Cyclone Marcia is currently heading towards the central QLD coast, and is expected to wreak havoc over a huge part of the coast.

For anyone in the effected areas such as myself, it would be a good idea to check out this website, which contains information on how to stay safe, and what to do when power goes out etc.

http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/about/tc-checklist.shtml

As it is, it looks like the cyclone will land early on Friday morning.   

Please keep Brady Bunch puns to a bare minimum thanks :P

Good luck over the next couple of days. Let us know how you go.

Thanks for the link. I have friends on a waterfront property at Agnes and my mother-in-law is in the Bundaberg area, so I'll pass it on.

I'm on the Fraser Coast and I went to town for the papers and the car park at Woollies was full to brimming over with shoppers frightened they will run out of essentials.  It's not the first time a cyclone has come this way and it won't be the last so I always have my fridge and freezer stocked with a few extras to tide us over in case of an emergency. 

It's a miserable day here and raining but the wind isn't all that bad at the moment.  All being well it will be all over by this time tomorrow and we will be wondering what all the fuss was about.  All fingers and toes crossed  :)

Just don't forget to stock up on water. Don't leave it until the last minute.

It has poured with rain all day and doesn't look like slowing down any time soon.

The cyclone is now a category 3 and getting stronger so has now become a bit of a worry in the warning area.

This is the tracking map, http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml I am down in the bottom end of the warning zone, hopefully thing won't get too rough and yes we have plenty of water.  Take care all those people further north, I hope all goes well.

Rosie wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 9:50am:

I'm on the Fraser Coast and I went to town for the papers and the car park at Woollies was full to brimming over with shoppers frightened they will run out of essentials.  It's not the first time a cyclone has come this way and it won't be the last so I always have my fridge and freezer stocked with a few extras to tide us over in case of an emergency.  It's a miserable day here and raining but the wind isn't all that bad at the moment.  All being well it will be all over by this time tomorrow and we will be wondering what all the fuss was about.  All fingers and toes crossed  :)

The time we had a flood in Rockhampton back in 2013, and perhaps before that in 2011, we had people going in to buy up all the bread and milk. Because apparently, that's what Rockhamptonites eat and drink as a staple diet. Heard that people have already taken the powdered milk, too, and supplies are out. Tonight, I'm going to a screening of Jupiter Ascending, and I'll probably exit the cinema to be greeted by heavy or moderate rainfall.

They have upgraded the cyclone crossing the coast to a category 4 system. I find that doubtful, but it should be a fairly weak category 3 at most. I see no reason why it should intensify in the region where we seem to see a downgrading a favourable cyclonic conditions. Either way, it's going to be my first cyclone that I have directly experienced.

The path of the cyclone seems to have moved north to cross well north of St Lawrence (north of Yeppoon). And since that is the likely case, we might be able to get up to 400mm of rain in this town over the next 2 days. Surely, that will help our annual rainfall totals and make up for the lack of rain we had from the start of the year. Maybe the depression will stall over this town, and save the Saturday's world cup game in Brisbane.

I slept for 12 hours last night, and only got up an hour ago. Typically, humid summer days allows me to sleep through a few hours longer.

Category 4 and "developing quickly". 

Lot of schools and other things are poo tomorrow.

Stay safe and dry CQ

Stratos wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 7:09pm:

Category 4 and "developing quickly".

Not kidding with that developing quickly, now category 5 predicted

double post

Stratos wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 7:19am:

Cyclone Marcia is currently heading towards the central QLD coast, and is expected to wreak havoc over a huge part of the coast. For anyone in the effected areas such as myself, it would be a good idea to check out this website, which contains information on how to stay safe, and what to do when power goes out etc. http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/about/tc-checklist.shtml As it is, it looks like the cyclone will land early on Friday morning.    Please keep Brady Bunch puns to a bare minimum thanks :P

Thanks for the link. My husband has cousins who live in some of the affected areas so it's a worrying time for us.

My Missus is flying into the Gold Coast at the moment!

How is the weather there?

A sleepless night coming up.

Good luck everyone in the path of Marcia.

Redmond Neck wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 8:04pm:

My Missus is flying into the Gold Coast at the moment! How is the weather there?

John Smith lives down there, maybe PM him? I wouldn't like to be flying anywhere in this. All flights in and out of Bundaberg and Hervey Bay have been cancelled.

Redmond Neck wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 8:04pm:

My Missus is flying into the Gold Coast at the moment! How is the weather there?

Wet........Cyclone is at least 700 klms north of the Gold Coast at the moment.

Latest update from Qld Police:


Quote:

Queensland Police Service 11 mins · EMERGENCY ALERT for Ogmore and Marlborough residents 19th February 2015 8:10 PM EMERGENCY ALERT for Ogmore and Marlborough residents. Tropical Cyclone Marcia will be making landfall over Saint Lawrence as a possible Category 5. Urgent evacuation strongly recommended. Make plans to leave by 9pm to friends or family or the Yeppoon Cyclone Shelter. Call (07) 4913 5100 for information or if you require assistance evacuating.

That is north of Rockhampton, about 600+ klms north of me, right on top of the SubRocky Member.  Nasty bitch if it is at Category 5, because there ain't no Category 6!

Lefty from my board is right in the path. Dear god!

St George of the Garden wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 9:30pm:

Lefty from my board is right in the path. Dear god!

Just a tad south of the projected coast crossing point by about 150 klms.  He could well get his arse kicked.

Aussie wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 9:11pm:

Latest update from Qld Police: Quote: Queensland Police Service 11 mins · EMERGENCY ALERT for Ogmore and Marlborough residents 19th February 2015 8:10 PM EMERGENCY ALERT for Ogmore and Marlborough residents. Tropical Cyclone Marcia will be making landfall over Saint Lawrence as a possible Category 5. Urgent evacuation strongly recommended. Make plans to leave by 9pm to friends or family or the Yeppoon Cyclone Shelter. Call (07) 4913 5100 for information or if you require assistance evacuating. That is north of Rockhampton, about 600+ klms north of me, right on top of the SubRocky Member.  Nasty bitch if it is at Category 5, because there ain't no Category 6!

Well, my house isn't the most sturdy of houses. And if it falls over by tomorrow, whilst I'm sleeping in, I would just like to say that it's been nice talking to you all. But I'm likely to be spending my Sunday off cleaning up the downstairs part of the house, and sweeping out whatever has been washed in there. It's my first direct impact cyclone, so I don't think I am going to be prepared for what I don't know.

UnSubRocky wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 9:53pm:

Aussie wrote on Feb 19th, 2015 at 9:11pm: Latest update from Qld Police: Quote: Queensland Police Service 11 mins · EMERGENCY ALERT for Ogmore and Marlborough residents 19th February 2015 8:10 PM EMERGENCY ALERT for Ogmore and Marlborough residents. Tropical Cyclone Marcia will be making landfall over Saint Lawrence as a possible Category 5. Urgent evacuation strongly recommended. Make plans to leave by 9pm to friends or family or the Yeppoon Cyclone Shelter. Call (07) 4913 5100 for information or if you require assistance evacuating. That is north of Rockhampton, about 600+ klms north of me, right on top of the SubRocky Member.  Nasty bitch if it is at Category 5, because there ain't no Category 6! Well, my house isn't the most sturdy of houses. And if it falls over by tomorrow, whilst I'm sleeping in, I would just like to say that it's been nice talking to you all. But I'm likely to be spending my Sunday off cleaning up the downstairs part of the house, and sweeping out whatever has been washed in there. It's my first direct impact cyclone, so I don't think I am going to be prepared for what I don't know.

Good luck UnSubRocky.  (You too Lefty.)  If it's category 5, it will be a bitch.

