Balloon ride not a lot of hot air

A Bunbury woman had an ‘‘adventure of a lifetime’’ when the hot air balloon she was in crashed into water in Victoria last week.

Newton Moore Senior High School principal Sue Kerr bought the hot-air balloon ride for her daughter Rebecca as a birthday present, but both got more than what they bargained for when the balloon missed its landing spot at Albert Park inMelbourne, thenmisseda back-up landing spot on the sand at St Kilda beach and ended up in the water.

‘‘The basket filled up with water up to our knees,’’ Mrs Kerr said.

While Mrs Kerr said the unplanned landing worried a few of the 10 passengers, she said she felt safe.

‘‘I knew I was a good swimmer,’’ she said.

Mrs Kerr said hot-air balloon pilot John Davidson called 000 immediately and water police soon appeared on the scene, as well as three news helicopters.

After Mrs Kerr, her daughter and the other passengers were transferred to the police boat, police officers went back into the basket of the balloon to keep ballast.

The police boat managed to push the balloon back to shore and then it was carried to a clearing.

But even after the surprise water landing, Mrs Kerr said she would recommend hot-air ballooning to everyone.

‘‘It was wonderful; I would recommend it to anyone. You get to see lots of different parts of the city,’’ she said.

Mrs Kerr also credits the balloon company Picture This Ballooning for their actions following the drama.

‘‘They refunded our money and took us out to breakfast. They have also called us to see how we were going,’’ Mrs Kerr said.

The company has also offered to take Mrs Kerr and Rebecca to the skies again.

‘‘But it was certainly a birthday present she will never forget,’’ Mrs Kerr said.