On the Whitsunday Waterfront

Sailability for all, on Australia Day!

2012-01-30T21:47:00.000+10:00

Australians all let us rejoice,

Sailability for all, on Australia Day!

Girt by Sea? Sailability is an international organisation that works to provide access to the joys of sailing for all regardless of ability So this Thursday, Aussie Day there is a Family day at the Whitsunday Sailing Club model boat sailing and cricket on Australia's most scenic cricket pitch the front lawn of the Whitsunday Sailing Club. There is the annual Dan Kane Memorial yacht race in honour of a great Aussie battler and popular member of the Sailing Club and the Family fun kicks off at 11am downstairs with games for the kids and a good old-fashioned Aussie BBQ.

About 3pm, the new Sailability Access 303 dinghy 'Kane' is due to be christened and launched by Dan's parents, Mim & John Kane and Sailability President Jim Hayes.

Club Manager Angela Rae says, "The more people the merrier as we love to celebrate the day with all our club members and their friends. You can bring rugs, chairs, umbrellas or sit in the shade of the balcony" (Note: if this rain keeps up, you might bring your own boat)

Presentations for the Dan Kane memorial race are at 4pm. Dan Kane's parents will present the trophy they have donated in memory of their son. Last year's Australia Day proceeds where donated to Sailability Whitsunday to help purchase the new boat to allow disabled people of all ages to enjoy sailing.

Call Sailability Whitsunday Vice President Andy 0407 636 611 if you have any questions about the sailing days.

"Let all combine with heart and hand,

To advance Australia fair!"

Old guy on slow boat enjoys sea

Low to no budget, tiny boat, all alone, 72 years old, enjoyed 45 days on his Atlantic crossing. If that isn't a true inspiration, I don't know what is.

Swede Sven Yrvind left Porto Santo and 2870 nautical miles later at an average speed of 2,65 knots arrived in Martinique in his bright yellow self-built little boat.

In these record focused times Sven is something different, and enjoyed his, most likely a healthier inner and outer journey rather than blasting along in 30 knots.

Yrvind is a boat designer and over the years, he has always followed his own path with small, seaworthy boats. His latest has no electronics and no autopilot.

Noah saves

Mini-Arks are the latest in Japanese engineering with the development of the 'Noah' a four-person four-foot diameter bright yellow sphere made of fibre-reinforced plastic. The mini-ark was designed to help residents along Japan's coast survive a future tsunami. The 'Noah' is self-righting and can survive a 33-foot drop (that's a big bounce in metric!) It can be used as a toy house for children or a doghouse for Dad and includes a chrome pole inside to hang onto or to entertain. The pod retails for about $3,800 and more than 1,000 have been ordered says the builder.

Time for leap seconds

The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service have decided to add a leap second to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) at the end of June 2012.

The most recent leap was added on December 31, 2008. They have been necessary because of the Earth's unpredictable rotation.

UTC is based on highly accurate atomic clocks, but has been kept more or less synchronised with mean solar time by way of leap seconds.

Meantime with this being a leap year, February will have a total of 29 days instead of the usual 28, to make up for our rotation around the Sun.

Marine Notices

Boat Haven Bay - Mariners are advised that the special mark buoy which was marking a sunken vessel midway between Abel Point and Mandalay Point in the Muddy Bay Small Craft Mooring Area, has been permanently withdrawn. AUS charts 252, 253 & 268

Bait Reef - Mariners be advised that the special mark buoy temporarily established in approximate position latitude 19° 48.549' S, longitude 149° 03.778' E at Bait Reef is reported off station. AUS charts 254 & 825

Proserpine River entrance - Mariners are advised that the lighted starboard lateral mark No.1 buoy Fl G 3s temporarily established to mark the destroyed starboard lateral mark No. 1 beacon Fl G 3s in the entrance to the Proserpine River, has been reported off station. AUS charts 252 & 824

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North and 4MK

Tall ship sailing adventure and fun in the sun at Airlie Beach

2012-01-30T21:46:00.000+10:00

Tall ship sailing adventure and fun in the sun

Years ago before Airlie Beach had any marina at all, much less two, the crews of the various day boats would trawl the bars at night and put on a morning grand parade up and down Airlie's beach to attract custom. Having selected or been selected the passengers would be ferried out to the chosen vessel for a grand day on Whitsunday waters.

Once that was sorted, the day boats would go to their 'own' spots to swim and snorkel, sunbath or drink the day away. On the voyage home to Airlie there would be water fights with buckets and fire hoses, the occasional water bomb or flying fruit. Special points were scored if you could drop your days rubbish bag into another boats tender.

Tri Tingara, Nari, Dhalia, and of course the biggest show in Airlie was the square-rigged Golden Plover. I'm sure I've missed some out, so drop a note and I will share it.

Back on shore, the fun would carry on into the night at The Village on the site of Magnums, with rope climbing and leg wrestling for prizes of rum all accompanied by plenty of nautical music from pirate/boatie bands.

Aargh! Those were the days and what fun was had. There was romance in the air and figureheads on the boats. No wonder some people never left Airlie.

Tis' a bit more civilised these days however, so it is with some affection to see the impressive 90-foot schooner Derwent Hunter docked at Port of Airlie and once again offering visitors the chance of a day trip on a traditional gaff-rigged historic sailing ship.

Built in Tasmania of Blue Gum, Tasmanian Oak, Celery Top Pine and Huon Pine, regarded as some of the best ship building timbers in the world, four men using hand tools constructed Derwent Hunter and launched her in 1946.

Resembling a Grand Banks schooner, Derwent Hunter is a fast sailing ship carrying 2,400 square feet of sail that still turns heads today as she leaves many modern yachts in her wake.

Through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), the ship participates in Marine Park research programs and still contributes data for Hump Back whale research and other environmental programs.

The Derwent Hunter's involvement in marine research with GBRMPA is not the first time Derwent has contributed to marine research. In 1950 the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) purchased her as Australia's first oceanographic research vessel working under sail roving from Antarctic waters in the Southern Ocean and as far north as Noumea and the outer Pacific basin.

Her hydrographic work included salinity tests plotting the East Coast Australian Current. The Derwent Hunter Sea Mount (Guyut) was discovered by and named after the vessel.

In 2012, Derwent Hunter continues to assist with marine research, guests can get involved and help crew collect data for GBRMPA 'Eye on the Reef' programme, testing water clarity, analysing areas of reef, and completing sightings information crucial to maintaining our pristine Great Barrier Reef.

Sailing on a traditional tall ship is one of the truly great adventures that have inspired many to leave their humdrum lives and head to sea.

Boat ramp

Administrators McGrathNicol took control of the $200 million Meridien Marinas Port of Airlie project in September.

One of the first things done by the receivers was to change the company name from Meridien Marinas Abel Point Pty Ltd to A P Marina Pty Ltd usually to not tarnish the Meridien/Port of Airlie name in legal proceedings.

Anyhow, there is a fine four-lane boat ramp on site that should be open to the public. As McGrathNicol ignore inquires, hard done by local boaties will have to consider what action be taken to get access to this much needed facility.

Abel Point YC

Lyn Chalmers, Treasurer of APYC has dropped us a note.

"Hi Everyone, The Abel Point Yacht Club is holding an AGM 10am Sunday January 22, at the Sorrento Restaurant, Abel Point Marina."

"All members and interested sailors are welcome. We have committee positions vacant, If you would like to contribute to the continued growth of this progressive little club, please contact me on 0488 570 527"

Notice to Mariners

Someone at MSQ must have made a Freudian slip announcing that Koombooloomba Dam had 'damn' restrictions due to low water level.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North and 4MK

Race protest clears winner

2012-01-30T21:45:00.000+10:00

Race protest clears winner

Non-yacht racers were left puzzled about a protest, by the race committee, involving the line honours winner Investec Loyal following the supermaxi's history-making Sydney-Hobart win.

So, what was it all about?

A three-hour hearing by an international jury dismissed the protest brought by the Sydney-Hobart's race committee. The finding that the yacht's tactician Michael Coxon, a sailmaker who had built the mainsail for competitor Wild Oats XI, was only interested as to whether the sail, one of the most expensive ever constructed, had survived the gruelling conditions during the night.

It was alleged Investec Loyal had sought to gain an advantage by asking an ABC helicopter crew what sails its main rival and defending champion Wild Oats XI was using on day two of the race.

The race committee brought the protest under Rule 41, relating to outside assistance that may give a competitor an unfair advantage.

In an audio recording, Investec Loyal tactician Michael Coxon was heard asking the helicopter crew: "Can you confirm, does Wild Oats have their trysail up? What colour is the mainsail they've got up?"

Coxon told the jury he was concerned for the mainsail his company had constructed for Wild Oats XI specifically for the race.

"Our mainsail had taken a bit of a battering so I was worried about the status of theirs," Coxon said after the hearing.

Investec Loyal skipper Anthony Bell could not call the crew to let them know the outcome as his phone was ruined when the crew ceremonially threw him into the water after the race finish.

Much better for all concerned to hear a protest than to have the issue cloud the integrity of the race.

Storm death

When fishing charter boat Rapture left Hamilton Island Marina on the afternoon of Tuesday December 27 there would be no doubt the passengers were looking forward to a fishing adventure.

The storm that struck later changed adventure into tragedy with eleven of the dozen onboard dumped into the sea from the 30-foot charter fishing boat at about 4.30pm in Turtle Bay.

Two helicopters, a plane, water police officers, VMR vessels and several private boats scoured the area Wednesday.

Police divers arrived and began their search on Thursday afternoon finding the body of missing 31-year old Sydney woman in the still overturned charter boat.

RN caught short

The impact of the ongoing budget crisis in Britain on the Royal Navy is far reaching. Recently, it was revealed that the Type 23 frigate, HMS Westminster, went on patrol off the Libyan port city of Benghazi in March with just four Seawolf missiles. Designed to carry 32 Seawolf missiles to intercept incoming missiles fired at the ship, the missiles are fired two at a time, so had the ship come under attack, it would have had the capacity to defend against only two incoming anti-ship missiles.

Faux Prince booked

"Good deception is 80 per cent preparation and 20 per cent performance," says a faux Saudi Arabian prince who swindled $42,000 from Hamilton Island amid claims to have written a tell-all book about his exploits.

French backpacker conman Abdelkarim Serhani writes in his yet-to-be-released book L'imposteur that he spent 16 days on the Whitsundays island, in north Queensland, living a life of luxury, after scamming free accommodation, meals, drinks and $20,000 of champagne in 2009.

The 28-year-old imposter skipped court and headed to Darwin, before fleeing by boat to Bali, later taunting Queensland Police in a video message: "Catch me if you can."

The book is set to be released in Europe with an English translation to follow.

Late activation lax

A Mackay fisherman spent much more time lost by not turning on his EPIRB when he realised he was 'disorientated' CQ Rescue says.

The man, 28, only turned his distress beacon on when he heard the AMSA search plane overhead at Creal Reef.

Suffering mild dehydration and exposure he was located at 7.20am after an extensive air search on New Year's Day was abandoned due to the lack of light.

Marine licences

Marine licence verification is an online service to assist both marine licence holders and hire companies in the verification of Queensland Recreational Marine Drivers Licence (RMDL) and Personal Watercraft Licence (PWCL). A marine licence verification certificate costs $5.70 and provides verification of information recorded on Queensland Transport systems.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Queensland Government employs drones

2012-01-30T21:43:00.000+10:00

Queensland Government employs drones

From the rough terrain of Afghanistan to Queensland's Great Barrier Reef and outback, unmanned flying surveillance drones are set to spy on fishers, boaters, green zones, tourists in bikinis, citizen landowners and weed farmers.

The Smart State is employing a "Brisbane-based business," wholly-owned by US aircraft giant Boeing, to test the spy aircraft.

Commissioned by the Smart State Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, surveillance experts will test the ScanEagle UAS and ISR to bring government spying to a new, higher, level Minister Jan Jarratt announced this week.

For those not in the know of government speak UAS are Unmanned Aircraft Systems that provide services for commercial and military applications, including ISR - Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.

"With monitoring illegal fishing and trawling, UAS have a big advantage because they can stay in the sky for much longer and at altitudes that ensure low noise and an element of stealth, meaning their ability to catch people doing illegal fishing and trawling is much greater." Minister Jarrett revealed.

The trials are subject to approval by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and require the ScanEagle UAS to fly at 2000 or 3000 feet up to twelve hours day and night and needs show that the spy plane can detect and record sufficient evidence to warrant police charges and convictions made.

Costs of machinery and spymasters are part of the trial, to be conducted from January with Fisheries Queensland and Biosecurity Queensland.

Minister Jarratt said the aircraft could also be used to monitor invasive weed infestations in rural Queensland,

"The big issue with using manned aircraft is the risk to human safety in undertaking what the industry terms 'dull, dirty and dangerous' missions," Ms Jarratt said.

"If we can avoid people getting hurt by using UAS, then of course they are worth deploying in these types of projects."

Spy V eye in the sky

The spy in the sky may soon replace the eye in the sky approach used by Customs Coastwatch, now BPC the grandly named Border Protection Command.

Out on the Barrier Reef at about midday Sunday your writer would keep a sharp skyward lookout for the predictable Coastwatch Cessna Caravan surveillance aircraft to hove into view. Once spied, I would then jump onto the VHF radio, to call them first and direct them to a working channel. It really upset them, as they wanted to call you and boss you about.

More fun was to be had on other occasions when the operator would call "blue schooner at Black Reef please change to channel 14 and identify" After changing VHF channel, I would ask "Hey Coastwatch, you must be new, the other guys know our name." Aargh, those were the days!

Shine a Light

ABC Local Radio has launched a series of photo and audio tours featuring lighthouses around Australia's coastline. 'Shine a Light' reveals the hidden stories of lighthouses that dot Australia's coastline, from the remote tip of the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley, to Maatsuyker Island in the roaring forties below Tasmania.

They are staunch and utilitarian, but they have stories of the land and sea around them, some amazing history and tales of the people who have lived, worked and played in their shadow.

After you've explored this audio and visual tour of Australia's lighthouses you can contribute your own lighthouse tale.

So far, there are no lighthouse photos or stories from Burnett Heads to Magnetic Island so there is plenty of scope to contribute.

Notice: Abbot Point

Clark Shoals area proposed multi cargo facility. Mariners are advised that geotechnical investigations and drilling works will continue through to 31 December in the area of Clark Shoal, north-west of Abbot Point. These works will be conducted from the jack up barges "Sealift 1" and "Sealift 2".

Mariners are advised to navigate with caution in the area and keep well clear of the jack up barges. The jack up barges and associated work boats will be appropriately lit at night. For further information please contact Peter Fielder from Australian Barge Hire on telephone 0418 254 210.

Abbot Point pilotage area - Mariners are advised that Special mark buoys with measuring equipment have been established; see full notice for details. AUS charts affected: 255, 259 & 828

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Don't rubbish our sea kids say

2012-01-02T09:32:00.001+10:00

Don't rubbish our sea kids say

What a year it has been for Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc and founder Libby Edge has set the not for profit community group a high mark for the new year.

"Help us to reach our goal of removing 12 thousand kilos of marine debris in 2012," Libby asked this week.

Ms Edge told the Whitsunday Coast Guardian that the goal for 2012 will be planned on the newly launched "Free the Whitsundays from Marine Debris" Calendar 2012 which highlights ways in which our community can help to reduce marine debris entering our marine environment.

"We all play a vital role in helping to protect the Great Barrier Reef, which is right on our doorstep," Ms Edge says.

"There is no better forum to highlight ways in which we can help reduce marine debris, than by listening to our local Reef Guardian school kids. Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc asked the Cannonvale State Primary School to run an art competition, to promote what our school children saw as ways we can all help reduce the threat of marine debris. These incredible artworks are used for our 2012 calendar available from the group or at IGA Jubilee Pocket.

Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc teamed up with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service to remove rubbish from beaches on Thomas and Shaw Island in late November. This was a great day working together and a massive 651 kilos of marine debris was removed.

Libby Edge won two awards recently, the Peabody Environment Award and the Land Care award for Regional Achievement. Libby thanked the Whitsunday Council who helped her financially so that she was able to personally accept her award.

Give burrs the boot

Tourists are not the only island hoppers, invasive weed species seeds and burrs such as cobbler's pegs rely on hitching a ride attached to clothes, socks, shoes or camping gear.

To try and combat the spread of invasive weeds on our national park islands, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service are installing de-seeding stations on various islands along the coast. These stations will highlight to visitors how weeds can be transported on clothing and equipment and deposit bins will be available for seeds and burrs to be placed in for disposal by the Rangers.

R.O.V.ing spies

Underwater spies are searching hulls of ships for explosives, weapons, narcotics and terrorism threats in New York; the place where the first use of a submersible in combat occurred. On September 6, 1776, Eza Lee in command of the 'Turtle', a one man submersible designed by David Bushnell, attempted and failed to sink Admiral Richard Howe's flagship HMS Eagle.

