Letters 6 January 2012
The flood
These are just a few words to express our gratitude to the community for all the generosity, help and support through the aftermath of the devastating event in Ligar Bay which left us struggling to pick up the pieces and wondering where we go from here. In particular we would like to thank Mary and Alan Swafford for letting us stay at their lighthouse until we were able to sort out temporary acommodation.
Our long-term plans are uncertain. Our immediate reaction was to “get the hell out of here”, but realising what a supportive community there is here, that has changed. It is not something we have met before and would be loathe to lose. Thank you again Golden Bay, we love you.
Hagen and Jane Jurke
The flood
On Monday 19 December our home was “red stickered” and we were given two hours’ notice to leave.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to all who helped move our treasures and belongings: Reto, Vera, Rutha, Christian from Sans Souci Inn, Wendy and Wouter de Maat, Arthur Clarence, Andy Clark, Laurence Boomert, Hank Finney, our Abbey, Ken and Janet (who not only helped but opened their home to us), Brent and Del (Top 10) who helped with accommodation and a truck, Petra (Pohara hall) who guided people our way, Chambo and Mark who helped clear our driveway. Anyone missed, sorry, and thanks also.
Golden Bay shows its true spirit again!
Anne-Marie and Barrie Gilligan
The flood
To the wonderful community of Golden Bay, Chris, the girls and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the love and support we have received in the wake of the recent floods. It is overwhelming to receive such generosity and sometimes hard to know what to say, “thank you” does not seem enough.
We are feeling a certain wonder, freedom and moments of sadness in what has unfolded but mostly grateful that no one was harmed and constantly encouraged by the ongoing efforts from the community. Our deepest appreciation to all the wonderful Fulton Hogan/Sollys/Downers/local digger contractors/tradesmen who continue through long and hard hours to restore and prevent further damage, council and Community Support Services for immediate and transparent responses, the Onetahua Marae Whanau for opening your doors to us all. There have also been numerous individuals who have given gifts and these have touched us deeply.
We continue to experience this as a big hit of “priority” against all the stuff that is encrusted in silt. May we never forget that people and relationships are what really matters and that these times test but make us stronger together.
The Udell family
The flood
Overwhelming is a word which comes to mind in light of the recent deluge which consumed our peaceful valley and adjacent areas. Overwhelming for the devastation it caused and for the response to our plight from folk who turned up with shovels and wheelbarrows or sent food/baking which helped feed the workers; those stationed at the Pohara hall, some of whom had disasters of their own; and all the contractors who worked long hours to restore our roading, sewage and water systems. Personal thanks to Dick Lamb Contracting for the diligence and determination to get the culverts cleared, the river off the road and safely away from our house; and Chris Udell who has put in long hours working on the water supply despite his personal loss.
Special mention also to our first response friends the Earle family who cleaned up the sludge from our workshop/studio; Paul Kilgour and Wayne Rothwell who dug our car out; the DOC workers who helped dig the garage out and the Trim/Wells family for taking the paintings away to clean them. A big thank you to the Onetahua Marae for providing shelter and sustenance to those who needed it.
We thank them all sincerely for making our overwhelming cleanup task seem possible.
Jenny and Geoff Heath, Haile Lane
Cancelled quiz
Golden Bay High School Home and School Association usually runs Quiz Night at Pohara Hall in the first week of January. Due to the devastating events of the past week we have decided to postpone til later in the year. Our love and thoughts go out to all those affected and please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help.
Caroline Jones, Chair GBHS H&S
The flood
On Friday 16 December, after two nights trapped on the Takaka side of the Birds slip, I was happy to hear DOC had cleared a track which I could cross to get home to some clean clothes and a good night’s rest in my own bed. I loaded up with supplies, called family to arrange a pick up and made my way to the track. Halfway up I was confronted by a woman telling me to turn around and go back. Her rationale was it was an occupational health and safety danger and I might sue her if I fell. What a load of crock. I would never do this myself and don’t know any people that would.
Krishna Manson
Beyond the call of duty
All of us on the other side of the Takaka River thank Brandon, our postie, for his heroic efforts to get the mail through. He carried it by foot over hill and dale, through electric fences and muddy slippery steep surfaces to bring us the mail. Brandon for Prime Minister!!
