Tropical Cyclone Yasi to Hit Queensland Coast

[Mark Johnson]

Downunder,

I now see that you are looking at the storm from a home owners point of view...

Our having been through total devistation before, My heart really goes out to you... Depending on which side hits you, and how close you're house is to the water, It could be a very weird place to live for a few years. The waterfront, for a mile or two inland in Pensacola sure was. Everyone living in cramped FEMA trailers for years after the storm, kinda made some people crankey! No water, or food for a week, (First in was the the Red Cross) and later military MREs... and little or no gasoline for 6 weeks! Most stores were closed for over a year! About 30% NEVER reopened!

Some thoughts: Modern cars are full of electronics that are 100% ruined if the water gets above about the bumper. If you are not going to evacuate, you might find a little 20' hill, or parking garrage, to park your car/cars on? I didn't get a penny for my minivan, even though it had $500 worth of brand new tires on it! They had THOUSANDS of flooded cars already.

In Cat 1 and 2s, their is some logic in most folks "riding it out" to prevent looting later. On the other hand, as the storm gets close enough to really know... IF it is a full cat. 4, AND you get the bad side, AND the normal tides will be high. You might want to consider evacuating... I sure as hell would! And you've read what kinda crazy stuff I do.
Catagory 1s and 2s are no big deal. 3s blow roofs off, 4s knock houses DOWN! Although the MOST damage is the surge. You can't live in a house that has had 6' of water in it. Not legally. The mold will make you sick. They have to be gutted, sprayed with Chlorox, air dried, and then new interrior walls and floors put in, along with sockets and the like.

Do all that you can, EARLY. A house is not a boat. I stayed because there WAS something that I could do to save my boat. It was not out of "dairing do machismo". During the storm, there was NONE of my land stuff that I could save, unless it was moved before hand. You can take the most irreplaceable things with you.

IF that is not your plan... Obviously, stock up with months of the things that you'll need. It is smart to put things like documents, photo albums, the really special things... In trippled, heavy duty garbage bags, and put them inside of those large Rubbermaid bins. After tying the bags well, seal the bin's lid with LOTS of duct tape, and put your phone # and address on each bin with magic markers. We have friends who's house was BLOWN TOTALLY AWAY in hurricane Andrew, (A Cat. 5), that got some of their stuff back months later, from having done this.

Best of luck to you all !!!

Mark

[cat man do]

Vanuatu appeared to get off OK
Seems they had some extra sticks and leaves to sweep up
Extra hands needed to clean rubbish left by cyclone | Vanuatu Daily Post

And Horror of Horror's
They damn near ran out of Kava in PV
Cyclone Vania reduces kava bars to a trickle | Vanuatu Daily Post

[cat man do]

Good explanation here

http://www.youtube.com/user/robcente.../0/PT1bmcv7GL4

and some more information here

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tropic...75052752537826

including (possible) storm surge inundation for Mackay
http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/__data/...Brown_Zone.pdf

[downunder]

Mark, thanks for your concern.

i have been around coastal Queensland all my life and am out of the likely surge area although need to plan for flooding isolation and no power for a week or more.

Following track of yasi it has moved northish from just above Townsville to just south of Cairns overnight. If it moves north of Cairns we will be OK in Mackay but fear for FNQ.

In Mackay have all been advised by telephone/texts to plan to get to high ground so I imagine whole of Qld north of us has recieved same. Whitsunday Islands will have been evacuated soon.

I believe the SES guys have been advised of up to a 7m tidal surge but they havn't put that over radio yet.

Lets hope it veers further north towards Cape York.

[downunder]

catmando

good explanation on utube

thanks

[troppo]

My boat is in Townsville, I am in Rockhampton. I wasn't too concerned about TC Anthony but the big ugly sister concerns me. Over a week ago I had thought of flying up and sailing Rimfire to somewhere safer but didn't for several reasons. One was that I have various new motor parts on my desk I would need to take with me and install before the motor worked since I need to motor out of the creek I am moored in. Another is that I wouldn't be able to sail far enough and fast enough to find somewhere safer.

Another person on this forum is in a worse situation than me. She lives on her boat at the big Townsville marina, which is rated to cat 3. However, her boat is not sailable as she has been repairing it. So, she has been removing all her belongings and work stuff to somewhere on land hopefully safe. She says usually she is able to skeedadle to some where safe but with this cyclone and stuck with boat problems she feels like a rat caught in a trap. The marina is likely to force evacuations.

I remember organising aid parcels to send up after TC Larry which wiped out Innisfail. Price of bananas went up to over $15.00 kg from about $2.50 as that's where they grow 'em and the farms got wiped out. This cyclone is bigger and uglier than TC Larry. If it makes landfall up north at cat 4 or 5 and my boat gets smashed. I will think myself lucky that that is all I suffered as there is gunna be lots of folk in worse situations than me.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by downunder

Lets hope it veers further north towards Cape York.

Agreed
I have just recovered from floods in Rockhampton, I do need some rain to wash some mud into the garden and grass, but have no want of further flooding.
I am holding off on pressure blasting the tide mark away at this stage just in case.

[downunder]

troppo,

i feel for you.

there is a couple of posts toward the end of the anchoring in mud thread by mark thompson that has evolved into cyclone anchoring.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...d-53646-5.html

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by cat man do

snip

And Horror of Horror's
They damn near ran out of Kava in PV

Gladly, I am sure all of the affected aussies will have stocked up on beer. Ok I say that with some jest. The good thing about the recent brissie floods is that most drinking appeared to have been very moderate. With everyone hunkering down to help each other.

One tip I would have for anyone stuck up there, particularly if you have kids, is to play loud Music/tv. As loud as you can. It will hide the noise of the storm somewhat and not scare the kids as much.


Cheers
Oz

[atoll]

i think stuff like this(cyclones,droughts and floods) is part of the great aussie psychy.........

don't know who quoted this but goes as follows............

"WHAT DON'T KILL YA MAKES YA STRONGER"

all i can say at this later hour is BEST OF LUCK BRUCIE N' KEEP YER CHIN UP IN ADVERSITY

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by Mark Johnson

Downunder,

In Cat 1 and 2s, their is some logic in most folks "riding it out" to prevent looting later.

Snip
Mark

Luckily, and with all respect to our US mates here, Aus doesnt have a history of looting in times of grief. I know there was serious problems after Katrina.

In the recent flood disaster there were only about ten people caught looting. In comparison to that, in excess of 20,000 people per day showed up to volunteer to assist in the clean up areas. These people left there homes to enter affected areas and were bussed to and fro with military precision by the emergency organisations. Many people had already lost everything and went in to help others regardless.


I say this with respect (and some humour) is that we dont have GWb running the show either

Obviously, the Aus Emergency services have learnt from Katrina as well as other disasters locally and worldwide. All we can do at this point is hope that Yasi blows itself out somewhat and centers itself in less populated areas.

Cheers
Oz

[ozskipper]

Just as a matter of interest the bureau of met has a storm watchers game. Its designed to educate kids and parents on tracking a storm and preparing for one.
Stormwatchers Game

May be of interest to many people here

Cheers
Oz
Cheers
Oz

[Laidback]

0100 GMT (UTC) Cyclone Yasi Track and Sat Image

[Khagan1227]

As an owner of a house in Florida, I understand the concerns those of you in or near the path of this monster have. I truely HATE the helpless feeling of watching the storm bear down on my house and family.

Good Luck M8s, we'll keep you in our prayers!

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by troppo

My boat is in Townsville, I am in Rockhampton. I wasn't too concerned about TC Anthony but the big ugly sister concerns me. Over a week ago I had thought of flying up and sailing Rimfire to somewhere safer but didn't for several reasons. One was that I have various new motor parts on my desk I would need to take with me and install before the motor worked since I need to motor out of the creek I am moored in. Another is that I wouldn't be able to sail far enough and fast enough to find somewhere safer.

Another person on this forum is in a worse situation than me. She lives on her boat at the big Townsville marina, which is rated to cat 3. However, her boat is not sailable as she has been repairing it. So, she has been removing all her belongings and work stuff to somewhere on land hopefully safe. She says usually she is able to skeedadle to some where safe but with this cyclone and stuck with boat problems she feels like a rat caught in a trap. The marina is likely to force evacuations.

I remember organising aid parcels to send up after TC Larry which wiped out Innisfail. Price of bananas went up to over $15.00 kg from about $2.50 as that's where they grow 'em and the farms got wiped out. This cyclone is bigger and uglier than TC Larry. If it makes landfall up north at cat 4 or 5 and my boat gets smashed. I will think myself lucky that that is all I suffered as there is gunna be lots of folk in worse situations than me.

Hi troppo. Luckily and as you probably know by now, it looks like its going to go to the north of TV. Not too good for Cairns tho.

Lets just keep hoping it comes in at low tide as the current predictions show.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Queensla.../0/KSL-JtF0_AQ

Cheers
Oz