Newsletter

This newsletter is not updated on a regular schedule,
but when there's news, you'll find it here.

The Flood of '05

After two very rainy summers ('03 & '04), we were looking
forward to a drier '05. Then the worst flood in 100 years hit us.
Bolivar/NTR Canoe Livery was in 15-20 feet of water
for over three weeks.

Matilda and Big Bertha, two of our transport busses drowned.
They went without oxygen for three weeks and also suffered
from hypothermia. Matilda is and will be the legend of the flood.
She made local and national news (Fox & Today) as
everyone watched her go under. Everyone was watching
except my daughter (Staci) and I. We were spending the
holidays with family down south and did not have time for TV.
No one in Bolivar knew where we were. By the time we
were tracked down, it was too late.
Who would have expected a flood in January?

When we arrived home, our phone answering machine
was full of offers of help with the future clean up.
We scheduled the clean up for April 2 come rain,
snow or shine (no flood). We got over 30 people in the
freezing rain and snow. We turned it into a party and a thank
you for the help. We had food, "I Survived the Flood"
t-shirts, and discount canoe passes for the '05 season.
Everyone worked and played hard that day.
The Canoe Livery is almost back to normal. The electricity
should be up and running by the time you read this.
Our cash register was destroyed so everything will be
handled through our database.
This will be a more efficient system.

Some amazing survivors were the microwave and
refrigerator in the office. Many of the power tools work,
but some will have to be replaced.

We still have Adeline (airport transport van).
She will start out the season as our transport vehicle.
We will purchase another large bus later in the season.

We'll have a flood display in Matilda this summer.

Lets hope for a SUNNY, DRIER summer!

Ann Swain
Bolivar/NTR Canoe Livery