The weather forecast showing easterly winds for the week, making it ideal for anchoring at Moreton Island. So we set off.
Heading down river with an outgoing tide we reached the bay in only 1.5 hours. Less than .5m swell and 15knot winds made it a great leisurely sail across the bay.
After dinner we sat on the back deck. The bay was very still, showing no signs of what was approaching. We could see in the distance natures light display lighting up Brisbane with one of its summer evening storms. The lights of Brisbane slowly turned to black as the storm headed west across the bay. We were in the direct path.
Within a minute the calm bay was hit by the westerly wind. We raced below to shut all the hatches, then returned to the cockpit to watch the torrent of water pouring from the sky. The sky lit up with both fork and sheet lightning, reminding us about a yacht that recently got hit by lightning. That strike blew several holes in the the yacht’s hull.
It was over an hour before the storm cell left us. Cup of tea time. We went below for a cuppa and discovered one of the hatches hadn’t been closed properly. Which one? Of course the one above our bed. Luckily we have other dry beds.