DODGING CYCLONES!

Tropical Stormz

G'day All,
                  Itz been a long while  coming but itz finally thyme 2 update my progress.
With the arrival of a new computer I'm at last able to download pictures from the camera 2 the puter for the blog updates.
It seems at this moment that there are far more broken thingz in my life than working stuff.
In these tropical monsoonal conditions it seems as though anything electrical or mechanical needs tonnes of maintenance.
In the past little while I've had 2 replace the stereo, computer, mobile fone ,power inverter and both water pumps (salt & fresh).
The salt water pump failure resulted in a couple on thousand litres of sea water flooded in2 the port hull. "Luckily" I noticed the problem B4 it got 2 critical levels. I rung Blackout and waz able to get a 2" pump that emptied the hull in just over an hour.
The incoming water was faster than the auto bilge pumpz could handle, I need bigger pumps in the hulls or my own emergency pump. Plus a high water alarm system in both hullz.
New salt and fresh water pumps are ordered they are just in Australia post limbo.
I made a conscious decision at the start of cyclone season to remain at Groote rather than head to the safety of Darwin harbour and itz marina's.
So far that decision haz proven well thunked as Darwin has been visited by 1 cyclone (cat 1) and later this week they are expecting a massive Cat 4 system. while here on Groote I only have to deal with the tropical storms that roll past each day.
The other storm related issue is the amount of debris in the water, we struck a floating something the other day on the way 2 Connection Island now the Port (left) propeller has a bent blade and makes a slight vibration. This can be repaired easily once I get 2 darwin. The water is so dirty the trolling action is basically non existent.2 much weed and flotsam.
While here, I've set up 4 distilling units for various people and shown there owners how to produce there own versionz of "Fellixer".
Plus Big Ash in Perth has been taking his lessonz by phone instructions and produced 9 litres from his first batch.
 With the generator still broken I've been spending far more thyme on land than I have on the Yot but its now getting cooler during the dayz and the work list iz huge, so I need to bring all the damaged systemz back online with the exception of the genset which I've resigned myself to waiting until we reach Darwin where the agents for Mase genertors reside.
While lotz of items are in mail limbo some others have arrived, this air bed iz now mounted up on the rear deck roof in the "Penthouse Suite". This iz a gr8 place to sleep in the tropical conditions that iz until it rains at 2 am and I have to retreat downstairs to the hammock.
The downstairs couch now has a new matress and another iz being prepared to turn the front deck fuel tank in2 a "bali style day bed"
These extra bedz work well when we have extra peoples aboard. The front deck haz 1 beanbag already with another ready for filling with beans.
Add the daybed, penthouse suite and beanbags to change the sleeping room from 3 persons to 7 or 8 which enhances the Mothershipping role that this yot seems suited 2.
All the jobz piling up need serious attention but az long as I complete just 1 job each day the yot iz still progressing.
I've set up the rear deck kitchen with both fresh and salt water plumbed up to the sink.All I need is the pumpz themself which were ordered 5 weex ago.
Itz now thyme 4 cautious preparation (wkoa) as Tropical Cyclone Norah is  tracking straight towards us and not heading 2 Darwin as predicted.
This means getting the yot ready to handle the 150 km/h  windz that are forecast.
The ferry haz been sent to Gove but I'm to slow to try and outrun the storm.
The current plan is 2 move the Yot round to the relative shelter of Bartalumba Bay where I'll put out the cyclone anchors and wait out the storm.
I'm planning to stay aboard the yot if the cyclone is less than category 3, however if it loox like cat 3,4 or 5 the yot will be anchored then Honey and myself will head back to town and shelter at Andrewz or Blackouts house.Much apprehension as I've not tackled a Cyclone with this Yot.

Deadly Jellyfish

I sat out many of these huge tropical storms while in Townsville and The Whitsundays with the previous yot but itz just the unknown that I'm facing that iz cause 4 concern.
Another cause for concern iz the huge numba of Irakanji jellyfish in the water at the moment. the sting from just 1 of these jellies can be fatal so when you see hundreds itz not a good idea to go swimming. Between the Jellies, crocs and bull sharks the water iz totally off limits at the moment.