Sailors with disABILITIES Aim for Around Australia Record

Seven Sailors with disAbilities quietly slipped out of a sparkling and sunny Sydney Harbour on Monday, heading north aboard their yacht KAZ, in their attempt to break the unofficial Around Australia record.
In an announcement at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), skipper David Pescud said that he and his crew would circumnavigate Australia non-stop and unassisted on the group's Lyons 54' yacht, KAZ. The aim is to beat Kanga Birtles' unofficial time of just under 44 days, set in 1999 and therefore create an official World Record - a first for an able-bodied or disabled crew.
Pescud's crew comprises Phil Thompson, a cancer sufferer who had his left arm amputated, Kim Jaggar, also a left arm amputee after a skiing accident as a child, Harald Mirlieb who is deaf, Allan Grundy a polio sufferer, Albert Lee, a double leg amputee after falling from a train, and Brett Pearce who has Spina Bifida.
The official starting point is South Head, from where an official from the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC), based in the UK, will take an official start and finish time
Roger 'Clouds' Badham, Australia's most prominent yachting meteorologist said the ideal time for the yacht to leave would have been on the weekend, but unfortunately Pescud and his crew were still completing final tasks on the yacht.
Officially, KAZ left South Head at 12.42.42pm Monday Sydney time, in a light 6-8 knot easterly breeze, to circumnavigate Australia in an anti-clockwise direction.
KAZ needs to average a 6.2 knot boat speed to crack the record, and although today's conditions were not ideal, Badham said, 'today is not too good on the Queensland coast, but it's better than waiting another few days.
The breeze will go further south on Thursday, and could be light for them off Brisbane and Fraser Island.
Pescud and crew will communicate as regularly from KAZ as the conditions will allow and is carrying a tracker allowing the public to follow their progress. The SWD website at: www.sailorswithdisabilities.com and click on the '03 Project' icon to follow their exploits.
Any guesses on their Whitsunday ETA?

Exhibit liquidised

A Danish museum director has gone on trial on charges of cruelty to animals for an exhibit in which goldfish were liquidised in a blender to test visitors' sense of right and wrong.
The exhibition caused controversy at the Trapholt Kuntmuseet with animal rights groups warning the museum it could be fined for animal cruelty after two goldfish died when visitors pressed the button.
Chilean-born Danish artist Marco Evaristti, created the exhibition made up of ten blenders on a table, each containing a fish, reports the BBC.
Each blender had a button and it was left to the visitors to decide if they wanted to turn it on. Several fish got the chop during the exhibitions short lived run.

Underwater cooking

Peanut oil is used for underwater cooking in submarines. Undersea fleets like it because it does not smoke unless heated above 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).

Travel sickness recalled

Mariners' attention is bought to the urgent medicine recall issued by the Therapeutic Goods Administration about Travacalm travel sickness tablets. Seasickness tablets are fitted to all inflatable liferafts and may also be found in the medical cabinets/stores onboard ships. As a result of a lack of uniformity in production it has been necessary for the Therapeutic Goods Administration to issue a recall on various batches of travel sickness tablets.
Considering the possible implications, Maritime Safety Queensland recommends:
Owners or crew check the ships medical cabinet and remove the recalled product as soon as possible.
Owners or crew contact their liferaft service station to determine if any of the recalled products are packed in the liferafts, and if so, arrange for its replacement. This should be done at the first opportunity and before the ship returns to sea.
Further information is available from a marine operations centre in your area. MSQ Airlie Beach 07 4946 5699. MSQ Mackay 07 4944 3700.

That's art!

"Computers are useless. They can only give you answers."

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973), artist.

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan


Anniversary of the sinking of the Centaur

Hundreds of people gathered at Point Danger on the Gold Coast this week to pay their respects to those killed in the sinking of the Australian hospital ship, the Centaur, 60 years ago.
The boat was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine off Cape Moreton on May 14, 1943 and 268 people died.
One of eight remaining survivors, 87-year-old Alan Dickson, says the memories are still strong.
"It's very hard to explain," he told ABC Radio.
"It's very emotional for me, I shouldn't be, I'm old enough not to be, but I still can't help it and I think of those fellas that more or less didn't have a chance, and I think how lucky was I to more or less survive it."

