By Serena Aubrey
January 13, 2010
Comox Valley volunteers are to be commended for their civic minded activities when flooding threatens our community.
Last week I was walking down the estuary path, past the marina, when I saw a Kodiak style boat being loaded back up on a trailer, pulled by a truck that had COMOX VALLEY GROUND SEARCH & RESCUE emblazoned on its sides.
Curious, I thought maybe someone had fallen into the river and a tragedy was unfolding with a possible horrid outcome. I asked the young man loading the boat if they were on a rescue or if they were just on a training exercise. Surprisingly, he said that no, they were out picking up debris that had been swept down the river by the rising waters. Things like propane tanks, picnic tables, garbage cans, shopping carts.
Things, ordinary people like myself, don't even think could happen. I did watch a seal clipping along in the current and thought to myself, my he certainly does not have to put much effort into his swimming today. I gave absolutely no thought to the possibility that maybe he was keeping his head above water to try and dodge a propane tank missile, or maybe a picnic table that would slam into him and twist his sleek body into a broken victim of the flooding.
