Easter Regatta 2010 this weekend

Easter Regatta 2010 this weekend

 

It's that time of year again, Easter in Airlie Beach means some terrific small boat racing on the waters of Pioneer Bay.

"The Easter Regatta is open to all classes of off-beach boat - junior, senior, one hull and two. So, whether you sail a Corsair, Laser, 125, 49er, Sabot, Opti, Nacra, Hobie, Foiling Moth - or one of a hundred other classes of boat, we'd love to see you there!" say Whitsunday Sailing Club organisers.

"This year we're again incorporating the Queensland State Tasar Titles, so for those of you planning to head to the Nationals here in July it will be a great opportunity to get a feel for the local conditions.

Full details of the Regatta and details,  how to enter and where you can stay in Airlie Beach are available on the official Easter Regatta website. www.easterregatta.com.au

 

Two million and rising

 

The number and cost of insurance claims for boats and other watercraft damaged as a result of Cyclone Ului are rising quickly, according to Club Marine Insurance.

Greg Fisher, CEO of Club Marine, said "we have received 25 claims to a value of about $2 million dollars so far but expect this to increase over coming days."

According to Mr Fisher, "in anticipation of claims being received as a result of the cyclone, we pre-hired some cranes on Friday so that we could move quickly to remove damaged boats from the water after the storm passed.

 

Vessel-with-a-mission

 

Plastiki, a 60-foot catamaran made entirely out of recyclable and recycled materials, including 12,500 plastic bottles, has departed San Francisco heading to Australia with the first planned stop The Line Islands, southwest of Hawaii.

The dream of environmentalist and adventurer David de Rothschild, Plastiki is a unique vessel-with-a-mission inspired by Thor Heyerdahl's epic 1947 expedition, The Kon-Tiki.

It's about recognizing that waste is fundamentally a design flaw, it does not appear in nature. It's about re-thinking waste as a resource.

The six-person crew enjoyed a farewell flotilla of 'Frisco Bay boats that sent them off in style.

 

Mariner notices

 

Cyclone Ului caused a far bit of damage, so mariners need to be aware that navigation aids may not be working.

 

Schooner Rock, north of St Bees Island - the north cardinal mark beacon Q is destroyed. AUS charts 251 & 824

 

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island - Mariners are advised that the north cardinal mark beacon Q at the southern end of Whitehaven Beach on has been destroyed. AUS charts 252 & 253

 

Nara Inlet Entrance, Hook Island, Mariners are advised that the port lateral mark beacon Fl R 2.5s which marks the entrance to Nara Inlet, has been destroyed. Remnants of the beacon remain and are exposed at low tide and covered at high tide. Mariners are advised to use extreme caution when transiting the entrance.

 

Seaforth Island - Mariners are advised that the light Fl (9) 15s on the South Western side of Seaforth Island has been reported as unlit. Mariners should use caution in this vicinity.

AUS charts 254 & 824

 

Hayman Channel, The Narrows & South Channel - The Whitsunday Group

Mariners are advised that the following aids to navigation in the Hayman Island area have been either damaged or destroyed:

• the south cardinal mark beacon Q(6)+L Fl 15s which marks Langford Reef

• the green starboard lateral mark beacon Fl G 4s which marks Hayman Reef

• the green starboard lateral mark beacon Fl G 2.5s which marks Hayman Reef

• the green starboard lateral mark buoy Fl G 6s which marks Hayman Reef

Mariners are advised to use caution when navigating in the vicinity. Remnants of the destroyed structures may remain. AUS charts 252, 254 & 825 Mariners should use caution when navigating in the vicinity.

 

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

 

Mutiny on the Bounty rerun voyage quest

 

Mutiny on the Bounty rerun voyage quest

 

One of the greatest Australian adventurers of our time, Don McIntyre, is set to embark on an incredible nautical journey to re-create one of the most extraordinary stories of survival and determination; Captain William Bligh's 4,000 mile open boat 'Mutiny on the Bounty' voyage.

The re-enactment, a voyage across the Pacific from Tonga to Timor, will launch on the same day, at the same time and in the same place 221 years after the original mutiny journey.

The seven week expedition aboard the Talisker Bounty Boat, a 25-foot, 7-foot wide open wooden vessel, will see the crew facing the same deprivations as the original crew cast adrift in mid Pacific, no navigation charts, only two weeks of water, hardly any food and, of course, no luxuries like a torch or toilet paper!

Don and the crew head off on their astonishing nautical adventure from Tonga on April 28th.

This isn't the first extraordinary adventure that Don has undertaken – you may remember him as one-half of the couple who lived for a year in total isolation in a hut on the windiest point of Antarctica. Or sailing solo around the world.

Don is also friend and mentor to teen solo sailor Jessica Watson providing her with the boat in which she is currently sailing around the world.

Not content with just taking on this huge challenge, McIntyre and his crew of three are attempting to raise over $250,000 for The Sheffield Institute Foundation for Motor Neurone Disease (SIF) Parkinson's and Alzheimer's research Institute.

Alongside Don McIntyre, the international crew includes experienced English sailor David Wilkinson, US sailor Peter Stier and the youngest solo circumnavigator, 17-year-old Brit Mike Perham.

