During the night, an Atlantic depression whipped up by the jet stream, swept across southern England accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain. At 5am the Greenwich Light weather buoy some 20 miles off the Sussex coast recorded a maximum steady strength of the wind of 49 knots, that is, Storm Force 10 on the Beaufort Scale. At 8am it recorded a minimum atmospheric pressure of 994 millibars.
Having heard during the night the wind at times roaring over the rooftop some 30 miles inland, I decided on making an early move, leaving the house at 6-30am, togged up in full waterproofs. When having reached just half a mile from the coast at Birling Gap I encountered the full might of the angry weather just as daylight was breaking. A squall accompanied by almost horizontal rain hit the truck and for the next 10 minutes, the view through the glass was reminiscent of a blizzard!
Once it had passed, I made my way around the mile of electric fencing securing loose fence stakes and also having to repair a long broken section, the plastic tape snaking away before the wind. Next port of call was near the summit of Beachy Head some two miles to the east. On the way, passed two large round bales of haylage laying in the road, blown by the severity of the wind from off a neighbouring slope. After arriving, found a section of electric fence running down a steep downland spur, was stretched across the grassy slope like an abandoned washing line. Later, the boys from Eastbourne Borough Council rectified this later in the morning. In both cases, the ponies were taking shelter on lee slopes so did not make a bid for freedom!
Then it was on to Hastings to check the next herd of ponies, these however being within proper stock fencing. All in a days work…