The New York Police Department Harbor Unit now has at least six unmanned submersible drones, remote-operated vehicles, or R.O.Vs, to provide a new set of eyes to search for threats below the tide line.

Their drones can dive to 1,000 feet and range in weight from only 8 to 16 pounds.

More spies

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, state police in Michigan are now using "extraction devices" to download data from the mobile phones and devices of motorists that they pull over. This is taking place even if those pulled over are not accused of any wrongdoing.

The devices can download text messages, photos, video, and even GPS data from most brands of devices. The handheld machines have various interfaces to work with different models and can even bypass security passwords to access information.

Plumbing the depths

German maritime archaeologists believe that they have to have found a urinal used by Kaiser Wilhelm II in the wreck of the light-cruiser, Udine, lying on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, sunk by the British in 1915.

At the time the significance of this Great Moment in Maritime Porcelain went unnoticed until later research revealed that the urinal was part of a special bathroom laid on for the Emperor's convenience.

The urinal is the most significant discovery in maritime porcelain since photographs of Captain Edward Smith's bathtub in the wreck of the Titanic. Although, like his bathtub, Captain Smith went down with the ship.

Marine Notice

During the year we publish marine notices covering many dangers and incidents concerning signposts of the sea. It is our contribution towards an informed and safe community on the water. We wish all that use the water for fun or work a safe Christmas.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Asian tourists pose future and challenge

2012-01-02T09:28:00.000+10:00

Asian tourists pose

future and challenge

With news that Queensland saw a 25 per cent increase in Chinese visitors last year, marine and tourist staff will be faced with new challenges; that of communicating with different cultures and language.

Similar to the challenge faced by staff by the Japanese influx to Queensland some years ago, research and training is needed to ensure the increase in Asian tourists is catered for and expanded.

Tourism Whitsundays announced the launch of a Whitsundays tourism website written in simplified Chinese and hosted in China and say "we aim to provide the best service possible to continue to introduce Chinese travellers to the wonders of the Whitsundays."

Tourism employers need to provide training for staff to make this happen.

Sounds good!

Tourism Whitsundays' Christina Unterwurzacher came up with "Today's best translation from Chinese to English: Heart Reef = "Fascinating Love Reef". Now that has to sell the reef!

Olympic preview

The world's best Olympic class sailors have descended on Western Australia as the action starts this week at the Perth ISAF Sailing World Championships.

Eighty countries have sent sailors to Australia for a chance to quality for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Australia's 103 sailors will contest all ten Olympic classes against 1200+ of the world's best athletes competing on Fremantle Harbour.

The Aussie 470 women's fleet includes Olympic Gold medallists Elise Rechichi and Belinda Stowell.

Competition is set to conclude with four medal races close to shore on Sunday December 18 with the 49er, Laser, 470 women and RS:X men classes racing with live coverage through Network Ten and OneHD during the event.

Rangers net rubbish

Much of the marine debris encountered by the coastal regions of northern Australia is fishing-related: nets, ropes, floats, and associated items. Based on analyses of net types, nearly 90% of the derelict nets identified originate from Southeast Asia. During the monsoon season each year, hundreds of nets some several kilometres long float into the Gulf of Carpentaria in Australia's Northern Territory.

This annual surge of "ghost nets" poses a challenge for management of the region's indigenous protected areas as most of the northern Australia coast is owned and occupied by indigenous people.

GhostNets Australia is an alliance of 22 indigenous communities from coastal northern Australia Established in 2004; the program has trained and supported indigenous ranger groups in removing more than 7500 nets so far, on shore and at sea. One ranger group spent three weeks this year undertaking cleanups of fishing gear and other debris at sea. Using a barge and two patrol boats, the rangers removed 465 ghost nets weighing a total of 66 tons.

Castaways found on Pacific atoll

Two men missing for 33 days, aged 53 and 26, from the Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati, , came ashore over 300 miles away on Namorik Atoll, in the Marshall Islands. The men were reported to be weak, but otherwise not in bad shape, considering their ordeal.

The record for time spent adrift in recent times is thought to be three Mexican fishermen who drifted over 5,000 miles of Pacific Ocean for almost ten months in 2006.

Volvo Ocean Race

The start of the second leg is scheduled to leave Cape Town on December 11, for an unspecified destination, where the yachts will be loaded aboard a transport ship and taken to the next stopover at Abu Dhabi.

This decision has been forced, race organisers say, by the frequency of pirates off the east African coast, and the practical impossibility of individually protecting the yachts from boarding and seizure.

Sub lost on Qld coast

Mariners are asked to keep watch for a robotic submarine that has been lost, last seen just below the surface of the water east of Moreton Island, 1.3 NM north of Henderson Rock. The device has dual yellow hulls, two metres long and 1.5 metres deep. The device also has an emergency beacon which quick flashes twice every three seconds. If located contact Stefan Williams from University of Sydney on telephone 0403 849 183.

Mariner notice

Bird Island - Mariners are advised that the West Cardinal Mark light Q(9) 15s 14m 5M on Bird Island which is south of Hayman Island has been reported to be unlit. AUS charts 252, 254 & 825

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North and 4MK

New! Crocodile tours for Whitsunday Islands

2011-12-05T10:31:00.000+10:00

New! Crocodile tours for Whitsunday Islands

Tourist operators from Hamilton Island will now be able to add crocodile spotting to the list of water based activities with the now confirmed sightings of a crocodile judged to be about three metres long living nearby in Gulnare Inlet on Whitsunday Island.
There is much more to an island holiday than relaxing by the resort pool. Take to the waters and experience the thrill of skiing, para-sailing, wake boarding or being towed behind a high powered speed boat on a water tube with new dimension when you may encounter a protected species of salt water crocodile living nearby.
An alternative to the traditional sunset cruise may be a croc spotting cruise up the inlet such the popular attraction Proserpine River Eco Tours Whitsunday Crocodile Safari.
There is no suggestion at this time that the protected croc is aggressive or any concern other than that people should be aware of its presence and take precautions and that tourist operators will now be cautioning visitors that crocs are actually wild creatures.
The animal may have come to the inlet during the run of bad weather and croc crowding in the Proserpine River and various inlets along the mainland.
The Whitsunday Coast Guardian has a copy of '101 reasons to not swim in the Prossy River' showing results of a recent survey indicating the locations of at least 101 croc lairs.
Waterfront would love to see a photo of the new island resident croc and perhaps we could offer a prize for a good croc name.

Safe holidays - Your call

Safety gear that would make a fine exhibit in a museum was found by boating safety inspectors from Maritime Safety Queensland recently as boaties get ready for the holiday season.
The historic piece safety gear was presented by a boat owner as safety equipment but was more suitable for a museum than use in an emergency; the kapok (cotton wadding) life jacket dating back to at least the nineteen-sixties.
Poorly maintained, neglected and unsuitable life jackets figured highly among safety breaches noticed by marine inspectors who have been carrying out boat ramp inspections.
The inspectors attending boat ramps offering safety tips and advice say "To their credit most boaties were extremely well prepared for their outings but there were a few extremely worrying exceptions."
Some life jackets had clearly been left lying around for years with perished fabric, broken straps and torn coverings, while others were in good condition but unsuitable for the trip. For example, heading out to sea relying on a PFD type 3 life jacket which is designed only for short outings on smooth water.
The inspectors also noticed several boats not having adequate all-round white lights and coming up short on safety gear requirements such as unregistered EPIRBs and expired flares.
Boat ramp inspection days are a regular Maritime Safety Queensland safe boating activity and inspectors will return to local ramps to give more advice and tips during the holiday period.
Remember to keep life jackets where they can be easily reached and wear them whenever there is a heightened risk or when boating alone or at night.
The Maritime Safety Queensland annual Marine Incident Report, tabled in Queensland parliament, found the loss of 14 lives in 2010 was a significant reduction compared to 20 deaths in 2009.
Only two out of 14 people who died on the water last year were wearing life jackets.

St Bees Island notice

Mariners are advised that a control program requiring the use of live firing of weapons will take place on St Bees Island in the Mackay/Capricorn National Parks Management Area of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park until approximately 1800 hours Thursday, December 1.
Exclusion zones will been placed around St Bee's Island between these dates. The exclusion zone extends seaward of the High Water mark by 500 metres. Marine VHF security calls will be made on VHF channel 16 by the QPWS vessel 'Tamoya'.
St Bees Island is located about 15 nautical miles north east of Mackay. AUS charts 251 & 823

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North and 4MK

Secret keel defies Questionable logic

2011-12-05T10:30:00.001+10:00

Secret keel defies Questionable logic

Quite a few years ago during the infamous Fun Race a competitor devised a plan to nobble the opposition with a keel attachment in the form of a bucket secured to the unsuspecting yacht's nether regions.

Delivered by SCUBA diver, the bucket keel proved to be all the rage especially the rage of the victim yacht's skipper and crews' subsequent poor performance and discovery of the fiendish plot.

Memory was jogged by an incident during the recent Corporate Sailing Challenge when Westpac bank jonnies topped NAB bean counters on Pioneer Bay.

It seems that at the finish of the Friday evening rum race, Terry Archer's Questionable Frolic picked up some chain from the finish line marker buoy.

So when the Saturday race was a bit slow it may have been initially blamed on the rum from the previous event won indecently by the often-smiling rum winning Ross Winterbourn sailing Bobby D.

On Saturday the Westpac Firsts went sailing on Bobby D and Twister taking first and second with team GoNABs chasing on Questionable Logic and Sandpiper.

Word from the world of high finance is that the share price of sailing is hitting an all time high.

Crew in radio rescue

The South African Maritime Ham radio net was instrumental in the rescue of the crew of sailing vessel 'Wizard' that had struck a submersed shipping container. The Ham (amateur) radio contact lead to the yacht's crew boarding a tanker diverted to the position where the yacht sank.

It happens!

Recent column regarding difficulties in Australian ships highlights we are not alone, as a reader has sent a note about US Navy problems.

It appears the US Navy's newest aircraft carrier the USS George HW Bush built at a cost $6.2 billion has two nuclear reactors, 90 fixed winged aircraft and helicopters, 3,200 ship crew and 2,400 air crew is without one item, working toilets.

Deployed in May, the new carrier has suffered from widespread plumbing failures, which, at times, render the entire ship without a single working head. With remarkable understatement, the crew has complained the non-working vacuum toilets have "affected their morale, health and job performance."

Complicating the matter, some working heads are secured with a lock, letting only sailors who remember the combination inside, sailors said.

Royal Navy

Britain's National Audit Office revealed that the Ministry of Defence is concerned about a shortage of modern attack submarines. The Royal Navy's most advanced nuclear submarine HMS Astute has had more than its share of problems. Delivered 43 months behind schedule and £900 million over budget, during trials it ran aground off the Isle of Skye. There was also a collision with the tug that came to help. The sub was idled by mechanical failures, and then a disgruntled sailor shot and killed one ship's officer and wounded another while the ship was on public relations call in Southampton. The ship that the British papers had begun to call "HMS Calamity" is now being referred to as "jinxed

Don't mention the war!

The Germans recently had a naming ceremony for their new non-nuclear hydrogen fuel cell powered submarine, the U35, which can operate underwater for three weeks without surfacing, is extremely quiet and said to be virtually undetectable. The design sounds very interesting and advanced, even if the submarine's name is less than catchy.

Whitehaven marine notice

Your Waterfront writer was told about a yacht attaching itself to this navigation mark last week and causing it to be out of position. 'Four skippers bommie' so named in memory of one Whitehaven Beach Party Day when a vessel with four local skippers displayed their local knowledge by parking on top of it, much to the delight of the many observers.

Mariners are advised that the lighted north cardinal mark buoy Q temporarily established at the southern end of Whitehaven Beach off Whitsunday Island has been re-established in position. The buoy marks the remnants of the destroyed north cardinal mark beacon. Thanks to Maritime Safety Queensland for the quick repair. AUS charts 252 & 253

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Naturally Queensland 2020: The Master Plan

2011-12-05T10:28:00.000+10:00

Naturally Queensland 2020: The Master Plan

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) have released a consultation draft of 'Naturally Queensland 2020: The Master Plan for protected areas, forests and wildlife'.

Covering marine parks as well as terrestrial protected areas, this is your opportunity to update the original QPWS Master Plan released in 2001.

Revising the Master Plan provides QPWS and the community the opportunity to reflect on past challenges and successes, and to set the direction for 2020.

The draft Master Plan outlines the vision and approach for management of protected areas, both terrestrial and marine, forests and wildlife in Queensland. The draft also proposes strategic actions for QPWS management, including facing many challenges.

The consultation period for the draft Master Plan closes on November 20, the draft will be found on the Department of Environment and Resource Management website. Your comments on the draft are greatly appreciated. To provide comment email parkswildlifevision@derm.qld.gov.au

Do not miss this opportunity to contribute to a new vision for Queensland's protected areas, forests and wildlife!

Sailors clean up

Since the last day of 1988, it has been illegal, a criminal act, for ships to dump plastics into the ocean.

The Keep the Oceans Clean! team will lead beach clean ups at all ten Host Ports during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 now being sailed, from the remote and rugged coastal beaches of South Africa's Cape Town to the pebbled shores and cool waters of Galway, Ireland.

The Volvo Ocean Race is the latest yachting event to actively encourage people to clean up our oceans. Stormwater, throwing rubbish into the water from land and overboard, oil spills; accidents and criminal intent continue, and it is destroying our sea life and our seas.

The six boats competing in the Volvo Ocean Race departed from Alicante, Spain last week and were immediately battered by rough seas and high winds while still in the Mediterranean. The Volvo Ocean Race (formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race) is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. The first leg finishes in Cape Town, South Africa.

Sailing: Facebook or Flintstone?

While the new action-packed America's Cup format is designed to appeal to "the Facebook generation, not the Flintstone generation," quoting four-time America's Cup winning New Zealander Russell Coutts, the Olympics are retreating to the Stone Age.

Sailors celebrated the news from International Sailing Federation (ISAF) that a multihull would be re-introduced for the 2016 Games. However, the celebrations did not last long when it became clear the venerable Tornado would not be considered, in fact it is to be a Two Person Mixed Gender Multihull,

Multiple Olympic medallist Roland Gaebler says there are weight and other restrictions that will not only exclude the Tornado, but also some Tornado Olympians and sailors who fought so hard to get the multihull reinstated into the Games, because they weigh too much.

Why the multihull was pulled from the Games in the first place will always remain a mystery to most of us, especially considering sailing's low profile in the media and the multihull, along with the 49er, being the biggest media puller of the lot.

The unpopular and ill-considered dismissal of the Tornado should be re-thought. So should the weight and other restrictions. Since multihull sailors got a whiff of the multihull returning to the Games, fleets of Tornados worldwide have increased, with many women sailing them. Carolijn Brouwer led the way as the first woman to sail a Tornado at the Olympic Games when she competed as a skipper in Qingdao at the 2008 Beijing Games. Since then, many women are sailing the Tornado as skipper and as crew.

Marine notices

Speed limit for Boat Haven Bay entrance channel - Mariners be advised that a 6-knot speed limit is declared for the entrance channel into Port of Airlie marina and public boat ramp.

Heading south? Great Keppel Island - Mariners be advised that the Half Tide Rocks light be restored to normal. AUS charts 247 & 367

Pancake Creek - be advised that back night lead at Pancake Creek has been restored to normal. AUS chart 819

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Tropical North and 4MK

Underfunded Reef managers struggle with huge projects

2011-11-09T05:33:00.000+10:00

Underfunded Reef managers struggle with huge projects

Lack of funding by successive state and federal governments is leaving "financially constrained" managers of the Great Barrier Reef to struggle with the enormous pressures facing the future of development and environment.

ABC's Four Corners program on Monday night reported that the World Heritage Commission has expressed concerns over the growth of the LNG/CSG industry and the many other projects along the Queensland coast that will affect the Great Barrier Reef, a world heritage-listed area.

Dr Fanny Douvere is co-ordinator of the marine program of UNESCO's World Heritage Centre in Paris.

"When we received the environmental impact assessment from the government of Australia, it appears to have contradictory statements," Dr Douvere said.

"On the one hand it states that the facilities and the measures that are taken for the protection of the environment make it unlikely that there will be any significant negative impact on the outstanding and universal value of the Great Barrier Reef.

"On the other hand it also concludes that there will be a direct and indirect impact on the coastal and marine habitats and species including seagrass, mangroves, dugongs and turtles as well."

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has also had concerns over the concentration of the industry on the Barrier Reef.

"Our concerns filled many pages, but it relates to the things you'd expect any potential spill over into the marine park of dredging activity, impacts on migratory species, humpback dolphin, Indo-Pacific and the snub fin dolphins," scientist and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Chair Dr Russell Reichelt said.

Chairs of all Local Marine Advisory Committees responsible for providing advice to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority on matters of interest to Reef communities, have drafted a letter to Dr Reichelt passing on grave concerns to Federal Minister Burke and the Marine Park Authority Board about the impacts of increased coastal developments on the Great Barrier Reef.

