27th - 28th may

27th May day 447

I was still tired when I finally woke but with good weather overhead i didn't want to waste the day although I was tempted by a lie in. Frankly speaking a lie in was never going to happen no matter how badly i wanted one. Camp was quickly collapsed and i soon found myself walking the clifftops once more. Its possibly hard to believe but again the views i experienced were beautiful and with occasional  woodland walks i found the hike relatively easy going.

After several miles i arrived in cadwell cove and met sone of the rnli lifeguards. Whilst chatting about what it was the lifeguards did a young mother ran over holding her little girl asking if they had any wet wipes or plasters. While the lifeguards rummaged through their medipacks i dropped my rucksack and immediately pulled out my wet wipes and began cleaning the young ladies wound. It was a team effort, with the cut now clean of sand the lifeguards applied a plaster and taped it up to be sure. The little girl had bern playing on the rocks and slipped. She was very brave though and all ended well.

Before continuing my journey to mumbles i stopped at a small coffee shop in the cove for a mocha. Mumbles wasn't far away now and it only took me a little over an hour before i was looking down over the pier. The mumbles all weather lifeboat station was located at the end of what can only be described as a rickety old death trap waiting to happen, the pier had seen better days. I headed down and made contact with tim the lom for the station. The pier had seen better times and i wondered if it had been such a good idea to build the new station at the end of it. I headed across the rickety planks towards the boathouse and as i did stared across the bay. All i could see for miles were buildings, a metropolis, a nightmare concrete jungle i simply was not looking forward to passing. An unusual tourist attraction though was an unusual ape shaped swing. The ape had once been kidnapped by students and transported around Britain to various landmarks where its photo had been taken. The one day it was mysteriously returned to the pier with one small modification. A red bikini had been painted on.

One of the unique aspects of the mumbles rnli was the fact it not only had the all weather station but also an inshore lifeboat station not too far away. Having been show round both stations i was taken to the near by yacht club to meet some of the crew.

The mumbles lifeboat crew are quite simply not like other crews i have met. Joking and laughing aside their commeradary made them a tight and unusual bunch. As the beer flowed the games started. Playing pool but making up our own rules to fit we alternated between the pool table and dart board. Winner stays on.

When lifeboat crew start trying to stick darts into each others chests you know its probably time to go home. I was dropped off back at the inshore boathouse classed as a casualty and made it no further.

28th May day 448

Having eventually fallen asleep around 3am i woke despite my best efforts to stay asleep around 8am. Soon after i was joined by the mechanic and shortly after the coxswain only to discover that an attempted suicide had triggered a shout at 4am. Thankfully the person wishing to leave this mortal realm was talked down and the shout cancelled.

After two coffees and a good banter i was treated to a full fry up at the tram cafe before setting off to find port talbot. The mumbles crew are indeed a lively and humorous bunch and once again i wished i could have hung around to get to know them better.

I followed beach around to harbour which is where things became a little difficult. The coastal path signs had been vandalised so navigating Swansea was somewhat of a challenge. In fact i got lost unable to take bearings from the waterfront. I checked the gps on my phone but it was convinced i was still in mumbles. This i knew was wrong and despite  a short one sided argument the phone still refused to change its mind.

Luckily i spotted disguarded mcdonalds wrappers and even though i couldn't locate my position on my phone i knew a mcdonalds was ahead of me so all i had to do was follow the litter trail until i found it. From there I'd at least have my position. A cunning plan.

Having located mcdonalds i stopped for a banana milkshake before following the only road in or out of Swansea. It was a long and hot hike the traffic polluting the air and tranquillity i was used to. I was at least heading in the right direction though.

It was several miles before I reached the motorway bridges that crossed the estuary towards port talbot where i found another mcdonalds. It was turning into a relay between the fast food restaurants. Deciding to stop for lunch i grabbed some chicken select pieces and fries. I'd then be able to save my rations which were rapidly dwindling for when i really needed them.

The coastal path, now relocated, took me round the front of some kind of industrial plant and down to a gorgeous beach. The sand was particularly firm almost like brittle concrete and i soon arrived outside the port talbot lifeboat station. The crew hadn't been expecting me for another day so they were completely caught out.

Chatting with the crew i was to find out that the weather was expected to worsen during the night and while pitched in my tent sheltered by the boathouse I was to experience this first hand. The winds picked up and the rain came down. It didn't let up all night.