Before heading up to Cairns for a sail trip I looked into places for refuge in case of a cyclone
Even rang the harbour master to see what procedure was in place if one did come in.
He informed me all boats have a place to go in the mangroves so he convinced me it was quite safe so off I went.
In the research I had read how good Hinchinbrook was and was truly convinced nothing would get you in there nothing.
Then I read a story about a guy who did exactly what I would have done and he dashed into the mangroves there as I think it was Yasi headed his way , he had a catamaran and tied it very well to the mangroves,
Though it was extremely scary he survived, not like all the boats in the marina.
But very shortly a 5 metre storm surge came through , it didn't creep in it came into every creek as a 5 metre wave ripping the mangroves out like sticks, man I just can't imagine it.
He ended up on top of the mangroves and was able to retrieve his cat later one.
So much for somewhere safe to hide .
I think at Cairns they hide at Trinity Island where the Catalina flying boats used to moor up in WW11.
I know a bloke with another horror storie of hinchinbrook channel .
thirty years experience and never seen wind like it and thought after watching his mates boat get rolled on its side from
the sheer wind and sink he was next.
all ropes bar one snapped and was getting ready to point his ex trawler at the bank and push it to full revs and ride it to shore.
said the water coming off the hills was like a raging river .
it was cyclone yasi.