"At our recent annual conference, we agreed that the cumulative impacts of development, for example ports expansions, will have significant detrimental effects on both the ecological and socio-economic life of the region."

"Of particular concern are the projects at Gladstone, Abbot Point, Port Alma, Port of Townsville and Bathurst Bay."

"We implore the Federal Government in its decision making, to think beyond the short-term to consider the long-term protection of the Great Barrier Reef for the benefit of generations to come."

A report about the impact of dredging in Gladstone Harbour by the Gladstone Port Corporation, showed no link between the dredging and "lesions" found in fish in the harbour. It did find that levels of aluminium, copper and chromium exceeded the safety guidelines at several sites in the harbour but these were not, "of significant environmental concern."

Meanwhile Gladstone fishers cannot sell their product.

G20 yachties view

France was honoured to chair the Group of Twenty last week in the movie resort town of Cannes. Established in 1999, G20 brings together major advanced and emerging economies to stabilize the global financial market and bring along a large entourage to chew the fat.

Our Whitsunday Coast Guardian reporter was on the job to file this exclusive story.

"Cannes. G20 summit. Security is really crazy. The boys aren't allowed to work out side the boat, must stay inside. NO marine movement anywhere except by various authorities. No fly zone. Military check points everywhere etc. Army on all the quays. LOADS of guys in all kind of uniform everywhere!! (Girls like that part). Unique to be here."

That Cup is on

Love it or hate it, The America's Cup World Series sails on San Diego Bay November 12-20. This is extreme experience; cutting-edge wing-sailed AC45 catamarans hitting speeds over 30-knots in short, sharp, intense races. No tame 12-metre yachts here.

Testing the abilities of the best sailing teams in the world on tight courses squeezed to ensure close action with a mix of fleet and match racing. Spectators will see the racing on one of the best natural harbours in North America, a natural amphitheatre for sailboat racing.

Last Post

Remembrance Day, Poppy Day, Armistice Day or Veterans Day - 11 hour 11/11/11

Proserpine River

Mariners are advised that the lighted Starboard Lateral Mark No.1 buoy Fl.G.3s temporarily established to mark the destroyed Starboard Lateral Mark No.1 beacon Fl.G.3s in the entrance to the Proserpine River, has been re-established. Navigate with caution.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Criminal marine environment litterbugs targeted

2011-11-09T05:31:00.000+10:00

Criminal marine environment litterbugs targeted

Marine Debris in the Great Barrier Reef was just one issue raised at the Local Marine Advisory Committee Chairs meeting held over the weekend in Townsville.

Local Marine Advisory Committees representing coastal areas from Torres Straight to the Sunshine Coast, reported strong concerns regarding marine debris, much of it plastic garbage, and found it was an issue in most areas.

Russell Reichelt, Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority lead a discussion that focused on the leading work of the Whitsunday Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc operation and how to get increased funding support for this positive community operation.

While much rubbish is ship sourced, local government and land based litterbugs funnel garbage into the sea through stormwater and poorly controlled runoff.

Increasing levels of debris are being observed and recorded in areas of shipping 'parking areas' (mooring and anchoring) areas in contravention of state and international law especially the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78) of the International Maritime Organization.

Issues noted included raising awareness, encouraging scientific surveys, industry and government survey info and that derived from Marine Park patrols. Encouraging public contributions of information to contribute to a knowledge base on the issue and creating a database through the Integrated Eye on the Reef and then regular reporting from the database to inform the public of status and trends.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is meeting with Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and Maritime Safety Queensland this week as part of the GBR Shipping Management Group.

Items to target will be reducing incidence of debris, assess sources of debris and target information campaigns at those sources aiming at establishing a best practice regimes.

Fund raising for local action including clean up, awareness and working with operators dealing with shipping such as port NQ Bulk Ports and BMA and local councils and NRM bodies.

What's a Nurdle?

Nurdles, also known as mermaids' tears, are plastic pellets typically less than five millimetres in diameter, and are a major component of marine debris.

Ocean sailors clean up

Since the last day of 1988, it has been illegal for ships to dump plastics into the ocean.

The Volvo Ocean Race aims to raise awareness of the problem while voicing a call for everyone to help reduce pollution and share in a simple message through Keep the Oceans Clean!

Volvo Ocean Race Chief Executive Knut Frostad said the initiative is an opportunity to make a global difference.

'This is the project we have been searching for,' Frostad said. 'It has meaning to the race, the sailors and supporters, who all have the chance to make a real difference.

'The rubbish in the ocean is a concern for everyone and together we will raise awareness of this problem, engage adults and children and inspire them to be part of the solution.''

Frostad added that pollution was a sporting problem as well as an environmental one. "For Volvo Ocean Race sailors the rubbish not only pollutes their sporting arena but it can be problematic when they're racing because it can catch on the keel, rudder and daggerboards and slow down the boat,"

Shemozzle?

"I believe the technical term for this project is a shemozzle," says Australian defence strategist Andrew Davies. The A$600 million purchase of anti-submarine torpedoes from Europe took 12 years. Now that they have finally been delivered, military planners have found the user manuals are only available in Italian and French. Thus, the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation has advertised for technical translators, who have appropriate security clearances, to make the manuals readable to the people who need to integrate the weapons into naval vessels. That's expected to cost at least A$110,000 and add further delay.

Notice to Mariners

Proserpine River entrance - Mariners are advised that the lighted Starboard Lateral Mark No.1 buoy Fl.G.3s temporarily established in approximate position Latitude 20°30.65'S, Longitude 148°44.05'E to mark the destroyed Starboard Lateral Mark No.1 beacon Fl.G.3s in the entrance to the Proserpine River is off station. Mariners should use caution when navigating in the vicinity as remnants of the destroyed structure remain. AUS charts 252 & 824

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North and 4MK

Remembering Keith Williams, CMG

2011-11-09T05:30:00.001+10:00

Remembering Keith Williams, CMG

Like him or not, Keith Williams was one of those people who put everything on the line when he did something; and he did a lot!

Australian water ski champion from 1957 to 1960, Keith made water skiing popular in Australia. He went on to car racing, Sea World theme park, Hamilton Island, Port Hinchinbrook and a few other items along the way.

To say he was a pioneer of the tourism industry hardly does justice to this man of grand vision, ability and let it be said, cunning.

Keith bought Hamilton Island in 1975, building and operated it until 1996. After floating on the ASX, the Oatley family bought the island in 2003.

Hamilton Island Race Week started 1984, a regatta which stands today as Australia's premier yachting event. Too much fire when the resort burnt down and too much water when the regatta was nicknamed 'rain week'

Keith loved all the stuff of life and always had his toes if not feet over the line such as putting a big dozer on Dent Island cutting a road before he had the lease signed and is it true that pure white sand from Whitehaven Beach ended up on Hamilton Island?

While some stories cannot be told perhaps (yet?), some should be. Before the advent of the golf course, golf buggies were plenty of fun, racing, and parking in buildings, pools and even the harbour. Flags of various types got knocked off but watch out yachties if you got nabbed; the monocle clad Keith was not to be toyed with and invented the iconic island staff terminology 'NBO' - i.e., Next Boat Out; meaning you are fired or not desired! Those were the days.

Spray painting slogans on his speedboat 'Awesome' lead to the NBOing of perhaps the wrong person as an "I'm still here" graffiti appeared later.

Souveniring the carved wood Golden Plover barstool from the Bare Foot Bar lead to instant action by Keith leading to the crew returning the pirate flag draped bar stool 'coffin' in a mock funeral.

Golden Plover was usually alongside across Front Street from the bar and lots of mischief happened in that small area including up in the ship's rigging.

Stories are coming in so what about this quote, "Went pig shooting with Keith Williams in his helicopter, trying to shoot pigs with a Heckler and Koch machine gun."

Speaking on behalf of his family, son Ben Williams said details of a gathering to celebrate Keith's 82 years of life would be announced soon.

Divers left at sea

Tourists on a scuba diving trip off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida surfaced after being diving for 55 minutes, to find four-foot swells and no dive boat. Paul Kline of Austin, Texas, and a diver from Spain said "We were in shock," realizing they were left behind miles offshore. The two men spotted a fishing buoy and held on for more than two hours until rescued by a passing yacht. When the captain of the dive boat was finally reached, he refused to answer questions about how he lost track of two men he was responsible for.

The boat operator was barraged by abusive phone calls, emails and social media messages calling the operator, captain and crew idiots and morons and said they hoped the stranded divers would sue and drive them out of business.

Another cheeky writer asked if his wife could be given the same "special treatment," saying he'd "like to leave her clinging to a buoy!" The US Coast Guard is investigating the incident.

Remarkable Remembrance Day

The RSL Airlie Beach Whitsunday Sub Branch advises that Remembrance Day service will commence at 1100 Friday November 11 and for those interested in unique numbers it will be the eleventh hour of 11/11/11. There will be a get together after. A bus will be provided to attend the Cenotaph. They could also use a driver for the day details Bill Rose 49464486

Mariner notices

Bowen pilotage area - Mariners are advised that the Safe Water Mark N2 Iso 2s positioned latitude 20° 01.2680'S longitude 148° 16.9719'E has been reported unlit.

Bowen Boat Harbour - be advised that the port beacon in position latitude 20° 01.1776' S, longitude 148° 16.4022' E has been reported flashing irregular. Mariners are advised to navigate with caution. AUS chart 268.

Cape Edgecumbe to Abbot Point - Special light buoys, Fl.Y.5s, exist in positions marking scientific instruments. AUS chart 852

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North and 4MK

Marine debris criminals spoiling natural beauty of Great Barrier Reef

2011-10-21T05:33:00.000+10:00

Marine debris criminals spoiling natural beauty of Great Barrier Reef

A report prepared by local group Eco Barge says thoughtless people, criminal seafarers and stormwater are responsible for much of the rubbish, particularly plastic, that blights not just the Great Barrier Reef and islands but all oceans on the planet.

"The proliferate use of disposable plastic is the primary driver," says Founding Chair Libby Edge of the recently renamed Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc.

"But it is the poor management of its ultimate disposal that is creating the marine debris blight," Ms Edge told the Whitsunday Coast Guardian this week before the release of her report at the GBRMPA Local Marine Advisory Committee Chairs meeting to be held in Townsville on October 29-30.

Thoughtless throw-away behaviours coupled to a lack of adequate waste control measures in our urban infrastructure enables the plastic debris to enter into our local waters.

Over the last two years Eco Barge volunteers, including Tony Abbott have collected 5,890 kilograms of marine debris (excluding wreckage from the post cyclone Ului clean up). Almost five kilometres of binding, cable, fishing line & nets, rope, strapping band and tape was retrieved from the islands and a very disgusting 14,300 cigarette butts collected in Airlie Beach's main beach, marinas & the main street.

Marine radio update

The Office of Maritime Communications at the Australian Maritime College is responsible for all marine radio examinations and certification in Australia.

This includes the management of the examination network across Australia, production of the Marine Radio Operators Handbook, exams and certificates for Marine Radio Operator's Certificate of Proficiency (MROCP) VHF and Satellite Communications Certificates.

"So, how do I obtain a marine radio certificate of proficiency?" The place to start is www.amc.edu.au/omc where you will find a downloadable copy of the current marine radio handbook and advice regarding examinations and indeed, exam questions and answers. Further information on local training and exams is available from Volunteer Marine Rescue and commercial trainers.

A recent question was from a boatie who has had a licence for a long time; Q. "I want to update my knowledge, can I sit another radio operators exam if I already hold a qualification?"

A. No, do not sit a second exam. If you fail, it will override your previous qualification. You may update your knowledge by reading the handbook and doing the revision quizzes or even attending a course but do not sit the exam.

Kids' jolly boats

Don't forgot the oars! Children just love Jolly Boats, the inflatables and dinghies that are fun to mess about in, with adult supervision, while they learn the skills. Then adventure awaits.

While the outboard engine is a huge attraction, ensure you teach safe practices; teach the children to row.

Personal flotation devices are needed and see that they can get back into the boat.

Monitor the weather and currents. Little arms rowing have a hard time getting back to safety against a strong wind or current. Set boundaries; say only between the boat and the beach, statistically the most dangerous place, so stand watch.

Little ones join in the fun and gain huge satisfaction at mastering rowing, but ensure they are well supervised and remember they can enjoy some measure of independence at the end of a rope. As with everything there are risks involved, but with sensible safety measures,

Message in a Bottle: Old School S.O.S.

The current recommended response on a merchant ship boarded by pirates is to radio a distress call, disable the ship's engines and to retreat into a "citadel," a safe locked-down space aboard the ship to await either rescue or until the pirates simply give up and go away. That is what the officers and crew of the MV Montecristo did when boarded by pirates last week.

Once they retreated however, they lacked a means to communicate with NATO rescuers. So, they used a more traditional means of communication - they stuffed a message in a bottle, stuck a flashing beacon on top and threw the bottle out a porthole. NATO forces retrieved the bottle and learning that the crew was safe, launched a raid on the ship capturing the pirates.

Notice to mariners

Eimeo Creek - Mariners are advised that the Port Lateral Mark beacon Fl.R.2.5s in Eimeo Creek is temporarily unlit. Mariners should navigate with caution in the vicinity. AUS charts 249 & 251

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North and 4MK

Whitsunday Islands to feature on new weather map

2011-10-21T05:31:00.001+10:00

Whitsunday Islands to feature on new weather map

New forecasting technology to be introduced by the Bureau of Meteorology will allow for the first time weather forecasting focused on the Whitsunday Islands enhancing the needs of our marine tourism industry with accurate forecasting and safety.

Neal Moodie, National Manager Marine weather Services and Tony Auden Meteorologist at the Brisbane Regional Forecasting Centre of the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) met with a core group of local mariners last week in Airlie Beach that provided an opportunity to discuss, face to face, weather issues that affect our area.

"I enjoyed meeting with this broad group of mariners with obvious expertise about and passion for the Whitsundays," Mr Moodie told the Whitsunday Coast Guardian at the meeting on Thursday night.

"The Whitsunday group will be the first to try out the Bureau's new forecasting and reporting system being introduced by the BoM before it is released to the wider public, probably next year.

"I am expecting we will receive well thought out and considered feedback from this Whitsunday group," Mr Moodie added.

Other issues included the scope of forecasts, the wording and dealing with media sensationalism; called 'beat-ups' in the world of journalism where the motto is "if it bleeds, it leads" that also destroys our tourism industry.

Also discussed was a variety of weather issues including extended forecasts to assist tourists to plan their time here and marine radio broadcasts with a midday update to help planning for overnight anchorages.

Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association organised the meeting attended by local Maritime Safety Queensland Safety Officers and members of the Bareboat and commercial marine industry.

Message in a bottle

In this age of email, text SMS, instant messaging and Facebook/Twitter, it's nice to hear about something different and Olde Worlde.

Harold Hackett of Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada started throwing bottles with messages inside into the Atlantic Ocean in 1996. Since then he has cast 4,800 bottles into the sea and has received 3,100 letters back from Africa, Russia, Holland, the UK, France, Scotland, Ireland, parts of New England, Florida, Norway and the Bahamas. His response rate may be better than the average "Friend" request rate on Facebook and Mr Hackett says he does not put his telephone number or an email on the messages, as he would rather get a letter that he can treasure.

Troubled tourists

Readers say they enjoyed the real comments made by British tourists to their travel agents. Here are a few more pearlers.

"No one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled."

"It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England; it only took the Americans three hours to get home."

"I compared the size of our one-bedroom apartment to our friends' three-bedroom apartment and ours was significantly smaller."

"I was bitten by a mosquito; no-one said they could bite."

"On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food at all."

Finally, in Spain, "There are too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners now live abroad." Moreover, "It's lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time - this should be banned."

Storytelling Challenge

The folks at Jack Tar Magazine are sponsoring a writing contest for young writers "The New Conrads" Storytelling Challenge, with US$1,000 prize money. Joseph Conrad sailed and wrote during the demise of "The Golden Age of Sail" and the rise of steam and diesel. 100 years later, giant diesel-powered ships are already back to using sails in order to save fuel. What will shipping look like when oil becomes too expensive to power the thousands of cargo vessels upon which the global economy depends?

Create a story, 1000 words or more, that focuses on the maritime culture and/or the shipping industry in the post-petroleum future. Deadline is midnight, October 31. Email inquiries and stories to kim@jacktarmagazine.com.

Port of Airlie notices

Speed limit declared - Mariners be advised that a six-knot speed limit be declared for the entire entrance channel into the Port of Airlie marina, Boat Haven Bay.

Exclusion zones - Mariners take note that exclusion zones be declared within the Port of Airlie marina. The exclusion zones encompass the marina pontoons and walkways construction sites.

Chartlet maps are available for both items from MSQ to update AUS charts 252 & 268

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Marine weather watchers wanted for their ideas

2011-10-06T06:25:00.000+10:00

Marine weather watchers wanted for their ideas

A meeting this week will provide an opportunity for the Bureau of Meteorology to meet with the Whitsunday Marine Community and discuss a variety of weather issues.