 

Lloyd's 250th anniversary

 

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the establishment of Lloyd's Register.

The Lloyd's Register Group owes its name and foundation to a 17th century London coffee house owned by Edward Lloyd, a meeting place of merchants, marine underwriters and others connected with shipping.

In 1760, customers of the coffee house formed the 'Register Society' to examine merchant ships and 'classify' them according to their condition. The first Register of Ships was printed in 1764.

The fundamental purpose of Lloyd's Register has remained unchanged over its long history but the way that this purpose is discharged has progressively changed as technology and the regulatory environment have developed.

Lloyd's Register has continually updated its Rules, both in scope and content, to reflect the changing needs of the maritime industries.

 

Historic Blessing

 

Fifty days after Easter is Pentecost Sunday, and this year marks 240 years since Whit Sunday was named by 1st lieutenant James Cook in 1770 and 21 years since Father Keith Felgate felt the call to begin the Blessing of the Fleet in Airlie Beach. This year, Sunday May 23 is Pentecost / Whit Sunday and again the Airlie foreshore at the Whitsunday Sailing Club will be the focal point.

As this year also marks the centenary of the forming of the Proserpine Citizens' Band, the band will have pride of place.

Community groups are invited to take part in this special anniversary event.

 

Parks News

 

The construction of new toilet amenities at Tongue Point will be underway for about twelve weeks. Plant and machinery will be used throughout March to prepare the site. Access to the lookouts will remain open with minor disruption during heli-lift operations.

 

Parks Q & A

 

Q. Can I walk my dog on the national park islands or beaches?

No. Domestic animals are not permitted in national parks or within the intertidal beaches of the Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park adjoining the Whitsunday Islands National Park.

 

Seaforth Island

 

Mariners are advised that the light Fl (9) 15s on the South Western side of Seaforth Island has been reported as unlit. Mariners should use caution in this vicinity. AUS charts 254 & 824

 

A bit of colour

 

"Life is like a rainbow. You need both the sun and the rain to make its colours appear"

 

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Adventure of a lifetime for local youth

Adventure of a lifetime for local youth

 

WANTED! Enthusiastic young people aged 16 to 23 from the Whitsunday Region to participate in the experience of a lifetime.

The Rotary Club of Airlie Beach Inc is sponsoring four berths on the Training Ship Young Endeavour for a ten-day voyage from Mackay to Shute Harbour in July.

The Young Endeavour is a 44-metre tall ship purpose-built for sail training, with modern technology and world-class safety navigation equipment operated by the Australian Navy.

Voyages on this ship are challenging and exciting, allowing participants to learn more about themselves and how to work with others as a team.

"For 11 days with 23 other young Aussies you learn how to sail and how to work together," said Merewyn Wright, the project coordinator for the Rotary Club of Airlie Beach.

"You don't need to be a sailor, most people who participate have never sailed before," she said.

Participants learn to sail the tall ship on the open sea. They are involved in all aspects of sailing a square-rigger from climbing the mast, setting the sails, navigating, keeping watch, taking the helm and helping in the galley.

In 2009, five Whitsunday regional students, Eve Fleming, James Bedford, Jayden Lorensini and Mitchel Whitton were the successful candidates chosen by the club to for this experience of a lifetime.

Applicants for the four sponsored berths must meet the Young Endeavour's usual eligibility requirements and live in the Whitsunday region.

Applications close March 31, Info Merewyn Wright 0419723986

 

Young sailor keen

 

Local sailor Klaus Lorenz recently competed at the Victorian Optimist State Championship, successfully winning the regatta.

After eight races sailed at the Sorrento Sailing & Couta Boat Club on Port Phillip Bay the victory went to Klaus ahead of Tom Lidgett (Vic) by the most slender margin of one point.

Representing the Whitsunday Sailing Club, Klaus now has his sights set the New Zealand Nationals in April and the European Championships in Poland in July.

 

FOR SALE

 

Shark Swimming Cages, as previously used in the Magnetic Island to Townsville Swim. Dimensions are approx 3m x 2m wide x 2m deep

Contact the committee if you would like to utilize them. Price very negotiable.

 

Jessica heads home

 

Round the world teen sailor, Jessica Watson reports from her little boat on the far western side of the Indian Ocean having passed the Cape of Good Hope – the southern tip of Africa.

"One exciting thing that happened lately (exciting in my books anyway!) is that we sailed onto the Indian Ocean chart which shows Australia on the far side. Four thousand nautical miles until Cape Leeuwin and Australia!

"The winds are light and shifty now," writes Jessica

"It probably sounds a bit strange and most people think it's the other way around, but believe it or not, light winds can often be one of the busiest times for a sailor. Because when the winds are light, it's normally very shifty, meaning that there's a lot of course changes and sail tweaking needed to try and keep the boat moving. When the weather is up, Ella's Pink Lady normally just powers along without needing much attention - and as the bouncy motion makes doing even the simplest things a million times more difficult in those conditions, I often just resort reading a book while wedged in my bunk, in between the few jobs that are necessary (like feeding myself!). When just opening a locker can mean the entire contents being emptied all over the floor, I find that it's often best just to sit tight and do as little as possible when it is like that!"

 

 

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan