Southerly Buster
VulcanSpirit
Richard & Alison Brunstrom
Wed 4 Nov 2015 14:25
| This term doesn’t mean much in the Uk, but here in South Africa it certainly does. Big Antarctic depressions come barrelling north up the east coast with a leading front. As the front arrives a very strong NE wind develops (30-35kts), followed by a brief period of total calm for perhaps half an hour - then the wind flips round as the front passes over and the south easterly hits. This happens on a weekly basis or so at this time of year. Last week’s was relatively benign, but this week’s was not. SW winds of 70kts (forecast 40) developed and Tuzi Gazi marina caught the brunt of it - allegedly the strongest winds to hit the marina in 30 years. The marina has not been properly maintained, and two of the mooring chains broke at the height of the storm causing absolute devastation. Luckily the others held and damage to boats was amazingly little. No-one was injured and no boats sunk - but it really was touch and go. We all though the whole marina was going to go, wrecking all our boats on the shore. Some visiting boats have sustained significant damage but luckily for us, not VS. Here are a few pictures to illustrate the story. The first picture, taken from our deck, shows the pontoon sinking. Then you can see the concertina action as the whole dock blew towards the shore.     Three days later things are being put right although we will have no power and water for quite a while. A very frightening incident, the full magnitude of which these photos don’t really capture. Just when you thought you were safe ……….. |