I have often watched news reports about flooding and the destruction it leaves in its wake in wide eyed wonder, but I never fully understood just how powerful this force of nature can be.  On Sunday afternoon and night I got to experience this first hand.

I was visiting my boyfriend in Badplaas.  Thunderstorms were predicted and it started getting really dark around 15h00.  I was on the golf course thinking that I’d try and get a few shots of the lightening when the heavens suddenly opened up.  It took me less than a minute to get under cover, but in that time I was drenched to the bone.

Water about 15cm deep on grass next to bar

It rained really hard and within about 15 minutes the grass area alongside the bar was completely flooded.  I was fascinated and took a few photos of the water.

I then walked to the entrance of the restaurant and the water was washing over the retaining wall of the parking area towards the entrance door.  It was literally a small waterfall.  Again fascinated I took some photos.

Water flowing over retaining wall at parking area towards entrance

Then I went back through the restaurant and walked out to the stoep area where the golf cars are parked.  I saw the water flowing from the small dam, over the road and down the waterfall on the other side.  I thought it looked quite good and took a few more photos.

Road from club house to 1st Tee Box, water flowing "gently" over it

I then went back inside and got my son something to eat and drink and settled him in front of the TV while we waited for the storm to pass.  About 10 minutes after I settled him I went back out to the stoep and the water that was “flowing” over the road was now gushing about a foot deep over the road.  We could no longer see the poles that marked the edge of the road as the water was flowing over it.

Water almost 1 meter deep flowing over road to 1st Tee

I heard loud “cracking” noises and looked to my left.  The banana tree that was at the top of the ravine above the swimming pool and lapa area came crashing down through the small dam and over the road and down the waterfall.  I was in shock.  This could not be happening, this was dangerous.  Above the ravine was the big dam.  If that burst it’s banks it would take about 5 seconds for the water to reach the club house and we’d all be dead in an instant.

I grabbed my son, literally tied him to me, put a plastic bag over my camera and headed out to the lapa to see the extent of the water flow.  I needed to decide if we should risk the lightening in order to avoid being washed away by flood waters.  The ravine next to the lapa and swimming pool is about 2 ½ to 3 meters deep.  The water that flows through it is filtered through trees, bushes and reeds and is normally barely even flowing.  Mostly it is stagnant.  What I saw was a raging torrent of water less than a foot from the top of the wall that separates the lapa and pool from the ravine.  This was fast, raging, swirling, angry water, flowing as if it had the devil himself chasing it.  In this water there were rocks, and trees flowing as though they were props made from polystyrene.  The ground beneath my feet was trembling under the sheer forces of nature.  Now I was scared.  It had taken less than an hour for the water level to rise over 2 meters.  My mind was in turmoil about the possiblities and scenarios that could play out.  None of them had any of us surviving.

In full force, next to the lapa

Water level now almost 3 meters deep next to lapa

I took a few photos and headed back to the safety of the lodge. There was nothing we could do.  We could not get out.  Not even the bakkie could get through the raging waters safely.  L went out in the TLB and started scooping out large chunks of the ground to try and guide the water flow away from the lodge.

There was no sign of the rain stopping.  The thunder and lightening was now non stop.  We had to shout to be heard.  It was getting worse.

Then the electricity went out. It is one thing hearing rushing waters and watching where it flows.  But it is entirely another matter when you hear the weather and water but you cannot see anything.  I walked to the restaurant entrance again and was suddenly ankle deep in water.  This was NOT supposed to happen.  We found some candles and lit those.

This carried on until about 22h00 that night.  I don’t think I have ever been so scared in my life.  Even when I had a window blow out of the aircraft at 10 000 feet, and when we had a full flap failure on landing I wasn’t this scared.  This thunderstorm scared the living daylights out of me.

My only thoughts were for my son.  I had to keep him with me.  I could not let him out of my sight.  No matter what happened I had to keep him tied to me so that we could not be separated.  No matter what happened, I’d keep hold of my child.

At about 22h30 the downpour eventually subsided to a light rain.  L went outside to assess damage and to try and fix water pipes.  During the storm, the water pipes that had been laid about 4 feet underground, had been unearthed and all the joints had been broken.  There was now no water supply to the lodge.  At about 23h00 I felt it was safe enough to leave my now sleeping son, alone in the bedroom and head outside to see if I could help L.  He was working in the rain by the light of the TLB trying to fix water pipes to restore the water supply to the lodge.  There was nothing for me to do, so I walked to the lapa to see if I could see anything.  It was flooded.  The pool that was blue and sparkling that morning was now a mud bath.  The reeds and trees that had once blocked the view of the waterfall (which we wanted to chop down so we could enjoy the view) were now gone.  All vegetation in the ravine and small dam had either washed away or was totally flattened.

Midnight - where 2 hours earlier there was a raging torrent

L got the water restored and we eventually went inside to shower and get to bed at about 01h00.  We woke up at 05h30 after a restless night and got up to see the damage in the daylight.  The devastation and destruction was frightening.  The fact that we survived unscathed and the water did not wash the buildings away is nothing short of a miracle.  L built the place himself, and all I can say is that he did a damm good job.

Road to 1st Tee next morning at 5h30

05h30, water restored to normal levels

A light pole snapped & washed away

When I left there this morning it took me 45 minutes to navigate the dirt road.  Normally it takes me around 10 minutes to drive that road.  There were trees that had fallen over and parts of the road had washed away.  When I got to the low water bridge, there were whole trees that had lodged up against it.  I had to drive on the extreme left of the bridge (which is only wide enough to take one car at a time) in order to avoid the branches of the trees.  The water was still flowing quite quickly and I wasn’t ready to risk stopping to take a photo of that too.  I’d had enough excitement, and not even the opportunity of a “good shot” was enough to make me stop. I was headed home and NOTHING was going to stop me getting there.

But, since I am writing this blog post, you all know that we made it out of there safely and are now home.  I am so grateful that no one was hurt and that no one lost their home or their livelihood.  It could so easily have been different.

L called me at lunch time to say that it had started raining again.  I just pray that they will all be safe there tonight.