We’ve had another day where the mood reflected the weather. We had much rain and a wind reversal yesterday, but it was fairly quiet. Funny. It was quiet on Questie too.

A flash of lightening and a huge crack of thunder started it off. The thunder rumbled and then split the air with a whip. All that was left was the whining and barking of dogs on shore.

This enormous thunder clap came just as the sky was being layered with charcoal. Drops started splashing onto the dodger.

This rain lasted for hours. Enough to make it an occasion. In these parts, we aren’t used to this temperate-style weather. We’re more used to stormy squalls which come in dramatically, and then depart as if they have a quota to fill. Like a spooky ghost with a number of houses to haunt. They leave huge cumulonimbus clouds towering into a newly azure sky.

This time we had dense grey clouds filling the horizon – with nowhere fast to go. We had wave after wave of thundering, followed by driving, constant rain. My washing bucket completely filled over the course of the day. Happy times. Meanwhile, boats swung head-on to meet the weather front. All of our backs faced the shore. Ohh. A proper wind reversal.

We checked the mooring lines were holding steady, as the back of Quest was now only twenty or so metres from the promenade wall. Indeed, the catamaran from next door’s buoy had started their engine. If there was any catastrophic mooring failure, the boat might be pushed to shore quicker than you could start your engine.

We had Quest’s keys ready in the ignition. It was still warm enough to sit under the dodger though – and feel the situation out. We outstretched a proverbial finger. There wasn’t too much wind. Not too much swell either. The mooring lines were good. We reasoned that as long as conditions stayed the same, we were fine to stay as we were. And we were. It was nice to have an outside element to bring us together again.

Our teenager was exceptionally nice to us – until we explained she couldn’t have her phone back. At least not for a while. Ouch. The inside fireworks joined the thunder, but not for too long. Once the rain showed no sign of abating, everything went quiet. It was the nicest of quiets. After all, we don’t have a lot of time left. C’mon rainbow.