|
A group of 18 people, including football stars Michael Gardiner and Ben Cousins, had a harrowing time onboard a houseboat during Sunday's savage storm. Andrea Bolten, who was on the boat at the time, recalls waves 'as tall as a man' lashing the boat in open water near Elephant Rock. At first, those onboard saw the storm and thought it would go around them. As it came closer, the wind started to pick up spray from the water and all members of the group moved inside the boat. "The children started to get frightened as the rain started to pelt down and the boat was hit by wind and waves," Andrea said. "It felt like being in a washing machine. |
"Looking out the window, you couldn't even see the barbecue and that was only one metre away." The group became more frightened as the awning on the top deck was destroyed and hail began to pelt the boat. The children and some of the adults put on lifejackets. "It felt like the boat was going to topple over every time a wave hit us and it began taking on water; you could feel it under the lino on the floor." Three other boats, tied off to the houseboat, were crashing into it and eventually the anchor wouldn't hold it any more. With adults huddled praying over frightened children, the houseboat was driven ashore near the racecourse. |
"I've never been so scared for people's physical safety in my life," Andrea said. "I knew we weren't going to die; I trusted in God to save our lives. "Most of us thought it was going to go over and I remember thinking about where was the best place to have the children so that they could escape and how far we would have to throw them to get them clear of the boat." Members of the group were also kept busy stopping draws from coming out and the fridge from toppling over. Eventually the storm subsided and one of the boats in tow was used to tow the houseboat down stream. Owner Darren Spackman's early estimate of damage to the houseboat was in the vicinity of $20,000.
|