One month before the Rotary Airlie Beach Boat Show the event is really shaping up.
The annual boat show will feature one hundred exhibits and non-stop fishing, boating safety, SCUBA diving, cooking demonstrations. All this and fashion parades, music and fitness will take place at the centre of the complex at Abel Point Marina - twice the size of last years' show.
The long weekend of June 7 & 8 will see boating enthusiasts and their families from around the region visit the show to see the latest in boats and boating and fishing equipment. The new Abel Pt Marina will host a large number of floating display boats in their new marina berths.
Channel Seven's Creek to Coast Scott Hillier is the celebrity guest who will be demonstrating fishing techniques twice each day.
There might be a space left at the show and Rotary's Michael Merrick is the person to call on 4946 4212.

Change suits
Whitsunday charter and dive boat crew have become used to their passengers wearing stinger suits to prevent Irukanji syndrome. Safe, but they still look a bit silly. Comments by passengers range from "like taking a bath with your track suit on" and "not what we were expecting to wear at the beach."
One of our ships' crew, known for 'tall tales' was telling a fair-haired northern European guest that "next month you will have to wear butterfly stinger suits as the butterfly stingers will be in full aggressive mating season".
Our story telling lad was expecting a response along the lines of "You have so many strange creatures in Australia" but instead was asked "What colours do those suits come in?"

Gremlins strike
The typo gremlins crept into the column last week with the price of the new Small Ships Manual listed as $40 while it is in fact $28.40 from newsagents and Maritime Safety Queensland.

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

Safety recall
Attention: All yacht owners, sailing masters, crew, life-raft service operators and ships' suppliers.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has listed two Travacalm seasickness items for urgent recall. The TGA is warning the public not to take some batches of the Travacalm travel-sickness tablets, as analysis has shown a higher than recommended content of an active ingredient, creating the risk of unintentional overdose.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has issued an urgent notice, requesting that ships' medical stores be checked to ensure that any batches of the tablets are removed. AMSA also urges life-raft service providers to check their records and determine if any of the recalled product have been packed in life-rafts, and if so that the owners be contacted; and that ships' suppliers check to see if the product has been supplied to a ship (possibly in a medical kit for example).
It is believed that many SOLAS and Coastal liferaft emergency packs contain seasick tablets from the batch that is listed for recall.
AMSA have issued a Marine Notice to specify the batch numbers and urgency of the recall. If the suspected tablets are found, they should be removed as soon as possible and replaced with an alternate product.
Some symptoms from consumption of the problem batches include blurred vision, agitation and loss of balance.
For further information or assistance on this recall please contact AMSA (02) 6279 5955.

WARNING :
SARS CASES IN CANADA... It has been confirmed by the South Central Health Foundation in Newfoundland that two residents have been diagnosed with SARS. One poor fella' has a sar elbow and the second a sar knee. Lordy b'y, better be careful.
Note: Mrs Cap'n Dan told me "nobody will understand the Newfie humour or the accent". Perhaps she's right.

Yacht series
The Whitsunday Offshore Yacht Racing Series (WOYRC) is with us again, this year with a totally new format that will make the event much more attractive to many of our competitors, says Whitsunday Sailing Club President David McMahon.
"In the past the race was run over three weekends, making the logistics of locating the boats and crews a real problem." Mr McMahon said.
"The format this year is; - Wednesday Night 14th - Hamilton Island, Meet and great and competitors briefing, overnight in the marina if required.
Thursday, 15th - Hamilton Island. Start in Dent Passage racing to the finish at Mackay Harbour. Race 1 Presentation Mackay Yacht Club and lay day Friday.
Saturday 17th --- Mackay. Start, Mackay Harbour racing to finish at Bowen.
Race 2 Presentations at NQCYC and lay day Sunday.
Monday 19th --- Bowen. Start, racing to finish at Airlie Beach with Presentation for race 3 and the series at Whitsunday Sailing Club."
"This year our club is defending champions having won the trophy last year. The series is one of the most testing races on our calendar and competitors can expect strong on-water challenges from other clubs only being equalled by their capacity to celebrate victory regardless of who won."
"Please join in and lets show those other clubs that we can do it again. Kevin Fogarty, Rear Commodore off shore, is the man to contact for full details on 0419 775 282, or the club on 4946 6138." Mr McMahon said

Most popular names
The ten most popular boat names for 2002, according to the Boat Owners Association of the United States were: 1. Liberty 2. Victory 3. Aquaholic 4. Bite Me 5. Endless Summer 6. Seahorse 7. Footloose 8. Silver Lining 9. Miss Behavin 10. Moondance

"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk."
Thomas Edison, inventor of the electric light globe

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Share farming out

The Department of Primary Industries is warning people against raiding crab pots ('share farming') following a spate of incidents in the Bowen area.
Bowen-based Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) field officer Glynn Aland said anyone caught interfering with or stealing crab pots faced a heavy fine.
"There have been a series of thefts involving crab pots as well as people removing crabs from pots," Mr Aland said.
"These are all offences under the Fisheries Act 1994 and anyone found breaking the regulations will be dealt with accordingly."
Mr Aland said people needed to be aware of all the current crabbing regulations including crab pot rules as well as the size and take and possession limits.
"There is a take and possession limit of 10 male mud crabs and a minimum size limit of 15cm," he said.
"People are also only allowed to use four crab pots. They need to be clearly marked with the owner's name and address and if using a float must also have the owner's name on it."
Mr Aland said fisheries regulations were aimed at sustaining Queensland's valuable fisheries resources.
"Rules are in place to protect and conserve mud crab stocks. By following the regulations these valuable fisheries resources will be around for current and future generations of Queenslanders," he said.
For more information about fisheries rules and regulations, contact the Bowen QBFP office on (07) 4786 3444, call the DPI Call Centre of 13 25 23 or visit the DPI Fishweb site at www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb.

Getting it right for marine safety and training
The latest edition of the Small Ships Manual continues a tradition that began about thirty years ago. Many marine candidates have studied for their exams using the various editions of the 'Small Ships' and they will have many memories of the hours spent with this book.
The manual has been redesigned with a new clean and modern look and has been completely rewritten to reflect changes with the national training syllabus. It is both a text for people studying for their Master Class 5 and Coxswain certificates and an onboard operational manual for the professional skipper. It includes day-to-day boating information like weather, tides, radio, and navigating and collision rules as well as technical boating details like stability and engineering.
This edition of the Manual has evolved into a more training orientated publication with the participation of John Armstrong as Principal Education Advisor. John has a long history of bringing candidates up to scratch for their examinations with the Marine Board, Queensland Transport Maritime and now with Maritime Safety Queensland and the new national competency based assessment regime.
The Manual is ring bound and has colour-coded sidebars for easy use and quick reference. The paper is of excellent quality as are the many illustrations and learning aids. The Small Ships Manual is clearly designed to be kept close at hand by those new to the sea and old salts alike.
The Manual is available from better newsagents and specialty bookshops, some Queensland Transport Customer Service Centres and MSQ offices for $28.40.

Biggest wave?
The largest wave recorded in Queensland waters was 13.1 metres. The wave was recorded at the Environmental Protection Agency's Brisbane wave recording buoy moored in 80 metres of water off North Stradbroke Island on 17 March 1993, during the passage of tropical cyclone Roger. At the time the wave was recorded, TC Roger was centred 420 kilometres northeast of the wave recording buoy.

Boating survey
Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) is conducting a survey to assess boating knowledge, skill and behaviour on Queensland waterways. MSQ conducts the survey every two years and the results assist with planning in relation to safety, pollution and boating facilities. All responses are confidential and for research only.
All completed surveys will go into a monthly and a final draw for marine equipment prizes. Monthly prize draws will be valued at over $100 with the final draw on 1 August 2003.
The Recreational Boating Registration Survey 2003 is available from MSQ or can be downloaded. A version of the survey that can be completed online will be available soon at www.transport.qld.gov.au/qt/maritime.

What's a puff?
In nautical terms, what's a puff?
A) Flag on the Bow
B) Gust of Wind
C) A Magic Dragon
D) Sail on a Boat

Lighthouses
Photos are required for a new web site just for Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Ocean lighthouses. http://lighthouses.net.au

"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once."Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan
(((((((( extra items)))))


