That big high has been parked there for over a week, it's progress apparently blocked by the low to the east. Air circulates counter-clockwise around a high in the southern hemisphere, and clockwise around a low. So all that air is getting funnelled between the two straight from the Southern Ocean. If that high ever shifts off to the east, the wind should shift to the north. They've had some rain in Melbourne, but nothing but sunshine and wind up here.
My last morning in St. Arnaud, I went back to the big shed at the sports ground. Here's an 18 second recital to demonstrate the acoustics:
The wind then blew me up to Donald, where I found a caravan park with a great shelter, so I spent two nights there. Although the shelter provided pretty good wind protection, cooking my beef stew on the alcohol stove was painful. (It came out OK, though.)
In the evening, in the caravan park, the usual mob of birds arrived:
Then I moved on to Birchip, a very small town. The only place I could find to practice was a shelter by the netball courts at the "Leisure Centre". Once again, my oboe attracted girls, these two were 7. I learned all about their pet and families. I told them I was playing an oboe, not a flute. Then the next morning I went to the library to use the computer, and the librarian asked me if I was the cyclist playing the "flute" the day before. It turns out one of the girls is her daughter. It's a very small town.
Then I rode a final 27 km with the wind, before turning west to Hopetoun. There's a lake here, and this time there is actual water in it. (It was dry in 2005.) I'm in no hurry to start battling the wind, so I think I'll spend the day here. Hopefully by Friday the south winds will let up.
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