Its Alive

Well Grahame got so busy saving Wallaby Creek that he didn’t write another Blog.  So I forgive him for not blogging considering all the hard work he, my brothers and Gary have been doing to get Wallaby Creek salvaged, which has been amazing.

Yesterday was a break though day.  After nearly two weeks of pumping, shoveling and wading through chest high, putrid mud in the hot humid Queensland weather.  Gary the genius diesel mechanic sent me a clip of Wallaby Creeks’ brand new Nanni Diesel engine, which has been submerged for a total of two weeks, through two floods.  Amazingly, the short clip shows the engine running. 

If you are looking for an engine that can take everything that the Burnett river can throw at it, twice, than you cant go past a Nanni! I can’t believe that the engine is running, and by all accounts, its running quite well.

I am not sure on the next move, but for now, my brother James and Gary will be the last remaining members of the salvage team, and they are working their way through the yacht gutting the flood damaged timber from the walls and ceilings.

In the meantime I am looking for somewhere in or near Sydney to keep the yacht, so that I can restore her to her former glory.  If anyone has a space for a 44ft Yacht in their backyard, slipway or paddock, and that I can get access to with a semi trailer, I’d love to hear from you!!!

I am also searching for a truck company that might be able to loan/hire their yacht cradle, low-loader trailer. Or that might need to fill a back load from Bundaberg heading South with a 44ft Yacht.

Length 14m

Beam 3.9m

Height 4m

Weight 15 Tonne

A huge thankyou to Gary! What a legend, he reads my blog and then volunteers two tough weeks of his life to helping me, a complete stranger with a crazy pipe dream and a buggered yacht. 

I’m off to spread some good Karma to a complete stranger, and I reckon you should too! 

Wallaby get a lift from a barg crane

She is finally sitting upright and flying the flag

Gary's mobile workshop, complete with a foam work bench 

Mobile workshop again

The Nanni Diesel engine running after being underwater!!
I am amazed

Recovery of a wet wallaby

Hey followers

Hi im Grahame  ill be blogging on behalf of the recovery team up here from Bundaburg. We arrived in Bundaburg on Saturday the 2nd of march. The fight went smoothly from Sydney to Harvey bay. When we arrived in Harvey Bay there was a shuttle bus waiting there to collect us and drop us at the hotel. On the way we doped a lady just out side of Childers that is when the bus driver prepared the boys and i for what we were walking into he described it as a war zone. (i guess the winner of the war was mother nature)  

      We got to the hotel and freshened up than went for a walk to go to the slipways where we welcomed by Russ (the owner) he was sitting having a beer after a hard day of taking down half of all his walls in his house where the water came to. He sat James Shannon and myself down and had a chat about what we are up her for ....... the salvage of a very wet wallaby creek. He than continued to explain the ordeal he and his partner Larine went through the past month i was nearly in tears. To think that such good people had been dealt such a hard hand. He than he spoke about not falling into the depression of the town and to focuss on the job at hand which is helping my good mate Daniel and the recovery of the wallaby creek. After that we headed back to the hotel to get ready for work in the morning .

   When we woke in the morning we saw that the river had risen a couple of  metres which meant we couldn't reach the wallaby creek safely so we wait and wait. We waited for 2 nervous days while the river levels roes slowly than this morning to our delight we saw that the river levels went down not enough to get started on the recovery.Fingers crossed that we will be able to get started tomorrow...... ill keep you posted and tomorrow ill upload some pictures. Being up here just makes me feel lucky that i have a family at home and a home to go to which is more than most people of north Bundaburg .   

  

Salvage Operation

Well its flooding in Bundaberg again.  This time it seems everyone is uneasy about where it will peak.  The Burnett River keeps rising above its forecasts peaks, and the hardy people of Bundaberg seem to be bracing themselves for what has become a familiar feeling of the uncertain possibility of loss and damage.

Wallaby creek is in the same position that the last flood left her in and she has just gone under water again, as the Burnett River has risen. She is stuck to the riverbank, anchored by tonnes of sand and mud inside her.  She should stay put until the waters subside, but I share the uncertainty of her fait, along with the Bundy people and their homes and livelihoods.

