I received a call from Steve O’hara
(big red) "Matthew I want to get
the boys together and do some JET BOATING"
So after some phone calls by Steve and
emails by myself a bunch of boaters
assembled on the boat ramp at Brooklyn
a few days later, including our first
time jet boaters Dietrich and Ursula.
We had an excellent turnout with 5 boats
for this impromptu rally. Simon in the
Gemini 4.4l/752, another new member
in Craig’s old boat Greg in J32/302ci/752,
Ryan in Lewis 4.4l/773, Dietrich and
Ursula in Sportjet Mercury V4 and myself
in Hamilton J151a 383ci/212. Every boat
had a full crew of family, friends,
mates, neighbors and the like, too many
to list. The crew of masses would very
useful during the day as much pushing
of boats off skinny bars was carried
out!
We first headed up Murra Murra ck on
a very low tide indeed, big red did
not make it past the shallow mouth to
Murra and the rest followed further
as we meandered from bank to bank finding
the deeper water, pumping sand along
the way. We finally came to rest by
the bank upstream from the old orchid,
Ryan ventured further on, much to the
dismay of a fisherman who had just walked
across the river! We heard the V8 roar
as he disappeared around the bend, a
minute later the roar stopped dead!
After a little while I headed up to
take as look, it was very skinny and
as I rounded a corner was greeted by
Yogi standing in ankle deep water pointing
to a channel barely a few feet wide,
I skimmed past Yogi and found a hole
knee deep further upstream and stopped
with the reverse bucket down. Ryan was
preparing to go further, whilst I pushed
my boat to the back of the hole and
quickly took off back to the others.
We heard Ryan’s boat a few times only
and eventually they returned 45minutes
later, very hot and exhausted from pushing,
the big smile meant that they also had
a great time! With a couple of pushes
all boats where out of Murra Murra and
we headed for Piles Creek.
A fast run up Mooney, on water as smooth
as glass, and we where soon skimming
up Piles creek. At one point whilst
in the lead I remember thinking I really
do hope I find a hole very soon as we
were in mere inches of water bank to
bank, then at last a place to stop.
3 boats made it to the hole and Simon
and Big Red where high n dry some 300
meters back.
We stopped here for lunch, it was not
long before Simon and Ryan ventured
up one very skinny channel for some
200m pumping the river bottom the whole
way! Both made it back and had to clear
their heat exchangers, great to watch
and made for exciting video.
What a great day out it was, some adventure
boating with plenty of people to push!
If you want to join in on impromptu
days out like this, or just be part
of a crew, be sure to make your interest
known to Simon and myself or stay tuned
on the email.
Video
