Safetosea

Someone recently described the situation here in Queensland as 'Biblical'.

Though not a religious type I'd have to say "amen' to that.

An area way bigger than Texas is under flood and having seen yesterday the Brisbane River at its peak the concept of a tsunami hitting the towns in the city hinterland was catalysed in my mind, as even the most monumental TV images sometimes need direct experience to drive home the impact.

On our return to Brisbane on Monday we knew something was in the air, the subsequent downpours once in a lifetime sights. Massive amounts of water cascading down with visibility reduced to a hundred meters or so at times. Flash floods wiped out towns, many killed, many more missing, tales of personal disaster and true heroism intermingled and interchangeable too.

The one that sticks in my mind is a young lad who told a rescuer to take his little brother first as he, his brother and mother clung to a pole. He and his Mum were lost, the stricken younger brother pleading with rescuers to go back and get his Mum and brother just before they were swept away. It puts the concept of sporting heroism into perspective as the true heroes do things so beyond themselves and yet when asked the response is always 'I just did it" as if there were no other alternative.

My family and most I know managed to avoid all this, being placed in a higher part of Brisbane, and lucky stars must be thanked as Dad holds on too, rallying sometimes, amazingly, but faltering more and more often, too.

Because I've been 'marooned', all roads out being cut and my way south a no go for days, I've enjoyed the time with Dad and family, but I do need to get back as a living needs to be won.

Today was to be the drive out, a route is clear but I can't make myself.

One more day, for Dear Old Dad.

I can see myself flying north again soon, and I don't relish that flight one iota.

You have to give it to him though. Just the other day, skeletal bag of bones that he is, he pipes up and says..." I don't want to be seen as a man dying of cancer. I want to be seen as a recovering stroke victim."

The old bugger keeps doing it too us. A combination of choke up and inspiration.

Don't concern yourself with the things you can't change. Work on the things you can.

Pics. A shot of flooding near the Brisbane River that does no justice to what it felt like, it really had to be seen, and yesterday's Dad, when I asked him to "frown, and look mean".

PS: Surfing? What's that?