My brothers Shannon, James and mate Grahame have bravely and graciously headed to Bundaberg for me to head up the salvage operation.  They have been in Bundaberg for three days and are staying at the Young Australian pub in North Bundaberg.  They have been anxiously waiting since they arrived in town for the Burnett River to drop. But instead, with torrential and relentless rain, it has defied them, and every few hours, Grahame has walked down to the riverbank to see sticks that he has placed on the edge as a marker, submerged or missing.  The Burnett River keeps rising.

Grahame will be doing a few blog posting for me while he is up in Bundy.  Shortly, Grahame will be joined by another fellow called Gary.  Gary found my blog on the web and has volunteered his help, in restoring my lovely new Nanni Diesel engine.  I am touched that he got in touch with me.  He has been very helpful, and proactive, in organizing Wallaby Creeks salvage. 

My thoughts go to Russ and Lorraine from the Slipways, who have been affected so catastrophically from the last three floods, in the space of two years.  Selflessly they are more worried about their staff, and have been finding them jobs to do in their house, to keep them in wages.  They are lovely people, and the support that they have given me over the last two years, I will never forget.

The plan for the salvage, I will let Grahame explain.  However the after plan for Wallaby Creek will depend on the yacht engine and its state.  There are two ways forward from here.

1. Steam back under motor to Sydney, find a hard stand, haul out and start again, or.
2. Truck Wallaby Creek to Sydney, find a work site, and start again.

I’ve already been in touch with an old Rugby/ Uni mate Jack Lopez, from Lopez Trucking, and I’m waiting to hear back on the feasibility of option 2.

Either way, It all depends on the hard work that my mates and brothers are putting in for me at the moment.  This adventure is far from over for me, and already far from being a Solo Adventure.  But to be honest, I don’t think any adventures are truly solo.

Stay tuned (here) for Grahame's Blogs, and check out Grahame's Facebook for picture of the flood.

Wallaby Creek Update

My mate Ash, took some shots of Wallaby, for me.  Ash has survived the floods on his yacht, and is back in the middle of the river on his mooring.  He went out in his dinghy the other day for me and took these shots of Wallaby from the river.

She is not looking too good.  Looks like the hand rails have gone, as well as the Solar panels, Wind Generator, and the most horrible, is the noted absents of her mast, self furling head sail and boom.

I cant imagine the pressure it must have taken to de-mast her.  It is terifying .

Word from the slipways is that we still cant access her yet.  As you can see from the pictures she is still in a precarious place, and safe access is still not possible.  I just hope that the water stay around the engine, until we can get to it and try and repair the damage, before  rust sets in.

It is tough thinking about what to do next.  Part of me is thinking about selling her for what little she might be worth, and starting again with another boat, in a while when I have time and money.  But part of me wants to repair her and see her floating again.  The only thing I am sure on is that rebuilding will take lots more time and money.

Not sure what to do??

Thanks Ash for the pics!

Wallaby lying down without her mast

At least the paint is still shining

The slipway and sheds destroyed

View from the water

Wet Wallaby Found!

News just in from, Lorraine.

Wallaby Creek has been spotted somewhere near the slipways.  News is still very vague, but she was spotted lying in a hole in the ground, somewhere near where she was previously seen. The Army has still restriced access to most of North Bundaberg, which means it will be a wee while yet before we can get to her. Lets hope she is structurally ok, and that I can get to the engine asap.

Spoke to a lovely bloke yesetrday called Gary, he emailed me, out of the blue, offering help and advice about Wallabies engine rescue.  Thanks for reaching out Gary, I'll chat to you soon.

Well done Wallaby for hanging in there. I cant wait to see what she looks like.

Wheres Wallaby?

The reality of losing Wallaby Creek in the 2013 Burnett River flood has sunk in. 

It has been a tough few days emotionally.  I have been running through a lot of "what ifs" in my mind, which I have finally put to rest.  I spent the first few days working through a lot of negative (but also valid) emotions and I have thankfully started to focus on the positives of my situations.  I have prepared myself for the worst case scenario of not being able to find Wallaby, or that she might be damaged beyond repair, and I strangely feel ok with that.  I have decided to focus on the good things that she has brought me, which when I think hard about, has inadvertently brought me all of the good things that I have in my life to date.  So for the purposes of thinking positively I have listed the following positives that I have gained from Wallaby Creek, where ever she is, at the moment.

· I know lots more about boats now!

oI can weld better

oI know more about diesel engines

oI understand electrical systems

oI can Navigate at sea

oI understand boat fuel systems

oI know how to spray paint

oI have learnt lots of cool carpentry tricks, Like the poor man’s plane (an angle grinder)

oI have learnt more about water and plumbing systems

· I have got to work with my hands lots more, which I really love

· She has given me a project to concentrate on, (concentration is not one of my strong points)

· I got to spend a heap of time with my dad and brothers, all of whom I feel more connected to now.

· I have met the most amazing people in Bundaberg and have lots of new friends, (which I am worried about at the moment).

· I have met lots of new yatchie mates, who have taught me patience, simplicity and ingenuity.

· I have got to spend a lot of time with my mate Graham, who has been a great bloke to hang around.

· I got to explore Bundaberg and its beautiful waterways from my kayak.  Places like has Kolong and Burnett River estuaries.

· I know I can build something from nothing, and I feel like I can  start again

· She has given me something to write about in my blog, and has given me a sense of progress in relation to my expedition.

· She has allowed not only me, but all those who have worked on her, to develop a sense of achievement.

· I have learnt the importance of keeping track of my finances, and reading the fine print in insurance policies!!!!!!!

· Working on her has been dam good fun, and a great excuse to be living in Queensland and to have a beer at the end of the day!

So thats it for me with the negative thoughts, Wallaby has been a good experience, which Im hoping will continue, all the way to Heard Island and back.  I just need to find where that bloody flood has put her?

Burnett River Flood

The Burnett River peaked last night, at a record level, and with water flowing as fast as 40knots, it is amazing that more people where not killed and that the entire town did not disapear.

I just got off the phone with Russ, the owner of the slipways.  Both him and Lorraine are safe, but their house went under.  Russ reckons that the entire boat yard has been destroyed and has disappeared including Wallaby Creek.

I chatted with Ash yesterday and he told me a few funny stories about the things he has seen floating past him, as he has been anchored in a safe part of the river just upstream of the Port.

I haven't heard from Mick yet but they all say that despite his house going under, he and Brenda are fine.

I have chatted with lots of friends in Bundy over the last few days and the amazing thing is that they are all worried about someone else.  They all tell me funny, scary or amazing stories about what they have seen and experienced and quite often laugh about it. The truly touching thing is that they all say that there are many others worse off and that them, and that they are "worried about so and so because they don't have anything left".  The clean up will be tough, and I think that the recovery will be a long and slow one.  Which brings into perspective, my small loss and the "pain in the arse" factor associated with having to start again.

Wallaby Creek was last seen underwater, against the slipways cradle, which according to Russ might be a good thing, as the cradle is anchored to the ground with a steel cable.  If she has stayed put against the cradle, than it will make recovery a lot easier.

Peter Collins from Nanni Diesel gave me a lot of advice on the phone yesterday about how to deal with the the insurance company, as well as  how to attempt to recover my brand new Nanni Diesel Engine.  He says that with the recovery of the engine, time is critical.  As soon as the engine is above water I need to take the injectors off and fill it all with diesel to prevent rust.

I think I have hit a dead end with insurance company.  It was such a frustrating realisation to come to, that by  not reading the policy statement on renewal, and by not keeping a watch on my bank debits,  it looks like the policy has lapsed and I am not covered for anything.  I never liked the concept of insurance, because I think that it stops people taking responsibility for themselves. However I do agree that in some situations it is practical, and unfortunately this would have been one of those situations!

Everyone around me has been offering me help and I am very thankful to them for that.  I have had lots of offers from my family and friends to go up and help in Bundaberg, which I am all too happy to accept.  The next step is to wait for the flood waters to drop and then to find Wallaby and save what I can.  Like everyone else in Bundy, I need to get moving on the clean up and then try and start again.

P.S. if anyone has any tips about marine diesel engine recovery, Id love to hear from you!

Cheers
Daniel