Cyclone Yasi

In January, just two weeks after we moved into our new home, our area was expected to be hit by the largest cyclone in Australia's recorded history. It was coming directly for us, and then at the last minute shifted north to hit Tully and Cardwell.

In the day or two before the cyclone, Dave and I spent our time preparing, in case the power went out. Which it did.

We stocked up on canned food, prepared the medicine kit, candles, charged all the batteries, rounded up portable radios, and filled the generator with petrol (plus stocked up on petrol at the servo -- had to wait in line a half hour to fill the tanks). And  queued up with everyone else for beer (This is Australia after all).

The news stations kept us all informed, but faintly alarmed. We wondered if we weren't being silly for not evacuating. Our house was just at the edge of the projected storm surge, but since it's a two story, we thought we'd probably be fine. Probably. Hopefully. Oh, boy.

Comparison between projected Yasi storm path/damage with
other devastating cyclones -- scary, because Katrina and Tracy
were comparable sized storms --- Oh, we are going
 to be so flattened!

But, as it turned out we didn't get hit too badly. We were prepared to wait up all night for the cyclone to hit (for some reason they always come at night, which is way scarier). We had the tv on, watching the news, and at 10:45 p.m. the power went out. Then the storm got louder, and louder.

The old house groaned like each nail was being twisted and pulled. From time to time a tree limb bashed against the side of the house. We turned on the radio to hear how bad the storm surge was going to be. In seaside towns, if a cyclone hits, it blows the tide up onto the beach and fills all the local creeks and rivers, causing flooding. If it got really bad here, we might have to climb on our roof.

Did I mention that I can't swim? At all. As in, sink like a rock.

But, all was well, and the tidal surge didn't get anywhere near our house. Whew!

In the morning we had a peek out our windows to check out the damage. Astonishingly, our skinny palm trees stood up to the storm, and only lost a few fronds. The low side of our yard was a bit flooded, but nothing major.

Well, I guess we won't have to water for a while

However, out the back of the house, trees took a real beating.

The back stairs are here somewhere

By a strange quirk of fate, Dave had just purchased a chain saw 3 days before the cyclone. So, with the help of the kids, he unburied the back yard.

We were very lucky, if the storm had stayed true to its original course,  we would have received a fair amount of flooding.

In town, near the Strand

So, we're keeping our fingers crossed that we've made it through the worst of the cyclone season for 2011.

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Here's a cute message from Cairns.

Image from abc.net.au