Abell Point Marina rebuilds after Cyclone Debbie

The crew at Abell Point Marina is the first from the boating industry to release a dispatch from the front line after working hard to assess the damage following tropical cyclone Debbie, which tore through the Whitsunday islands and mainland coast on Tuesday March 28.

The category 4 cyclone reached the mainland at approximately midday on Tuesday March 28 and brought with it destructive winds and heavy rainfall.

The marina crew were onsite as soon as the main event had passed and are continuing to work around the clock to assess the damage.

Pontoon fingers in the north marina have cracked as a result of the destructive winds and huge swells at the high tide.

Crews have been securing vessels and chaining pontoons where possible to prevent further movement until the weather abates.

DAMAGE UNKNOWN
The full extent of the damage is unknown at this stage, just two day's after the cyclone's landfall, and it will take some time for the entire marina and all infrastructure to be assessed.

With more than 500 vessels berthed in the marina throughout the cyclone, the heavy winds and rainfall continued well into the night and long after the cyclone had crossed land.

The sheer size and force of the system resulted in damage of some marina infrastructure and basic services (power, water, fuel).

To further exacerbate the situation, on Wednesday night, more than 24 hours after the eye of the storm passed, the region experienced over 150mm of rainfall in one hour and was hit again by electrical storms and flash flooding.

Power has been lost to more than 65,000 residents in the Whitsunday region and with road closures prohibiting access for the defence force and other emergency support services.

As soon as power and water are restored, additional crews will be brought in to assist with the reconstruction of the marina.

BIGGEST WEATHER EVENT EVER
Abell Point Marina says the coming weeks will be a period of consolidation and logistical coordination for its team, but General Manager Luke McCaul is confident they will pull together to ensure full access to marina services by the start of the cruising season.

"This is the biggest weather event to ever have affected the Whitsunday region. While the marina and community has sustained damage, we have a strong team working towards restoring our services and ensuring as little disruption as possible to normal business.

"We appreciate there will be customers concerned about their vessels and their bookings and we will endeavour to contact all customers over the coming days as we have more information."

PORT REOPENS
Upon the advice of the regional harbour master, the port is now open and vessels are able to move in and out, while remaining alert for the possibility of marine debris in the water.

As with the rest of the Whitsunday community, Abell Point says it will work tirelessly to ensure the Whitsundays region remains open for business and show the rest of the country that "our resilience and tenacity will once again see us through this very challenging time."

Abell Point Marina directs customers to its Facebook page for updates and further information.

More at Abell Point Marina on Facebook.

Photo Credits: Various social media posts from on site.