Rachael Bell, Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association Regional Coordinator says all mariners and users of marine weather services are invited to the meeting this Thursday October 6, 6pm at PCYC.

"This meeting may be a good opportunity to lobby to get Airlie Beach onto the local and national weather maps and forecasts; something many have wanted for a long time," Ms Bell told the Whitsunday Coast Guardian.

"There is an interesting list of items the BoM would like to discuss with Mariners however it is important to RSVP by contacting Pradeep Singh on 07 3239 8751 or P.Singh@bom.gov.au to ensure good attendance." Ms Bell added.

Mariners are familiar with the products provided by BoM and we use them everyday. However this National Issues Agenda will look to provide enhanced services to the marine industry using advance technology to provide more localised forecasting and reporting.

Both recreational and commercial users know the current forecast area such as Bowen to St Laurance is a huge area that often contains a variety of weather systems. Would smaller more targeted areas be of more use? South East Queensland area is divided into four smaller areas.

This is now on the agenda and includes naming convention of new areas, how to refer to new areas in warnings, the setup of broadcast schedules to accommodate new areas, coastal services for Marine radio.

Would marine users like an extension of forecasts to four days? A culture heavily influencing marine activities is tourism and it is believed that tourists would like to plan their trips using seven-day forecasts. What are your thoughts and is it achievable?

How should wind changes be described and do we need to review the observations provided? Locally most mariners use the observations at Hamilton Island rather than Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport - common sense really for marine crew. Perhaps sites to record wind speed and direction, pressure and air temperature at agreed sites desired by mariners. Some of this would duplicate the standard BOM network in some locations, but sites located on water's edge would be more useful rather than inland at an airport.

How to make the forecast more relevant to the recreational boater. A problem with coastal services for Marine radio Issue is that the text is becoming too detailed and is pushing the boundaries of the broadcast schedule. Mariners are keen to avoid adverse weather conditions on their journeys. BoM is seeking advice on how to resolve this issue.

An interesting element of the presentation will be a review of anecdotal reports from the Japan generated tsunami in March 2011. BoM wants to know what is the best way to notify mariners, what education is required?

The capabilities of HF digital radio to provide multi-streamed voice broadcasts, results in more regular updates of forecast information with a marine survey indicated a large increase in mariners using laptops on board.

It may be useful to consider a local committee to consider, advance and advocate benefits for our area and industry.

Port of Airlie?

If the Bureau of Meteorology was to consider a new naming convention policy for coastal weather zones based on major port, or geographic location, what might it be?

Airlie Beach and Whitsunday are currently not registered ports so it might be worth looking at this . . . again.

Acacia Island, Port Newry

Mariners are advised that a 4.1-metre aluminium open vessel has capsized adjacent Acacia Island in Port Newry and may be semi-submerged and drifting, is considered a potential navigation hazard. Mariners should navigate with caution in the vicinity. AUS charts 251 & 824

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Have a safe holiday on the water

2011-09-28T15:46:00.001+10:00

Water safety and school holiday fun

Whether it is running a multi-million-dollar ship tracking system covering the entire Great Barrier Reef, to preventing maritime accidents and safeguarding Australia's most precious marine environmental icons or helping kids with holiday activities, The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has a big job.

Not only does that job cover Australia's huge coastline but also includes the safety of boats and ships of all sizes and their safe construction and crewing in conjunction with Maritime Safety Queensland and the Water Police.

The AMSA website has plenty to help holiday kids better understand our marine environment and what can be done to protect it.

The AMSA website has been developed to encourage children to learn about the marine environment in a fun and interactive way. It will help them become more aware, respectful and passionate about our marine environment.

An oil spill cleanup experiment shows the effects of oil and explains what happens to spilled oil and experiments about oil bioremediation after the initial cleanup

Protect our seas education kits may be requested and other links explored at www.amsa.gov.au/kids

Family fun on the water

Boating is an exciting and fun, family leisure option and by educating away some of the risks, parents can relax and the whole family will gain more from the experience.

Perhaps you didn't know that a good game can be made with lifejacket practice. Here goes, the game of 25 Second Lifejackets.

Run a 25-second lifejacket drill. When the skipper yells 'Lifejackets' everyone on board should appear on deck with their lifejacket on and a designated crew member also carries the grab bag of safety gear. Practise this with the family until it is completed within 25 seconds; no longer!

Over the side kid! Your children need to experience jumping into the water with their lifejacket on. As well as being a great advance check of the suitability of the jacket, it is essential that the children have confidence in the flotation of their jacket to reduce the possibility of panic in an emergency. Find that nice warm bay and jump off the stern fully kitted up, get them used to swimming around in the jacket so that they learn the effect of the extra buoyancy on their body.

Show your children how to hold the jacket by pulling down gently on the collar while they jump. A fun but valuable practice is to jump in fully clothed with the jacket as your children will not necessarily be in their togs in an emergency and different clothing can affect their flotation.

These practices can be a fun game for children, making them better prepared in an emergency and give parents confidence in the effectiveness of safety measures.

Family as Crew

Engage your family as much as possible in the operation of the boat. More experience and knowledge leads to less danger. Kids should be shown and encouraged to start/stop the engine, use the manual winches, switch electrical equipment on an off, operate the anchor control, VHF radio and trim the sails.

Marine Notices

St Bees Island - a feral animal control program using live firing weapons will take place on St Bees Island October 3 7. An exclusion zone extends 500 metres seaward of the High Water mark. Marine VHF sécurité calls will be made on channel 16 by the Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service vessel 'Tamoya'. AUS charts 251 & 823

Abel Point Marina Entrance - be advised that the port lateral mark No.6 beacon Fl R 3s and starboard lateral mark No. 7 beacon Fl G 3s, which mark the entrance into Abel Point Marina, is temporarily unlit.

AUS charts 253 & 268

Port of Airlie Marina - pile-driving operations continue in Port of Airlie Marina. A Fl Y light marks the outermost pile by night.

Mariners should use caution in the vicinity.

AUS charts 252 & 268

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

Whitsunday island ocean swim planned

2011-09-23T05:38:00.001+10:00

Whitsunday island ocean swim planned

Planning is underway by local long distance swimmer Christie Leet for a swim from Roma Point on South Molle Island to Airlie Beach in late October.

International swimmer Chris Palfrey from Townsville will join Christie for this unique swim.

Earlier this year Mr Leet competed in the West Australian Rottnest Island Channel Swim and has previously swam challenges from Whitehaven Beach to Hamilton Island and Magnetic Island to Townsville.

Chris Palfrey did hardly any swimming until the age of thirty when his wife Penny introduced him to the sport. Penny is an English woman with a long history of competitive swimming. Penny and Chris were in Japan this month to swim the Tsugaru Strait, between the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido first conquered in 1991. Only three people have successfully swum this strait to the northernmost island of Japan.

Long distance swimmers say an exciting thing about open water crossings, is that even in the 21st century, you can still be a pioneer. There are still events and crossings in lakes, rivers and along coastlines in almost every continent, which hardly anyone has swum.

In the swim

The Whitehaven Beach to Hamilton Island swim is coming up on November 20, on the Sunday of Hamilton Island Triathlon week.

But wait, there's more. Adventure swimmers are now going on Swim Tours visiting out of the way places that are very special unique places offering experiences. Adding the Whitsunday Islands destination to Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, the south of France and Fiji makes good sense.

Thar be Pirates!

There were plenty of pirates and pirate activities surrounding International Talk Like a Pirate Day in Airlie Beach with lots of media attention. Everyone likes to talk like a pirate so in a town like Airlie you can dress up like a pirate and have some fun. The Pirates of the Whitsundays are the polite pirates who use their manners and say please and thank you, and ensure that visitors always come first. This Pirate had the sniffles and spent most of the weekend in bed with a hot toddy, meekly saying "Aargh."

~~Stupid~~ testing complaints

Some female tourists complain that nude beaches or topless beaches are too distracting for their husbands and can ruin their (her?) holidays. "Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined as my husband spent all day looking at other women."

A recent survey from Thomas Cook and the Association of British Travel Agents revealed 20 of the most ridiculous complaints by holidaymakers made to their travel agent.

Here are just a few pearlers. "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels."

A tourist at a top African Game Lodge overlooking a water hole, who spotted a visibly aroused elephant, complained that the sight of this rampant beast ruined his honeymoon by making him feel "inadequate."

"The beach was too sandy." teams up with "We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as yellow but it was white."

Finally, "My fiancé and I booked a twin-bedded room but we were placed in a double-bedded room. We now hold you responsible for the fact that I find myself pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked."

Marine Notices

Hayman Island Marina - Mariners be advised that the lighted starboard lateral mark beacon No. 1 Q (1) G marking the entrance to Hayman Island Marina, has been reported unlit.

Dent Island - Mariners are advised that the starboard lateral mark beacon Fl G 2.5s marking the northern end of Dent Island, has been reported unlit. Mariners are advised to navigate with caution in the vicinity. AUS charts 254, 823 & 824

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Stinger week highlights deadly marine animals

2011-09-23T05:36:00.000+10:00

Stinger week highlights deadly marine animals

Marine Stinger Awareness Week consists of various school information talks in Bowen, Proserpine and Cannonvale and a display at the Rotary Whitsunday Boat and Leisure Show.

The Whitsunday Marine Stinger Management Committee meets regularly and aims to provide a collaborative, coordinated and balanced response to the marine stinger issues for community, government and media.

Broadly, the group is concerned with three key questions: What dangerous marine stingers exist and what is their distribution? How can we better prevent stings through physical barriers and education? What should individuals and clinicians do when people are stung?

There is a need for a holistic state approach for stinger notifications and research to see whether there are particular variables that lead to an increase in stings.

The committee is supported by our Reef Guardian Whitsunday Council, Surf Life Saving Queensland, GBRMPA, marine tourism and dive operators, medical personnel, etc and meets at Tourism Whitsunday.

The Indo-Pacific or Australian box jellyfish (Chironex Fleckeri) is claimed to be the most venomous marine animal known to humanity and its sting is often fatal. However, there have only been 63 reported deaths from the box jellyfish in over 100 years.

Whitileaks Reef Watch

Leaked US embassy cables published by WikiLeaks have revealed that the federal government has "weakened" the compulsory pilotage regime for large vessels navigating through the sensitive maritime environment of Torres Strait.

On learning the Torres Strait pilotage regime was quietly amended 17 months ago, Don Henry of the Australian Conservation Foundation, said it was "absolutely essential'' that all shipping [through the strait] has pilotage.

The cables reveal the Howard government's October 2006 announcement of a compulsory pilotage regime in the Torres Strait was rejected by some governments and shipping companies.

The change involved leaving the "compulsory" framework in place while in practice reverting to a voluntary scheme for vessels by not enforcing penalties against ships that passed through the Torres Strait without a pilot and did not call at an Australian port. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority formalised the change on April 17, 2009.

Fishy claim

David Copp, a tourist visiting Ilfracombe Harbour, west of Bristol, in the UK, complained to the harbormaster that the fish being landed on the quayside had a "disgusting smell."

The 46-year-old was outraged that his children, aged seven and nine, had been forced to endure the sight.

"It's not the sort of thing you want to see on holiday, there was a real stench. My children were quite distressed by it. These people should be a bit more considerate to holidaymakers."

Mr Copp called Ilfracombe harbourmaster Rob Lawson to complain about the smell that had emanated from The Lady of Lundy trawler before calling the North Devon Journal to air his woes.

We expect any minute that local authorities will be swamped with complaints that the waves on the beach are very wet, cold and rather salty. And let's not discuss the sand far too gritty and damp.

Boat show success

Great weather greeted the reincarnation of the Rotary Boat and Lifestyle Show at Port of Airlie with visitors and exhibitors happy with the new site and attendance.

Carolyn Thompson was busy showing visitors both Box and Irukandji marine stingers (jellyfish) on the combined Whitsunday Marine Stinger Management Committee, Parks and Wildlife Service and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority display.

The floating exhibits were busy also with Sunsail getting more stock from their base at Hamilton Island after a busy Saturday.

Sunsail Sales Manager Sarita Wait, told the Whitsunday Coast Guardian

"Sunsail has been thrilled by the number of attendees at the Whitsunday Boat and Lifestyle Show at its new venue Port of Airlie." "After what has been challenging year for the region, Sunsail has enjoyed a successful show and looks forward to returning again next year", Ms Wait added.

Pirate Week

Wave your hooks in the air Saturday September 17, 2011 - Everyone likes to talk like a pirate so in a town like Airlie you can also dress up like a pirate and have some fun. The Pirates of the Whitsundays are the polite pirates who use their manners and say please and thank you, and ensure that visitors always come first. Meet up mid afternoon at the pirate picnic tables in mid Airlie.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Warrior cat a hot favourite with local lads

2011-09-23T05:35:00.001+10:00

Warrior cat a hot favourite with local lads

Whitsunday sailors Dale Mitchell and Aaron Linton have been taking advantage of their skills and bags of breeze during the fast and furious Fantasea F18 Australian Championships, being sailed as part of Sealink Magnetic Island Race Week.

Going into the last day of the six day series, Dale and Aaron look certain to take second or third place battling closely with Townsville local sailor Mick Guinea who has years of experience in the F18 class of catamarans.

Not that Dale is lacking in the experience arena having represented the Whitsunday Sailing Club at World 505 Championships in San Francisco with brother Paul in 2009.

Dale, Aaron and Paul all learned the ropes on Sabots and everything off beach from a young age at the Whitsunday club with Dale often filling the job of Off-Beach Captain on race days.

Dale and Aaron are sailing a state of the art Nacra Infusion F18 'Ullman Sails' that features canted hulls, semi encapsulated front beam, wing shaped mast profile, high aspect asymmetrical spinnaker and shark fin shaped high aspect rudder blades.

Wanna know what that means? It means a warrior cat on heat that goes very fast.

The design came about a few years ago, when a group a sailors who wanted more competition at a level just below the Olympics got together and came up with the Formula 18 Class an open design 'box' rule that allows boats from a variety of manufacturers to race together as long as the basic specifications are met.

Watch at anchor

A recent court decision demonstrates the tough attitude to breaches of the Collision Regulations.

A collision between two fishing vessels in the early hours of the morning. Weather was fine and clear, no moon.

Vessel One was steaming under autopilot, deckhand on watch. Vessel Two was at anchor, with the Master and his deckhand asleep below deck. One collided with Two, effectively destroying Two. Two's master was rescued, but the deckhand was never found.

The master of Two brought a successful claim for personal injury, loss of earnings and stress.

The judge was critical of the lookout kept by the deckhand on One, noting that although the anchor light of Two was not bright, it met the statutory requirement and was lit at the time of the collision and easily visible in the prevailing clear conditions. One's radar was not operating, in contravention of the Collision Regulations; other issues included deck lights and alcohol.

The judge had no difficulty in finding that One had been navigated negligently.

However, the court also found that Two had been contributorily negligent. No anchor watch was kept aboard Two in breach of the collision regulations. The court reduced the award by 40%.

This Western Australian Supreme Court case shows a hardening attitude of the courts towards mariners who flout the collision regulations.

Resources pooled

Queensland boaties and fishers will see further enforcement from a single marine services agency when Maritime Safety Queensland teams up with long-time partner, Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol this month.

Fisheries and Marine Infrastructure Minister Craig Wallace says Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol would transfer from within the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation to Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) within Transport and Main Roads.

"By bringing them within Maritime Safety Queensland's organisation they can better combine their assets in delivering services such as marine education and safety awareness programs", Mr Wallace said.

Mariner notices

North Channel, Bowen - Mariners are advised that the safe water mark Fl 2s in position latitude 20° 01.2680' S, longitude 148° 16.9719' E has been reported as unlit. Mariners are advised to navigate with caution in this area. AUS chart 268

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

Going to windward on the Bruce

2011-09-23T05:33:00.001+10:00

Going to windward on the Bruce

Anyone venturing onto Highway Number 1 would be amazed at the number of yachts in amongst the gray nomad's caravans and polished professional trucker's rigs.

Yachties attending Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island Race Weeks in the past had to sail up and down the coast however; the highway named Bruce is getting some serious use.

Good thing too that yachties are racing in the dry winter and not during the wet when the Bruce Highway is as wet as the Coral Sea in places. It could then be easier to sail south except sometimes waiting for the weather can take a while as anyone who has spent days hiding behind South Percy Island can vouch.

Talking to Craig at Hawkes Boatyard he said business was brisk with boats in and out, ditto for masts and damage checks at the Abel Point Marina yard.

Craig identified two yachts through the yard that stood out, Hamilton Island Grand Prix division winner 'Hooligan' and Ian Oatley's multi-million-dollar Reichel/Pugh 42-foot yacht 'Q'.

'Hooligan' a gun metal grey-hulled TP52 featuring a radical new bulb keel and extended bowsprit scored seven first places in nine races. Indeed, this year 'Hooligan' has won every major series including Audi Victoria Week, Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta and the NSW IRC Championship at Port Stephens.