History of Hog's Breath Race Week
This year marks the 14th running of the Annual Hog's Breath Race Week in Airlie Beach. It's an event that has grown each year from humble beginnings, as an idea of the founder of the Hog's Breath Cafe to help promote the opening of the first Hog's Breath Cafe in Australia.
Founder of the Cafe chain Don Algie, had arrived in the Whitsundays aboard his classic 55' sloop Storm in 1987 looking for a site to start his brainchild Hog's Breath Cafe after spending 4 years in Florida. His first taste of big boat regattas was the Hamilton Island Race Week in Easter of 1988 where Storm performed well enough in Cruising division for Don to look at staging a regatta on the mainland at Airlie Beach.
A year later, after discussions with the Whitsunday Sailing Club and the upcoming opening of the first Hog's Breath Cafe in Australia, plans were put in place to sponsor a major regatta. The regatta was to include a mixture of bay racing around the buoys and long distance races around the adjacent islands of the area over a period of a week and to tie the regatta into the famous Fun Race.
So the event did not clash with Hamilton Island Race Week and to stage the event at the peak sailing period of the year, the club and Don decided to hold the first regatta in the lead up to the famous Fun Race in September of 1990. This event was to be called the Hog's Breath Cruising Classic to cater for the influx of coastal cruising yachts which visit the Whitsundays at that time of the year.
The success and growth of the regatta in the early years saw a few changes in the sailing scene. The event moved from a Cruising Classic to a full on Race Week. Hamilton Island then moved their regatta from Easter to the same time as Hog's Breath Race Week. This necessitated a move by the Sailing Club and Hog's Breath to hold the regatta prior to the new Hamilton Island dates.
Later this was to change so the Fun Race and Hog's Breath Race Week were held in conjunction with each other. Fun Race was then moved back to coincide with school holidays and Hog's Breath Race Week became a stand-alone regatta prior to Hamilton Island.
Then out of the blue Hayman Island started a race week organised by Rob Mundle that was staged on top of Hog's Breath Race Week. Once again the Hog's Breath regatta was changed and held after Hamilton Island and now there were 3 major regattas in the Whitsundays. The timing of the Hog's regatta after the other two turned out to be a disaster for the Hog's Breath supporters.
Fortunately for them, the Hayman Big Boat Regatta folded and Hog's Breath Race Week was again held prior to the major event, Hamilton Island Race Week.
At that time Sydney Yachts had released the Sydney 38, a new one-design sailing boat that was to become an instant success. Don Algie and Miles Wood (then marketing manager for Hog's Breath Cafe), struck up a deal to promote and stage the Australian Sydney 38 championships for the next 3 years. That event introduced a lot of owners to the benefits of sailing in the protected waters of Pioneer Bay at Airlie Beach.
In the year 2000 the Hog's Breath regatta attracted over 70 entries, in 2001 and 2002 there were in excess of 100 entries. The 14th staging of the event in 2003 is expected to see over 120 entries.
One of the main reasons for the success of the Race Week at Airlie Beach is the low cost for teams to race for a week compared to the costs for owners at Hayman Island and Hamilton Island. There is also a more diverse social life attached to racing on the mainland and that pleases the crews to no end. They are the ones who pass the word around about the fun of racing in Airlie Beach.
Hog's Breath Race Week has been a part of Airlie Beach for 14 years and the best is yet to come. Plans are in place for the 2004 Race Week with new ideas for class racing and of course the ever-important aspects of keeping the owners, skippers and their crews happy and entertained.
From the founder and patron of the event, Don Algie, "have fun, good partying and oh yeah, great sailing."

Airlie Beach 8th August until 14th August 2003

((((((((99ends ))))))))))

