Cape Sorell

False colour Landsat image showing Macquarie Harbour with Cape Sorell in the centre right area of the picture.

Cape Sorell is the headland and lighthouse outside Macquarie Harbour on the West Coast of Tasmania. It is an important orientation point for all vessels entering Macquarie Heads - and then through Hells Gates at the entrance to the harbour. It is named after Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania William Sorell who was lieutenant-governor from 1817 to 1824.

Lighthouse

See Cape Sorell Lighthouse

Macquarie Heads breakwater railway

See Macquarie Heads breakwater railway

Waverider Buoy

The Cape Sorell Waverider Buoy (Also known as Captain Fathom) [1]

is a swell-measuring buoy located west of Cape Sorell some 10 km kilometres west of Ocean Beach (42°12′S 145°03′E / 42.200°S 145.050°E).[2]

It is unique in that it is one of the few wave-riding swell measuring buoys close to land in the region within the Roaring Forties of the Southern Ocean apart from those in New Zealand.

Originally known as the 'Strahan' waverider buoy it was deployed in January 1998 and had recorded maximum waves of 18 m within the first three months of operation. The Strahan buoy was supported by CMR which provides the moorings, and the Strahan fishing community which provides the resources to deploy and recover the buoy.

Earlier CSIRO- funded wave-measuring buoys were installed on the area in the period 1985 to 1993, utilising the locations of Cape Sorell, Cape Grim and Storm Bay as the locations. The Storm Bay location concluded in December 1993[3] The table and graph of the range of the swells is readily available on the internet links listed below. This link is sometimes displayed in the boats that conduct cruises across Macquarie Harbour and up Gordon River, as a means of illustrating the strength and intensity of the swells that meet Ocean Beach

Winter swells range in the 4 to 10 metre range on the average. However it is claimed that it broke its moorings on a 23 metre swell within the last decade.

The buoy retained its mooring on 21 September 2006 when it reached a spike of 19.5 metres which was claimed to be the highest measured wave in Australian waters.[4] - however this measurement has been modified due to the buoy's behaviour at the time of the measurement, and it is more likely to have been half that measurement.

On 16 September 2010 it measured up to 18.4 metres in extreme weather [5][6]

Captured data (research into the record that includes this buoy) is used to look at climate change issues,[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ Named Captain Fathom by the listeners of ABC Radio, Tasmania during the Weather Month of May celebration of the Bureau's centenary. see http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDT65015.shtml
  2. ↑ Link to current observations - Link to wave buoy recent observation graph
  3. ↑ Wave Data from CSIRO Waverider Buoys deployed in Tasmanian waters 1985-1993
  4. ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1746798.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.theage.com.au/environment/oh-buoy-monster-18m-wave-off-tasmania-20100917-15fil.html
  6. ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/16/3013087.htm - see also http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDT65015.shtml
  7. ↑ http://www.sciencealert.com.au/features/20091603-18917.html Tracking bigger wave action
  8. ↑ http://climatechange.gov.au/publications/coastline/wave-climate.aspx - M. A. Hemer , K. McInnes, J. A. Church, J. O’Grady, & J. R. Hunter . 9 September 2008 Variability and trends in the Australian wave climate and consequent coastal vulnerability. - cited as Hemer, Mark A; CSIRO. Marine and Atmospheric Research; Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research (2008), Variability and trends in the Australian wave climate and consequent coastal vulnerability, CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research, retrieved 14 July 2012

External links