What Is a "Page View"?

Numerically significant changes take place, suddenly, overnight, to the statistical view of the readership of this blog -- its "page views" The blog reports this statistic to me an a daily, and monthly basis. The changes happen without my knowing their cause, though it could, inadvertently, be something I do.

The blog was started in the fall of 2010 with our departure for what turned out to be Grenada. With the exception of July 2013, when over 5000 page views were reported, the views have averaged about 1350 per month, a bit less at the beginning and more when we are cruising than when we are "maintaining" and, with variations. 1350 per month is hardly what they call "viral".

However, for the nine month period September 2016 to May 2017, inclusive, page views ranged between 4777 and 9339, averaging 6163 per month,more than four times as many. And then, starting in late last month the number dropped, just as precipitously, overnight, back to around 30 per day.

I'm not sure what a page view is or what could cause such wild changes. I believe that for those who blog with a hope or expectation of financial advantage. i.e., "commercialize" their blogs, page views may "matter". This blog will forever remain non-commercial.

I write (1) for my own pleasure, (2) to aid my memory because recalling ones adventures is almost as much fun as planning and living them and (3) as a free gift to anyone who might be planning to go where I have been. Lene has found a blog by someone who has cruised to Nova Scotia! I'll read it.

So I'm not worried about page views, just curious.