Seasickness by Kathy McKenzie
Boating OZ Editor

Most people don't get seasick on boats on enclosed waters such as Sydney Harbour and around the Whitsunday Islands, but when they go offshore they may get a bit queasy and lethargic, especially in windy conditions with high seas. Some people never get seasick, others just need to step on a boat and they are very ill.
If you get car sick, you'll probably be seasick too. If you can read in a car without feeling queasy, chances are you won't get seasick.
Seasickness happens when the body, inner ear, and eyes all send different signals to the brain, resulting in confusion and queasiness.
Hints on how to avoid seasickness
* The evening prior to boarding avoid alcohol, fatty and spicy foods and get a good sleep.
* If possible sleep on board the night before departure.
* Read medication directions - you are advised to take most seasickness medication before boarding. Taking them the day before will also help your body to adjust and you will know if you are going to suffer any side effects.
* Never go to sea with an empty stomach.
* Find the part of the boat with the least motion - usually in the centre at the back of the boat on the lower deck.
* Stay in fresh air and take a few deep breaths.
* Watch a fixed point on the horizon - a land point if possible. Avoid focusing on moving objects. The more land you can see the less likelyhood there is of you being seasick, this is why most people don't get sick inshore.
* Keep away from engine fumes.
* Don't do any close work, look through binoculars, read a book or magazine.
* Avoid cramped spaces.
* Avoid anxiety and fatigue.
* Occupy your mind, focusing on something other than being seasick.
* When you first start feeling queasy eat a snack of dry savoury biscuits, ginger biscuits, bread or non-acidic fruit. Ginger and honey are recommended for settling the stomach. Avoid fatty or salty foods.
* Drink plenty of water or ginger ale. A small beer may help you relax but drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
* Talking about seasickness increases the risk
* If really ill, lie on your back and close your eyes. Sip water to avoid dehydration.
* If you are about to vomit do so from the leeward side of the boat if safe, not the windward side.
Seasickness may disappear without treatment when the brain learns to compensate for the swaying and pitching. Remedies including herbal, drugs, bands and patches are discussed on the following websites -
Seasickness - http://seasickness.co.uk
Worried about seasickness? Some Suggestions http://www.hmlanding.com/maldemar.htm
Gusto Charters - http://www.alaska.net/~gusto/asst.html
Travel-Ascending.com http://www.travel-ascending.com/seasick.htm
What is seasickness? http://www.jimbaughoutdoors.com/SeaSick.htm

QUOTES:
Ron Pearson, Mooloolaba:
There are those who want to die, those who believe they have and others who just keep on trying to do their best. They usually beat the seasickness quicker.

Karen Wilson, Bright Morning Star Yacht Charters - sail training and racing (including the Sydney to Hobart) on Australia's east coast. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/charter/brightmorn.htm
Stugeron is the difference between going offshore and actually having fun as opposed to feeling lousy and basically useless. On so many occasions we have had crew who, if they had swallowed a couple of Stugeron, not a packet of other pills, they would have had a great passage. The other good thing about Stugeron is there are little or no side affects.

Editor of Boating OZ:
I'm like most people, I don't get seasick inshore unless I am at anchor and cleaning the bilge and by that time it's usually time to go ashore anyway. However, I would not venture offshore without Stugeron. I usually take a couple before I step on board but I have found that if it blows up later and I start feeling queasy I can take them again and be right in about an hour. Also I have found that if you don't take them before you step on board you can take them later and be alright. Stugeron is not available in Australia but it is widely used in Europe.

Cap'n Dan: "One sure way to overcome seasickness is to sit under a palm tree."

(((ends))

Wednesday, 23 April 2003

Green Zone Recreational Fishers Face $13,400 in Fines
"A Warning to Poachers"

Thirteen recreational fishers received a total of $13,400 in fines in
Rockhampton and Cairns Courts on Monday for offences in Green Zones in
the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

The offences, committed between August 2002 and March 2003, included
both spear fishing and line fishing in Marine National Park 'B' zones.
These are commonly referred to as Green Zones and are protected areas
that help safeguard the health of the Great Barrier Reef and sustain
local fisheries. Fines ranged from $800 to $1,500 per person.

According to the Chair of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
(GBRMPA), Virginia Chadwick, the increased level of fines handed down
highlights the seriousness with which the courts now treat illegal
fishing.

"In fact after Magistrate Tom Bradshaw of Rockhampton had fined 6
individuals for illegal fishing, he stated that even the recently
increased fines were not getting through to individuals and that minimum
fines should be lifted to at least $2,000," Mrs Chadwick said.

"Only a few years ago, fines for these sorts of offences would have been
only a couple of hundred dollars, if that, and the chances of detection
were substantially lower. Now we have dramatically enhanced enforcement
programs in place which are demonstrating how serious we are about
protecting the reef," Mrs Chadwick said.

"Everyone knows the GBR is under pressure from a wide range of factors
along the coast and poaching in green zones cannot be tolerated. It is
particularly disturbing that all of these offences occurred at major
tourist areas such as Green Island and Keppel Island. Tourism in the
Marine Park is worth more than $1 billion to the region and employs many
thousands of locals. It's future is jeopardised by this sort of
activity."

"Pressure from recreational and commercial fishing is a real issue on
the reef. Hopefully these fines will serve as a warning to those who
think 'fishing the green' is an acceptable activity."

