Sunday 14 March 1982
The boat crew spent an uncomfortable night on the river bank with only a large tarpaulin for shelter. With no-one wanting to sleep in and no breakfast dishes to wash, it was an early start towards Goondiwindi.
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- Some people look their best in the morning, some do not.
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- The boat ramp at our Texas camp site.
Just downriver from Texas the noise of the boats disturbed a colony of fruit bats. They took to the air in their thousands, screeching their disapproval at the intrusion into their territory. Fruit bats cause great problems to the local farmers.
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- Fruit bats.
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- Despite the privations of the previous night it’s all smiles from navigator Roly.
The Boat Crews decided that Cunningham Weir, at 3.5 metres high with 1.5 metre stoppers at the bottom, was just a little too high to jump. This is another stepped weir. Farther downriver Glenarbon Weir, about one metre high and not quite a sheer drop, was a much easier proposition.
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- Cunningham Weir
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- Carrying the boats around Cunningham Weir.
After much difficulty the crew in Escort managed to get through to Glenarbon and deliver food and fuel to the boat crews. The crew in the bus were able to move out of Yelarbon by 11.00 a.m. and head towards Goondiwindi.
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- Two at a time over Glenarbon Weir.
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- One boat managed to jump back up Glenarbon Weir.
As the boats approached the Macintyre River Junction the water level rose markedly. It was almost a banker, being the peak of the highest floods since 1976.
The boat crews reached Goondiwindi around 1.00 p.m. and set about hauling the boats up steep banks. Hot and very humid conditions didn’t help.
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- Escort was used to haul the boats up the bank at Goondiwindi.
The bus crew arrived in Goondiwindi about twenty minutes after the boats. As the next access for vehicles was uncertain, due to flooding, it was decided to make the overnight stop at Goondiwindi Caravan Park, not far from the centre of town and within easy access of the boats.
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- The boats were hauled up out of the river to where we were camping at Goondiwindi.
DAY 2 – SUMMARY OF PROGRESS
| Departed Texas Bridge | 0719 | ||
| Cunningham Weir | 0827 | ||
| Departed Cunningham Weir | 0900 | ||
| Glenarbon Weir | 0920 | ||
| Departed Glenarbon Weir | 0941 | ||
| Gelorbon (Fuel stop) | 1008 | ||
| Departed Gelorbon | 1040 | ||
| Keetah Bridge | 1053 | ||
| Macintyre River Junction | 1209 | ||
| Goondiwindi (overnight) | 1259 | ||
| DETAILS | CURRENT | PREVIOUSLY | ACCUMULATED |
| Running Time | 4 hours 00 mins | 2 hours 55 mins | 6 hours 55mins |
| Refuelling | 32 mins | 49 mins | 1 hour 21 mins |
| Delays | 1 hr 08 mins | 36 mins | 1 hour 44mins |
| TOTAL TIME | 5 hours 40 mins | 4 hours 20 mins | 10 hours 00mins |
| Distance | 129 kilometres | 79 kilometres | 208 kilometres |
| Average Speed | 32.3 kmh | 27.1 kmh | 30.1 kmh |
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