Cyclone Holes in Whitsundays?

[MarkJ]

Thanks everyone

I had been thinking Nara Inlet but 13 people died there in Cyclone Ada in 1970. Alan Lucas says because too many boats were in there.

So thats why I am having a look around.

Cape Conway looks good - thats the area of mangrove creeks in Cat Man Do's map 1. Its a sea grass and Dugong area, but not protected.
Also not protected from the strong southerlys that would run straight in there in any cyclone. So would have to get in early.

As Bill says, Pt Clinton is a stop on the way to check it.

North would be Upstart bay.

Lucas isn't happy between Pt Clinton and Hinchinbrook!

I'm a bit off-put by the Nara Inlet business...

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Factor

Given I have lived in Brisbane the majority of my 52 years, and certainly during almost all the eighties, can I saw that your friend is - as we say in Australia - Having a lend of you. Didnt happen. In the last big flood (1974) there was pleny of action in the river but again, no tying offto high rises etc.

Exactly

Heres some 1974 flood pics, note the highrises

Nope, dont see no boats tied to them or houses floating down the river.

I do see boats still at the Botanical Garden Moorings though

Dave

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by Factor

Given I have lived in Brisbane the majority of my 52 years, and certainly during almost all the eighties, can I saw that your friend is - as we say in Australia - Having a lend of you. Didnt happen. In the last big flood (1974) there was pleny of action in the river but again, no tying offto high rises etc.

I didn't say anything about tying off to "High rises".

When we were in the Brisbane River in 1985 (at the Botanical Gardens) there was a couple of locals that had been living on the pilings there for years. They told us that they were on the pilings when this cyclone occurred (evidently Cyclone Wanda).

They said that the water got so deep that they had to cut loose from the pilings and tie up to office building along the shore to avoid pieces of houses that were being washed down the river.

The one guy had pictures of a crane picking his boat up off of the street after the water receded. The buildings along the water front were 2-story building in those days.

Brisbane - Ipswich, Qld: Floods

[44'cruisingcat]

The top of Gulnare inlet would possibly be less crowded than Nara. Needs a high tide to get into. Woodcutter bay and Trammel bay are others, accessible on high tide, where you can get up among the mangroves.

You do want to avoid rivers, because the rain can wash all kinds of debris down them, but short tidal creeks and inlets are OK.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

but short tidal creeks and inlets are OK.

Hmmm. I need to get up there to check it out.

I might go on the thought that a marina could be OK if needed untill I can find something better.
I just checked Cape Conway and its no good. No water and directly open to the South Easters wich is not good as its where the destructive winbds come from and the initial winds too....

Some of the newish marinas have been built knowing that cyclones are a distinct possability... but they are quite expensive and I remember some cyclone when I lived in Cairns that wafted around for over a week zig zagging all over the joint till it finally decided to hit land! If I was in one of those ritzy marinas with the fat & wealthy I would have to give them the boat


For Kanani
The top floor of a Brisbane office block is still only a floor or 2 above the road... no matter what the Banana Benders try and tell ya


Mark

[Factor]

Dont really want to hijack Marks thread - but I remember the 74 floods well, our family service station (Gas station to yanks) went under, our family home nearly so. There were NO boats tied to office buildings. All the houses that were washed away were in Sadliers Crossing Ipswich, and went down the Bremer river not the Brisbane river.

Dont get me wrong there was plenty of action on the river, just not the sort your friend told you about.

Anyway - back to you Mark. Promise I will say no more - As for cyclone holes, Gulnare inlet is my choice, but my last few boats have only drawn a metre so you would need at least half a tide to get in. (I think).

I the last really big blow up there the boats in the able point Marina survived well whereas the boats on the moorings outside didn't. All to do with crap moorings apparently, but I wasn't actually there. The Coastal Passage website has some photos from that time and some commentary.

[Jim Cate]

[quote=Kanani;255660]Mark,

Tidal estuaries are very dangerous. The wind isn't as dangerous as the tremendous current that can run 20-30kts with increases of depth of 30+' during the torrential rains of a cyclone in Australia. "

Kanani,

I'm not sure where you are getting your information, or whether you are confusing a short mangrove creek with the Bay of Fundy, but 20 to 30 knot currents in the locations shown by Cat are simply not possible.

As some one else has mentioned, mangrove creeks are the anchorages of choice in Oz during cyclones, and hundreds of boats have used them successfully over the years.

For hydrographic reasons that I don't quite understand, the east coast of Australia does not seem to suffer the huge storm surges that are common on the US east/Gulf coasts. The flooding that you mention was on the Brisbane River which drains a reasonably large catchment, and the city is, of course, a number of miles upstream from Moreton Bay. So, mate, to equate the Brisbane floods with anchoring in the creeks suggested by Cat is kinda silly.

But, one should beware of floods on rivers. We sat through a minor one on the Clarence last year, and it was pretty exciting. Not so much from the current, which ran about 6 knots at max, but all the stuff that came down on it. Huge piles of vegetation kept building up on the rode and the bow, and the increased drag overpowered the anchor a few times. We learned a lot!

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II

[Jacana]

Keep it to yourself-stepping stones -just north of Airlie better than the cod hole off Lizard-just a bit further -Gloucester passage to Bowen one of the best sailing areas in the world-enjoy.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Factor

boats in the able point Marina survived well

I jumped onto their website and got their Cyclone Management PLan... and their fees arn't too bad for just a day or 2 in a blow. If I can't find a nice mangrove creek that wouldnt already be full of locals..

Originally Posted by Jacana

Keep it to yourself-stepping stones -just north of Airlie better than the cod hole off Lizard-just a bit further -Gloucester passage to Bowen one of the best sailing areas in the world-enjoy.

Thanks! I'll keep it quiet!