Port closed, yachts beached as storm lashes Phuket

[webfact]

Port closed, yachts beached as storm lashes Phuket
Phuket Gazette


Boats at Ao Yon, on Phuket’s east coast, were grounded by the storm. Photo: Jakapan Utsaha

PHUKET: -- Local authroities this morning ordered Phuket Rassada Port closed as strong wind and waves lashed the coast and driving rain wreaked havoc with motorists across the island.

Hundreds of tourists waited dockside as the ban took effect, as Rassada Port, located on the east side of Phuket Town, is a major jump-off point for tourists boarding ferries and tour boats to islands in Phang Nga Bay and along the Andaman coast.

Meanwhile, yachts moored in the bay at Ao Yon, further north on Phuket's east coast, were grounded as the storm took hold.

“We ordered that no passenger boats are to leave shore while this weather continues. We will annoucne when the ban has been lifted,” Lt Col Chatchai Sakdee of the Phuket Marine Police told the Phuket Gazette.

“Boat owners please be aware of your moorings. The wind is so strong that your boats might move despite being anchored, and yachts tied to moorings may break free,” he warned.

“Anyone need of assistance or want to report any incidents that we might need to know about are urged to call the Phuket Marine Police Hotline 1196 or our usual number 076-211883.

“Alternatively, people can call the Phuket Tourist Rescue Center in Chalong at 076-391598,” Col Sakchai added.

The port closure follows the Thai Meteorolgical Department issuing a weather warning for Phuket and the Andaman coast at 4am.

Over the past eight hours, wind gusting up to 40kmh and waves of up to four meters high have battered the coast.

“Decreasing rain is expected over the South but isolated heavy to very heavy rain remain in some areas. People in Phuket and other provinces across the Southern Thailand must beware of heavy to very heavy rain,” the TMD warned.

Other provinces named in the warning included Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Ranong, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phang Na, Krabi, Trang and Satun.

Phuket lifeguards have urged tourists not to enter the water at the beaches until the heavy weather has passed.

“Please beware of hard-hitting waves, even those right on the beach. The waves can knock you down and hurt you,” said Wirot Saweangphol, a lifegurad at Karon Beach.

“Waves in Karon are very strong at the moment. Please be careful,” he urged.

Nai Harn chief lifeguard Jula Nontree urged tourists to exercise the same caution there.

“The waves are not very high, but they hit hard close to the shore,” Mr Jula said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Port-closed-yachts-beached-as-storm-lashes-Phuket-22861.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-11-23

[webfact]

Phuket yachties in dramatic boat rescue from sea wall
Phuket Gazette


Phuket yachtsmen from the Ao Chalong Yacht Club manhandle the boat away from the sea wall. Photo: Bob Mott

PHUKET: A-- handful of brave members at Phuket’s Ao Chalong Yacht Club (ACYC) scrambled to save a French expat’s yacht from smashing into the sea wall in front of the clubhouse this morning.

The onslaught of strong waves saw the 30-foot yacht break free from its anchor at about 11am, sending the boat pitching dangerously toward the sea wall (map here).

As the Frenchman’s yacht came within a few feet of concrete barrier, Bruce Issell of the well-known DaVinci catamaran climbed on board to steer the vessel clear from danger.

“Other local expat yachties Gareth, Gunter Knutt and Billy Duif jumped into the water to fend the yacht off sea wall,” Phuket expat and long-term ACYC member Bob Mott told the Phuket Gazette.

“They were assisted by Khun Cha and a Burmese man, On Cho, who we all know as ‘A.K.’,” he said.

The volunteers struggled for an hour before finally clearing the yacht danger.

“The yacht came close, but never actually touched the sea wall,” Mr Mott said.

The boat is now safe.

“They managed to get it clear from the wall and it will be moved out further into the bay when the weather calms down,” Mr Mott explained.

The heavy seas continued to batter other boats in what is usually a safe haven of Chalong Bay, and the floating pier in front of the ACYC appears to have broken apart.

The Gazette has received unconfirmed reports that one boat has become jammed against Chalong Pier (map here) and has taken damage from another boat being repeatedly pitched against it by the strong waves.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-yachties-save-yacht-in-dramatic-boat-rescue-from-sea-wall-22862.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-11-23

[MK1]

According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre, the Low pressure cell that effected Phuket, Saturday 23rd November 2013, is considered to have developed into a significant Tropical Cyclone which is currently moving away from the coast in the direction of the Andaman Islands. Storm trackers can follow it’s movement at: http://www.usno.navy.mil/JTWC/

Edited November 23, 2013 by MK1

[MK1]

The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre has now issued- Tropical Cyclone 05B (Five) Warning #02
Issued at 23/1500Z.

The cyclone continues to move away from the Andaman Coast in a northwestward direction at 08knots towards little Andaman Island.

Further details regarding' Warning #02' can be found at: http://www.usno.navy.mil/JTWC/

Edited November 23, 2013 by MK1

[MK1]

Edited November 23, 2013 by MK1

[Lite Beer]

Scores of race boats, fishing boats and speedboats wrecked by storm in Phuket

PHUKET, 23 November 2013 (NNT) – Strong winds and waves lashed Thailand's west coast damaging scores of sailboats that were to be raced in next week's Phuket King's Cup Regatta and sunk many more fishing boats and speedboats on Saturday.

The 22 damaged race boats were moored at Khao Khat Bay in Phuket when violent waves pushed them against tide barriers and rocks. The initial damage estimate has been put at 40 million baht. Authorities had difficulty recovering the damaged vessels due to the continued bad weather.

Reporters observed around 100 damaged fishing boats and speedboats of tour companies along the beaches of Phuket on the same day.

Provincial authorities have banned all types of sea vessels from leaving shore, and for their owners to closely monitor the weather forecast from the Meteorological Department.

Over the past week, the weather bureau has issues warnings of intense downpours in the southern provinces, prompting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to direct Disaster Prevention and Mitigation officials to ready themselves to respond to weather-related scenarios in the South.

-- NNT 2013-11-24

[Old Croc]

I was looking at that cloud system on satellite this morning and thought it looked a bit like a cyclone!

[MK1]

I was looking at that cloud system on satellite this morning and thought it looked a bit like a cyclone!

It will be interesting to see how many had ‘3^rd party insurance for swinging on a mooring’ since most basic boat insurance only covers for operating a boat in a storm?

Also Tropical Cyclone 05B (Five) Warning #04 Issued at 24/0300Z is now availble and continues to track northwestward away from Thailand.

see details here: http://www.usno.navy.mil/JTWC/

Edited November 24, 2013 by MK1