November 5, 2017 (day 3,811)
Quick Fix: 27° 30.3 S / 153° 21.6 E
Conditions:  Wind: 7/N Sky: Mostly Cloudy

Wild West Show
When we arrived in Brisbane local sailors warned - beware of weather from the west, especially during summer months, when storm cells fueled by intense inland heat deliver biblical thunderstorms, damaging hail and gale force winds. Last year, anchored in this very spot, fifty-five knot winds, the second strongest we've experienced at anchor on Dream Time, stretched our snubber and had boats dragging all across the bay, with one unfortunate yacht careening onto rocks requiring a rescue of captain and crew. And a few days ago, with a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for our region, we watched ominous storm clouds gather again, lightening strikes intensify and just moments later felt the wind shift suddenly to the west and increase to gale force. Dream Time was prepared with furled canopies, a tidy deck and plenty of anchor scope, but it was still a wild night - Mother Nature gave us one heck of a show.