Important Notice - Update 1 Tropical Cyclone Jasper
Important Notice - Update 1 Tropical Cyclone Jasper
To All Our Marina Customers,
The Tropical Low that developed in the Solomon Sea on Monday, you will no doubt be aware, has strengthened and formed in to a Tropical Cyclone and is reported as of 11am as a Category 2 system.
The system is reported to be approximately 1430 kms NE of Cairns and is currently moving in a SSW direction towards the Coral Sea.
There is agreement among the Bureau and other meteorological experts and commentators for TC Jasper to intensify today and to become a severe tropical cyclone overnight with forecasts predicting it to strengthen to a category 4 system by Friday as it continues to track SSW. It’s at this point that the tracking model predictions become less conclusive about where the system goes and at what intensity.
Certainly the note from the Bureau on Monday that proposed the system would not likely have any impact on the Queensland coast has been revised and whilst there are currently no Warning or Watch zones along the north Queensland coast, the Bureau indicates the area most likely to be affected is the region north of Mackay.
We will continue to monitor the TC Jasper updates from BOM and provide our Marina customers with notices of advice in support of you preparing your vessel and of any changes we make to our Cyclone Warning System in accordance with out Cyclone Management Plan (CMP).
Despite the uncertainty of TC Jasper’s movements and intensity, it’s timely to send to all our boat owners a summary of Breakwater’s Cyclone Warning System so you’re across the steps you need to be taking in each stage and understanding the measure’s we’ll be taking should the TC threat persist on a track towards us.
CONDITION GREEN
Marina - Right now, we’re watching the TC system but our region is not currently in a Warning Area so Breakwater remains in Cyclone Condition Green. We’re coordinating with individual boat owners on their storm season readiness measures they’ve taken so far and now more so, in lieu of the TC Jasper threat.
Owners - For our boat owners, the focus now is on mooring ropes but is certainly about owners securing loose items, to make sure auto bilge pumps are working, leaks are repaired and wind loadings are reduced. It’s good practice to fill water tanks and fuel tanks so you can be self-sufficient while services and utilities are restored after the event has passed.
CONDITION YELLOW
Marina - We advance our Warning Condition when there’s an intensifying risk of a Cyclone impacting the Townsville region. We’ll be coordinating with boat owners to make sure their readiness measures are progressing, assisting owners to finalise their preparations and we’ll be getting around the property to take down and stow-away loose items.
We’ll coordinate with Multi-hull owners to make sure they are secure where they are or in the event a move is necessary, that it gets done ASAP.
Owners - Due to the worsening threat, we instruct our owners with boats on Air Docks to lower them in to the water – this is all about reducing wind loading's and the amount of load transferred through mooring lines and to pontoons. These boats then need their mooring lines reset to the pontoons now they’re floating.
All other boat owners in Breakwater need to be progressing their boats for strong winds and heavy rain – house batteries are charged, auto bilge pumps are working, leaks are fixed, dinghy's secured, mooring lines updates and doubled, set-out extra fenders, take down sails and shade covers to reduce wind loadings..
Owners, particularly live-on-board owners, are encouraged to finalise their Emergency Kit (grab bag of important documents, medications and items to evacuate with) and Personal Emergency Plan (where do the pets go, where does the car get stored, where do I evacuate to should the order be given and how do I get there) in preparation for the last Cyclone Warning stage RED which may require the mandatory evacuation of all people from the Marina and the power to be turned off.
CONDITION BLUE
Marina – We move to Condition Blue when the intensifying risk is expected to impact the Townsville region within 24 to 48 hours. We’ll be coordinating heavily with boat owners to finalise their on board preparations for severe weather. The prevailing conditions will likely be worsening so vessel movements inside, or even out of the Marina, must cease. We’ll prepare ourselves and the site to isolate key services and utilities to the Marina so we ask owners to have their boats ready for the shore power to be switched off.
Owners – Must be finalising their boat and personal preparations. Adjust your double set of mooring lines so that when your ropes stretch under load, your vessel can’t impact neighbouring boats or ride-up on to the pontoons. Deploy as many fenders as you have, turn off your gas bottles and disconnect your gas appliances, isolate valves and turn off and prepare to disconnect your electrical equipment/devices ahead of the Marina’s shore power being turned off. Remove food and perishables from fridges/freezers.
We’ll likely be experiencing heavy wind and rain and swells so we ask all our customers to minimise their movements in and around the Marina.
CONDITION RED
Marina – We’ll progress to Condition Red in the event a Cyclone strike to the Townsville region is imminent so we’d expect the prevailing conditions to be too dangerous for people to be in the Marina and continuing with preparations on their boats. In coordination with the Local Disaster Management Group and the Harbourmaster, we may issue a mandatory evacuation notice for all people in the Marina and on board their boats to leave immediately in order to seek shelter at a pre-arranged destination.
The Marina will turn off the electrical shore power supply and the Fuel System.
Owners – Your vessel readiness measures must now be done and that includes disconnecting your shore power lead from the pedestal. Make sure you select to run your boat from your DC system and check your bilges are all operational. Re-check your mooring lines are adjusted for the inevitable ‘stretching’ and that your boat will stay secure alongside your pontoon; you want to avoid your boat heaving forwards and backwards and the shock loads that then transfer through your ropes and to the pontoons. Make sure any openings to your boat are shut and secure.
Monitor the BOM updates vigilantly to stay up to date with the system movements and inform the Marina Office of any dangerous situations arising.
If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please feel free to chat with any of the Marina staff.
With thanks,
Scott Marshall | General Manager
BREAKWATER MARINA, TOWNSVILLE
Contact me via: EMAIL - FACEBOOK - WEB
