That sinking feeling
26 September 2008
Noosa Coastguard has been busy pumping water out of a sinking houseboat on Noosa River, and not for the first time in the houseboat’s colourful history.
The owner called for help when one pontoon began filling with water and Coastguard crews brought in a salvage pump at about 8am on Tuesday to remove water as fast as it was filling.
By mid-morning the rear of the vessel had filled with water and Coastguard crews at the scene said it was fortunate the boat was only metres from shore and not moored in the river like so many other houseboats.
Gloria Bruzzone from the Noosa Coastguard said they hoped the outgoing tide would assist in finding where the pontoon was leaking and begin repairs, but by mid afternoon they had given up.
“It started taking water and by the time he found out it was a little under water,” Gloria said. “We had to give up because the river was rising and the water kept coming back in. We couldn’t find where the leak was.”
The owner was not at the scene but it is believed he was in the process of renovating the houseboat. It is believed the boat sank on at least one other occasion about two years ago.
Houseboat resident Lynie Gorrow said the boat had sunk a number of times during the six years she had lived on the river.
She said she had “given up” being a look-out for owners who left their boats unattended for weeks at a time.
“I keep an eye on everything that’s sinking,” she said.
Attempts were made to refloat the $50,000 vessel on Wednesday night, but it began to sink again shortly after.
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