'Q' is a new yacht that says "look at me" on the topsides and with a rotating keel was a head turner when she was being dropped into the water at Hawkes Boatyard. Well, I had to go for a closer look at this superb machine. 'Q' had a problem when on an early outing on Sydney Harbour a keel malfunction caused her to trip and fall capsizing on her side in front of a fleet of 134 yachts at Watsons Bay.

Of course, while busier the highway called Bruce is boring as it lacks the dolphins and whales seen around the Whitsunday Islands racecourse.

Haven't seen much (any?) road works happening on Highway Number One, but that might be a story for another day.

Stormy weather

North American Hurricane Irene lost enough of her steam to make her landfall in New York, New Jersey and New England less of a life-threatening event than a very wet one, but the storm surge definitely arrived as forecast. Rivers overflowed their banks, seaside communities experienced massive flooding, and marinas and clubs lost docks, while boats floated free in harbours, sometimes attached to docks that had floated off their piles. Does this sound familiar?

Lights on

In 1998, four Australian lighthouses participated in what then was a very young event. Last weekend saw 66 Australian lighthouses registered for the International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend.

In yester-year, the coastline had lighthouse protection, now much surpassed by modern satellite navigation. The radio amateurs operating from those locations, helps keep the spirit of the lighthouse alive.

Locally Cape Cleveland Light near Townsville joined Cape Capricorn ESE of Rockhampton with other Aussie lighthouses at King Island and Wilson's Promontory to name a well known few.

Get ready!

The Rotary Meridien Whitsunday Boat and Lifestyle Show at Port of Airlie is on the weekend of September 10 -11. Fun Race Saturday September 10. Get ready!

Mariner Notices

Mariners are advised that the temporary exclusion zone in Shute Harbour declared by the Regional Harbour Master in Shute Harbour to facilitate the salvage of the vessel "Whitsunday Magic" is lifted.

Fitzalan Passage, the lighted Special Mark buoy Fl Y 2.5s in Fitzalan Passage between Henning Island and Whitsunday Island is re-established in position. AUS charts 252, 253 & 254

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

Whales, sandy beach, dugong, turtles, sundowners for you

2011-09-23T05:32:00.001+10:00

Whales, sandy beach, dugong, turtles, sundowners for you

People living in Airlie Beach had a great show during breakfast one morning this week. Right outside their window were Humpback whales playing in the blue water of the bay.

Also, a workmate sent a note: "Just saw a whale on the way to work at Hamilton Island. Makes me feel a bit better bout getting up for work at 6am on a Sunday!"

With the whale population growing every year, they are easy to spot. Many have offspring alongside and spend their time floating up and down the passage with the tide, the pups feeding and frolicking.

Friends sailed over to Blue Pearl Bay on Saturday spotting two pods of Humpbacks that made the kids very happy so they came up with a couple of questions, as kids do.

Q. How do you weigh a whale? A. At a whaleway station

Q. What do you do with a blue whale? A. Cheer it up!

Thar be a sign

Be on the lookout for a new nautical flag that is sure to enhance some fun times on the water. Incorporating a swallowtail design, the colours are blue at the base rising up to a red sunset colour.

Adorned with 'C U @' and a setting sun, indicates that you are welcome to come aboard for a sundowner. Facebook friends Grotty Yachty are responsible for the 'See you at sunset' burgee.

Marine Stinger

Marine Stinger Awareness Week will start September 6 and continue through to September 10. The week will consist of various information talks at schools in Bowen, Proserpine and Cannonvale and will finish with a display at the Whitsunday Boat and Lifestyle Show. GBRMPA and QPWS have been kind enough to allow space for the Whitsunday Marine Stinger Management Committee at their boat show display.

Dugong spotting

The local co-ordinator of Seagrass Watch Whitsunday Jacquie Sheils is looking for adventurous people who would like to get up close to turtles and dugong in the seagrass meadows of the Whitsunday coast and islands.

Imagine yourself with your group of snorkelers observing these unique marine creatures in their habitat while you learn to record the health of the seagrass surrounds.

Jacquie says, "It is a fun activity that is quite different. Training is given and we are in need of more volunteers for the start of the grazing season, so give me a call on 0420 747959 or check out www.seagrasswatch.org/whitsunday

Life's a beach

News of the arrival of 200 tonnes of fresh clean EPA approved quality assured sand for the beach at Airlie as part of Council's maintenance program stirs a few memories.

The sand at one time was just average river sand from some unknown source and I think the old tourism association may have had it done before the council took on the task.

Years ago, there was effort put into getting rid of rocks that came to the surface; some were picked up and some pushed back down by the excavator during one tidy up.

Inevitably, some of the sand redistributes around the bay with a sandbar from outside the sailing club over to the creek. The late John De Vere of Golden Plover hired an excavator to dredge Airlie Creek and for many years there were two timber piles marking the entrance.

There is also the story about Hamilton Island in the Keith Williams' years sourcing nice sand from over Whitehaven way, but that might be a story for another time.

Mariner Notice

Mariners are advised the annual Multihull Solutions Whitsundays Multihull Rendezvous Race Week, a weeklong yacht race will be sailed from Sunday August 28 to Friday September 2.

Abel Point Yacht Club will conduct this Aquatic Event in the smooth and partially smooth waters of Pioneer Bay and Whitsunday Passage.

The race involves approximately 30-40 multihull sailing vessels. Mariners be advised to navigate with caution in the vicinity, especially at the party following each day of racing.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

Smoke on the water - Race Week riff

2011-09-23T05:30:00.000+10:00

Smoke on the water Race Week riff

Sailing up Pioneer Bay midday Saturday I spied numerous colourful kites set across the horizon as the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week fleet enjoyed sunshine and 15-20 knot puffs of breeze.

A bush fire in Funnel Bay was well alight and burning toward its inevitable snuffing at waters edge where it would run out of fuel.

Through the smoke on the water appeared another bright red flame-like image darting across the bay.

The big red multihull was taking advantage of the breeze, lifting her hulls like a dancer lifting her skirts in an exotic dance for the crowd.

But hark! There's no crowd about. The big red rocket sled; rooster tails splashing aft of whatever precious little was left in the azure waters of the bay; alone as she crossed the finish line.

Was it Christmas in August, Santa rushing toys to the girls and boys? No. Just a big boy's toy in the form of the record-breaking 18.48m New Zealand trimaran Team Vodafone; the quickest yacht to compete in the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Week.

Ever.

Top speed 31 knots with an average of about sixteen knots to set the record of 1 hour 56 minutes in the 31 nautical mile Double Cone-Armit-Alden Island race.

'Smoke on the Water' by British band Deep Purple, released in early 1972 was number four on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and also four in the BBC's 'Top 20 Greatest Guitar Riffs Ever' was played by Ritchie Blackmore on a Fender Stratocaster.

Don't damage dugong

Boaties are asked to take extra care due to an increase in dugong activity in Whitsundays waters.

Whitsunday Mayor Mike Brunker has echoed a Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service advice to be on the alert for dugong activity in waters around Airlie Beach and Bowen.

"QWPS has recorded an increase in dugong activity at Shute Harbour, Abel Point Marina area, Hill Inlet and in Edgecombe Bay, Bowen," Mr Brunker said.

"Dugong are migrating to feed on local seagrass beds but unfortunately these beds are close to shallow boating areas," he said.

"I ask all boaties to keep an eye out over the next few months, avoid shallow seagrass meadows, and when in shallow areas, reduce speed to below 10 knots, as well as observe harbour and marina speed limits."

"By applying a bit of commonsense, unfortunate situations involving accidental harming of a dugong can be greatly reduced," Mr Brunker said.

Report dugong and any marine animal strandings to the 24hr Marine Animal

Strandings Hotline 13 QGOV (13 74 68).

Lighthouse weekend

They throw a powerful beam and cut an often lonely and solemn figure above the rugged seascape while protecting the coastlines of the world.

The 14th International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend August 20-21 will light the way and celebrate their guardianship of seafarers through history.

This weekend Amateur radio operators will ensure attention is paid to these important heritage structures in recognition of the role played in the safety of seafarers and their charges over the years.

Around the Australian coast a record 59 entries adding to the over 400 participating around the globe.

This is a job?

The Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators and the Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association have successfully secured funding from the Queensland Government for a long term Crown of Thorns (COTS) Eradication Program in the Whitsunday area and Great Barrier Reef.

Twenty fully funded places available for youth between 17.5 and 24 years old to train in COTS control over six months.

A fantastic opportunity for youth in our region, those interested should apply for this award wages paid traineeship position.

Training includes courses in Open Water Scuba, Advanced Adventurer Diver, Stress & Rescue Divers, COTS Control, First Aid and Oxygen providers leading towards future employment as Dive Masters in the marine tourism industry.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

Welcome to Record Fleet for Airlie Beach Race Week

2011-09-23T05:29:00.001+10:00

Welcome to Record Fleet for Airlie Beach Race Week

Welcome to Airlie Beach and thank you for being part of a record fleet for our fun in the sun event. I thought I would pen a few lines about the race history to which you will no doubt add by your presence. Welcome aboard!

I remember one day spying a beautiful yacht in Shute Harbour. What drew my attention was the shape of a perfect clipper bow.

I later met the owner of 55-foot Storm, Don Algie and found that he had already had quite a chequered career and was destined to draught a few more checkers to his board.

One idea Don had was to start a restaurant by the name Hog's Breath; other idea a bit later was to start a sailing series in Airlie Beach.

Hamilton Island Race Week had been going for a few years under the leadership of Keith Williams and Dave Hutchen with their team building 'Hammo' into a serious race series attracting the top yachts and crews.

Originally titled Hog's Breath Cruising Classic the Airlie event was intended to be more irreverent featuring shirtsleeve sailing and onshore fun with reggae and calypso bands and the music of Jimmy Buffet.

Boss Hog Don and sidekick Miles Wood and the crew at the Whitsunday Sailing club lead by Commodore Jimmy Hayes would adjourn to Don's first Hog's Breath Café in Airlie and continue the plotting and planning over many beers and rums. Boss Hog Don was the type of guy and sponsor who would leave Hog's saying, "Drink as much draft beer as you want and close the door when you leave."

Those were the days, and that was the atmosphere of "infectious enthusiasm" that prevailed in Airlie Beach when we started race week.

Over the years, Airlie Race Week has developed, fended off competing series like Hayman Island Big Boat series, matured, changed sponsors to Meridien Marinas and generally become the tune up and play up week before the fleet heads to Hamilton Island.

Don sold the original Storm and had a new 20-metre Storm II built for a couple million or so and is still a competitor to be reckoned with in the Whitsunday waters he now calls home.

Many others worked hard over the years and it could not have happened without all the fabulous volunteers. However, this regatta is still Don's party to me.

The post race party including lottery drawn with coconuts spewing from Mucka's concrete truck and the Competitors Marquee at Abel Point Marina, allowing yachties an hour or two of after race "lie-telling" over cool refreshment, before hitting Airlie for dinner has proved a great success.

While Hog's has developed into a world-class event on the water, is remains a wonderful social event on shore reflecting the founder and patron of the event, Don Algie when he states the philosophy, "have fun, good partying and oh yeah, great sailing."

Ahoy Sailors

Without the volunteers, these events would not exist let alone prosper for the good of sailing and our community. Sure, there are professionals who get paid. Nevertheless, volunteers do a vast amount of work and we should give them our gratitude and a few beers. Perhaps a rum or two and a hug and kiss would be better than the traditional pat on the back. Want to help? Call the club on 4946 6138

Reality TV not new

Some viewers of Gilligan's Island apparently took the television show seriously in the 1960s. The U.S. Coast Guard received several telegrams from concerned citizens asking why they didn't rescue the Minnow's crew

Boat Haven Bay

Mariners be advised that the development works for the Port of Airlie Marina complex have been completed. All plant and equipment including special mark buoys Fl Y 5s are withdrawn. AUS charts 252 & 253

Only one month until the Rotary Meridien Boat and Lifestyle show Airlie Beach September 10 & 11

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Sailors count in Census

2011-09-23T05:28:00.001+10:00

Sailors count in Census

Special arrangements will ensure visiting sailors are counted as the national Census coincides with the build up to Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week

'You count with Meridien' was a phrase that came up during talks this week with Meridien manager Richard Barrett, marina staff and Census Officers.

"We are extremely busy with Race Week only a few boats shy of the record of 119 boats now, so working with Census Officers will ensure all goes smoothly."

Head of the Population Census program, Paul Lowe says it is vital that the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) captures an accurate snapshot of Australia on Census night.

"The Census aims to accurately count everyone in Australia on Census night August 9."

Mr Lowe says ships and boats moored in Australian ports and marinas will be visited by accredited Census Collectors in the days leading up to Census night.

"People staying on their boats in ports or marinas on Census night will have the option of completing the Census in two ways. They can complete the traditional paper form or complete the Census online using eCensus."

Staff and passengers on international cruise ships and other ships in Australian waters, Census night will be counted on Census night.

The ABS is expecting at least 30 per cent of the population will choose the easier eCensus option.

The eCensus should be completed on Census night, August 9; however, the eCensus website is open until September 5.

Pirate Talk Week

In accordance with The Pirate Code, International Talk Like a Pirate Day be extended to include Fun Race and the Rotary Whitsunday Boat and Lifestyle Show at the Port of Airlie beginning September 10 with International Talk Like a Pirate Week in Airlie Beach extending until Ashes Sunday September 18.

More time means more fun and Fun Race this year will include clashes with horned Vikings, off beach dinghy races and messin' about in boats with a big party afterwards.

Free tickets

Always looking after the local community, the Rotary Club of Airlie Beach has a limited offer for you to get a free ticket to the 2011 Whitsunday Boat and Lifestyle Show, Port of Airlie September 10 & 11. Details www.whitsundayboatshow.com.

Mayday fakes

South Australian Police have received many radio calls for help that are hoaxes, wasting time and resources for emergency services.

The calls have related to a range of fake emergencies and Local Service Area operations manager, Senior Sergeant Gerry Nicholson, has warned officers are investigating.

These include calls on both CB and marine radio that creates the belief the caller is in dire straits and requires immediate assistance.

Responding to hoax calls results in the use of large numbers of volunteer personnel, helicopters, marine vessels and other emergency services like police, SES, CFS and ambulance.

Racing insured

The Whitsunday Sailing Club is calling on yacht racers to ensure all privately owned boats carry the necessary insurance for racing.

Club officials believe it is in everyone's best interest on the racecourse and will ask owners to supply their insurer and policy number.

"We ask that you work on getting this information together - dig through your filing cabinet / shoebox / under the bed for your insurance policy - and have this information handy."

Shute Harbour notice

Mariners are advised that the lighted steering mark beacon Fl WR 4secs in approximate position latitude 20° 16.75' S, longitude 148° 48.06' E, located adjacent to Molle Channel, has been reported unlit. Mariners should use caution when in the vicinity.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Fishers seek foreign crew for reef trout boats

2011-09-23T05:27:00.001+10:00

Fishers seek foreign crew for reef trout boats

A severe lack of crew is forcing professional fishers to call for overseas skilled workers to meet the challenge of Queensland's two-speed economy.

While the Hong Kong Market price for live Coral Trout is hitting highs of $AUD85.25 a kilo, Queensland fishers have their boats tied up due to lack of crew.

Bowen fisher Greg Smith is Chairman of the industry Reef Line Council and tells Whitsunday Coast Guardian, "Most of the Coral Trout skippers up and down the East Coast of Queensland as well as the majority of our members, have approached me in recent times outlining the desperate need for skilled labour."

"At present, the Queensland Coral Trout industry is facing a multitude of problems; the greatest of which, is the supply of skilled crew for our fishing vessels. Many of our members are grounded through lack of crew and are loosing money hand over fist as we can not set out to fish in empty boats."

"We all feel that it would be the solution to many of our current industry problems, mostly the crippling plight we find ourselves in, when it comes to recruitment and retention in the two speed economy we are all suffering, in Northern Queensland.

"Currently, advertisements for crew members go either un-answered or applicants simply do not meet the requirements or have the aptitude for the work required of them," Mr Smith added.

Whale of a time

Friend took her Dad for a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef; here is her report. "We're not even 5 minutes from the mainland and we've seen whales already - feeling so very privileged!!!! And beautiful weather as well - love living in the Whitsundays."

Your own island?

What makes somebody want to own an island? "It's the sort of place that's on people's wish lists," says William Jackson, an estate agent who sells three or four islands every year.

Right now there are quite a few islands you could snap up around the world. Once the haunt of pirates, Sully Island is just 400 metres off the Welsh coast near Cardiff, could be yours for a mere £95,000.

There are several other islands for sale around the British Isles including Thorn Island off the Pembrokeshire coast, with a Grade II listed Napoleonic fort on two acres of grassy rock.

Last month, a local buyer bought Taransay, a Hebridean island with a wealth of history and once home to pagans, Vikings and TV's Ben Fogle.

"Owning an island is a kind of Shangri La wish, to have your own kingdom," says Jackson.

Closer to home Double Island is just 1.5km off the coast north of Cairns with an $8 million price tag for one of Australia's most exclusive resort island retreats, offering an endless source of unspoilt beauty and natural tranquillity, And only six minutes from Cairns Airport by helicopter.

