Pictured (above): Main channel filled with debris from storm & muddy water around yachts. Pictured (see previous entry 'Storms 13-Feb-2008'): Yachts damaged by the storms, synoptic chart showing monsoonal trough.

SAFE HAVEN: We have been very protected at this marina. We choose well in selecting this as the port to stay in during the cyclone season. They had predicted that this would be one of the worst cyclone seasons in years and I'm glad we headed the warning and stayed put. There have been several serious storms that have hit the Central & SE regions of Queensland during this season. And, while we have had some nasty weather; we have - thankfully - been spared the worst of each storm!

THE MOST RECENT STORM (13-FEB-2008): Wild weather lashed the areas above and below us with damaging winds and flooding. Some areas got 360mm (14inches) of rain, while we only got 99mm (4 inches), in comparison. The majority of that rain did fall within about one hour's time, however, closing 30 roads in Bundaberg.

North of us (in the Whitsunday area), a family lost all their belongings after the yacht they were living aboard was destroyed. Several yachts broke from their moorings and one charter boat with 35 people on-board had to be rescued by helicopters (see pictures in previous entry, below). However, the land-based people were the hardest hit. Many, many homes were flooded - both north and south of us. A lot of roads have been damaged. And one person is missing who was swept away from flood waters.

MONSOONAL TROUGH: All this is being caused by a deep monsoonal trough/low, extending over the top of Australia, that won't go away. And it keeps creeping down toward us. One hasn't come down this low since 1974. During this season there has been a number of cyclones in Western Australia and the Eastern Pacific Islands (Vanuatu, Fiji, etc.)

MUDDY WATERS: As seen in the above photo, some of the debris is so large that is looks like land patches in the channel. We have been watching it go out with the ebb-tide and return with the flood-tides. Some pieces so large we're amazed they can float.