Anyone Want Water?
Freaking rain!
So, today has been eventful. Let me start at the beginning.
I went to bed last night at 3am. It was starting to rain. The wind was starting to pick up. At 4am, I was awake. At 5am, I think I'd had 2minutes sleep. By 9am, when a tree down the back fell, and the fire engine woke me up with the loud PA announcement telling people to stay indoors, I think I had about 15minutes sleep. Or at least, it feels that way, still.
So, I got up as I had uni at 11.30 anyway. Bt 10am, there were reports on the radio about a coal ship running aground at our 'favourite' beach, Nobbys. By 10.30, I wrote a nasty email to Fox News abusing them for their disregard of the issue -- 2.5 hours later, they had a reporter from Sydney on scene... I thank my email for that. Why? Because, other than the radio, and a 30second flash on NBN, not one news network mentioned it.
I went to uni. We had our lecture. We had our catered lunch -- roast beef, roast potatos, salad, rice salad, etc... As a bolt of lightning went down on the other side of the building and the thunder ripped through, Chris wound up covered in the rice that was on my fork because I jumped that much as I was watching outside where the bolt came down.
Eventually, we got evacuated (the vice chancellor told us to finish our lunch -- security came and told us off, so we offered them a roast beef breadroll... they weren't amused). Chris and I checked out the bar, which was closed, and for a lecturer who wasn't in.
He tried to take me home, but couldn't. The highway was blocked, etc. Dad got me from Chris' some time later, but eh.
I got home to find that one ship was firmly aground at Nobbys -- it's looking like they won't be able to get it back out to see, so it might be there for good... there's slight concerns for oil spillage, but the shell is sound at present. There's another ship pitching about 500metres off shore off another beach, but they're saying they're fine now at this stage. Another 2 came close and put out distress signals.
I was meant to go out to dinner tonight for Liz's birthday. It got cancelled. Where was I at this time? Running around in rain and gale force winds with my brother -- in water that was up to our knees at point on the road. Trying to fix a few things in his rapidly flooding yard. And checking out an accident to see if they needed help. The water was that cold that, barefoot, within 30seconds your feet would be in intense pain from the cold. We had gumboots on, that by time we were done, were filled with water (which wasn't as cold as the water on the ground... somehow).
We then got a distress call from Mel. She was trapped by flood water. Shane and I spent an hour and a bit getting to her, find a safe way. It's normally a 5minute trip. We got there, got her home.
We got home to find out that Alex's parents had lost their house in the water. They're not quite on the beach. A fair way from it, actually. But in Mereweather. They were in the house, opened the front door as a tidal wave from the overflowing drains came. By time they made it to the backdoor, they were waist deep in rising water. The water was up to their chests at one stage as they left the place. Their cars were washed away. Everything, it seems, in the house will be gone or rubbish. We're going over tomorrow. Wedding photos. Jewellery. Clothes (Peta has 2 PJ pants and a shirt... that's her wardrobe now). Not fun.
Everyone is safe (assumably -- Aaren is out in it -- being firefighter and all, they're evacuating people still...). Well, everyone I know. There are a number of people missing who've been washed off causeways or collapsing bridges. Not to mention the car accidents (there's cars down the bottom of the hill I live on that have water over their windows). It's... chaos.
Some random photos.
Yes, in the picture below, that IS cold wet sand, not picture blur.
So, today has been eventful. Let me start at the beginning.
I went to bed last night at 3am. It was starting to rain. The wind was starting to pick up. At 4am, I was awake. At 5am, I think I'd had 2minutes sleep. By 9am, when a tree down the back fell, and the fire engine woke me up with the loud PA announcement telling people to stay indoors, I think I had about 15minutes sleep. Or at least, it feels that way, still.
So, I got up as I had uni at 11.30 anyway. Bt 10am, there were reports on the radio about a coal ship running aground at our 'favourite' beach, Nobbys. By 10.30, I wrote a nasty email to Fox News abusing them for their disregard of the issue -- 2.5 hours later, they had a reporter from Sydney on scene... I thank my email for that. Why? Because, other than the radio, and a 30second flash on NBN, not one news network mentioned it.
I went to uni. We had our lecture. We had our catered lunch -- roast beef, roast potatos, salad, rice salad, etc... As a bolt of lightning went down on the other side of the building and the thunder ripped through, Chris wound up covered in the rice that was on my fork because I jumped that much as I was watching outside where the bolt came down.
Eventually, we got evacuated (the vice chancellor told us to finish our lunch -- security came and told us off, so we offered them a roast beef breadroll... they weren't amused). Chris and I checked out the bar, which was closed, and for a lecturer who wasn't in.
He tried to take me home, but couldn't. The highway was blocked, etc. Dad got me from Chris' some time later, but eh.
I got home to find that one ship was firmly aground at Nobbys -- it's looking like they won't be able to get it back out to see, so it might be there for good... there's slight concerns for oil spillage, but the shell is sound at present. There's another ship pitching about 500metres off shore off another beach, but they're saying they're fine now at this stage. Another 2 came close and put out distress signals.
I was meant to go out to dinner tonight for Liz's birthday. It got cancelled. Where was I at this time? Running around in rain and gale force winds with my brother -- in water that was up to our knees at point on the road. Trying to fix a few things in his rapidly flooding yard. And checking out an accident to see if they needed help. The water was that cold that, barefoot, within 30seconds your feet would be in intense pain from the cold. We had gumboots on, that by time we were done, were filled with water (which wasn't as cold as the water on the ground... somehow).
We then got a distress call from Mel. She was trapped by flood water. Shane and I spent an hour and a bit getting to her, find a safe way. It's normally a 5minute trip. We got there, got her home.
We got home to find out that Alex's parents had lost their house in the water. They're not quite on the beach. A fair way from it, actually. But in Mereweather. They were in the house, opened the front door as a tidal wave from the overflowing drains came. By time they made it to the backdoor, they were waist deep in rising water. The water was up to their chests at one stage as they left the place. Their cars were washed away. Everything, it seems, in the house will be gone or rubbish. We're going over tomorrow. Wedding photos. Jewellery. Clothes (Peta has 2 PJ pants and a shirt... that's her wardrobe now). Not fun.
Everyone is safe (assumably -- Aaren is out in it -- being firefighter and all, they're evacuating people still...). Well, everyone I know. There are a number of people missing who've been washed off causeways or collapsing bridges. Not to mention the car accidents (there's cars down the bottom of the hill I live on that have water over their windows). It's... chaos.
Some random photos.
Yes, in the picture below, that IS cold wet sand, not picture blur.