"Intentional fishing in green zones by recreational or commercial
fishers not only potentially ruins the future fishing for everyone, but
also simply makes it tougher on the majority of law-abiding fishers in
the community," Mrs Chadwick said.

"Most of our intelligence for targeting illegal fishers comes from the
law abiding members of the fishing community who are sick and tired of
seeing their future fishing resource plundered by a thoughtless few."

All thirteen were apprehended by Queensland Parks & Wildlife patrols.

Tax and boats - for real.
"We appreciate how anxious charter boat industry stakeholders are to know more about the outcome of negotiations between the industry and the Australian Tax Office," says Sherry Donaldson, Chairperson of the Charter Boat Industry Survival Campaign.
"We are all eager to know when a Final Ruling might be expected from the Tax Office."
"The continuing uncertainty about timing has been a major concern for the Charter Boat Industry Survival Campaign and all of its stakeholders. Balanced against this concern has been the need for our negotiating team to be painstaking about the content of a Final Ruling to ensure both compliance with the law and to protect the interests of legitimate stakeholders across Australia." Sherry Donaldson said.
"I am pleased to report that negotiations with the ATO appear to be finally drawing to a conclusion. The CBISC and ATO officials do now look to have reached a position of accommodation in relation to the content of a Final Ruling. We say this, having meticulously considered the position of legitimate owners and operators in a wide range of charter boat industry fleets and locations.
"However, given that this position requires approval by the Rulings Panel and ultimately by the Commissioner of Taxation, we are not yet able to report official agreement or give stakeholders a definite date for release of a Final Ruling. The CBISC will keep stakeholders updated as we move towards the release by the ATO of a Final Ruling.
The full report from the Charter Boat Industry Survival Campaign is available from On the Waterfront C/ The Guardian or ahoy@whitsunday.net.au

Missing the Sea?
Here are a few tips for those of you who are feeling nostalgic about those great times at sea...
*Sleep on the shelf in your closet. Replace the door with a curtain. Two hours after you go to sleep, have your spouse whip open the curtain, shine a flashlight in your eyes, hit you with a wet towel and mumble "Sorry, wrong berth".
*Renovate your bathroom. Build a wall across the middle of your bathtub and move the showerhead down to chest level. When you take showers, make sure you shut off the water while soaping up.
*Every time there's a thunderstorm, go sit in a wobbly rocking chair and rock as hard as you can until you're nauseated.
*Leave the lawnmower running in your living room six hours a day for proper smell and noise level.
*Wake up every night at midnight and have sandwich on stale bread, if anything. (Optional: soggy muesli bar.)
*Set your alarm clock to go off at random times during the night. When it goes off, jump out of bed and get dressed as fast as you can, then run out into your yard and break out the garden hose and spray yourself until soaked. Return to your bunk.
*Once a month take every major appliance completely apart and then put them back together. Without instructions.
*Make coffee and allow it to sit for 5 or 6 hours before drinking.
*Have a fluorescent lamp installed on the bottom of your coffee table and lie under it to read books.
*Every so often, throw your cat into the swimming pool, shout "Man overboard!" run into the kitchen and sweep all the pots/pans/dishes off of the counter onto the floor, then yell at your spouse for not having the place "shipshape".

Rebirthing of boats
'Rebirthing' occurs when a stolen boat has had its identity changed by the fraudulent use of its original HIN (Hull Identification Plate) plate. Thieves target boats on trailers, as they are easiest to steal. They then repaint the boats, strip off the HIN number, and re-register the boat interstate, usually in Qld or Victoria. Authorities claim that lax registration procedures in those States make it far too easy for thieves.

Boating survey
Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) is conducting a survey to assess boating knowledge, skill and behaviour on Queensland waterways. MSQ conducts the survey every two years and the results assist with planning in relation to safety, pollution and boating facilities. All responses are confidential and for research only.
All completed surveys will go into monthly and a final draw for marine equipment prizes. Monthly prize draws will be valued at over $100 with a final draw on 1 August 2003.
The Recreational Boating Registration Survey 2003 is available from MSQ or can be downloaded. A version of the survey that can be completed online will be available soon at www.transport.qld.gov.au/qt/maritime.

