Thursday 21st Feb Yanbuk to Portland

It was very windy when we pitched the tent last night and when we walked on the beach it was a sand storm. The tent was getting very rattled but seemed ok. Thankfully it calmed over night and it was a peaceful site and we got a good sleep. We must have both been asleep by 9PM and awoke at 7AM feeling refreshed.
It was still windy but the good news was it would be on our backs. We had a quick breakfast. Like most remote areas the water was a problem at the camp site last night. There was bore water which was salty and good for little. The only other water was run off from the roofs which was stored in big tanks. Catherine had boiled and reboiled the run off water but I still did not fancy it. So it will not surprise you that our first stop was at Yambuk village stores to buy a bottle and have a drink. Lesson learnt again that we must forward plan a bit better for remote sites and take plenty of water with us.
So it was top gear all the way and we had a 55km ride along one long coast road. We got here about mid day and had a look around town. Portland is a nice seaside town, but the other side of the harbour has a aluminium smelting factory with the port harbouring big ships which service the smelter.
We pitched the tent early and the site has non stop WIFI so we can plan ahead, check weather etc. The wind has got stronger and stronger. We went for a small ride along the clifftop this afternoon and we were almost blown off our bikes. It is really good luck that it should calm a little tomorrow and still be on our backs. The forecasts say the wind direction will turn over the weekend however and be against us on Monday.
We pitched the tent and a pole snapped. I think last nights buffeting had weaken the pole. We had bought four repair sleeves for the poles and we have found what I hope is a sheltered site for tonight. We are in the outside kitchen area now and bits are being blown off the trees and crashing on to the roof making us all jump. I hope the same is not happening to the tent. So the weather keeps us guessing. One day extreme heat then a twenty degree drop in average temperature and then really high winds. There is rain in the forecast which would really surprise us as we have had so little in our trip so far, but also temperatures are quoted as 32C.
We are on our way to Nelson tomorrow which is a good 70km trip with few towns or places to stop on the way. It is time to load the bikes with lots of food and water as with the weather always changing we cannot be sure we will get all the way, so some wild camping may be needed.
We could do with a rest soon, but we are having to go with the weather so much and have long days when the weather is on our side and shorter days when the weather is against us. As the winds should be against us on Monday we may have to wait then for the wind to ease off.
Lots of nice coast today and yet another small red and white lighthouse. Someone in Melbourne said to stop at Port Fairy as "there was nothing after that". Certainly it is a little less touristy and more remote and this will continue as we go on. For the moment however we think we have time to cycle all the way to Adelaide. We are on a bus route however so with preplanning we can always just get the bus, although the timetable is rather restricted and the stops few and far between, 'so as I say if we did do that it needs a plan'. For the moment it is still great cycling and the easy thing to do is keep on pedaling.
No photos today as I thought I would spare you another lighthouse. So perhaps the guy in Melbourne was right and there is nothing here.
I suspect camping with no running water or WIFI tomorrow so updates may get a day or two behind.