:(

Quote:

Queensland Police Service 2 mins · SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE MARCIA has begun moving southwest in the last hour, category 5 forecast for landfall. The VERY DESTRUCTIVE CORE of severe tropical cyclone Marcia, with gusts to 295 km/h, is expected to cross the coast between St Lawrence and Gladstone on Friday morning. Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcia, category 4, is continuing to move in a south southwest direction towards the Queensland coast. The cyclone is expected to continue moving in the same general direction overnight and make landfall between St Lawrence and Gladstone during Friday morning. The Cyclone WARNING from Bowen to Mackay has been cancelled.

Wow!!! 

"Between St. Lawrence and Gladstone" is Rockhampton.  Lots of old homes there.

Does Brisbane itself get any of the weather?

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 8:05pm:

A sleepless night coming up. Good luck everyone in the path of Marcia.

Yes ndeed.  I'm South .. so likely to only get rains and wind.  Coolangatta.? at the momemt it's OK I say.. gusty and rain with squalls.  Airport likely to stay open  throughout the Cyclone IMO.  Mind you,, I 've lived here long time and this is the biggest most intense cyclone I will have seen here to date.

Good luck people.. we're all in this together..

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 11:37pm:

Does Brisbane itself get any of the weather?

Will depend but likely strong winds.. nothing like in the actual landfall area...depending on coastal exposure.. and lots of RAIN.!!!!!!!!! 

Moderate to heavy rain now. Cyclone is only hours away. Rockhampton

May even consider going for a walk in the rain, just for the experience.

well look out for flying objects and stay away from trees.!!!

it is quite calm here where I live.. regular showers .. with breaks. But massive humidity ..

You can 'feel ' the mass of the storm way north.  GLAD I DON'T LIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE PATH of Marcia.

Good luck people.. the first cyclone of the yr, really,  here,..

and how strange that they (cyclones) so often correspond with the King Tides.  Or is It.? 

 

Rain periods interspersed with mild light rain. Windy sometimes, calm the next. It has rained fairly heavily before, and the rain does increase. But the rain seems sporadic. Tracking the cyclone now, and it is heading due south. Directly north of Rockhampton, and heading our way. Maybe it will track out to sea before day break.

There is a thread on my board detailing Lefty’s experience leading up to the storm and, hopefully, when it hits Gladstone and continues on:

http://tinyurl.com/np463yo

This morning it is hard to believe there is a cyclone out there, not a breath of wind and blue sky.  I rather think things will change over the next 24 hours.

Here's the track map.  As it stands now the cyclone will still be a cat 1 when it is inland from where I am, that's one nasty monster of a storm.

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml

It's gunna be bad.

So pesky Marcia is still tracking in a southerly direction and the longer it stays out to sea, the more it builds up. It is expected to hit around the Yeppoon/Gladstone area about 10 o'clock.

I've been through a category two and I can't imagine anything worse, I remember the noise, just that horrible noise that goes on for hours and hours in the darkness and there's nowhere to go to get away from it, you try to read a book by torch light but you can't concentrate because of the wind, the rain and the airborne objects smashing into things, and water has been pouring in from the windows and doorways, you've used every towel, every doona and all your sheets and still the water pours in......

It's ok.

Good luck UnSubRocky. who incidentally has no power now, a planned cut off by Ergon. Good luck lefty from George's board.

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 6:33am:

It's gunna be bad.

Bobby....come up and hold my hand?

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 6:43am:

who incidentally has no power now, a planned cut off by Ergon. Good luck lefty from George's board.

Maybe he's close to a river or something?  I still have power.  Its eerily quiet right now.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 6:44am:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:33am: It's gunna be bad. Bobby....come up and hold my hand?

Are you hitting on me?

It's the Dragon's breath:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjsiGd8iAfs

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 6:55am:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:44am: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:33am: It's gunna be bad. Bobby....come up and hold my hand? Are you hitting on me?

No, I just thought you would be good company to travel through a cyclone with, never mind I'll find another one bonnier than you.

Stratos wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 6:55am:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:43am: who incidentally has no power now, a planned cut off by Ergon. Good luck lefty from George's board. Maybe he's close to a river or something?  I still have power.  Its eerily quiet right now.

Hope you're ok Mr Stratos.