Bangladesh ferries sink
At least 80 bodies have been pulled out of one of two ferries that sank during a storm near the Bangladesh capital Dhaka, police said on Tuesday.
"So far 80 bodies have been found and the toll will definitely rise," said police officer Mohammad Mizanur Rahman.
No exact figures were available as to how many people were on board the ferry and how many of them survived, officials supervising the rescue operations said.
The double-deck ferry, from which the bodies had been recovered and that capsized at Alipur near Dhaka, was dangerously overloaded with 400 or more passengers aboard, double its listed capacity.
At least 50 passengers from another ferry that sank during the same storm near Kishoreganj, 150 km north-east of Dhaka, were missing, and may be dead.
The ferry was carrying about 100 members of a bridal party, police said. Darkness and strong winds with occasional rain hampered rescue efforts at both sites, police said.

"Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or doing it better."
John Updike (1932-), American novelist.

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Sailing: All good clean healthy fun!
A European news agency has published a copy of a leaked document allegedly from the Australian Department of Health and Ageing suggesting that sailing in Australia will receive a boost from the government. The document describes sailing as 'a non polluting healthy outdoor activity for all the family, which encourages participants to work as a team and use their minds while keeping fit, thus reducing the need for medical and family support services'.
"The aim is to replace popular contact sports, which impose a cost on the community due to injuries and long-term bodily damage, with a safer, healthier alternative," said the leaked document published by Scuttlebutt Europe on April 1.
"To encourage more people to participate in sailing, the Australian Taxation Office has reversed its decision on its draft ruling on charter boats, and has declared all sailing vessels to be tax deductible. The expected increase in boat sales will create jobs as boat builders and the marine industry attempt to keep up with demand, and the attendant increase in tourism will provide a boost to local industries," the report says.
"The Australian Tourism Commission announced a Sailing Downunder campaign in Europe due to go ahead when the war in Iraq is over. An ATC spokesperson says that 'Europeans are embracing sailing as a sport after the publicity generated by the Swiss winning the America's Cup and by the exploits of famous Australian sailors such as Ellen MacArthur. Europeans can cruise, race or learn to sail all year round in Australia as the Australian winter compares favourably with a European summer. Sailing in Australia is also affordable and considered to be an authentic travel experience."
The report also claimed "The ABC, the government broadcaster, has schedule a weekly sailing television and radio show with the focus being on events, sail training and travel."
"Some people thought that the name of the Department of Health and Ageing is a joke but it's not! But it should have been a clue along with the date of the document, April 1, 2003 says our leaky correspondent Kathy McKenzie of BoatingOZ.
"Obviously this didn't sound absurd enough to the European editor!" Kathy said of the April Fools.

Best of a Bad Situation
Gordon died. So Susan went to the local newspaper to put a notice in the obituaries. The gentleman at the counter, after offering his condolences, asked Susan what she would like to say about Gordon.
Susan replied, "Just put, 'Gordon died.'"
The gentleman, somewhat perplexed, said, "That's it? Just 'Gordon died?'
"Surely, there must be something more you'd like to say about Gordon. If it's money you're concerned about, the first five words are free. We really should say something more."
So Susan pondered for a few minutes and finally said, "O.K. then, put 'Gordon died. Sailboat for sale.'"

Tax and boats - for real.
"We appreciate how anxious charter boat industry stakeholders are to know more about the outcome of negotiations between the industry and the ATO," says Sherry Donaldson, Chairperson of the Charter Boat Industry Survival Campaign.
"We are all eager to know when a Final Ruling might be expected from the Tax Office."
"The continuing uncertainty about timing has been a major concern for the Charter Boat Industry Survival Campaign and all of its stakeholders. Balanced against this concern has been the need for our negotiating team to be painstaking about the content of a Final Ruling to ensure both compliance with the law and to protect the interests of legitimate stakeholders across Australia." Sherry Donaldson said.
The full report from the Charter Boat Industry Survival Campaign is available from On the Waterfront C/ The Guardian.

