söndag 20 februari 2011

Brisbane floods and back to the river

Clearing out a restaurant after the floods
Contemplating

Captain Lukasz"Borys" Natanek having a rest after shocking flood adventures. The chair we found on the beach.

Food shortages after floods
Escaping the river.



When all adventures seemed to be on hold, heavy and more heavy rain hit Queensland for several weeks, so much that the dams filled up and water continued coming, from the sky and the ground. We first heard rumours about Brisbane flooding on Monday, Tuesday a few people left the botanical gardens moorings, Tuesday night we were sitting watching as all things you can ever imagine floating down the river, docks, boats, docks with boats attached to them, concrete 800m walkways, huge logs, trash and more. Wednesday early morning the water police told us we had to leave(with the boat or without the boat) Boats going out from the pilings, smashing uncontrolled into other boats, current was up to 15 knots and many propellers seemed to been left in the river for to long with barnacles growing, making the steering hard. On row C we could easily steer out and leave the pilings. Going down a flood damaged Brisbane, with most of the pontoons, city-cat terminals washed away. zigzagging in the dirt-cappuccino brown water between logs and oil barrels(yeah really) we finally reach the mouth of the river, Nekton smashing against the steep waves. The shallow part of the river mouth crowded with docks and half sunken boats.

First sunny day in weeks and as we put up the headsail and finally relaxed, we were out of the river now, the brown water still smelled of mud but the day was nice, blue sky and 15 knots of wind. Arriving to Scarborough, we were offered staying for free until the floods were over and things back to nomal. Many friends in the Marina and despite the circumstances the two weeks there turned out really good with many parties and meetings.

Things slowly(but surprisingly quick) turned to normal and we went back to a almost normal looking Brisbane. So now back on the pilings. I've started working a bit, a job that's not really my thing but a bit of money coming in.