Tropical Cyclone Yasi to Hit Queensland Coast

[Ozbullwinkle]

Still very little reports or evidence of anything other than relatively minor damage on the TV news stations. There has been some minor damage to roofs and trees but nothing like what was expected for a Cat 5 cyclone with winds of over 290 Km per hour.

This is very surreal and almost unbelievable that the damage can be so minimal.

[zeehag]

wow the seagods musta got distracted by something else-- whew!!! mebbe there is something to the story of the dragons in these leaky teakies-- there is one in cairns,up a creek nearby for this, online friends-- so mebbe their dragons were able to see each other and ward off the badstuff for the bit....
prayers musta worked....

[downunder]

Mission beach and Tully where cyclone crossed have few if any crusing boats but yet to here how vessels at Innisfail and Port Hinchenbrook faired. If they prepared properly they would be in the mangroves.

Fortunately the evacuations and preparation seems to have prevented any loss of life although its to early to say that until full communications are established.

Cyclone rated buildings seems to have helped a lot.

[Boomerang]

I've heard that only one pontoon, which had pylons 2 metres higher than all the others, survived at Port Hinchenbrook. The rest, with boats still attached, are all up on the western end or up on the hard. Been described as like what happened in the recent Brisbane flood, with pontoons just floating over the top of their pylons.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Boomerang.

Thanks for the update. From where did you hear your news?

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Thanks for the update. From where did you hear your news?

Found mention here

Just south of Cairns, Suzanne McClure says the cyclone has wreaked havoc in the marina at Port Hinchinbrook.
"What I'm seeing at the moment is the mass destruction of all the million dollar yachts and cruisers and everything that's been moored in this marina over the last few months.
"They're all sitting up in everybody's yards just smashed to pieces."
North Queensland residents realise Yasi's fury - ABC North Qld - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

but thats about all I have found so far

[zeehag]

uhoh--mighta spoke too soon, i think----

[trapper1]

Sorry if I have offended anyone, by being "political", but sometimes you have got to vent your anger..

[cat man do]

Curious Snail pics

Courier Mail | Latest Brisbane and Queensland QLD news | CourierMail





Such a shame and with so many good bolt holes over on Hinchenbrook

Google Maps

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by Ozbullwinkle

Still very little reports or evidence of anything other than relatively minor damage on the TV news stations. There has been some minor damage to roofs and trees but nothing like what was expected for a Cat 5 cyclone with winds of over 290 Km per hour.

This is very surreal and almost unbelievable that the damage can be so minimal.

I think the authorities were expecting a massive human toll. There has been devistation (two thirds of Tullys housing is gone). But luckily, the entire evacuation program by the authorities was perhaps one of the best orchestrated opperations in history. They saved a mass of lives.

It feels quite strange to be relieved. The cost will be into the tens of millions, But due to the "Gain of Life" (three babies born during the storm and no reported losses-yet) everything else seems minor.

Cheers
Oz

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Ozbullwinkle

Still very little reports or evidence of anything other than relatively minor damage on the TV news stations. There has been some minor damage to roofs and trees but nothing like what was expected for a Cat 5 cyclone with winds of over 290 Km per hour.

This is very surreal and almost unbelievable that the damage can be so minimal.

There are several reasons carnage was limited and particularly no loss of life.

· Tracking system over last couple of years have been incredibly accurate and thus given plenty of advance warning
· Mandatory evacuations helped immensely.
· As did the relative low population density of towns in direct path Mission Beach, Tully, Cardwell.
· I feel sure the close proximity of reef 10-12nm from Cairns, Innisfail to Cardwell has minimised storm surge. Such a storm off Mackay with larger tidal variation and the barrier reef 35-40 nm offshore means it’s much more likely to get large storm surge with a direct hit.
· Australian building construction standards in cyclone areas has been very beneficial.

Cairns did well as a large population centre as it was in the right quadrant of the path of Yasi and again Townsville and its marina far enough south to only receive cat 3 winds. Seems our marinas can handle Cat 3 OK but I would not be in any in a Cat4/5 storm.

Experience I have seen from Caribbean suggests marinas should be avoided and I don’t understand why more vessels did not evacuate the Port Hinchinbrook marina for the huge mangrove areas of the Hinchinbrook channel when it was always in the dangerous quadrant.

I believe vessels at Cairns marina were sent into the mangroves of Trinity Inlet.

[simmo]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

Be safe mate. Let us know how you get on.

Cheers
Oz

When it was upgraded to Cat 5 we decided to take the the option to leave while we still had it. Drove up to the tablelands and out to Chillagoe and had a quiet and comfortable night(and several beers at the Post Office Hotel). Back in Cairns now. There seems little if any damage here. We were on the good side of where it crossed. My Niece and her family rode it out in their house at Mission Beach and thankfully are all OK.

[SurferShane]

It was interesting to sit back and listen to the emergency broadcasts and coverage last night on ABC National AM. I must have fallen asleep just as the opposite side of the cyclone was hitting the coast. What really came across during the broadcast was how important it is to have decent radio receiver for these emergencies. There were heaps of people contacting the station giving advice like how most mobile phones also have am/fm reception. It equally reinforced exactly why I should buy a decent long range radio for the boat.

Admittedly I was listening for a very safe distance anchored in NSW. All I had to worry about this morning was the searing heat and a strong NW wind.

All the best to those who weathered the cyclone.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by cat man do

Curious Snail pics

Courier Mail | Latest Brisbane and Queensland QLD news | CourierMail





Such a shame and with so many good bolt holes over on Hinchenbrook

Google Maps

Yes Catmando Hinchenbrook Channel is one of the best if not the best mangrove area in Queensland and Pt hinchenbrook is at start of the channel.

[troppo]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

FWIW:

Local time 0830 AEST: Just spoke to a friend on a boat in the Breakwaer Marina in Townsville on our morning ham net. The marina survived quite well, as did our friends. Only visible damage was the predictable few biminis, dodgers and furled genoas that idiots left up. Highest reported winds there were in the order of 95 knots in gusts. Not nice, but nothing like what was forecast. Thank goodness!

Cheers,

Jim

I also heard that the Breakwater Marina was not too badly hit, unlike up the coast at the Hinchinbrook place south of Cardwell.

My boat is in Ross Creek Townsville near the yacht club marina. Saw it briefly on TV as camera scanned across the creek. Yippee!! It has neither sunk nor been washed away so that is a bit of a miracle. I thought it was a gonna.