| 1. Cyclone pre-alert |
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No flag is displayed, but yachtsmen are encouraged to pay close attention to the alert bulletins and to avoid going to sea. The bulletins are issued by the High Commissioner's office and by the Public Safety department. Yachtsmen should take advantage of this pre-alert period to take preventive measures for the safety of their vessel: checking dock lines, removing awnings and biminis, securing any objects on deck potentially capable of becoming airborne.
At this stage, cyclone safety lines are not to be tightened, and manoeuvres within the port remain authorised.
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| 2. ORANGE cyclone aler |
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An orange flag is displayed. A tropical storm is likely to affect the whole or part of New Caledonia. At some time during this period, the Marina Office ("Capitainerie") will inform yachtsmen, by e-mail, SMS, VHF, posted notices, advisories on commercial FM radios (NRJ, RFO, RRB, OCEANE), etc, of its decision to close the port to traffic, and order that cyclone lines be tightened.
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At that stage, a black flag will be hoisted under the orange flag, indicating that all traffic within the port is now prohibited, and the port will remain closed until the all-clear is decreed. |
| 3. RED cyclone alert |
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A red flag is hoisted alongside the black flag. By now, all cyclone lines must be properly tightened, and the port is closed to all nautical activity. At this level of alert, all sea and land traffic is prohibited.
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| 4. GREY cyclone alert |
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A grey flag is hoisted. This indicates that the worst of the storm is past. Nevertheless, yachtsmen are encouraged to stay put as much as possible.
The Marina Office has sole authority for allowing cyclone lines to be slackened, and for allowing resumption of movement within the port. Until such decision has been taken, the black flag will remain hoisted alongside the grey, indicating that the port is closed and cyclone lines are to remain tightened.
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Until the Marina office has informed yacht owners that they may do so, owners must not slacken their cyclone safety lines ou shift their vessel.
Yachtsmen will be informed by e-mail, SMS, posted notices, advisories on commercial FM radios (NRJ, RFO, RRB, OCEANE), VHF, etc. of the re-opening of the port. At that stage, a green flag will replace the grey and black flags, indicating that the port resumes normal activities. Yachtsmen will be required to drop their cyclone lines as soon as possible so that boat movements within the port may resume. |
Excepting when specifically requested by the authorities to remain on call, the Marina personnel are under orders to go home and stay there during a Red alert. Consequently, any emergency or request for assistance is to be addressed to the Noumea Fire Department (phone 18,). |
Throughout the various alert levels (orange, red and grey), yachtsmen should monitor closely VHF channel 67 for information and instructions. |
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