On the other hand, you could rent Virgin tycoon Sir Richard Branson's Makepeace Island, located 20 minutes from Noosa. Once called Pig Island, a muddy patch of land floating in the Noosa River, this 9.2 hectares heart-shaped island has been transformed into an ultra-luxurious retreat to accommodate 22 guests.

Branson also owns Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands that only costs US$53,000 a night for your 28 friends.

Mariners be advised

Pioneer Rocks - that a lighted isolated danger mark buoy Fl (2) is temporarily established at Pioneer Rocks. The light is of reduced intensity and marks a large area of rock and reef. The lighted buoy will be in place until the permanent beacon light is restored to normal.

Unsafe Passage - that the front leading light F Bu (F day) bearing 240° which marks Unsafe Passage between Mid Molle Island and North Molle Island has been restored to normal.

Fair winds

Cap'n Dan

Working Together today for a Healthier Reef Tomorrow

2011-07-21T09:11:00.001+10:00

Local Reef Guardian Schools are participating in the Future Leaders Eco Challenge (FLEC)with this year's event seeing students participate in activities focused on supporting healthy ecosystems and improving sustainability in their schools and at home.

The theme for this year's Reef Guardian Schools FLEC, Working Together today for a Healthier Reef Tomorrow, aims to help students connect sustainability and environmental initiatives within their community to a healthy Great Barrier Reef.

Students will have the opportunity to investigate a local ecosystem through field based activities that are translatable to their school based projects.

The Whitsunday Future Leaders Eco Challenge; Bring a hat, sunscreen, water bottle, raincoat and sturdy closed shoes next Wednesday at Cannonvale Beach from 8.45am

Whale Jail?

Is Australia a whale jail? Is overregulation killing tourism? Compare Canada and Australian whale tourism.

In eastern Canada "But for a real thrill why not try sea kayaking to get up close and personal with whales. Where else in the world can you see humpback whales (some 5,000 pass this way each year) and 10,000-year-old icebergs only two hours from New York?

"The company offers snorkelling and diving with whales for $199 and "Iceberg Close Encounter" for $149."

However, in Australia the headlines read "FEDERAL agents will carry out secret surveys of Cairns tourist boats by land and sea to ensure they are keeping a good distance from migrating humpback whales.

"The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and officers from the Federal environment department, alongside officers from the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management, are starting compliance surveys, as part of a nationwide operation to enforce whale approach limits.

Boats are not allowed to be within 100m of a whale in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. A person in water must not move any closer than 300m to a whale. A person must not enter water closer than 300m to a whale.

A department of environment representative said officers would be involved in a various compliance and enforcement strategies, including land and sea patrols and covert surveillance.

"The public are encouraged to report suspected offences."

Your writer can confirm that the main problem with getting up close and personal with a humpback whale is that they have very smelly fish breath.

"Whale watching did not exist as an organized activity a half a century ago, yet today it accounts for some 3 million participants in thirty countries generating almost a half a billion dollars annually." Value of Life by Stephen Kellert (1997)

Thorny issue

Funding is sought to put in place a long-term eradication program for Crown of Thorns starfish (COTS) following recent research and assessment in the Whitsunday area by Projects Global.

The Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association and the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators are seeking letters of support for a Regional Crown of Thorns Eradication Program.

Local divers and Projects Global confirmed that some locations do have significant outbreaks and collected sufficient data to apply for government funding for a Whitsundays specific eradication program.

Mariner Notices

Boat Haven Bay - Mariners be advised that a sailing vessel has sunk midway between Abel Point and Mandalay Point, in the Small Craft Mooring Area. The vessel, exposed at all tides, lies in about three (3) metres of water. A Special Mark buoy is temporarily established to mark the sunken vessel. Mariners should use caution in the vicinity. AUS charts 252, 253 & 268

Going north? Admiralty publication Indonesia Pilot Volume 3 Fifth Edition 2011 be published and replaces previous editions. For further details, refer RAN Australian Hydrographic Service.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

Funds needed for reef stars halt

2011-07-21T09:09:00.001+10:00

A Crown of Thorns Starfish control and assessment team operating in the Whitsunday region during June killed hundreds of the starfish on Bait and Knuckle reefs in the first significant outbreak in several years.

Col McKenzie, from the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, says operators in the Whitsundays noticed an explosion in Crown of Thorns Starfish (COTS) numbers in the region, with Bait and Knuckle reefs damaged.

"We need to do something about it or it'll just eat all the coral out on those particular reefs," Mr McKenzie said.

Blame for the increase in the pest is the result of significant recent rainfall.

"Bait Reef operators have noted a significant increase in the number of COTS they see during their diving day," long time local diving expert Tony Fontes told The Whitsunday Coast Guardian this week.

"Dive operators are now working with the Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association to lobbying for a government sponsored eradication program.

The crown-of-thorns is a corallivore, a carnivorous predator that preys on reef coral polyps.

Mystery ship in port

A three-mast schooner with an interesting history has been in port recently.

Now known as 'Southern Cloud' the white 39.62m (130-foot) sailing yacht was launched in 1989 in Denmark designed to cruise in style and when launched was the biggest fibreglass composite luxury vessel in the world.

Accommodating up to 12 guests in seven cabins, 'Southern Cloud' is here for the winter sailing season before returning to Sydney for the summer.

However, it is the history of the Superyacht that is of interest here.

Named Butterfly McQueen when launched, the Bermuda rigged schooner was until recent times owned by a secretive Danish cult charity organisation whose directors have been in and out of court for years, when they could be found.

Claiming to be a target for the SIS and the CIA, cult leader Mogens Amdi Petersen disappeared one day in 1979 and not seen again for the next 22 years until he was arrested in the US. Released in 2006 during an appeal Petersen and four other directors of the 'charity' have been hunted by Danish authorities on allegations of money laundering, tax evasion, and fraud.

The Superyacht was originally named after Butterfly McQueen; the first black actress to win an Oscar - for her role as Scarlett O'Hara's maid Prissy in the 1939 American epic-romance-drama movie "Gone With The Wind". Her Oscar award had to be picked up by somebody else because of the racial discrimination, which existed at the time.

Coral Sea battle

This week thirty warships are patrolling in the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef area as part of as part of Australia's largest joint military training exercise with U.S.

Joint Task Force Commander, Vice Admiral Scott Van Buskirk, Commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, said the exercise was important for Australia and the U.S. to maintain close military ties.

"By exercising together we will increase interoperability, flexibility and readiness which will help us maintain peace and stability in the Pacific," Vice Admiral Van Buskirk said.

Exercise Talisman Sabre involves more than 22,000 troops at Shoalwater Bay near Rockhampton, and other sites in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Talisman Sabre exercise is Australia's largest joint military training exercise and it is important to the security of the region.

Marine Notices

Lagoon Rock - Mariners are advised that the lighted west cardinal mark beacon Q (9) 15s, which marks Lagoon Rock off Whitehaven Beach, has been destroyed.

Spitfire Rock - Mariners are advised that the lighted west cardinal mark buoy Q (9) 15s that marks Spitfire Rock in Kennedy Sound, south-west of Lindeman Island, has been reported to be off station. AUS charts 252, 254 & 824

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Farmers, fishers, school kids, councils - say "our reef"

2011-07-21T09:08:00.001+10:00

The screening of the new Reef Guardian community announcements on television featuring fishers, farmers and graziers has surprised some; however, the programs aim to highlight the positive actions undertaken by primary producers along our Great Barrier Reef coast.

The Reef Guardian initiatives are voluntary programs that aim to promote new industry stewardship to improve capacity and facilitate the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices that will ultimately improve the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.

Participants representing GrowCom, Canegrowers, Agforce, Regional NRM groups, Local Marine Advisory Committees, DPI, State and Commonwealth Government, as well as grower/producers expressed enthusiastic support for the Reef Guardian programs.

The overarching objective of the programs is to engage positively with farmers, fishers and graziers in the Great Barrier Reef catchment, through recognition of best practice management actions that contributes to reef resilience.

At a recent meeting of the Whitsunday Local Marine Advisory Committee members heard from Karen Vohland, GBRMPA Director of Reef Guardians and Regional Engagement,

"It is not an eco certification program, it is skill list recognition program," She said.

"It is about encouraging and recognising the work that is already happening; developing skills. Not just about environmental sustainability but includes economic sustainability for farmers, fishers and others who have a great knowledge and ability to do what they do."

Weather it is the soil or the sea it all affects the GBR and this program can generate positive outcomes and best management practices leading to a triple bottom line of social, economic and environmental of the various businesses.

The Project will strengthen the existing Reef Guardian School Program, which has in excess of 230 schools participating, and the Reef Guardian Council Program with ten councils involved.

Good TIPA

TIPA is Tourism in Protected Areas and is a framework for managing tourism on national parks that has been under discussion with the tourism industry, recently finalised, and released by then Minister for Environment Kate Jones MP and Jan Jarratt MP Minister for Tourism.

An information evening for tourism operators that run programs on many of our iconic National Parks in Queensland is on Wednesday July 13, 6pm Reef Gateway Hotel, RSVP or details - jane.graham@derm.qld.gov.au

Pirates are real

Yes, and there are two types of pirates. The popular type speaks a combination of West Country English and 1930s Hollywood called 'mid Atlantic,' sing songs about rum and waving their hook in the air. Seen in Airlie Beach during International Talk Like a Pirate Day (Note. Saturday September 10 this year)

Then there's the other type who, if they speak English, have a Somalian accent and are armed to the teeth, if they have any. They kidnap ships and crews and then ransom them. This type be giving 'type one' pirates a bad name.

Those sailors who are lucky enough to be roaming the high seas or considering it often ask about staying safe in a sometimes-unsafe world.

To be very safe, consider staying in a safe harbour sitting on a big fat armchair, where demanding that 'someone should do something about it' works a treat.

The next level requires doing something yourself where you find quickly that the Nanny State ends where the water gets rough.

Therefore, it pays to consider ways to protect yourself and your ship; the best idea is to not go where gunplay is the norm. So avoid some regions usually where your insurance coverage ends, be cautious and educate yourself about areas with lower, but existing risks.

Even on the waterfront, having a second wallet with small amount of cash, expired credit card and perhaps a cheap watch to give aggressive intruders might save your bacon.

Carpet tacks on deck in strange ports are reported to have some affect, leave a light and music on, buy some pepper spray but leave your guns at home.

Mariner Notices

While out sailing this week I saw that the leading lights on Daydream Island guiding vessels through Unsafe Passage between Mid Molle Island and North Molle Island be still in disrepair.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

Short sleeves and sports boats get ready to race

2011-07-21T09:07:00.001+10:00

Having turned 21 last year, the annual Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week has grown in stature by adding exciting class fleets to the tropical shirtsleeve sailing at Airlie Beach and around the Whitsunday islands.

The fast, furious and highly competitive sports boat class will be joined on Pioneer Bay by new fleets of junior sailors sailing International Optimists and the tried and true Sabot.

For the first time, junior sailors are to join the bigger boats in this fantastic regatta sailing with the rest of the world at the August 12-18 regatta.

While the August 12 start is nearing, teenage sailors Klaus and Eva Lorenz from Whitsunday Sailing Club have some serious sailing to do before then, as they will represent Australia in Optimists at the 2011 Asian Championships, taking place in Singapore in the last week of July.

The Whitsunday Optimist Regatta during Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week will eventually form part of a Queensland circuit, with its own perpetual trophy.

Over 100 boats will be racing across ten classes at Airlie Beach with racing from Friday August 12.

BVGYC

Yes, the 'BVGYC' Beaut Views Grotty Yachty Club is planning a rendezvous during race week that will mark twenty five years since John Bertrand AM fresh from skippering Australia II to victory in the 1983 America's Cup head-butted the platypus.

While at press time, it is not known if Bertrand will grace Airlie Beach for the Race Week reunion a usually reliable source says BVGYC Commodore and Boating Oz pioneer Kathy McKenzie will be in town for the event.

Susie Costello is tracking down some of the crew, Lawso is usually in Airlie at the sailing club and some others will no doubt float up, as they tend to do.

Holiday sailing

The Whitsunday Sailing Club has a fun sailing program for kids who are looking for an introduction to sailing these school holidays.

Sailing instructor Roger Stewart says, "The whole idea of this holiday program is to introduce kids to the basic elements of sailing and sea safety. I try to focus on making every session fun and interactive."

Smile and wave!

Some Japanese tourists just asked me to take a picture of them. When I said "Wave" they ran off.

Old bubbly

Last year divers found intact bottles of champagne, believed to date from between 1782 and 1788, in the hold of a shipwreck on the Baltic seabed. In November, a bottle of the "world's oldest champagne" was opened and tasted by experts who judged it to be quite palatable. Last week two bottles of the shipwreck champagne went on auction in Finland. Despite expectations that each bottle might sell for as much 100,000 Euros (approximately $140,000), the winning bids were 30,000 Euros ($43,500) for a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and 24,000 Euros for a bottle of Juglar.

The money is to go towards maritime history and environmental projects in the Aland Islands, located between Sweden and Finland. Experts are still trying to determine the identity of the 170-Year-Old shipwreck, believed en route to Russia and the Tsar's court.

Sabot sails

Recovering from the cyclone, Mission Beach Sailing Club is in desperate need of Sabot sails for their club boats. Sails in any condition would be appreciated, as they do not have five sails for their 'learn to sail' sabots. Contact: Judy Heath 40688201 jgheath@bigpond.com

Want a chance?

Racing and delivery crew wanted for Hamilton Island Race Week - www.hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au/forum

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

And then there were none

2011-07-21T09:04:00.000+10:00

And then there were none

Submariners are known as a tough breed and they themselves will say "a bit crazy' to sail a boat below sea level.

However, as with any fighting force they need support and leadership and that appears to be the missing elements in both Australia and Canada.

Both Australia and Canada have naval headquarters in cities far away from the sea in Canberra and Ottawa and both places are described as full of admirals, politicians, bureaucrats and a waste substance that should not be published in a family newspaper.

Sure, an accident or mechanical breakdown will occur, that is why nations have more than one submarine.

Last week HMCS Corner Brook grounded leaving Canada without any operational subs.

Apparently the Canadians are not alone in this regard, as Aussie sub HMAS Dechaineux is in dock in Perth for inspection after limping home from Singapore leaving the Australasian fleet of six submarines also in no shape to put to sea.

Reports say that for the first time in a generation, Australia does not have a single submarine available to defend the nation today.

Sources say the entire fleet of six Collins-class submarines cannot be put to sea despite the navy's claim that two of them remain officially "operational" but insiders say the reality is that neither vessel could be put to sea today if required.

Not having a single task-ready submarine is an embarrassment for the navy, whose attempts to improve the performance of the $10 billion fleet have been stymied by breakdowns, accidents, lack of crew and the growing unreliability of the ageing vessels built between 1990 and 2004.

Wubbo Ockels

The Ecolution, an innovative sailing yacht built by former Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels, reached port near The Hague on Tuesday afternoon after a successful test voyage.

The futuristic boat was sabotaged and sunk by vandals last December. Mr Ockels says the first phase of repairs has been completed with more work needed to repair the state of the art electronics.

Mr Ockels called the test voyage with the Ecolution "fantastic". He said, "My wife and I shed tears when the sail was hoisted for the first time."

The hyper-modern yacht with its space-age design is able to generate its own energy and is built with sustainable material.

Ark bids

The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Invincible was sold to Turkish scrappers last February. Now bids are open for the sale of HMS Ark Royal. While scrapping seems a likely outcome the tender allows that "alternatively the vessel may be purchased for re-use/refurbishment for non-warlike purposes." Now a Devon based diver is bidding to sink the ship as an artificial reef off Torbay to promote sea life and provide a dive site for recreational divers.

In addition to the bid to sink the ship, there be plans to use the Ark Royal as a floating commercial helipad in London, turning it into a school, a nightclub or a base for security personnel during the Olympics."

All bids are due by 1000 BST on June 13.

