Yesterday was a showery day and when I visited Point Chevalier beach it was calm and intermittently sunny with storm clouds on the horizon.

Sunny paddleboarders in the foreground with rain clouds on the horizon on a calm Saturday at Pt Chevalier beach

Here’s another photograph from yesterday.

Yes, that’s a high viz dog relaxing in the autumn sun on a paddleboard at Pt Chevalier beach

Today, however, was quite a different story weather-wise.  A strong wind was blowing in and whipping up unrelenting waves. Freestyle swimming was still possible but it was a bit of a hectic mission.

Choppy waters at Pt Chevalier beach

The waves may not look too big in the photograph but there was quite a swell. I felt a bit like a sailing vessel being tossed around as I swam along parallel to the shore. The New Zealand cricket team might feel a bit like this at the moment as the run rate is a bit slow 33 overs into the first innings of the Cricket World Cup final against the fearsome Australian cricket team currently being played in Melbourne. But there is hope as NZ batsmen Ross Taylor and Grant Elliot have just made 100 runs in their partnership.