Bluewater 400 'Leyla' survives Cyclone Debbie

by Wayne and Heather Reed on 9 Jul 2017 Bluewater 400 'Leyla' survives Cyclone Debbie without any damage in 130 knot winds. While this is technically true let me explain that she was in Airlie Beach marina at the time which did not fair so well. Read Wayne and Heather Reed's account of events

Friday afternoon 24 March 2017, I had just finished a week of sailing in Sydney and looking forward to a day off before starting another week of Clipper training on Sunday. The BoM website was reporting a Low Pressure system developing in the Coral Sea that could develop into a cyclone. No big deal at that stage - still a long way off - it could go anywhere - even fizzle out. Friday night, still a Low, and looked like heading away to the SE.

Saturday, 25 March 2017. In the morning checked the BoM site and sure enough it had developed and was now a Cat 1, and had changed direction to now be travelling SW. Having lived in North Queensland for most of our lives we had experienced a few cyclones ranging from Cat 1 to Cat 5, and were well aware of how quickly these can develop and change direction.

By late Saturday night it was Cat 2, and making its way SW. Decision time. I decided that I was needed at home. Enquiries about flights revealed there were no flights to Hamilton Island so I had to fly to Proserpine. I was advised that the airport could be closed at any time so I may not make it home. Thankfully, I managed to get home by late Sunday afternoon.

Sunday, 26 March 2017. I arrived at Proserpine Airport at 15.30. Very windy and a bit of rain but still manageable. Lots of activity in the Marina with people securing boats as best they could. Heather had already been working hard on Saturday to prepare the yacht 'Leyla'. She had managed to remove the headsail, and virtually anything that could flap, flutter or come loose. She had purchased three additional fenders, and fitted some additional mooring lines.

We filled the water tanks, closed all the seacocks, and disconnected the shore power. Fitted the running backstays and fitted additional mooring lines. In total we had 18 mooring lines securing the yacht - ensuring alternate cleats on the pontoon were used. Six fenders dockside and four fenders between us and our neighbour. It had been my intent to remove the mainsail and lower the wind generator but the wind had strengthened making this a dangerous option. I laced the mainsail up with the headsail sheets, and secured the boom with additional lines to stop it swinging about. I also secured the wind generator. Not sure it would survive at 130 knots.

We had planned to remain onboard on Sunday night, and move to an apartment we had secured on Monday but this changed when the marina staff advised that they were shutting off the water and power, and that the Disaster Management Committee and Police had ordered an evacuation of the marina. Our Cyclone kit was already prepared so left Sunday night.

Monday, 27 March 2017 10.00. Now a Cat 3. Torrential rain and very windy and increasing during the day so we remained indoors watching the developing storm. Our view across the bay showed horizontal rain, a 2m swell with breaking waves, and very windy. We lost power on Monday night. The storm was still a long way off the coast but definitely heading straight for Airlie Beach. At 2200 hours the BoM upgraded Debbie to a Cat 4.

Tuesday, 28 March 2017. The eye of the storm crossed Airlie Beach about midday, and when the wind returned from the NE it sounded stronger. From our view out across the bay we witnessed six yachts drifting towards the beach at Cannonball. Unfortunately two of these yachts came ashore on the rocks, and were completely destroyed. One - a fibreglass yacht about 38ft was completely obliterated with nothing left to see in less than 30 minutes. Another - a steel yacht hit the wall about 50 metres from our apartment. I watched it get battered almost flat in under an hour.

Wednesday, 29 March 2017. In the morning the worst was over but still very windy and raining. We made our way to the marina to check on 'Leyla'. Still a big swell and breaking waves in Pioneer Bay with a significant swell finding its way into the marina. Lots of damage. Yachts sunk in their berth, a couple of yachts on Shingly Beach inside the marina, lots of shredded sails and broken mooring lines and boats damaged where they had banged into each other or rubbed on the pontoons.

Fearing the worst we were pleased to see that 'Leyla' had survived. Not a scratch to be seen. One snapped mooring line where it had chaffed going through the fairlead, and three busted fenders. Very lucky. The pontoon had not faired so well and had shifted about 50cm but was still intact. A lot of pontoons had broken away from the main walkway, and some of the older pontoons in the Northen end of the marina had overturned and holed boats.

That night Mother Nature put on a final show to let everyone know that she was still around, and not to get complacent. A significant storm with lots of thunder, lightning and torrential rain hovered over Airlie Beach until dawn.

The Whitsundays is slowly recovering.

Wayne and Heather Reed, 'Leyla'.

For more information visit www.bluewatercruisingyachts.com.