After days and days of rain, the water that has washed down the hills and into all the drainage systems is emptying itself into the sea.
The river is brown with the silt that has no chance to settle because of the quick flow of the extra volume.
Here, the river is near the estuary, and the tide is coming in while the river is flowing out. The tide wins though, and backs up the river. It’s quite the battle, with the volume from the extra rainfall pushing against the tide.
On the left side of this photo you can see the top of the retaining wall that is usually visible and dry to a height of about eight feet from the top (I’m guessing), now breached and letting water through.
Here is a closer look. The road is beyond the river, to the left. Comox is on the left side of the river; Courtenay on the right.
On the right side of the river, the trees and shrubs that line the walkway along the riverside are flooded at the moment. Once the water recedes, they should be all right, but the high water level is very close to flooding this parking lot.
I just know that this summer, when we have our heat waves and drought, I’ll wish for some of this excess water to give my petunias a drink.
I hope the darker events of the past year will wash away just as this flooded muddy river will empty itself in the sea, and like the river, our lives will be rejuvenated by fresh spring rains and plenty of happy sunshine.
So as the old year is done, and the new one comes in, I say, “Out with the old, and in with the new.”