The RD2 Folk
The flood
The loss of Hwy 60 out of Takaka due to storm slips has clearly caught those of us west of the township by surprise, discovering that there is no alternative access by motor vehicle. This incident has also caught the TDC by surprise by discovering they have no backup systems in place for such an isolation of the community west of the Takaka River.
There should be available a vessel of some sort that could bring basic food stuffs from the harbour at Pohara to the dock at Collingwood (high tide nessary).
The use of private land as emergency 4WD access, denying those of us with such vehicles use of this privilege, is understood. However council may look at doing a deal with landowners as a future alternative as just about all of us living here have a 4WD vehicle, especially farmers.
The dumping of thousands of litres of milk is regrettable and one wonders if Fonterra had ever thought of how they would deal with isolation of nearly 50 farms.
I hope TDC has a plan for future loss of Hwy 60 if only a permanent gravel road can be created or a Baily Bridge over the Takaka River downstream. Climate change will produce more of these summer downpours over Golden Bay.
Reg Turner
Thanks to the roadmen
It slipped, it slid away, far down away. Down so far, no road at all, the bush claimed back its own to mud, deep deep down and gone, slip-sliding road no more.
Then men, strong men, you guys came up and looked and so cut the bush back, working with all your might through mud and rock and slush. And know she’ll hold, hold fast you guys!
And hey, do you see now where nothing was but one big hole is come a road!
Hey you guys, you’ve given us back our road. Gee thanks. Yea thanks a million!
Penny Challis
Pohara flood relief fund
A big thanks to everyone who put money in the hat at The Black Spots’ market gig on Christmas Eve. We raised $140 for the Pohara flood relief fund. Happy New Year from The Black Spots.
Kate and Betsy Blasdale and Holly and Stacey Johnson
Pohara Beach Fun Run
After the recent devastation to the Bay the Athletics Committee made the hard decision to postpone the fun run and let people concentrate on collecting themselves or helping others in need. On 19 December a request to change the advert was made; unfortunately it didn’t happen due to the GB Weekly’s Christmas shut down. Postponement notices were on all radio stations and posters were put around the area, if you happened to turn up on the day we apologise for the inconvenience.
The fun run is now scheduled for 28 January and we aim to give you a quality event as we have done in the past, registration is from 5-5.45pm.
A notice will be put in The GB Weekly shortly. If you are a holiday maker, it will be a great time to re-visit the Bay as the weather is sure to be better. We hope to see you all there for a great time.
Takaka Athletics Club
Trash Palace
A reminder to the public that we do not accept computers, TVs and broken toys. We are very disappointed with the amount of unsellable goods and clothing being left on our doorstep. This has meant we have paid over $2,000 in rubbish removal, which is money that could have been donated back into our community.
We would like to end our grumble with a huge thankyou for the ongoing support of all the clean incoming goods.
All the best for 2012 from the Trash Palace ladies.
Nikita Meares, treasurer
Recent flood, global warming?
Of the greenhouse gases, water vapour accounts for 95 per cent; 99.999 per cent of water vapour is of natural origin which humans cannot alter.
Carbon dioxide is about 380 parts per million (ppm) now and was about 2000 ppm way back in the late Palaeocene/early Eocene periods, millions of years before man arrived on the scene.
We can do absolutely nothing about the 95 per cent of the greenhouse effect which is attributable to water vapour. Our human activity contributes only 0.28 per cent to the greenhouse effect; that’s one in every three hundred and sixty parts or like trying to impact a whole year by only getting out of bed for one day that year.
Don’t take my word for it; take a look at http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/greenhouse_data.html or http://www.climaterealists.org.nz/node/601
The sun is the single most important driver of our climate. The only constant about earth’s climate is that it is always changing.
Man’s pollution of the atmosphere, land, rivers and oceans in pursuit of profit is utterly deplorable. What is even more deplorable is the emerging “trade” in emissions which is costing us money each and every day here in New Zealand, and making a few rich money men even richer.
Bruce Collings