Port of Airlie update

Mariners are advised that actual channel depth below port datum (Lowest Astronomical Tide) in the Port of Airlie Marina development, as defined in NTM 1109 (P) of 2010, is declared to be 1.8m as of Thursday, 9 June 2011. AUS charts 252, 253, 268 & 824

Boat Haven note: A meeting of the Proserpine Shire Council on June 9, 1960 approved the adoption of 'Boat Haven' as the name for the bay at the eastern end of the Town of Airlie, till then known as Muddy Bay. The idea was to rid that muddy bay of the stigma of the earlier name. Source: Ray Blackwood.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

2011-07-05T05:51:00.000+10:00

Itinerant Boatman and Reverer of Wimmin passes
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Such a lonely death. The winter storm lashed the mast-tops, and drove black rain into his face. The bay was black and lifeless, reflecting nothing, a black hole in the city, whose far sounds shimmered and dimmed behind the rain. He opened his mouth to the wind and the rain, raging without voice.
Henry Adam, the much-loved and irascible writer for Afloat otherwise known as ’Arry Driftwood died on 15 June having drowned when he fell from his dinghy on a passage between Birkenhead Marina and his good ship Driftwood.
Alan Lucas recalls that he always stood up in his outboard-powered dinghy. “A practice I worried about and gave him a friendly dig about it, but he persisted through rain and shine – both before and after his knee replacement – so I guess he died fully understanding the risks he took and certainly living the life he loved.”
Talking about the death last month of his friend Hans Eriksson after “momentary carelessness” ’Arry concurred in the need to never let up on your vigilance or you will swiftly become LATE.
With startling prescience he mentioned his own moment of rashness … “Usually I throttle back and whip the stop lanyard out and drop it aboard before tying up. But this time with a bit of roughosity the lanyard caught under the throttle and as I whip it up, it opened her up! I’m clinging like hell as we circled around and around the moorings. I’m flat on me arse in the wet bilge until I get me equilibrium and shut things down. Now that coulda been fatal. It coulda!”
Largely self-taught, ’Arry was a man of miscellaneous unfulfilled talents. He was born 17 June 1930 in Montmorency, Victoria. The family then moved to Melbourne. Looking for adventure and “to get away from the coldness” he bought a Thames Bedford van and drove north to Brisbane where he met and married Heather. On the way he worked as a cane-cutter, road labourer and fencer. In 1954 they bought a property in Kalanga and turned the wild bush land into a pineapple farm.
In 1961 they repaired to Redcliffe where he went to night school, working in the daytime as an apprentice radio technician with the old AWA company. Later he joined B&D and Electrolux as a salesman.
Moving to Cairns, he bought his beloved Driftwood and sailed to Sydney, dreaming all the time of one day sailing around the world, a bone of contention with his, now, extended family who teased him mercilessly about his susceptibility to mal de mer.
The grey-bearded grinning ’Arry rarely talked about himself – he was always interested in the opinions of others, particularly if he could start up an enjoyable discussion where you could agree to disagree.
“He was always a strong socialist with a clear way of describing his politics,” said Alan Lucas.
Water neighbour Don Hartley recalls how they used to share a sunset chat. “He was alternatively cursing the government or the big white boat wash. He was a fixture on the Harbour. Ferry crews would wave to him, steam boats would toot and there was always someone pulling alongside to have a chat including the Maritime and the Water coppers. He was much liked.”
You can see him in his dinghy. Standing with his hand behind his back to steer and the other raised in a wave. Head up, cap on, big grin, loudly singing the Internationale.

Eternal virgins shipmate. Love ya!
Robin Copeland

Source: http://afloat.com.au/afloat-magazine/2011/july-2011/Editors_Column

Fast trip north for Offshore Challenge

2011-06-28T06:58:00.001+10:00

Fast trip north for Offshore Challenge

Over nine days from August 25, the Offshore Challenge will island and marina hop a course inside the Great Barrier Reef up the Queensland coast to Airlie Beach.

There are races and rallies, cruises and social outings for every form of water craft, but until now there was no real opportunity for a genuine, long-distance, adventure-style, navigational rally for power boating enthusiasts.

This event is designed specifically for the privateer boat owner who might not normally undertake a solo offshore cruise, but who would jump at the chance to explore some of Australia's best coastal waterways in the company of others as part of an organised event.

The Offshore Challenge is sixteen islands, six coastal passages, rocky inlets, coral cays, wide sandy beaches, palm-fringed lagoons, coastal towns, Pacific ocean swells, mangrove-lined hidden surprises, bar-ways, famous holiday resorts and remote secluded passages; the most varied and exciting way the explore Australia's most iconic coastline.

If you are a power boating enthusiast and want to do more to enjoy your boating, then starting and finishing at the world-class marinas of Meridien Marina's Horizon Shores and Airlie Beach, the Australian Offshore Challenge is for you.

You do not need a specially modified craft, just a sea-worthy, offshore capable, production sports cruiser or fishing boat.

The Gold Coast to Whitsundays Rally August 25 to September 3 enjoying the best weather and arriving in time for the Rotary Meridien Boat and Lifestyle Show at the new Port of Airlie on the weekend of September 10-11 and enjoy the Airlie Beach Fun Race and International Talk Like a Pirate Day are on Saturday September 10.

Fans stick together

The Eighth-Annual Duct Tape Festival was held on the weekend to celebrate and pay tribute to the world's favourite fix-all - duct tape.

Hosted in Avon, Ohio, the "Duct Tape Capital" of the world, and home of Duck Tape® brand duct tape, the three-day event celebrated everything duct tape,

The grand parade on Saturday was lead by Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, and featured floats made with duct tape.

With over three million fans on Facebook the Duck® brand celebrates one of the two most used products to fix anything the other being WD-40, the combination of the two referred to as The Redneck Repair Kit.

NASA engineers and astronauts used duct tape in 1970 on Apollo 13 en route to the moon. A workaround used duct tape and other items on board saving the lives of the three astronauts on board.

Sweet, smiling Teresa Scanlan the 18 year old Miss America was crowned the first-ever Miss Duct Tape.

"People think I'm being facetious, but being invited to attend the Duct Tape Festival is a dream come true," said Scanlan.

"It's the greatest invention ever," she said. "If I was ever on a deserted island and only allowed to take one thing, I'd take duct tape. You can hunt with it, fish with it, build with it, use it to decorate your hut and make stylish clothes" she gushed.

Devotees of the famous tape enjoyed a meet and greet with Miss America to hear why she loves to craft with duct tape and how the tape would fix world problems such as poverty, peace and the ailing US dollar.

Titanic II

Who would have guessed that when Briton Mark Wilkinson took his new 4.8-metre cabin cruiser out for its maiden voyage, it would sink?

Sure, most people would think twice before buying a boat named Titanic II.

"If it wasn't for the harbourmaster I would have gone down with the Titanic," Wilkinson, who had to be fished out of the sea at West Bay harbour in Dorset, southern England, told local media.

"It's all a bit embarrassing and I'm pretty fed up with people asking me if I had hit an iceberg."

One eyewitness reportedly said: "It wasn't a very big boat - I think an ice cube could have sunk it!"

Mariner notice

Platypus Rock - Mariners are advised that the temporary west cardinal mark buoy VQ (9) 10s which marks Platypus Rock off Shaw Island, is reported off station. The buoy is currently located to the north east of the reef. Mariners should use caution in the vicinity. AUS charts 252, 254 & 824

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Thar be whales!

2011-06-11T07:09:00.001+10:00

Thar be whales! Here in our Whitsunday waters

Seeing photographs of whales in a book or a newspaper, or even vision clips in film or on television can not prepare you for the experience of seeing a living whale in its natural habitat at sea.

The sight of the whale's breath spouting above the water will be the first alert that you are about to experience first hand one of the largest and most majestic mammals to have ever swum in the ocean.

Yes! It can truly be a most powerful and humbling experience especially when a 15 metre whale leaves the water in a mighty leap and its 30+ tonne weight falls back to the ocean surface with a thunderous splash of salt water.

However just fifty years ago the numbers of migrating Humpback whales reached a low point of about 500 creatures when whaling was finally stopped in Queensland waters.

And the ironic thing is that the Tangalooma whaling station on Morton Island east of Brisbane closed in 1962 after 'harvesting' 6277 Humpback whales and became a tourist resort.

So In the last fifty years the term 'whale watching' has entered our language in a big way. Whales have gone from being associated with a dirty smelly bloody job to being a welcome sight along the headlands of Queensland's coast as they swim to their preferred winter holiday mating and calving ground inside the Great Barrier Reef around the Whitsunday islands.

Now a days, whales help provide employment in marine tourism and at resorts by employing marine biologists and other specialised staff who interpret the experiences for tourists.

Generally humpback whales are off the Queensland coast between late autumn and late spring. They turn south in July and August with an added feature in the chance of seeing mothers with their newborn calves.

Thar she blows!

The best time to see whales is when the conditions are calm in the morning before any wind picks up and wave height increases.

So far the first of the season whale spotting must go to an Air Whitsunday Seaplane pilot, "First whale of the season spotted! Nice work Haskell, keep those eyes peeled!"

Other reports come from Deb Duggan who reported on Monday that the crew on Cruise Whitsundays Seaflight "saw some today near the islands :)"

Jack Lumby commented "Thought I saw one, but it was my reflection. Bugger!!"

And of course who can forget Scotty in Star Trek IV "Cap'n, Thar be whales here!"

Yellow Boat

For the last year Rotary has been fundraising to end Polio once and for all and is now within 27 million of the target 200 million.

Robert Pennicott and fellow skipper Mick Souter are circumnavigating Australia in two 5.4m (18ft) Naiad RIB dinghies.

They departed Sydney on May 31 embarking on a 12,000 nautical mile journey arriving back in Sydney three months later.

This Friday the Yellow Boat Road Team will travel from Mackay to Airlie Beach to arrive at approximately 16:00 hours here at Meridian Abel Point Marina with a welcome after at the Whitsunday Sailing Club to get together with people interested in supporting this worthwhile cause. Donations to Rotary Club of Airlie Beach. Website search for Yellow Boat Road

Marine notice

Pioneer Bay, off Airlie Beach - Mariners be advised that the special mark buoy Fl Y 2.5 to the north west of Pigeon Island marking the sewage outfall is now operational. AUS charts 252 & 253

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

On Cook's course along the coast

2011-06-11T06:59:00.000+10:00

On Cook's course along the coast

Best Job in the World's Ben Southall has embarked on his next adventure - 'The Best Expedition in the World' exploring Queensland's Great Barrier Reef on a four month, 1600km kayak and sailing journey from the Town of 1770 north to Cooktown in Queensland's Tropical North.

"I feel privileged to have had so many wonderful interactions with the natural world whilst out on the Great Barrier Reef and now I'd like to encourage more people to share in the same experiences."

Ben is looking forward to encounters with unique wildlife; sea turtles, manta rays, humpback whales and the huge variety of fish. He'll scuba dive, snorkel, charter a seaplane, cruise on a sailing boat and visit research stations to learn about the sustainability of the reef.

His vessel of choice is the USA Sailboat of the year award winner- The Hobie Mirage Adventure Island Tandem. Ben intends to pedal, paddle and sail his way up the coast on the 5.64 metre (18 and a half foot) tri boat equipped with unique paddle fin propulsion that defies description other than to compare it to turtle fins.

"As with any real life adventure obstacles arise to test us," blogs Ben.

"Our planning and ability to cope with the unexpected was tested after completing the first section, my support yacht 'Sunshine' was on a mooring at Lady Elliot Island when a gang-buster wind came ripping through the island."

"In the early hours of the morning Sunshine's mooring broke and she came to rest on a coral flat to the north of her original position."

The catamaran yacht was later refloated with only minor damage to her hull and reputation.

Carib gets tough on garbage

On May 1, the Caribbean Sea became a "Special Area for the prevention of pollution by garbage generated from ships" in accordance with the MARPOL convention.

Maritime Authority of Jamaica Director of Legal Affairs, Bertrand Smith, welcomed the move saying, "The designation marks a significant milestone for the protection of the marine environment of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region."

From now on ships trading in the Caribbean, including pleasure craft, are prohibited from discharging any ship-generated garbage,"

"Although shipping contributes less than ten percent of the pollution of the marine environment, stricter standards for the discharge of garbage is important to protect the fragile marine resources on which most of the Caribbean countries depend for tourism and fishing," Mr Smith said.

Fire in the Hole!

Two men fishing in Fox Lake, Ill., threw a lit "quarter stick of dynamite" into the water to kill fish. As the fuse burned down, wind blew their aluminium boat to the spot where they had thrown it in. The explosion blew a hole in the bottom of the boat, sinking it. A 29 year old man drowned, but his companion swam to safety.

Marine notices

Gloucester Passage - Mariners are advised that Finger Reef buoy Fl R 2.5s has been relocated to its normal position. AUS chart 268

Pancake Creek - Mariners are advised that the back night lead at Pancake Creek is unlit. Mariners are advised to navigate with caution when in the vicinity of Pancake Creek. AUS chart 819

Bowen Wharf front and rear leads - Mariners are advised that the front lead and the rear have been reported unlit. Mariners are advised to navigate with caution whilst operating in this area. AUS chart 268, 825 & 826

Pioneer Rocks - Mariners are advised that the lighted isolated danger mark beacon Fl(2) 6s 5m which marks Pioneer Rocks has been reported to be unlit.

Fair winds to Ye! Cap'n Dan

Hot Date! Whitsunday Boat and Lifestyle Show

2011-06-11T06:54:00.000+10:00

Hot Date! Whitsunday Boat and Lifestyle Show

A change from the June long weekend means the Rotary Whitsunday Boat and Lifestyle Show will enjoy and show off our best Whitsunday weather in September.

The new date 0f September 10 & 11 and location at Port of Airlie will make Airlie Beach a magnet for those interested in all aspects of boating and the lifestyle that Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays is famous for.

At the all new Meridien Port of Airlie Marina there will be better access and parking with the village of Airlie connected to the Port of Airlie site and the Whitsunday Sailing Club for the sailing of the famous Fun Race on Saturday September 10.

Organisers are hopeful that International Talk Like a Pirate Day is moving to the same weekend to join with the mouth watering Fish D'Vine Seafood Festival.

Located close to the booming high income mining demographic and with the Whitsunday islands and Great Barrier Reef right down the bay, the Whitsunday Boat and Lifestyle Show will draw upon the glorious weather of Australia's peak boating destination.

Did you know that over the past nine years the new September show dates have had ZERO rainfall so it is the best chance to enjoy Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays Islands Great Barrier Reef paradise.

Take some time out to relax for you and your family at the new boat show.

There will still be activities for locals and visitors on the June long weekend with the Dingo Beach Whit Fun Day and People's Day @ Airlie.

Pirates parlay

The polite Pirates of the Whitsundays be considerin a parlay to fetch up our International Talk Like a Pirate Day (as seen on Sunrise TV) a week early to fit inta the Rotary Boat and Lifestyle Show and Fun Race on Saturday September 10.

The word parlay comes from French an means talk or negotiate, perhaps under a temporary protection, as informed by the Pirates of the Caribbean fillum;

ELIZABETH: Wait! You must return me to shore! According to the rules of the Order of the Brethren --

BARBOSSA: First. Your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement, and so I 'must' do nothing. Secondly: you must be a pirate for the pirate's code to apply. And you're not. And thirdly ... the code is more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules.

Speakin O' fillums did ye hear the next Pirate fillum ta be filliumed right here in the Whitsunday Barrier Reef Islands?

Yarrr! The fillum be rated Arrrrrgh!

Chef's Tool

Eric Ripert, the chef of Le Bernardin, the high temple of seafood in Manhattan, bought a new kitchen gadget a few days ago: a radiation detector.

"I just want to make sure whatever we use is safe," said Mr. Ripert, "Nobody knows how the sea currents will carry the contaminated water." said.

Lights on

The 200th entry for the International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend in August has been received for Sea Hill Point Lighthouse on the tip of Curtis Island on the coast near Gladstone.

Also adding excitement is a new country fresh from winning Eurovision; Azerbaijan has entered the Absheron Peninsula Lighthouse located near that countries famous mud volcanos.

Last year, a record 447 entries promoted awareness of lighthouses and lightships, their need for preservation, promotion of amateur radio and International goodwill.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

Sailability charts course: sailing for all!

2011-06-11T06:53:00.000+10:00

Sailability charts course: sailing for all!

Sailability Whitsunday has only recently been established in Airlie Beach but has found a ready interest from the public.

Based at the Whitsunday Sailing Club our local branch of this international organisation has as its key objective, to encourage and facilitate sailing and boating for people regardless of disabilities or age, in social, recreational and competitive activities.

With branches throughout the twenty countries belonging to Sailability this may well develop into a new form of tourism for nearly twenty per cent of Australian population with a disability.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines a disability as 'any limitation, restriction or impairment, which has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least six months and restricts everyday activities'.

"We have attracted some new volunteers but still need more to be safe on our sailing days as we need help with our two specially designed boats and support craft," says Sailability Whitsunday founding member Bruce Carter.

"People who want to be involved in a supportive activity regardless of age and ability are sought to give it a go with Sailability Whitsunday,"

Contact Bruce Carter on 0407 763 887 or check out www.sailabilitywhitsunday.org/

Year of the Seafarer

2011 is the International Maritime Organisation's Year of the Seafarer for men and women in their worldwide industry.

However, it has also coincides with a regrettable upsurge in the number of seafarers who have found themselves facing criminal action in courts around the world.

A recent poll discovered that nine out of ten seafarers now fear criminalisation; perhaps more than they fear the power of the sea.

Is this just part of a wider social malaise in which any people who have to take risks as part of their work now find themselves criminalised if these do not come off? It is also significant that the people who are doing the prosecuting are not within this category, and thus fail to comprehend why risk-taking is necessary.

Is that a Shark?

On a photo shoot at Whitehaven Beach last week we saw a Giant shovelnose ray also known as a Guitar fish swimming leisurely in about two metres of water right off the beach.

