From the Captain Garry McKechnie 22/03/06

Cyclone Wati is moving towards Townsville as a category 3 cyclone. Her presence is an ominous reminder of the recent devastation in Innisfail and we continue to monitor her progress with intense interest. A high pressure system south of Hobart will possibly strand her off the coast for several days and perhaps send her south rather than west. Gale force winds are forecast for Bundaberg and Fraser Island but we may be lucky once again to miss the worst of it.

A final round of media on Wednesday morning brings Peter Lindsay, a Qld MP, down to meet the trainees. By now we have decided to depart Townsville around midnight to time our arrival at Brewer Reef for first light the following morning. We have several new crew members for the next leg. Ini has returned to Melbourne and Colin Fry has flown in from Hobart. Paul, Gill and Jo having got off in Airlie beach are replaced on the GBRMPA team by Andrew and Guillermo The rest of the crew remain the same. We steam out of Townsville with a SE chop on our beam creating an uncomfortable ride for those that have not yet found their sea legs.

We have been given a new brief for the next leg. Paul Marshall directs our team to abandon some of the coral bleaching sites and gives us a list of new sites where we will examine the extent and severity of cyclone damage. The coral bleaching work remains vital but as it happens this section of the coast is thought to be less affected than the others because sea temperatures have remained relatively stable. As the first research vessel into the area after the cyclone we are uniquely placed to undertake this task. (see scientists logs for details of research). We will visit sites within the direct path of Larry and others off to either side.