NQ Junior Championship Regatta in Bowen

NQ Junior Championship Regatta in Bowen this weekend

 

Off beach sailors will converge on Bowen this weekend with junior class to the fore and some assistance from others would be appreciated.

Event organiser Jeremy Cooper told The Guardian "We hope to attract boats other than Sabots to this regatta, and look forward particularly to meeting sailors from the Open BIC, and other fleets."

"For Sabot families, the event will incorporate the AGM of NQ Sabot Association, and selection trials for the 2009-2010 National competition to be held in Gosford over the Christmas-New Year holiday.

Queensland's first Sabot sailor David Steen will be on hand to present the trophies.

"We look forward to seeing as many junior sailors as possible. Registration will open and close on October 31; however, an early indication of numbers would be appreciated, so that division prizes may be obtained. Further information 0429315939 or the Sabot website at http://sites.google.com/site/nqsabot/

 

Ambassadors meet and greet

 

With ever-increasing visits by cruise ships to Whitsunday - four ships in four days scheduled for early December - our cruise ship volunteer ambassadors need a hand.

The Volunteer Ambassador Program has been meeting and greeting for some years now with Judi Dunn at the helm and they need some help.

Judi just sent an updated program that shows visits by new ships such as the Holland America Line MS Volendam whose first visit is on December 3.

MS Volendam will cruise around Australia and New Zealand before returning to cruise Alaska's Inside Passage with Ports of Call at Hong Kong, Shanghai returning to Vancouver for the northern summer season.

The most exciting, the grandest, most magnificent ocean liner ever built; Cunard's Queen Mary 2 is due here on Sunday February 28 on a two-month cruise from New York with about 3000 passengers. She will be a sight to see and it would be good if a charter operator took sightseers out for a turn or two around her.

Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas will visit six times with 2435 passengers.

So add those new visitors to the usual Princesses, Suns, Dawns and Jewels and you can see that our volunteers could really use some friendly help. If you like meeting and greeting people and helping to show off our destination you may contact Judi Dunn 0408 285 915.

 

Hugh Williams Day

 

On December 5, 1664, a ship sank in the Menai Strait off the coast of Wales. Of its 81 passengers, the sole survivor was a lucky fellow named Hugh Williams.

On December 5, 1785, 121 years later, another ship sank in the Menai Strait. All 60 souls aboard perished… except one. His name was Hugh Williams.

On December August 5, 1820, 35 years later, yet another ship, a small 25-passenger vessel, sank in the Menai Strait. Once again, there was only one survivor. Once again, his name was Hugh Williams.

"So if you're ever going sailing in Wales on December 5, I won't be offended if you forget to invite me," says the modern day Hugh Williams who stays away from the sea.

"There are many versions of this story in circulation that have all three events taking place on December 5; I only recently found the source material that dates the third event in August, not December" Mr Williams added.

 

Let's dance!

 

"Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain"

 

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Our Ambassadors meet and greet cruise ships

Our Ambassadors meet and greet cruise ships

 

With ever-increasing visits by cruise ships to Whitsunday - four ships in four days scheduled for early December - our cruise ship volunteer ambassadors need a hand.
The Volunteer Ambassador Program has been meeting and greeting for some years now with Judi Dunn at the helm and they need some help.
Judi just sent an updated program that shows visits by new ships such as the Holland America Line MS Volendam whose first visit is on December 3.
MS Volendam will cruise around Australia and New Zealand before returning to cruise Alaska's Inside Passage with Ports of Call at Hong Kong, Shanghai returning to Vancouver for the northern summer season.
The most exciting, the grandest, most magnificent ocean liner ever built; Cunard's Queen Mary 2 is due here on Sunday February 28 on a two-month cruise from New York with about 3000 passengers. She will be a sight to see and it would be good if a charter operator took sightseers out for a turn or two around her.
Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas will visit six times with 2435 passengers.
So add those new visitors to the usual Princesses, Suns, Dawns and Jewels and you can see that our volunteers could really use some friendly help. If you like meeting and greeting people and helping to show off our destination you may contact Judi Dunn 0408 285 915.

 

Wind surfin'

 

There has been a bit of wind this week so why not take advantage of it.
The crew of Cruise Whitsundays ferry 'Orca' spotted a speeding sailboard well past Pioneer Point and heading northeast, the surfer clearly enjoying the stiff breeze in the Molle Passage.
On the vessel's bridge, we speculated about the swift surfer's destination with guess-ta-mates ranging from Hayman to Fiji and included Düsseldorf in Germany.

 

VMR Service charge
    
VMR Whitsunday is a volunteer, not for profit organisation, but some people seem to be under the impression that we are fully funded by government and run as a public service.
Nothing could be further from the truth. 
We receive from government a capital grant of $10,000 per annum, which goes partly towards the cost of replacing our boat. The current boat cost $350,000, and will be due for replacement in six or seven years at a cost of around $500,000. We run and maintain the vessel and pay all running costs by way of membership subscriptions at $55 each, by fund raising, and through generous and essential donations.
We have no alternative but to charge for our services to make up the shortfall, otherwise we would run at a loss, could not afford to replace our rescue boat, and clearly, we would not be here. Therefore, we make no apology for charging for our services.
We have about 20 active members, who share the tasks of staffing the boat, maintaining the boat, staffing the emergency phone, fundraising, and running the radio base on the weekends. No one in VMR Whitsunday is paid for the, often considerable, time that we put in to maintain essential rescue services in the Whitsundays; in fact, we have to pay to be a member so we can volunteer our services! You can help by becoming a member, and we are always on the lookout for more active members to help us to help you.
Information supplied by Malcolm Priday, VMR Media and Public Relations Officer

 

2011 Around Australia

 

The 2011 'Around Australia Ocean Race and Ocean Rally' feature a multi-stop anti-clockwise circumnavigation of Australia's coastline. The Race and Rally events were launched late June 2009. As at 25 September 2009, 164 yachts have taken up Race or Rally (Race 54, Rally 110).
"Australia is the only country in the world that has a continuous coastline you can freely sail around. From the tropical north to the rigours of the southern ocean, it has a magnificent coastline. Rather than dreaming about it, sailors can now do it in an organised event." Bob Williams, CEO of Ocean Events said
The Race will take a yacht capable of averaging 130 NM per 24hours at sea around 110 days to complete the circumnavigation including stopovers.
The Rally is for the experienced ocean going cruising yacht owner and is based around the considered 'prime times' to be circumnavigating Australia. There are many excellent Rally events that take place around the Australia coastline and where practical the 'Around Australia Ocean Rally' will incorporate many of these excellent rallies.
Participants can select where on the Coastline of Australia they start and finish in The Race or Rally.

 

Marine notice

 

Nares Rock light reported to be unlit. Mariners are advised that the isolated danger mark Fl (2) 5s located on Nares Rock, in position latitude 19° 46.2777' S, longitude 148° 21.5115' E, has been reported unlit. Mariners are advised to navigate with caution whilst operating in this area. Charts AUS 371, 825 & 826.

 

Learning best

 

"There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm"
Willa Cather 1873 - 1947, The Song of the Lark, 1915

 

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan