Floods 'n boats

[Dolphin]

Louis, I remember Bundy from '92 when Ingrid and I sailed to Gt Keppel. The river was quite a walk up a big bank and not that far from the sea at Burnett Heads.
That is a huge amount of water. Some reports just said that it is flowing at 40 knots (80kph).
We're thinking of you and hope all works out ok.
I put an extra line through the mooring eye and around the mast for extra security if the deck cleat lets go. I think the weather will slip off the coast just south of Sydney so I don't think we will cop a fraction of what everyone else had.

Phillip and Shaun should have stayed in the lake.

Stay safe.

[Dolphin]

Here are some photos from today of the Southerly after the heavy rains and a view of the Swansea Bar.

Southerly from Redhead

P1040228.JPG (61.55 KiB) Viewed 3262 times

[Phillip]

Thanks for the photos Greg,

Those waves are why Shaun and I are sitting here till at least next Saturday and most probably Sunday before we get away to the Camden Haven.

We have only had rain [about 100 mm plus] and the sun is shining and the cove is flat!

Only problem now is my back which I did in this morning while trying to get water out of the inflatable!


PS Greg the marina gave in!

[Troppo]

Wow, that bar is looking rough. Stay safe folks.

[Dolphin]

How is it going in Rocky Louis?

[Troppo]

How is it going in Rocky Louis?

Things are quiet in Rocky. No milk bread or fresh vege at the shops, a few houses getting water in 'em but the flood peak expected on Friday is not much more than what it is now so no dramas.

On the river, Windchaser is still sitting pretty, so I have been told. A mate who went and checked his boat removed a little weed from the anchor rope but all is good. The mate had to chase his river boat down the river as it had dragged. No damage but when he brought it back up, he had to cross from the southern side of the river where he was hugging the bank to the north side to reach the safe anchorage. With his motor flat out, he was going backwards until he got far enough across to get into quieter water. Hard to believe there is so much water, but there it is. And Rocky got off lightly compared to other places so it just doesn't seem so bad.

[Tales]

My mate's son bought Hellcat in the USA last year and sailed her (with his son) to Hawai before turning back with a broken autohelm.
With that fixed he set off again (without his son this time) and sailed solo to Australia, arriving about 3 weeks ago.
Hellcat was lost last in the floods but has just been located.
What next I wonder?

Hellcat.jpg (27.79 KiB) Viewed 3199 times

[Ianb]

For Hellcat looks like a crane and truck job. Would leave it for a little while till a good crane driver can be found, as a bad one can cause more damage than the storm.

[Troppo]

Well, the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton is almost back to normal height. Most of the boats that were moved are back either anchored or on moorings.

Windchaser is now back on her mooring. The only difficulty was getting the anchor up as it was seriously buried. Had to pull up a metre or so of chain then cleat it off and run the boat forward with the motor. Then do another metre. Having a deckie work the motor while I slaved over the chain was way easier than doing it all myself.

Even though the boats are back, the river is still showing the effects of the flood.

Large dead eel on the club boat ramp.

eel.jpg (386.19 KiB) Viewed 3138 times

Light pole which has withstood many floods got flattened by this one.

light pole.jpg (368.47 KiB) Viewed 3138 times

Top floor of the clubhouse did not go under but the rest of it did so the workers are hard at it getting everything clean.

clubhouse.jpg (247.04 KiB) Viewed 3138 times

[Brainless]

Great pictures, its amazing the damage that water can do