Its thunderous cacophony could have been the sound of a jet engine skimming the mouth of the River North Esk, but was infact the booming voice of Mother Nature.
And she was angry.
Emerging into the darkness below the Northwaterbridge viaduct on the evening of October 6 2014, the aural maelstrom which met me included the sound of detritus being battered against the banks of the river, carried in a raging torrent of millions of gallons of muddy water.
Having started as storm rainfall in the hills of the Angus glens, that torrent was up to full tilt as it reached the stretch of the river where it joins the sea north of Montrose.
Travelling at a rate which gave a group of visitors no chance to safely escape it.
Mercifully, an island in mid-stream offered sufficient refuge for the Kinnaber anglers to sit tight while a major rescue operation swung into place as firefighters and Coastguard personnel put their lives on the line and a chopper managed to make the flight from Northumberland in time to pluck the fortunate fishers to safety and give them a tale to tell about the day they got away.
In the space of two days, that single stretch of the river witnessed three dramatic rescues, with the common denominator being the rapidity with which the waters rose.
The same ferocity was in evidence when Storm Frank paid Scotland a visit some fourteen months later, deluging Angus and Mearns communities and putting hundreds of homes and businesses either under under water, or at serious risk.
Including the residents of North Esk Park, the illegally-built Travellers’ site a couple of hundred yards distant of the river from which it takes its name.
North Esk Park may have been built without permission in 2013, but last week – for the second time – Aberdeenshire councillors voted to retrospectively approve the development.
In light of the fact the ok was given in the face of opposition from environment agency Sepa because of their concerns about the risk residents face from floodwaters, it seems inconceivable the Scottish Government will not again call-in the case.
Signalling another turn of what has, quite accurately, been described as a bureaucratic merry go-round.
There are myriad complexities within the St Cyrus case and many voices wishing to be heard so it seems certain arguments will continue over the low-lying land’s suitability for such a development.
But none of those voices have the capability of drowning out Mother Nature if she decides to roar.
