THIS POST IS NO LONGER CURRENT, PLEASE DISREGARD

To our Marina Customers, Residents and Community,

The BOM has revised the Warning Area in the North Tropical Coast to the coast between Port Douglas and the Whitsundays.

At the time of writing the Tropical Low has yet to form in to a Cyclone but that development is forecast for tonight around 7pm. It’s an unusual position to have to activate a Cyclone Plan without having a cyclone actually formed but that’s why these weather events are appreciably described as unpredictable.

The BOM have the tropical low in excess of 300km NE of Townsville and moving south at 12km/h. The most recent forecast track at 7.43 am this morning anticipates the weather system will cross the coast as a Category 1 strength Cyclone somewhere between Cardwell and Bowen and more likely between Townsville and Ayr at approximately 7am Sunday morning. The system, once over land, will then weaken as it moves inland.

Winds are expected to reach gale force this afternoon and in to the night with gusts reaching 100kmh or 50 knots about coastal areas. These winds are expected to ease as the system crosses the coast and moves inland during Sunday. BOM have added that the heavy rain and damaging wind impacts are likely to be similar regardless of whether it becomes a tropical cyclone.

We acknowledge again that we’ve activated our Cyclone Management Plan despite this Low Pressure system not yet forming in to a Tropical Cyclone but we’ve done it on the basis the threat of heavy rain and damaging winds are expected to be similar whether it becomes a cyclone or not. Given the forecast anticipates the system will form in to a Tropical Cyclone and cross the coast within the next 24 hours, Breakwater Marina is advancing it's Cyclone Warning status from Condition Yellow to Stage 3 and Condition Blue effective immediately. We advise the Townsville Port has also advanced their Warning status to stage 3 Condition Orange and have closed the Port for commercial shipping.  

What it’s mean for you when we advance Breakwater’s Warning System to Stage 3 Condition BLUE?

Condition Blue – is the third stage of Breakwater Marina’s 4 stage Cyclone Warning System and it’s where readiness measures have to be finalised ahead of the prospect of advancing to Stage 4 Condition Red and the very real threat of a localised severe weather impact. It’s in this Stage 3, where boats are locked down and boat owners - and particularly Marina residents - consider voluntary evacuation and go to an alternate safe house until the weather system has passed.

On the premise the BOM anticipates the low pressure system will develop into a Tropical Cyclone, Breakwater will advance its Cyclone Warning status to Stage 4 Condition Red this afternoon at 3pm. We will issue a notice in this regard at 3pm this afternoon.

• In Stage 3 Condition Blue, it’s anticipated Breakwater will be impacted by a Tropical Cyclone and severe weather event with the real prospect of damaging conditions within 24 hours and Breakwater will move to Stage 4 Condition Red at 3pm.
• In Stage 3, it’s very much about locking your boat down and being prepared for Stage 4 Condition Red and the prospect of severe, localised weather impacts.
• In Stage 3, boat owners must finalise their vessel readiness measures before conditions deteriorate and make it too difficult and unsafe to do so.
• In Stage 3, we want boat owners to be prepared for the prospect the power goes off either because the grid drops out or Breakwater elects to turn the power off.   
• In Stage 3, we encourage boat owners and particularly our Marina residents to voluntarily leave the Marina before conditions worsen and at a minimum, be prepared for the prospect they may be instructed to evacuate the Marina this afternoon.  

For a heads-up on Breakwater advancing its Cyclone Warning status to Stage 4 Condition Red at 3pm this afternoon and the prospect the evacuation order is issued - as long as the forecast for the Tropical Cyclone remains a low Category 1 then we do not anticipate turning the power off or issuing the order to evacuate the Marina. This decision on power and the mandatory evacuation will be disclosed at 3pm when we will issue a further notice confirming our move to Cyclone warning status Stage 4 Condition Red.  

