape off the baked on grease from the black enamel of the rayburn. Difficult to do and I did burn myself a few times on the ever-hot stove.

Now back to more happy memories of Lundy. Still Wednesday - while Peter relaxed with his book after our long walk I took off down the steps by Millcombe house and headed down to Landing Bay. While I was walking I could hear a group of lively ladies on one of the many paths running over the hillsides Part of the conversation went as follows 'How old are you exactly?' 'I'm 69.' came the answer. 'So am I' said the first lady. It made me wonder what we consider as old these days. Is it an age or is it a state of mind/body? I saw those ladies in the Tavern and to my eyes they were older but definitely not old.

On my way down the road I saw the Oldenburg leaving with the day visitors. The total numbers on Lundy were now; 25 permanent staff, 5 volunteers (you get accommodation but pay for your food and fare and work 6 days a week), 94 people in the various properties and up to 40 on the campsite.

The tide was out so I was able to explore the shingle beach that lies between Rat island and the main island. 

On our last visit we had walked over the rocks below for a rock pool safari with a ranger and then when we went snorkelling. On the southern side the rocks drop down very steeply making it good for snorkelling though a bit worrying for a beginner like myself who isn't a good swimmer.

Then I crossed back to the bay side of the beach and put my feet in the water just to say I had been in. It was very cold.

                            

At that point I got distracted by the sight of  a number of compass jellyfish bobbing about in the water. Its very hard to take a photo of something that is not only pulsing but being washed back and forth by the waves. 

Eventually it was time to walk back up the only road on the island and join Peter in the Tavern for yet another lovely meal and a game of scrabble.

That day I spent about 6 hours walking though it was at my gentle pace.