16th August 2023 (overcast and very windy) 0km

During the night, poor old Vango got battered with 70 kph winds.  Although we managed to get some sleep, it was definitely interrupted by the larger gusts, which threatened to rip Vango to pieces.  Checked Vango out when I woke and currently with winds of 46 kph, she's doing well.  Some other tenters who were in a tent close to the beach had an awful night with their tent being pushed from side to side.  Winds are expected to drop to 11 kph by tomorrow morning when we leave for the ferry to Senya, our last island before heading for Tromso.

Into the kitchen/lounge area at 7am, which we had to ourselves for a while.
Even managed a FaceTime with Briana and Georgina together.
That was great and both girls look happy, although Briana thought she may be coming down with something.
Georgina is looking forward to coming home just to have some time with ma and pa, after travelling for so long.

Into the lounge came two bikepackers we'd seen yesterday.
Chloe and Oliver packed in their jobs a year ago and have been travelling all over Europe. They have three months to go before they have to go home, whether that be Germany, where Oliver is from, or Holland where Chloe lives, or in fact a completely different country.
They are at the stage now were they are thinking about what they'll do, where they'll live etc.
They were a nice young couple and easy to talk to.
They headed south this morning, so had a raging tail wind to blow them along.
Glad we weren't going today into a full on head wind. Even as I type this in the tent, it is 11.25am and the wind is howling.
We have just been to the shop, about a km away along the side streets to get the rest of today's requirements and breakfast, before we cycle to the ferry.
Julia went for a lovely shower and I read for the umpteenth time who Liverpool are getting or not getting in the transfer market.

Once Julia came back, we wandered across to the lounge area and with the help of Keren and Greg in Oz, watched various video clips of the England women's team make the World Cup Final, by beating Oz 3-1.
Rapt for the girls. I just hope they can become European and World Champions.

Shortly after we began a conversation with a young couple from Belgium, Eileen and Jonas.
Once again, very easy to talk to and they too are heading north to Tromso, where they will finish, but they are doing a whale watching trip tomorrow.
I hope the winds drop, both for them and us.
Our ferry ride tomorrow is two hours and I don't fancy that in high winds as it's open water, not a fjord.

Despite the wind and cold, football training was still on.

I shot over to have a shave and shower after they'd gone to set up their tent and it was a good ending to a really cold and still, very windy day.
The wind is putting huge pressure on Vango and I hope it comes through okay.

Back to the tent for drinkies and snacks and to listen to and watch the flapping of the vestibule as the wind howled through.
We are up early tomorrow to catch the ferry, so it will be interesting packing up if it's still like this.

Roll forward to 8pm.
Temp = 10C feels like 7C
Wind=   40km per hr Northerly

Finished dinner. Before we call it a night we'll pack our stuff so that we just have to take Vango down.

Vango....our hero

Then to the ferry for 8.45am for a two hour trip to Senja.
I'm afraid the only thing I can say honestly about this place, is that it has lived up to its name.

They try to tell us that Bleik is pronounced Blake, but we know what it is....very bleak indeed.  Imagine what it's like in winter.