Redmond Neck wrote on Feb 19^th, 2015 at 8:04pm:

My Missus is flying into the Gold Coast at the moment! How is the weather there?

let me put it this way

there's a cyclone? ;)

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 7:05am:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:55am: Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:44am: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:33am: It's gunna be bad. Bobby....come up and hold my hand? Are you hitting on me? No, I just thought you would be good company to travel through a cyclone with, never mind I'll find another one bonnier than you.

What if I was as courageous as Dr Smith?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz2_d6zWDhg

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 10:09pm:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 7:05am: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:55am: Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:44am: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 6:33am: It's gunna be bad. Bobby....come up and hold my hand? Are you hitting on me? No, I just thought you would be good company to travel through a cyclone with, never mind I'll find another one bonnier than you. What if I was as courageous as Dr Smith? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz2_d6zWDhg

I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'.... :D :D :D :D

Gizmo,

Quote:

I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'...

Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens?

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 10:43pm:

Gizmo, Quote: I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'... Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens?

As courageous as Dr Robinson, Major West, and Will Robinson...all of whom did NOT shriek like little girls, when they saw something strange... ;D ;D ;D

gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 10:57pm:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:43pm: Gizmo, Quote: I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'... Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens? As courageous as Dr Robinson, Major West, and Will Robinson...all of whom did NOT shriek like little girls, when they saw something strange... ;D ;D ;D

No way - you'd scream just like Dr Smith:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz2_d6zWDhg

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 11:06pm:

gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:57pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:43pm: Gizmo, Quote: I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'... Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens? As courageous as Dr Robinson, Major West, and Will Robinson...all of whom did NOT shriek like little girls, when they saw something strange... ;D ;D ;D No way - you'd scream just like Dr Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz2_d6zWDhg

Sorry, Booby...that is you're shtick, not mine...I'd do my best to kill the alien..

gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 11:11pm:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 11:06pm: gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:57pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:43pm: Gizmo, Quote: I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'... Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens? As courageous as Dr Robinson, Major West, and Will Robinson...all of whom did NOT shriek like little girls, when they saw something strange... ;D ;D ;D No way - you'd scream just like Dr Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz2_d6zWDhg Sorry, Booby...that is you're shtick, not mine...I'd do my best to kill the alien..

Dear Gizmo,
you're such a pain.

forgiven

namaste


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKwwcCpa2Ag

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 10:43pm:

Gizmo, Quote: I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'... Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens?

You have your own sense of reality don't you?

Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 11:23pm:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:43pm: Gizmo, Quote: I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'... Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens? You have your own sense of reality don't you?

My reality is none of your business.   ;D

(as your name suggests )

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 11:24pm:

Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 11:23pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:43pm: Gizmo, Quote: I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'... Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens? You have your own sense of reality don't you? My reality is none of your business.   ;D (as you name suggests )

Yes and posting it on a public forum is one way of making it none of my business.  ;D ;D


I can see you being a lot of amusement for everyone who is entertained by the fool.

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 11:21pm:

gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 11:11pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 11:06pm: gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:57pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:43pm: Gizmo, Quote: I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'... Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens? As courageous as Dr Robinson, Major West, and Will Robinson...all of whom did NOT shriek like little girls, when they saw something strange... ;D ;D ;D No way - you'd scream just like Dr Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz2_d6zWDhg Sorry, Booby...that is you're shtick, not mine...I'd do my best to kill the alien.. Dear Gizmo, you're such a pain. forgiven namaste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKwwcCpa2Ag

Thanks Booby..I try my best.

gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 20^th, 2015 at 11:50pm:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 11:21pm: gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 11:11pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 11:06pm: gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:57pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 20th, 2015 at 10:43pm: Gizmo, Quote: I always thought you weren't quite as 'courageous as Dr Smith'... Really - how courageous would you be on a planet infested with terrible aliens? As courageous as Dr Robinson, Major West, and Will Robinson...all of whom did NOT shriek like little girls, when they saw something strange... ;D ;D ;D No way - you'd scream just like Dr Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz2_d6zWDhg Sorry, Booby...that is you're shtick, not mine...I'd do my best to kill the alien.. Dear Gizmo, you're such a pain. forgiven namaste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKwwcCpa2Ag Thanks Booby..I try my best.

Dear Gizmo,

you are pre-forgiven before you do anything.

namaste

Highest wind speed at Yeppoon appears to have been 175k. Port Clinton near where it crossed the coast was about the same. Doesn't appear to have crossed as a cat 5.

It ended up a fizzer -

no  300km/hr winds.

Most people were lucky.

Bobby. wrote on Feb 21^st, 2015 at 6:18pm:

It ended up a fizzer - no  300km/hr winds. Most people were lucky.

It was a Cat 3 and by no means "a fizzer", just because you have no idea what you are talking about, doesn't mean the situation wasn't serious in its own right.

Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 21^st, 2015 at 6:24pm:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:18pm: It ended up a fizzer - no  300km/hr winds. Most people were lucky. It was a Cat 3 and by no means "a fizzer", just because you have no idea what you are talking about, doesn't mean the situation wasn't serious in its own right.

What sock puppet are you?

Let me guess ................... Longy?

Bobby. wrote on Feb 21^st, 2015 at 6:26pm:

Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:24pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:18pm: It ended up a fizzer - no  300km/hr winds. Most people were lucky. It was a Cat 3 and by no means "a fizzer", just because you have no idea what you are talking about, doesn't mean the situation wasn't serious in its own right. What sock puppet are you? Let me guess ................... Longy?

You seem to embrace ignorance and folly like a wino to a goon bag.


Not a sock, not ignorant, not prone to crapping on about subjects I know nothing about; at least you know for a fact I'm not you.  ;D


You are going to be fun.

Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 21^st, 2015 at 6:34pm:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:26pm: Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:24pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:18pm: It ended up a fizzer - no  300km/hr winds. Most people were lucky. It was a Cat 3 and by no means "a fizzer", just because you have no idea what you are talking about, doesn't mean the situation wasn't serious in its own right. What sock puppet are you? Let me guess ................... Longy? You seem to embrace ignorance and folly like a wino to a goon bag. Not a sock, not ignorant, not prone to crapping on about subjects I know nothing about; at least you know for a fact I'm not you.  ;D You are going to be fun.

You are forgiven according to the divine plan.

namaste

Bobby. wrote on Feb 21^st, 2015 at 6:55pm:

You are forgiven according to the divine plan. namaste

Move along, nothing to forgive here.


Rather pathetic attempt to divert attention away from your silly commentary. Maybe spending a bit more time doing a bit of research would be much easier in the long run. A lot less embarrassing for you anyway.

Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 21^st, 2015 at 7:04pm:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:55pm: You are forgiven according to the divine plan. namaste Move along, nothing to forgive here. Rather pathetic attempt to divert attention away from your silly commentary. Maybe spending a bit more time doing a bit of research would be much easier in the long run. A lot less embarrassing for you anyway.

Thanks Longy.

Bobby. wrote on Feb 21^st, 2015 at 7:11pm:

Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 7:04pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:55pm: You are forgiven according to the divine plan. namaste Move along, nothing to forgive here. Rather pathetic attempt to divert attention away from your silly commentary. Maybe spending a bit more time doing a bit of research would be much easier in the long run. A lot less embarrassing for you anyway. Thanks Longy.

Another pathetic and incorrect diversionary tactic.

Not longy; and surely I'm not the only person here that recognises just how intellectually limited you are?

If so, I may have made a serious mistake in signing up, I thought most of you would at least of average intelligence. But between you, light and greens there seems to be a serious shift to the left in the 'Bell Curve'.

Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 21^st, 2015 at 6:24pm:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:18pm: It ended up a fizzer - no  300km/hr winds. Most people were lucky. It was a Cat 3 and by no means "a fizzer", just because you have no idea what you are talking about, doesn't mean the situation wasn't serious in its own right.

I doubt the people who have lost their homes , or suffered damage and trauma think it was a fizzer.

Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 21^st, 2015 at 7:23pm:

Bobby. wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 7:11pm: Noneofyourbusiness wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 7:04pm: Bobby. wrote on Feb 21st, 2015 at 6:55pm: You are forgiven according to the divine plan. namaste Move along, nothing to forgive here. Rather pathetic attempt to divert attention away from your silly commentary. Maybe spending a bit more time doing a bit of research would be much easier in the long run. A lot less embarrassing for you anyway. Thanks Longy. Another pathetic and incorrect diversionary tactic. Not longy; and surely I'm not the only person here that recognises just how intellectually limited you are? If so, I may have made a serious mistake in signing up, I thought most of you would at least of average intelligence. But between you, light and greens there seems to be a serious shift to the left in the 'Bell Curve'.

Oh I like that  :)
  go for it NOYB
these goons seriously lower the tone.

And the house is still standing.

Hello all my loyal fans. UnSub here. Well, what a week it was -- let alone, more than for the cyclone. Thursday night/Friday morning week, I last spoke to you. Hope you enjoyed the peace. I had power out until Thursday afternoon... and then no internet until tonight. Cooking without power became a matter of having cold dinners the first night. In fact, I couldn't remember much of what I did for the first night after the cyclone -- considering that I have felt dehydrated and heat stroked from standing in line for ice a few days later.

My first cooked meal came from the aid of my parents, who only live 2km away from me. We got the BBQ downstairs to cook up some crumbed steaks before they went off. Mum got the gas cooker upstairs to cook up some vegetables. Basically, dinner was a BBQ event, and we basically made use of candles and battery powered lights to keep us out of the dark. Our various radios where our only form of communication, save for the occasion mobile phone to friends. Some network problems did exist the first night.

The first order of business for me was to get the food that I had in my fridge (what little I had) to be moved to my freezer. My freezer became my fridge. Luckily for me, I had about 6 bottles of frozen water in the freezer, and that acted as my ice for the first few days. My freezer had built up frost and was in severe need of defrosting. But luckily, I didn't do a defrost in the past month, or I would have lost a few bottles of milk that I had overstocked the fortnight before. Obviously, my frozen milk had also acted as my ice blocks as well. So, it meant that my freezer could stay cold until day 3, where I had to go find ice around town.

The Rocky Ice was the only place I could get ice. However, they had to get Mackay, and Emerald to truck in some ice, since Rocky Ice was overwhelmed. I recall waiting in line in 36 degree heat for up to 2 hours for ice, because I was dumb enough to believe that a van of ice was only 15 minutes away for delivery. Only the baulking thunderstorm cloud cover was what gave us relief from the heat. Had some nice little chats to people in line, though.

Oh, it took until about the second night before people started cranking up their generators. Even retiring to bed at midnight, some aahh soles decided to keep their generators going. Perhaps they couldn't sleep without some airconditioning cranked, the poor diddums, and that is why they kept their generators going. But I guess that because people had been going around stealing generators (not only from traffic lights, but also from homes) that it's best to know that you can hear it and sleep. Though I wish that people would just let the fridges go off for 8 hours, just to keep noise to a minimum. The council decided to collect their traffic light generators at midnight, since they figure few people would be using the roads then.

No power at home. No power at work. I had my day off on the Thursday, and then an enforced day off from work because of the cyclone, and subsequent power and water outages. Luckily, I had enough running water to keep me cool. Four showers a day (2 scrub up ones + 2 rinses to keep cool) was enough to stay sane. I suppose these ceiling fans aren't missed until they are not working.

Lighting at night was just a matter of lighting a few candles, and then a few citronella candles to keep the bugs away. I went through my first 40 citronella tea lights in 5 days, and started on the second packet when the power was restored. Now I just use them to keep the mozzies away from the windows that can't be shut. My mozzie zappers are used 3 a night, at different sections of the house. No mozzie problem so far.

