Saturday 1 February

The super high tide duly materialised, and at 7.40 am (before it became light) I was headed into town to have a look. I was not disappointed. A pumping wagon from the water company was on stand-by, police cars with blue flashing lights were positioned on Castle Street and a very large expanse of water lapped against properties on North Beach. The water, which had overtopped the quay in Lazy Corner, had also flooded the carpark in Perceval Square and the Cromwell Street Quay. Further up into town, the Bayhead River was prevented from going into the sea, and therefore flooded Bayhead Street - I did not go up that far. The rain, which was falling when I went out the door, changed to snow after 20 minutes, and the temperature fell to only just above freezing. On North Beach, some intrepid souls had taken out their paddle boards and were messing around on the water. The police had closed Cromwell Street at the Kenneth Street junction, and at South Beach, so the situation was well under control. The sun rose at 8.40, by which time I had returned indoors to warm up. Low tide occurred at 2 pm, meaning that the waterlevel had dropped by 5 metres. It is mind-boggling to think so much water is being shunted around by tides. A repeat performance is due tomorrow, but I don't think I'll be out again at the crack of dawn to watch.