REVISIT HARDABUT

Everything was loaded for the Monday trip home.  On the way the Team called into Hardabut Rapids to see Mike’s boat.  The water level had dropped considerably.  The flow of water through the rapid had decreased markedly.  Even though the power of the water was reduced the Rapids were still awesome in extent.

"Giant of a river.”  -  Tay Overstone.

Mike and Cameron were out of The Bus before it was even parked.  After a short time looking for his boat, Mike could not see it and walked away, obviously disappointed.

Cameron persevered and spotted the boat quite a distance down river from its previous position.  It was free, upright and being held in position by the throw rope jammed between rocks. Cameron, Scott and Kim Thorson volunteered to retrieve the rig.

Adrian’s boat and Tay’s 10hp motor were lowered down a near-vertical cliff to a quieter section of the river.

Though four days from the peak of the flood, the flow of the water was still more powerful than what would be encountered in southern rivers.

Cameron’s request for a spare fuel tank was ignored and, had it not been, may have made the recovery quicker and easier (but perhaps more risky).  The three jumped into the boat and took off at an angle downstream.  Kim was dropped at a rock island part way to where Mike’s boat was stranded.