In some places they are called a Shovel Nose Ray (Rhinobatos typus) and sometimes a Shovel Nose Shark, and you can see why by the body. If you were in the water rather than looking from a yacht, the shark-like features, fin and all, and two to three metre length might give you a start.

Exxon-Valdez reef hit

The captain of a tugboat spilled about 6,400 gallons of diesel fuel on Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef was unaware of the boat's position when he put it on a crash course with the infamous and well-known and lighted navigational hazard, a US Coast Guard report says.

The captain changed the tugboat Pathfinder's course to return to Valdez, pushed the boat's throttle to "all ahead full," checked his email and was playing a computer game, either solitaire or hearts, just before it ran aground the night of Dec. 23, 2009, the report says.

Two decades earlier, the Exxon-Valdez oil tanker ran aground on the same reef, dumping more than 11 million gallons of crude oil.

James Cook entered Prince William Sound in 1778 and named it Sandwich Sound, after his patron the Earl of Sandwich. The editors of Cook's maps changed the name to Prince William Sound, in honour of Prince William, who would later become King William IV.

And yes, the reef and nearby Bligh Island was named after William Bligh, of future Bounty fame, who served as Master aboard ship during James Cook's third world voyage.

Spitfire Rock

Mariners are advised that the lighted west cardinal mark buoy Q (9) 15s that marks Spitfire Rock in Kennedy Sound, south-west of Lindeman Island, has been reported to be off station. AUS charts 252, 254 & 824

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Night lights on Pioneer Bay

2011-05-17T16:25:00.001+10:00

Night lights on Pioneer Bay

Sailing up Pioneer Bay on Sunday night in the failing breeze, the sea looked like oil glistening with the reflection of shore lights. A thin crescent moon struggled to peer through the thin clouds as a light cool breeze wafted from the shore bringing the smell of land in the close, mist-like atmosphere.

That lit-up pile of a house on Mandalay Point first appeared as a giant birthday cake with candles glowing, then changed to a vision of a cruise ship on a slow voyage across the languid water. Later it morphed once again into a riverboat on a gaudy cruise, me imagining the piano playing for a crowd of poker players and consorts complete with clinking glasses and laughter across the water.

Keeping lookout across the shimmering sea, a memory of years gone by when Romeo's Italian Restaurant had red and green lights displayed on the seaward side of his waterfront establishment. Romeo said it was the Italian colours; the uninitiated thought it was the navigation lights of an approaching vessel.

A thought crossed my mind of another Airlie Beach castaway; Irish James had a distrust of things mechanical or electrical. James' yacht was old, timber and unequipped with fancy stuff such as engine or lights.

When it was explained to James that others in charge of their craft would not know his direction due to his lack of lights, notwithstanding his slow pace, candle and joint burning in the cockpit.

James obliged by buying an electric torch and two plastic buckets; one red, one green. If you yelled out to him he would show a light by putting the torch in one bucket or the other, or just shine the torch around. If he be upwind, ye would smell the burning grass.

Nearing Abel Point Marina I spied through the mist a large timber ex-trawler looming massively, a mountain of a boat resembling a dark iceberg softly silhouetted by the lights of Airlie, but showing no light onboard to mark her anchorage.

So take care on the water at night, it is that time of the year when sailors arrive in Airlie Beach for the first time. Aided by a page torn from a library atlas and a Queensland road map of considerable age they have made it to the yachties destination of the north. Nothing left to do than throw the old builder's brick and dog chain over the side to anchor and go ashore to seek the fun of Airlie.

Galapagos Wonders

Laura Dekker sailed from the Netherlands last summer aged just 14 to enjoy a cruise around the world on her 38-foot Jeanneau Gin Fizz ketch Guppy.

She is now at anchor in Academy Bay on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos after successfully crossing the Atlantic Ocean and entering the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal.

Laura is enjoying the sights and charging her batteries in preparation for the long Pacific crossing to Australia.

Mariner notices

Out on the weekend sailing a new Seawind 1250 catamaran, I noticed issues with the navigation marks on South Whitehaven Beach, Lagoon Rock destroyed, Daydream Island lead lights wonky and Pioneer Rocks light is extremely restricted.

Seaforth Creek - Mariners are advised that the lighted Port Lateral Mark No.8 beacon Fl.R.3s in Seaforth Creek has been destroyed and is temporarily unlit. Mariners should use caution in the vicinity as remnants of the beacon remain. AUS chart 251

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular commentator on ABC Radio Tropical North

Cook's ship to rediscover Whitsunday

2011-05-17T16:24:00.001+10:00

Cook's ship to rediscover Whitsunday

As part of a circumnavigation of Australia, HMB Endeavour will sail through the Whitsunday Islands following in the wake of James Cook on his voyage in 1770.

The magnificent replica of Captain James Cook's ship, HMB Endeavour, was farewelled in Sydney and arrived in Brisbane this week. Her next voyage is to Gladstone for the week of May 21-26 then she will transit the Whitsundays en route to Townsville for public viewing on June 10.

Of course it is unfortunate that HMB Endeavour is unable to arrange a stop locally, so far, as many will have memories of her previous visit to Shute Harbour. She would look mighty fine in the new Port of Airlie marina.

However, no doubt some of us will chase her down for a visit or photos of a ship called a 'virtual museum', as the ship is built to the exact specifications of Captain James Cook's original, which sailed on Australian waters 231 years ago."

HMB Endeavour is part of the Australian National Maritime Museum's historic fleet and gives people the chance to learn about day-to-day life on an 18th century vessel.

Her voyage around Australia will see the ship return to the port city of Fremantle where Endeavour was launched in 1993 and a starring role at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships in December.

Privatised Navy?

Using navy ships for tourism is underway as the Sri Lankan Navy branches out into whale watching tours utilising one of its luxury fast passenger vessels (FPV), designated 'A-543', for the purpose.

The ship had earlier been used for troop transportation and humanitarian operations, but hey, what fun is that?

According to naval sources, (what landlubbers would call the marketing department) the ship is scheduled to set sail four times per week and operate for three to six hours each tour. Between December and April, the seas south of Dondra Head and Mirissa in the south of the country are well known for blue and sperm whale sightings close to shore.

The operation will head north towards Colombo-Kalpitya and Trincomalee with the changing weather and monsoon.

At least they are not harpooning the whales.

Radio changes

The first Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race held 1949 saw seven sailboats start on Good Friday. Only two yachts carried radios while Brisbane's Homing Pigeon Club supplied pigeons to the others for position reporting!

Each yacht issued with birds was to release two each day.

And the winner was Doug Perrins on 'Hoana'

Flood stops race

Due to flood conditions on the Ohio River, the Kentucky Derby Festival's Great Steamboat Race between the Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati, originally scheduled for today, May 4, will be rescheduled for June 29.

Mariner notices

Fitzalan Passage: Mariners are advised that the Fl Y 2.5s light on the special mark buoy in Fitzalan Passage between Henning Island and Whitsunday Island has been restored to normal.

Pioneer Rocks: Mariners are advised that the lighted isolated danger mark beacon Fl (2) 6s 5m, in approximate position latitude 20° 13.6' S, longitude 148° 45.45' E, which marks Pioneer Rocks has been reported to be unlit. Mariners should navigate with caution in the vicinity.

AUS charts affected: 252, 253, 824 & 825

Quote of the week:

"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they are genuine" - Abraham Lincoln.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

Summer is over: Whitsunday 'winter' on the way

2011-05-17T16:23:00.001+10:00

Summer is over: Whitsunday 'winter' on the way

The sailing of the Yeppoon to Mackay offshore yacht race this weekend signals the return of the best yachts and crews to our northern climes for our 'winter'

Following on the long running Easter Weekend Brisbane Gladstone race the idea developed over many years around our festival of sail concept; a series of events enjoying and revolving around the Whitsundays and the Queensland coast.

One of the key events has been Hamilton Island Race Week now sponsored by Audi and racing in 2011 on August 19 27.

The first regatta saw a fleet of 93 yachts front up in April 1984. It rained every day and blew like hell and the media unkindly dubbed it "Hamilton Island Rain Week", and said it was held in the "Wetsundays". However it was a great even and was held in April until a late cyclone blew a bit too much wind; then the date was altered to August.

Airlie Beach Fun Race has been sailed since 1977 and like the tide, it floods and ebbs. Still sailed for an empty rum bottle mounted on a nice piece of Mackay cedar, Fun Race may enjoy a renaissance this year with the Rotary Boat and Leisure Show relocating to the same weekend of September 10 and 11 at the new Port of Airlie venue.

In the late 1980s a nice yacht with a clipper bow arrived in our waters. 'Storm' was owned by Don Algie who told me he planned to start a new restaurant named Hog's Breath Café and start sailing with the Whitsunday Sailing Club. As club members wanted a new event to fit in with the Hamilton regatta so was born the Hog's Breath Race Week, rebadged as Meridian when Boss Hog retired but still retaining the fun concept of tropical shirt sleeve sailing so beloved by sailors who come to dodge their hometown grey skies. Meridien Airlie Beach Race Week with sail August 12 18.

At the same time the late Fr Keith Felgate got a calling to create an annual Blessing of the Fleet so he gave me a call and we began the now 21 year old celebration of the naming of Whitsunday by Cook on Pentecost Sunday / Whitsunday 1770. This year the event will be a People's Family Day on the Airlie foreshore with community markets and lots of kid's fun in the planning stage right now for Sunday June 12 on the long weekend.

It is nice of Tourism Queensland to finally recognise the concept of our festival of sail, after all, imitation is the sincerest of flattery. Long time supporters of Jessica Watson will be happy with her choice to be the Season of Sailing Ambassador as announced by our Whitsunday MP and Minister for Tourism, Jan Jarratt.

The final event on our 'winter' calendar is International Talk Like a Pirate Day on Saturday September 17 when we can wave our hooks in the air and bid our visitors a big 'Yarrr!' until next year.

ANZAC report

The dawn service was moving and beautiful at the new Cenotaph location that is a credit to Whitsunday Council. Very much an amphitheatre with ample and safer parking the Cenotaph will provide a wonderful place into the future. Considering the number of children attending in is fitting that nearby is a playground.

"The kookaburras came in right on call" Mayor Mike Brunker said to me.

At least the squawking cockatoos stayed around the old site.

Proserpine River entrance

Mariners are advised that the lighted starboard lateral mark No. 1 buoy Fl G 3s temporarily established to mark the destroyed starboard lateral mark in the entrance to the Proserpine River has been re-established in position.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Easter Regatta sailing

2011-05-17T16:21:00.001+10:00

Easter Regatta sailing

Organisers of the annual Easter Regatta are expecting dry-ish and windy weather and a good roll up for the event to be sailed this weekend.

There will be an invitational race on Friday with four further races on Pioneer Bay over the next two days.

Whitsunday Sailing Club Race director Jim Hayes says "We've had a good number of entries coming in online with 16 boats confirmed so far including a strong Laser division with 7 boats - and another three boats tentatively booked in."

"No boat? No worries. We have a number of boats of different types available for hire." Jim added.

Check the programme for a full schedule of the weekend's action at www.easterregatta.com.au/

ANZAC Day change

On Monday morning don't go to the usual spot on Altmann Ave near the Police Station as the new Cenotaph has been commissioned around on Coral Esplanade near the Cannonvale State School.

The old site served well for many years, however the new site will provide improved parking and safety advises Terry Brown from Airlie Beach / Whitsunday RSL, "The Dawn Service this year and all future services will be held at the new Cenotaph."

The bet is on that those noisy cockatoos will find their way around to the new site unaided.

Quake, then tsunamis?

It is the new "where were you when the earthquake hit?" with most people having the moment remembered. Thankfully while the quake, the State's biggest in more than 70 years registered a fairly big 5.2-magnitude there was almost no damage, only people running out of their houses saying "what was that?"

Your dedicated newspaperman was dozing with footy on the TV Saturday afternoon just after 3.30pm when "the earth moved."

So of course the question asked is "where there are quakes are there tsunamis?" The answer is a definite maybe.

Natural disasters expert Professor Jon Nott from James Cook University who studies the long-term history of natural disasters said Cairns had been struck by two tsunamis in the past 700 years. The tsunamis were likely to have been similar to the 2007 Solomon Island Tsunami that had minimal recordings conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, through its network of storm tide gauges, after the wave travelled rapidly across the Coral Sea.

The Great Barrier Reef provides much protection from outside events; however, as usual more study is needed.

An-Tiki crosses

After 66 days at sea, Anthony Smith and a crew of three friends arrived in the Caribbean island of St. Maarten on a voyage from the Canary Islands on the raft "An-Tiki". Smith celebrated his 85th birthday during the voyage.

"Some people say it was mad," he said when he arrived Wednesday. "But it wasn't mad. What else do you do when you get on in years?"

The jovial crew said they wanted to raise awareness about the environment and to prove the elderly are capable of embarking on adventures that are mistakenly considered dangerous.

They also aimed to raise money for the British non-profit group WaterAid, which provides potable water to impoverished communities.

Mariners be advised

South Channel, Stonehaven Anchorage - that the lighted starboard lateral mark beacon Fl.G.2.5s which is between Black Island and Bird Island in the South channel adjacent Stonehaven Anchorage has been restored to normal.

Spitfire Rock, that the lighted west cardinal mark buoy Q(9) 15s temporarily established to mark Spitfire Rock in Kennedy Sound south-west of Lindeman Island has been reported to be destroyed.

Fitzalan Passage, the lighted Special Mark buoy Fl.Y.2.5s in Fitzalan Passage between Henning Island and Whitsunday Island is unlit.

Mariners should navigate with caution in the vicinity. AUS charts 824,

252 & 253.

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan

Cap'n Dan is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio Tropical North

R.M.S. Titanic 99th Anniversary

2011-05-17T16:19:00.000+10:00

R.M.S. Titanic 99th Anniversary

RMS Titanic sank off the Great Banks of Newfoundland at 2.20am on the morning of the 15th April 1912. This year marks the 99th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and the loss of 2,223 passengers and crew that night.

To recognize this anniversary, there are events held around the world.

Admiralty House Naval Museum, St. John's, Newfoundland and the Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs will be on air, there are postage stamps for collectors, and a dinner at the Wallaroo Town Hall South Australia will commemorate the bandsmen who died on that tragic night.

I am wondering about the R.M.S. Titanic 99th Anniversary Dinner Event with the tag line "Don't miss the boat!" and you really have to wonder about the Facebook entry "RMS Titanic i love titanic. she's totally cool and beautiful! i really want to meet her. ?"

In the Irish Parish of Addergoole the people of Lahardane will again remember fourteen North Mayo emigrants by the ringing of the free-standing Timoney Bell at St Patrick's Church at precisely the time of the sinking.

Dr Paul Nolan, Chairman of the Addergoole Titanic Society, recalls;

"Titanic's dead may be down in the dark icy waters of the North Atlantic, but they are still remembered. As our bell tolls for that lonely time in the darkness of the early morning, the peals ring out over the windswept slopes of Nephin Mountain and echo across the dark waters of Lough Conn, reminding us, that all our emigrants, no matter where they travelled to in the world, or how they fared, are fondly remembered by us here in North Mayo."

Just a point, amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

Jimmy Buffett Day

A resolution recognizing April 16, 2011, as "Jimmy Buffett Day" in Florida has been passed by the Florida House of Representatives, in appreciation of Jimmy's charitable efforts, support of the environment, and positive economic impact in the state.

WHEREAS, Jimmy Buffett is known for his support of charitable and environmental causes throughout the world, founded the Save the Manatee Club, in 2004, Jimmy Buffett raised $3.4 million at his "Surviving the Storm" Hurricane Relief Concert in Orlando to provide relief for hurricane victims in Florida, Alabama, and the Caribbean, in 2010, he organized and performed a concert for Gulf Coast residents to raise awareness of the effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The official drink will no doubt be the Margarita.

Changing Colours

Captain Paul Watson writes "Since 2002, our ships have been painted black with the objective of driving the Japanese whaling fleet from the waters of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

"The colour black served our purposes for the Sea Shepherd fleet as the colour black absorbs heat and this helped conserve energy in an environment with 24-hour sunlight, but a close to zero degrees climate.

"We now need to reflect heat instead of absorbing it. The Steve Irwin has now been repainted camouflage and is anchored off Fremantle.

"The Gojira will be painted metallic silver. It's a great name, Gojira, Japanese for Godzilla. But the only thing scarier than Godzilla itself is Godzilla's lawyers and we have been told that we do not have the rights to use the name.

"We still had the opportunity to unleash Godzilla on the Japanese whalers and that was super cool especially when the whalers issued a distress signal from the Southern Ocean saying, "We are being attacked by Gojira (Godzilla)." That one radio broadcast was priceless."

Fitzalan Passage

Mariners are advised that the lighted Special Mark buoy Fl Y 2.5s in Fitzalan Passage between Henning Island and Whitsunday Island has been re-established in position. AUS charts 252, 253, and 254

Fair winds to Ye!

Cap'n Dan