Having been writing on this blog on numerous occasions, I can say with certainty that this is the most spectacular event I have been involved with so far in Australia, most likely in my live so far. I’ll try to describe the events of the Australia Day weekend of 2007 (26-28 January) in a chronological order and as accurately as possible… It's a relatively long but intersting story, and I am happy to be able to sit behind a computer and actually write it down. For those eager to see a visual: click here
It all started with an idea to make a hike, something we have been doing with a core group of people several times so far, and it has always been great fun, sometimes enduring but very rewarding. The destination of this hike was the Colo River, a river that streams through a canyon approximately 100 KMs North West of Sydney. The plan was to descent the canyon to the river and camp, the next day lilo or raft downstream the river, and camp half way to the finish, the last day we were supposed to arrive at a pre-arranged spot and climb back up to a car which would bring us to the other cars and ultimately home. We were with a group of 17 people, the invitation went around from friend to friend and many people wanted to come, this was going to be great fun!
The first day went according the plan, we went down to the camp spot, although the descent proved to be tough, steep declines and rock climbing with heavy backpacks. At about 4 PM we reached a beach of the Colo River and set up a camp, had great fun drinking beer wine and spirits and had great fun together. Everyone was fast asleep around 11 in order to be fit the next day for our first day on the water.
After waking up, having a good breakfast and breaking up our camp we started to load the raft and go with the flow down stream. It was quite fun, even though the water level was pretty low because of the drought we managed to pass through the first rapid without leaving our boat, just chilling and enjoying the nice weather and the nature around us.
Rather soon however the current was gone and the rapids proved to be much more difficult to pass: we had to disembark from the rafts and jump over the rocks with the backpacks on our back. This is what we did until about 6-7 PM when we set up our next camp. In the meanwhile due to all those rapids and the low water level most rafts got punctures, my bottom for example was severely punctured resulting in me not being able to sit in the raft but having to swim with the rope in my mouth pulling the boat with my pack with me.
The consequence of this was that we did not cover half the distance we were supposed to cover the first day, all our clothes were soaking wet, and everybody was shivering around the campfire. Not being able to sleep well, and having to preserve food because of a possible extra day we started our second day on the river on Sunday a little less cheerful.
Sunday was a day that completely exhausted me, I must have swum over 10 KMs pulling the boat with me on a rope between my teeth, everyone else had to find very innovative ways to go forward as well, not only the current was gone; it was practically going in reverse due to winds blowing in the opposite direction. I arrived with Marco and Sebastiano that night around 6 PM at a junction of two rivers. Whereas the last night we had hope that we covered more than anticipated, today we were faced with the reality, our maps clearly indicated we barely made in half way through while we were supposed to be home already. Having to camp again and to dry clothes above the fire while having a glass of cordial as dinner was pretty tough. Thankfully once everybody arrived at the camp site the spirit was still ok. We knew what the case was and what we had to do the next day: get up at sunrise and go as far as possible, hopefully making it to the end.
Monday: barely slept again, it was pretty cold and I was a bit worried, also because some of use hadn’t eaten for a day and were in not such a good shape, the boats got punctured even more. I left together with Marco and Sebastiono, like the day before we managed to move downstream quicker than the other and we thought of warning the authorities once we arrived at the end of the trip. Some parts of the river were very difficult to conquer, the water level was deep, I could not touch the bottom, and the wind was blowing against us, and there were long and straight stretches ahead of us. Marco and Sebastiono wet ahead of me because they had flippers. Around noon I arrived at a gigantic rapid which I had to climb over myself. Being exhausted, hungry and cold it was quite difficult, even more so because my pack was double as heavy, soaking wet….. It also didn’t really help to see a venomous snake crawling between the rocks…
After loading my boat again and jump in the water again I could hear the sound of a helicopter. It was flying relatively low and kept on circling above me. I stared waving with my hat hoping they would come for use; I could read the word police on the tail of the machine so I thought that was good. And it was good, the helicopter landed on a sandy patch in the river where I was and one rescue man came out before the helicopter took off. I swam to him as soon as possible and explained our situation; they had been tipped by different people: parents that were worried because sons and daughters didn’t show up for dinner and even a Government Department that was missing three people on Monday… Because I was exactly at the spot where the helicopter could land they decided to take me to the base, and come back once the others arrived at the sand patch, the rescue worker stayed behind to inform everybody that came over the rocks.
It was so great to fly back knowing we would be save… Seeing the rest of the river we still had to go made me realize that it would have been very difficult, especially we also had to hike up the cliff for two hours… Within the following hours everybody was saved by helicopter, everyone except Marco and Sebo, but that is probably because they are Italian and are too proud to be saved by a chopper (mamma mia!)…..
It all started with an idea to make a hike, something we have been doing with a core group of people several times so far, and it has always been great fun, sometimes enduring but very rewarding. The destination of this hike was the Colo River, a river that streams through a canyon approximately 100 KMs North West of Sydney. The plan was to descent the canyon to the river and camp, the next day lilo or raft downstream the river, and camp half way to the finish, the last day we were supposed to arrive at a pre-arranged spot and climb back up to a car which would bring us to the other cars and ultimately home. We were with a group of 17 people, the invitation went around from friend to friend and many people wanted to come, this was going to be great fun!
The first day went according the plan, we went down to the camp spot, although the descent proved to be tough, steep declines and rock climbing with heavy backpacks. At about 4 PM we reached a beach of the Colo River and set up a camp, had great fun drinking beer wine and spirits and had great fun together. Everyone was fast asleep around 11 in order to be fit the next day for our first day on the water.
After waking up, having a good breakfast and breaking up our camp we started to load the raft and go with the flow down stream. It was quite fun, even though the water level was pretty low because of the drought we managed to pass through the first rapid without leaving our boat, just chilling and enjoying the nice weather and the nature around us.
Rather soon however the current was gone and the rapids proved to be much more difficult to pass: we had to disembark from the rafts and jump over the rocks with the backpacks on our back. This is what we did until about 6-7 PM when we set up our next camp. In the meanwhile due to all those rapids and the low water level most rafts got punctures, my bottom for example was severely punctured resulting in me not being able to sit in the raft but having to swim with the rope in my mouth pulling the boat with my pack with me.
The consequence of this was that we did not cover half the distance we were supposed to cover the first day, all our clothes were soaking wet, and everybody was shivering around the campfire. Not being able to sleep well, and having to preserve food because of a possible extra day we started our second day on the river on Sunday a little less cheerful.
Sunday was a day that completely exhausted me, I must have swum over 10 KMs pulling the boat with me on a rope between my teeth, everyone else had to find very innovative ways to go forward as well, not only the current was gone; it was practically going in reverse due to winds blowing in the opposite direction. I arrived with Marco and Sebastiano that night around 6 PM at a junction of two rivers. Whereas the last night we had hope that we covered more than anticipated, today we were faced with the reality, our maps clearly indicated we barely made in half way through while we were supposed to be home already. Having to camp again and to dry clothes above the fire while having a glass of cordial as dinner was pretty tough. Thankfully once everybody arrived at the camp site the spirit was still ok. We knew what the case was and what we had to do the next day: get up at sunrise and go as far as possible, hopefully making it to the end.
Monday: barely slept again, it was pretty cold and I was a bit worried, also because some of use hadn’t eaten for a day and were in not such a good shape, the boats got punctured even more. I left together with Marco and Sebastiono, like the day before we managed to move downstream quicker than the other and we thought of warning the authorities once we arrived at the end of the trip. Some parts of the river were very difficult to conquer, the water level was deep, I could not touch the bottom, and the wind was blowing against us, and there were long and straight stretches ahead of us. Marco and Sebastiono wet ahead of me because they had flippers. Around noon I arrived at a gigantic rapid which I had to climb over myself. Being exhausted, hungry and cold it was quite difficult, even more so because my pack was double as heavy, soaking wet….. It also didn’t really help to see a venomous snake crawling between the rocks…
After loading my boat again and jump in the water again I could hear the sound of a helicopter. It was flying relatively low and kept on circling above me. I stared waving with my hat hoping they would come for use; I could read the word police on the tail of the machine so I thought that was good. And it was good, the helicopter landed on a sandy patch in the river where I was and one rescue man came out before the helicopter took off. I swam to him as soon as possible and explained our situation; they had been tipped by different people: parents that were worried because sons and daughters didn’t show up for dinner and even a Government Department that was missing three people on Monday… Because I was exactly at the spot where the helicopter could land they decided to take me to the base, and come back once the others arrived at the sand patch, the rescue worker stayed behind to inform everybody that came over the rocks.It was so great to fly back knowing we would be save… Seeing the rest of the river we still had to go made me realize that it would have been very difficult, especially we also had to hike up the cliff for two hours… Within the following hours everybody was saved by helicopter, everyone except Marco and Sebo, but that is probably because they are Italian and are too proud to be saved by a chopper (mamma mia!)…..
I was quite an adventure and a story. It even made the national news, channel 7 filmed us and broadcasted in their 10 o'clock news bulletin, apparently people saw us on channel 10 as well, further more some leading papers wrote articles about it, for example The Australian and News.com.au
I am very thankful to the helicopter people who saved us, the policemen who bought us lunch, the ambulance people who checked our health, the old couple camping nearby bringing us cookies, the parents who raised the alarm. But most thankful I am for the great spirit in the group, not a moment a bad word fell or a fight broke out. We were determined to pull each other through and we did!
I am very thankful to the helicopter people who saved us, the policemen who bought us lunch, the ambulance people who checked our health, the old couple camping nearby bringing us cookies, the parents who raised the alarm. But most thankful I am for the great spirit in the group, not a moment a bad word fell or a fight broke out. We were determined to pull each other through and we did!
5 comments:
great summary Erik! you've captured the whole experience brilliantly. i agree with your comment on the strength shown by everyone and the ability to keep up a good spirit in difficult circumastances.
He Erik,
Mooi om te horen dat je na dit avontuur nog steeds onder ons bent.
Wat dacht je: ik moet bijna terug naar NL en dat wil ik niet?
Veel plezier nog de komende periode en tot in juli/juni
ps. welk meisje op de foto is nou jouw vriendin?
Mooi verhaal Erik! Je maakt zo nog wat mee op reis door Australie. Goed om te horen dat t verder allemaal ok is afgelopen. En een dagje niet eten kan voor jou ook geen kwaad toch;)
ps. ik geloof je verhaal helemaal, maar dat van dat niet kunnen zitten door wat steentjes onder de boot...Laten we t er maar op houden dat t de drank was op de eerste avond niet?
Mooi verhaal, Erikje... Binnenkort te zien op Discovery Channel...? Met Ray Mears in the rol van Erik Bollema?
You would have thought that phoning the local authorities to check the state of the river would have saved the tax payers a whole heap of money! The lack of preparation and planning is astounding.
Where are the barrels? Plastic barrels tend to keep things dry so that gear does not become heavy because it got wet. And guess what ... they FLOAT!!
So what would have happened if someone had been bitten by a snake? Don't see anyone wearing gaiters ... simple preventative measure.
The apparent naivety of the people planning this trip is astounding but even worse is that people followed them with extraordinary gullibility. To say that the group as a whole got through it "with strength" and "good spirits" reinforces the stupidity of the group as a whole. Its not a government team building exercise kiddies!!
No one ... not one person in the group asked any questions as to the appropriateness of undertaking a rafting trip on a river on the east coast of Australa in the middle of one of its driest periods in post-colonisation history?
And where are the list of lessons that the group learned from the experience in order to help others avoid such basic errors of judgement and common sense?
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