A Boating Regatta with No Water

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Today's photo shows Heavitree Gap, at the southern end of the town of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Australia. On the left is the dry river-bed of the Todd River. I've taken the photo out the window of our vehicle and out of sight on the right but left of the big granite hill is the railway. One well-placed bomb would stop all traffic in or out of the city. The Todd River begins in the MacDonnell Ranges and flows eventually, as a tributary of the Hale River, into Lake Eyre in South Australia. However it has zero to low flow over 95% of the year. Heavy rain to the north of Alice Springs results in water flowing through the town around 6 to 8 hours later. The leading edge of the water moves at a walking pace down the river bed. People have been drowned through camping in the river bed then being caught by rising flood waters. Annually since 1961 the Henley-on-Todd Regatta has been held on the river and draws up to 20,000 spectators. Bottomless boats are used and crews stand in the boats, pick them up and run down the course. Occasionally the regatta has to be cancelled because there is too much water in the river. Insurance is taken out against too much water. Various sites and trees along the river are sacred to the indigenous Arrernte people who know the river as Lhere Mparntwe. Interestingly, at the local supermarket we were served by a very dark young man whose name-tag read 'Lhere'.