The cyclone itself was quite eerie. I woke up that Friday morning to the wind blowing up a gale. It was breezy the night before, but the wind had picked up by mid morning. Like people had noted, I was without power by 10am. All I could do was watch as the winds made twigs of the trees in the front yard. I watched both front and back yard at even attention. I thought that my big trees were going to survive the winds. Sometimes, the wind gusts would pick up and send the trees near horizontal. My attention to the backyard was prolonged, as I watched an adjacent neighbour getting his corrugated roof blown off. It managed to stay on for most part, but it was basically flapping in the wind loosely. Then when I went back to the front, I missed seeing the tree being snapped in two at one of the larger trunks. Must have been quite a wind gust to have done that.

The eye of the storm was something. My neighbours had been sheltering in their shed (cyclone proof). My other neighbours sheltered in their house. But we were all out and about when the eye crossed over. We had a river of water going down our street, and we basically all had to go out to our section of the street to collect fallen branches being washed away. Some aahh souls decided to take their cars out for a spin. It would have been somewhat funny to have seen them strand their cars and be caught on the flip side of the cyclone, only 30 minutes later. Others tried to look like big heros and drive their Patrols around to survey damage. I had even heard the sound of a chainsaw down the road trying to cut away branches.

Glad you're OK, and your house too.  I got power today after 10 days in the dark.


UnSubRocky wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2015 at 9:40pm:

The Rocky Ice was the only place I could get ice

I went to the vic.  For some reason they had ice most of the time.


UnSubRocky wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2015 at 9:40pm:

Even retiring to bed at midnight, some aahh soles decided to keep their generators going. Perhaps they couldn't sleep without some airconditioning cranked, the poor diddums, and that is why they kept their generators going.

I didn't have a generator either, but to be honest, I don't hold any grude against those who kept theirs running.  I found it impossible to sleep for more than a few hours at a time with no fan to keep the sweat and heat off me, so its not like my sleep was worse because of the noise lol


UnSubRocky wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2015 at 9:40pm:

But I guess that because people had been going around stealing generators (not only from traffic lights, but also from homes) that it's best to know that you can hear it and sleep

It was one person (well, maggot) apparently

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/one-man-charged-over-missing-17-generators-rockham/2556950/


UnSubRocky wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2015 at 9:40pm:

Four showers a day (2 scrub up ones + 2 rinses to keep cool)

agreed, only thing to stave it off.

My net total was losing three trees, two fence sections, one scared cat, a fridge full of stuff and a sleep deprived and irritated Stratos for 10 days.

My walk down the road took twice as long (or longer) than it usually takes, because I was barefoot and wading through knee high water. Obviously, the storm water drains were overwhelmed with water. The walk back took longer than I liked, because we were getting ready for the flip side of the cyclone. I found that the only damage to the place was a few broken branches, and my louvers had been knocked in at the downstairs back. Upstairs, the water had rinsed its way passed the closed windows. so, leaving them open was not going to make much difference. I didn't use the bench or stove until recently. So, I was cleaning over the week.

I was annoyed when getting supplies and surveying the damage, I saw the number of overgrown trees that had fallen onto powerlines. People have already mentioned this, but why wasn't the council out lopping trees to prevent the exacerbated power outages. They could have saved a lot of trouble for people, if they went and cut some overgrown trees in certain areas. Wouldn't have stopped the black out. But, I would have seen some power here a few days earlier, I reckon.

Anyway, work was overwhelmed with customers looking for a meal cooked. McDonalds had a few stores opened around town, but it wasn't enough to divert excessive customers (can I say that?) away from us. Glad to see our competition still closed, though. Tonight was the first time I could work at normal pace, since the power was coming back around town. Everything back to normal within 2 weeks, I assume. The house is still standing.

welcome back ... glad to hear all safe and sound. ;)

As a consequence of the cyclone, we now have to endure water problems as a result of the treatment plants being inundated with debris from the falling trees. We have had to endure a week of brownish (but drinkable, according to the mayor) water to wash ourselves and our clothes. I have encouraged friends to start hosing the yard, because I think the water treatment plants need to rid the dirty water quickly for us to get back to having clean water.

So glad that I bought a water filter 4 years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbrGjFQtug4