8^th April 2014

So there I was, in a reconditioned bird hide. The temporary roof fashioned out of my tent fly sheet had kept me warm and dry. The weather was not what I had become a custom to. It was dreary and miserable and yet I had to keep on moving. Most of my kit was dry though although my boots were still a little damp. So I packed every thing away and headed off in search of the coast a place I felt more comfortable with. Checking my route on Google earth I started following a public path that had seen better days with streams blocking most of my more direct routes. At times I found myself heading back towards the town I had left the day before. Eventually I caught glimpse of a road so headed for that to regain my bearings. I knew the general direction I had to take and using the gps on my phone I was soon able to determine a new route and new direction. A little demoralised things were about to get worse, it started to rain, now when I say rain I mean it chucked it down eventually I passed a go outdoors store and thought I would go take a look. I simply can't resist checking out the latest kit and wanted to see the current price of the boots I was planning on getting. After advising a customer on a few styles to choose and the benefits of each along with advise about blister prevention and treatment I headed back on my way. I needed to get to Canvey Island and regain the pre-determined route. This was to prove more difficult than it had seemed when planning it at home. I followed a road into a nature reserve and eventually hit tge Thames again, turning left and passing an old shipwreck I had to them leave the well trodden path and head into the woods. It was thick with trees, so much so I quite literally couldn't see the woods for the trees. Ever now and then I would find a small lake which I would negotiate carefully through stinging nettles and brambles. I was soaking wet, in fact the last time I was this wet I was scuba diving in mallorca with Joakim Arthursson! I felt I should have packed a wet suit. It wasn't all bad though, whilst in the woods I found several young saplings just the right diameter to replace the snapped tent pole. I cut one down to size and stuffed it in my back pack to remodel later that evening.

Eventually I hit a small gravel track, checked my map and plotted a route to take me to a main road that led me to the island. I was hoping to use Hoolley to cross onto the island but tides and weather conditions would prevent this from happening. After crossing the bridge I hit a round about turned right and was able to relocate the thames. I followed a fairly easy path around passing the town and around the island back to the same round about I had come in on. This time though I was able to go right and cross a different bridge to get back onto the mainland.

With my batter almost dead I headed into town to get a nice orange juice and lemonade and to try and dry out my sodden socks and boots. I asked the barman if he had any plastic bags I could have to put on my feet to try and protect them from the wet interior of my leaking boot's, bid everyone fairwell and left to seek somewhere to stay. Sure enough I found a small hollowed out copse set up my tent and modified that sapling I had collected earlier. I then laid out my damp clothes to dry under the canvas hoping tomorrow would be drier than it had been that day.

In the morning I awoke to a glorious sunny day. My first task was to get my damp boots into the sun to dry out. I collapsed camp, cleared up any litter (not all mine) and stuck my feet into the plastic bags as my socks were still very wet. I decided to take it a little easier today, the sun keeping me company and drying my socks out thst I had now attached to the backpack. It took a while but I eventually found myself in Southend and headed to millets to see if I could get a new pair of boots. Unfortunately they didn't stock the model I prefer so I grabbed some more gas and waited for amanda, a contact beth had put me in touch with from st johns ambulance who had received my supplies and was willing to drop off to me. Its always good to receive these parcels, and although they add to the weight of my pack, always contain chocolate bars and the welcome orange packs of my freeze dried expedition food, of which I was now completely out of. I tried to pack it all in my bag but to my surprise it didn't fit! Hmm not sure why as I had only got an extra gas canister? The bag also felt heavier than on previous resupplies. Thinking no more of it I searched the Internet for boots, ordered them and had them delivered to amandas who had agreed to drop them off when they arrive tomorrow. I said I would try and stay local but she insisted I kept going and she would find me 

I then set off again along the sea front when I was stopped by an elderly gentleman who was perplexed about two women attempting to swim against the tides saying its bloody "freezing in there, well you do get all types. I mean you look like one where you come from?" I told him my story and age to which he replied "I thought you were 28". Lol it would seem I am getting younger everyday remembering the three girls with bbq issues a week or so before had thought I was only 32  well the sun went down and we bid our fair wells and I set off along the promenade only to be confronted by a film set. They were shooting a new advert for Cadbury ice creams. I stopped, chatted with the crew and set off. People still think I'm ex-army so I always have pleasure in correcting them letting them know I'm actually only a website designer  well I have found a little secluded spot to settle into for the night and looking forward to tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have my new boots