Waterfront preparations needed for king tides

Queensland boaties and those living along the coastal waterfront are being warned to take the necessary precautions during the annual summer king tides which will peak over the coming days.

Transport Minister John Mickel said some basic preparations would help to prevent damage caused by the twice-yearly tidal surges.

"Boaties should ensure their vessels are securely moored, and they should monitor the tides and their craft, particularly during and soon after a storm,” Mr Mickel said.

"Boats can break adrift if moorings cannot accommodate these high spring tides, so vessels and moorings need to be checked often.

"There is always an increased risk attached to boating activities during a time of unusually high tides, because the speed of the water flow is much greater.

"It's important for boat owners to monitor both the weather and the tides, to ensure the safety of their craft and passengers.

“Boaties also need to keep an eye out for flotsam that might have been dislodged from creeks and river banks.”

Mr Mickel said owners of waterfront residences could do their bit by making sure things such as tinnies and canoes were hauled up along the waterfront, garden furniture, refuse and other items were made secure so they could not float away or be blown away.

“King tides can be threatening but never more so than if they coincide with the strong winds and storm surges generated throughout Queensland during the cyclone season between November and May,” he said.

“The combination of low air pressure from cyclonic systems and strong winds associated with storms, can produce storm tides that can be much higher than normal.”

With the arrival of Tropical Cyclone ‘Charlotte’ over the weekend, tide levels in many coastal parts of Northern Queensland are expected to exceed the higher than normal ‘king tide’ levels.

The predicted king tide for the Gulf of Carpentaria occurs today (12/01/09) at 4.31 pm at Weipa and at 8.55 pm tonight at Karumba

Tide predictions for 2009 are contained in Queensland's Official Tide Tables and Boating Safety Guide published by Maritime Safety Queensland. The guide is available from selected news agencies, bookshops and Queensland Transport's Customer Service Centres.

Details of the tides of Queensland for the year 2009, including the king tides, are available at the Maritime Safety Queensland website www.msq.qld.gov.au/qldtides.

Media contact: Jane Rowe 3237 1125