Balaklava locals are once again gearing up for the annual Ski for Life event, with Martin Bond and his team preparing to tackle the Murray in support of a worthy cause. Ski for Life raises funds for rural mental health and suicide prevention.
I caught up with Bondy last week just as final preparations were underway. Ski for Life brings together 40 speed boats and 400 people to ski the Murray River from Murray Bridge to Renmark, a total distance of 456km.
Skiers travel in teams of three behind each boat, rotating throughout the journey. Bondy is quick to point out he’s “just the driver”, but as anyone involved knows, getting a crew safely and smoothly up the river is no small task.
This year, the Bond camp is running two boats. Locals taking part include Martin, Sheralyn, Madison and Sianna Bond, along with Derek, Gaynor, Brock, Jed and Nate Hore.
There is unfinished business too. Last year, Balaklava physio Darren Davey came heartbreakingly close to completing the full distance solo across the three-day event.
Darren managed 455.8km before falling just 200 metres short of the finish. This year he is back, determined to conquer the entire distance with his team, The Salties.
Adding further inspiration this year, Bondy’s team, the Malibu M8’s, has engaged the support of Ben Pettingill and Mike Rolls as part of their Mates on a Mission program.
Pettingill, who is blind, and Rolls, who has no legs (lost to Meningococcal Septicemia resulting from a footy trip and survived the odds of only five per cent), are powerful advocates for resilience and inclusion, and supporters of the Ski for Life event.
The pair will spend a week in the district visiting schools and community groups, sharing their stories and encouraging conversations around mental health and overcoming adversity.
The Ski for Life event runs from 6–8 March. You can follow the Malibu M8’s journey on Instagram at @malibu.m8s, and donations can be made via Chuffed by scanning the team’s QR code.
Fat Farmers Health Hub visits Balaklava
The Balaklava Fat Farmers group recently held an indoor cricket night at Ralli Park Pavilion. The group’s semi-trailer, Health Hub, also paid a visit along with founder Ben Wundercitz, and every Tuesday morning the group also has a one-hour session at Balaklava’s Combined Strength gym from 7am.
It is an opportunity for farmers to catch up and participate in circuit and weight training supervised by a personal trainer, followed by a coffee.
Contact Claire Catford on 0408 859 451 if you are keen, or just show up.
Rainfall roundup
Well, the Bureau of Meteorology had been talking it up for a week and, as with any rain driven from the north, there were some big totals and some not so big.
No rain bomb for the city, so mercifully we will not have to hear that term again from the media (until the next time Adelaide receives more than 15mm).
A summer rain event like this one is invaluable to farmers, chemical resellers, and pretty much anyone with a garden and a rainwater tank. It will also mean the effective breakdown of residual chemicals in the soil.
The fact that the rain fell over a three-day period means there will be a distinct green tinge within a week as volunteer cereals emerge.
Having volunteers emerge at this time of year enables growers to control them with herbicides such as glyphosate, which are far cheaper than tackling them in-crop.
Any rain amount over 25mm also means there is some subsoil moisture available later on, provided farmers spray out volunteers in a timely fashion.
Rain at this time of year also releases valuable nitrogen reserves for the coming season, both from the ground itself and from thunderstorms, which also supply nitrogen. Have a look at your lawn after a summer rain event, you can probably see it grow, if you sit there long enough.
These totals were up to Sunday night:
Andrew Parker (Hoskins Corner) – 47mm
Brayden Harkness (Owen) – 27mm
Wayne Heaslip (Pinery) – 31mm
Simon May (Balaklava) – 53mm
Pinery weather station – 36mm
Callum March (Balaklava) – 39mm
Justin Zweck (Blyth) – 51mm
Trevor Day (Kapunda) – 30mm
Trevor Cliff (Kimba) – 60mm
Kimba district wide – 20-75mm
Jamestown – 27mm
Ben Wundercitz (Maitland) – 41mm
Darren Schilling (Bute) – 71mm
Derek Schulz (Wild Horse Plains) – 42mm
Rob Saint (Bowmans) – 60mm
Rob Saint (Erith) – 49mm
Glen Bubner (Gawler Belt) – 15mm
Glen Bubner (Alma) – 36mm
Glen Bubner (Donaleen) – 52mm
Kim Vater (Saddleworth) – 54mm
Ben Mudge (Inkermann) – 60mm
Bill Hean (Auburn) – 50mm
Brian Parker (Owen) – 34mm
Mick Brougham (Korunye) – 25mm
Sue Pratt (Blyth) – 37mm
Shane Fahrmann (Balaklava) – 50mm
Roseworthy BOM site – 20mm
David Long (Watervale) – 63 mm
Tim Cawrse (Pinkerton Plains) – 20mm
Gaye Kuerschner (Black Rock) – 100mm, on top of 70mm last weekend
Steve Schiller (Gomersal) – 20mm
Gary Hosking (Quorn) – 60-75mm
David Miller (Saddleworth) – 65mm
Ed Cay (Salter Springs) – 54mm
Richard Fabry (Long Plains) – 35mm
Jim Franks (Mallala) – 21mm
Brodie Pearson (Darke Peak) – 114mm
Patrick Redden (Clare) – 65mm
Claire Catford (Halbury) – 64mm
Andrew Parkinson (Riverton) – 58mm
Mark McInerney (Riverton) – 98mm
Andrew Plueckhahn (Manoora) – 65mm
Mark Parish (Auburn) – 60mm
Matt Burford (Hoskin Corner) – 40mm
Chris Chapman (Hoyleton) – 70mm
Sam Mattie (Old Whydown, Yunta) – 190mm
Jake Schmidt (Robertstown) – 33mm
Angus Wiech (Eudunda) – 40mm
Angus Wiech (Swan Reach) – 39mm
Corey Blacksell (Pinnaroo North) – up to 93mm
Tash Smyth (Wilandra, near Broken Hill) – 340mm for the week
Erudina (Flinders Ranges) – 163mm
Wayne Molineux (Tarlee) – 55mm
Jabuk – 70mm
