December 20, 1869 Tsunami: Southeast Australia

The correspondent of the Mount Gambier Standard at Cape Jaffa thus describes a curious tidal phenomenon which occurred there about 11 p.m. on the 20th of December :-" A strong hot wind had been blowing all the morning until about two pm, when strong indications of a change became visible, and the wind came down from the N. E. by N. in violent squalls, in fact, a perfect hurricane, uprooting and snapping assimiler the trees by dozens in all directions, driving the sea into one sheet of white foam, and the spray high into the air. The wind at this time was absolutely scorching, so much so that the men who had been in the sea up to their waists hauling up a boat, had their clothes dried on them in a few minutes. It lasted in this manner for about one hour, when it gradually calmed down, and the sea became unnaturally smooth. At about dusk the wind became very light, veering about from all points of the compass, causing the steamer Jaffa's anchors and cables of necessity to become very foul. About 10 p.m. a number of hands went off to assist in taking the turns but of the chains, but just as they were leaving the jetty a heavy and very sudden squall came down from the N.W., lasting about a quarter of an hour, and then dying away to almost a dead calm, with the sea as smooth as glass, and without a ripple on the beach. But about them, as the hands who went off' to assist in putting the steamer snug were returning, a loud but distant roar was heard, and as they neared the jetty, a huge white crested wall of water was seen by them and by others on shore, coming in from seaward at a tremendous rate and as the boat reached within about 10 or 12 yards at the end of the jetty (where at the lowest tide five feet of water should be), the men were astonished to find themselves left dry. An instantaneous spring and a race for dear life by all in the boat took place, some on to the jetty, and the rest up the beach, followed at a few yards' distance by a solid white-topped wall of water, at the very least 10 feet high, breaking on the beach with a deafening roar, and capsizing the boat over and over again. The tide receded again to some distance beyond the jetty, and remained so for about a minute and a half, during which time all hands rushed down after the receding water, and manned the boat and ran her part way up the beach. Another huge wave came roaring in after them, about seven feet high, and overtaking them, gave them all their work to do to prevent them being carried out by the drawback. The tide again receded for the third time, but not quite so far as before, and then another large wave, about five or six feet high, rolled in on the beach, the boat meanwhile being run up high and dry. The sea then became quite smooth, with hardly a ripple, for about half an hour, when the tide in the course of 10 minutes rose and fell bodily several times a height of about seven feet, each rise and fall occupying about three or four minutes, there being at the time no swell or break on the beach. The weather then quieted down." (reference #14277)