WATSON PLACE FLOODED

[Rob Stevens]

   Allison and I were in the Glades around Christmas this year and were in for a little surprise. Around 3 in the morning the tide came up through the limestone. High tide at the mouth of the Chatham River was supposed to be at 1:15. We arrived around 2 in the afternoon. and the current was still running in quite strongly after 2. High tide was 3.5' We we arrived I thought the pier were floats because the water was quite high. 

   I set the tent up about the middle of the site up and down the river and as far back from the river as the site allowed. Allison and I have gotten sort of soft and now have a 6" thick air mattress. When we put our books down and clothes they go alongside the mattress. Around 3 I got up to pee and when I put my hand outside the tent it's in a couple inches of water. Our books and clothes were soaked. High tide at the mouth was listed as being at 11:30 and 4.9'. If I hadn't gotten up then it would be quite a mystery as to why our books and clothes were wet.

    Now for the real importance of this post. There was a Dane living in Greenland early 1900's and he was working with some Greenlanders, including infants, on the west side of Hudson's Bay. When the job was done they decided to walk back to northern Greenland. Crossing from Ellesmere Island to Greenland a 2 day storm came up and they ended up jumping from ice flow to ice flow losing everything. What endangered their lives was not the lose of guns and fishing gear. What endangered their lives was the lose of their sewing equipment. The Dane had his frozen leg amputated  because of a silver dollar size hole in his pants.

    How does that affect us in the Glades? Sunset to Sunrise in the tent with nothing to read? More dangerous than a boa stuck with Al and nothing to read.