For further information on Frequently Asked Questions:

Evacuation:

• In line with the above and on the expectation the system doesn’t intensify beyond the forecast Tropical Cyclone at Cat 1 strength, we do not expect to issue the mandatory evacuation order despite advancing our Cyclone Warning Status to Stage 4 Condition Red this afternoon at 3pm.
• Importantly, the conditions may change and the system may intensify so it is possible Breakwater does issue the evacuation order this afternoon. With this in mind, we strongly recommend our Marina residents voluntarily evacuate the Marina as soon as possible and at a minimum, be prepared to evacuate the Marina this afternoon at 3pm should the cyclone strengthen beyond what is currently forecast as a Category 1.
• We will circulate further correspondence to let customers know of any changes to Breakwater’s Warning Status and any prospect residents may be required to leave their vessels and vacate.

Utilities:

• Should the system not strengthen beyond a low Category 1, we will not be turning the power off – again, we’ll monitor changes in the approaching system and forecasts and confirm our decision when we circulate our move to Stage 4 Condition Red at or before 3pm this afternoon. We will however flag the prospect that power in Townsville may be affected as conditions worsen over the weekend; this will in turn end supply to the Marina.
• We add that and in the event the system intensifies to a Cat 2 or higher, Breakwater will turn the power off but this decision will coincide with further Notices to customers.  
• The Fuel Wharf will be turned off and isolated tomorrow (Saturday) morning

Moving your Boat – All boat movements in the Marina are now prohibited.

Finishing your Readiness Measures for Severe Weather - For all boat owners, you must conclude your boat readiness measures for damaging winds and heavy rainfall. As the winds increase, boats move around a lot and mooring lines tend to stretch so please arrange to get down to your boat today to adjust your lines and add lines so that you’re taking advantage of all available tie-off points; both on-board and on the pontoons.

Mooring Lines are your Vessels Best Defence

• If you have a heavy displacement boat or a boat with high windage, make sure the mooring lines you use are suitably rated to your boat and use as many lines as practicable to spread the load over multiple tie-off points.
• If you have any mooring lines that have any sign of deterioration – they’re frayed, stiff, been sitting in the water, have knots in them, variances in diameter - they must be replaced.
• At a minimum, double your mooring lines and do your best to run your secondary set of lines from different tie-off points to your primary set. Note: a full mooring line set is a bow, stern, forward spring and aft spring.
• If you have mooring lines that run continuously between multiple tie-off points, please change your set-up so your lines only run between a single point on the pontoon and a single point on your boat.  
• Don’t use lines that don’t stretch like cables or chains.

Other Important Readiness Measures

• Lowering wind loadings like shade sails, tarps and clears will be important as will lashing main and furled sails.
• With the likely prospect of heavy rain, check your bilge pumps are working
• Gusting winds, heavy rain and the prospect of thunderstorms can take power out so make sure your batteries are charged so your vital systems like bilge pumps will continue to operate.  

Multi-Hull Vessels

• If you’re Berth is a T-head and you wanted to relocate temporarily, this move should be done by now.
• If your vessel is in a double pen, you may add ropes to the unused side of your pen. This is a measure for severe weather only so please be prepared to take them down again as soon as the weather’s passed.

Vessels on Air Docks

• Breakwater’s Cyclone Plan, Condition Yellow has a compulsory requirement for all vessels sitting up on Air Docks to be lowered in to the water. Please lower your vessel in to the water as soon as possible.
• This is critical to lowering windage and lessening the loads running through mooring lines and tie-off points.
• Once your vessel’s floating, use 2 complete sets of mooring lines to secure your vessel to the pontoon.

The forecast and the corresponding conditions may change as the system slowly approaches the coast so we’ll continue to monitor the advice and will circulate a further notice with the advancement to Stage 4 Condition Red this afternoon at or before 3pm. Please feel free to speak with Marina staff if you have any questions or would like some guidance.

Many Thanks;

Scott Marshall    |    General Manager