Taking Flight - Part Two

Cam's rescue efforts are nearly sunk at the end of episode 9. How does he resurface?

⚠️ This episode may be distressing for some listeners. Loss of life and some harrowing escapes are covered in this episode.

We left Cam Taylor in deep water at the end of episode 9. Join him with Tara Taylor and Geoff Keighley for this final episode of S1 of UNDER THE WEATHER. Geoff and Cam are relentless in their efforts, rescuing nearly 200 people. Don't miss Part 2 of this incredible story as more rescues unfold and response becomes recovery.

With pilot Geoff Keighley, Cam is about to embark on one of the most challenging rescues of the day – but must haul himself out of trouble first. The day and the phenomenal rescues roll on and on until it gets dark.

Because of the failed comms, Tara has no way of knowing where or how Cam is. Around mid-afternoon, she receives a video from Geoff Keighley, and it takes her a few heart-stopping moments to understand what she’s seeing.

The end of the day brings them back together, and their recollections of this result in a highly entertaining recap of events. There are a few wardrobe malfunctions and a lot of laughter.

Geoff and Cam also have some incredible reunions with the people they’d rescued. Some of these were many months later at the Puketapu Pub. Known to locals as ‘The Puketap’, it was also flooded. Despite that, it played an integral role in community recovery.

When Cam and Geoff, along with many of those they'd rescued, attend its re-opening, there are some emotionally charged reunions. As the stories and drinks flow, Cam and Geoff begin to get a true perspective of how many lives they saved - more than they'd realised.

Geoff flies under the radar and gets the better of civil defence once more. Geoff Keighley - Two. Civil Defence - Zero! Cam andTara reflect on the enormous impact on Taylor Corp and the horticultural sector in general.

They also reflect on the personal costs as they continue to plough through a lengthy recovery process. Tara shares some powerful reflections on life and the shifting landscape of friendships in the wake of disaster.

Notes:

Hayden is the usual Taylor Corp pilot and was rescuing people by jet boat when Tara reached him on the morning of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Cam and Geoff aren’t 100% sure of the exact number of people they rescued. The numbers referred to in this episode of UNDER THE WEATHER are:

150 – this is the initial rescues of RSE workers from riverside accommodation blocks.

200 – their estimate of the total number of rescues (some months later) once they'd had time to process the events.

If you enjoyed listening to TAKING FLIGHT PART TWO, please take a moment to rate and review the episode. This ensures more people will discover these stories from Cyclone Gabrielle.

UNDER THE WEATHER has been featured on RNZ and Stuff. Links below to find out more:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360795376/devastation-healing-cyclone-gabrielles-untold-stories

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2019002009/tales-of-horror-and-heroism-in-cyclone-gabrielle-podcast

Chapters

00:00  Cam is in deep water

00:45  A difficult rescue

03:50  Noah’s Ark

06:15  Back on Sudley Farm

08:10  The Puketapu Pub

09:20  Kiwi hospitality

10:20  Tara

12:00  ‘That ain’t happening buddy’

13:50  A long day on their roof.

14:40  Cam is in a state.

19:15  Geoff’s out to lunch

20:30  Day 2 in Dartmoor

22:40  The beer fridge

23:45  No comms

26:00  Flying under the radar

28:40  Grounded

30:20  A bloody mess

32:00  Bumper to bumper

33:00  Fruitless

34:40  Limbo

36:00  Life or death

38:00  Old dogs, new tricks

38:40  A near miss for Napier

39:10  Trapped

40:10  Exit strategy 

41:00  New connections and final reflections

45:10 Conclusion

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All Transcripts for Under the Weather are AI-generated.