Storm Chaser / Storm Chased ?????

I'm still feeling wet and soggy but couldn't help but call in to say that I think one of my life long ambitions has just been dashed.

I'm fascinated by 'extreme' weather and would happily spend hours on end watching documentaries about it. I've often thought how amazing it would be to be a storm chaser and get up really close.

Well, on Saturday morning we set out on our regional home ed camp, staying with lots of friends on a remote beach side campsite. The weather was glorious so although I took all eventuality clothing for the children I saved space in the boot and packed just sandals and summer stuff for me.

On Sunday there was a tornado, (no joking here guys - the real thing, full on swirly bit and all), which thankfully swept past us at a worrying distance but didn't touch down on land.

The tornado was followed by rain, more rain, the occasional dry but grey patch, more rain, very short dry spell, more rain and even more rain - you get the picture I guess!

This morning I was awoken before five with torrential rain, thunder and an alarmingly volatile tent. You may not want to imagine this as what followed was not a pretty site. Having quickly bundled the children into the car for safety sake Craig and I spent over two hours in hideous storm conditions trying to make safe, deciding we'd had enough and taking down the tent, gazebo and packing away. I was in my nightie, very wet and frazzled, wishing that I wore knickers for bed as trying to hang onto blustery groundsheets and a blustery nightie in what felt like a force ten gale with lashing rain was not easy.

I'm ever so tired and despite having had a bath still feel really crusty in that camping sort of way. I think I need another soak and an early night in a bed, in a room with walls and windows with a toilet just across the landing. Many families are still there and hoping the weather improves but for me it was starting to feel more like a challenge than a holiday. It was time for us to come home. We had fun but I don't think it would have been right to hold out till Friday when we had booked till. Craig had to come home today in any event for work and I was going to be staying on with the children.

I'm scrapping my ideas of storm chasing and may even start looking at camper vans. Had Craig not been there this morning, (and he isn't always when we go camping), I would have been seriously scared because I don't think I would have had the physical strength to hang on to the heavy steel framed gazebo and stop it smashing into the tent and possibly hurting someone.

Back with photos in a day or two when I've dried out.