Dots stem crims
"Marine theft is at epidemic levels, stealing boats is a rampant crime around Australia. Water Police have exposed well-organised rackets, which are stealing and 'rebirthing' expensive boats. Millions of dollars worth of boats are involved."
The Australian Marine Industry Federation (AMIF) is taking a leadership role in combating this problem by officially endorsing the revolutionary DataDot anti-theft system and encouraging Boating Industry Association (BIA) members across the nation to apply the dots.
Thousands of DataDots, each one containing the boat's unique Hull Identification Number (HIN), are sprayed all over the boat. Practically invisible to the naked eye, DataDots show up under an ultraviolet light. It is virtually impossible for thieves to find all the DataDots, and far too much trouble to remove them all.
The AMIF endorses the DataDot HIN Dot system for a number of reasons. It is a very cost effective means of deterring marine theft, and it does not require a secondary database. The HIN which is currently applied to the vessel, and on each DataDot, is the identifier held in state government databases.
"We are proud to have this partnership with the AMIF," said Chris Stott, CEO of DataDot Technology, "and we look forward to all boat owners having a significantly higher level of protection against boat thieves."
DataDot HIN Dots "DNA for Boats" are around 1 millimetre in diameter with multiple lines of text applied using a sophisticated laser process. This text is the boat's unique HIN (Hull Identification Number), consisting of 14 digits.
Thousands of tiny DataDot HIN Dots, each about the size of a grain of sand, are then sprayed all over the boat and its accessories commonly targeted by thieves.
An ultra violet trace in the adhesive allows police to detect quickly and efficiently which boats have been DataDot-protected as they glow purple under a UV light. Using a simple magnifier police can then easily read the HIN dot to verify the vessels authenticity necessary to trace ownership.
DataDot warning stickers being placed on the boat achieves further deterrence. Why would a thief bother?
The VIN Dot version of DataDots has been adopted as standard equipment for all BMW cars coming into Australia since last September, along with 8 other car manufacturers. Thousands of DataDots are sprayed on the car with its unique VIN number. A growing number of marine trailer manufacturers are also adopting this very successful practice to deter thieves from targeting their brand of boat trailers.
Microdots (the precursor to DataDot) have been used in espionage since 1948 when Russian spies disguised microfilm containing secret documents as a full stop in a book.
DataDot has now revolutionized the use of this technology with its world-first theft deterrent Asset Identification System.
'Rebirthing' occurs when a stolen boat has had its identity changed by the fraudulent use of its original HIN plate. Thieves target boats on trailers, as they are easiest to steal. They then repaint the boats, strip off the HIN number, and re-register the boat interstate, usually in Qld or Victoria. Authorities claim that lax registration procedures in those States make it far too easy for thieves. DataDots help police stamp this out by making it almost impossible to change a boat's identity and provide a vital link between recovered assets, to reported incidents of theft, a critically important crime-fighting task.
Boats already equipped with DataDot HIN Dots include Southwind Marine, Seafarer, Bayliner, Stebercraft, Deep Vee, Black Watch, Quicksilver, Riviera & Mariner Boats, Australian Master Marine, and Novurania Inflatables & Hooker Dory's.

Easter Regatta
The 2003 Easter Regatta incorporating the North Queensland Championships will be held in Airlie Beach this weekend.
Hosted by The Whitsunday Sailing Club classes sailing in the annual regatta will include Sabot 1-up and 2-up, Flying Ant, Laser and Laser radial, Tasar, 49er, 29er, 505, 14' skiff, catamarans, and other class monohulls. Presentations will be held on Sunday night.

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Oil war forecast for Irish green fuel
Competition for the oil fields of Texas and the Middle East is to come soon from the fields of Wexford in Ireland. Wexford Renewable Fuels is due to begin extracting oil from rapeseed shortly in Adamstown, Co. Wexford to produce a fuel suitable for diesel engines.
It is forecast that the Irish Green Gold clean fuel can be produced for about 55 cents a litre and the company is hoping that their environmentally friendly fuel will attract a low rate of duty, reports Marine Times.
It is thought that it will take eight acres of rape to fuel a family car for one year with a by product of feed suitable as coarse rations for pigs and dairy cattle.
Maybe they will be able to capture the methane by-product of the pigs and cows and market it as natural gas. It could fuel plenty of heated talk.

Corporate sailing
Sailing is the new corporate sport and team building exercise - for good reasons!
* A yacht will only sail well when the crew works as a team
* Each crewmember is responsible for his or her own role, and for the boat's overall performance
* Sailing requires considerable thought; a race is a good measure of performance and lots of fun
* While sailing is challenging, it does not put your team at risk
* Fresh air and a natural environment contribute to the day's success

As the world turns
Rivers in the northern hemisphere scour their right-hand banks more severely than their left-hand banks. This effect is due to the rotation of the Earth.

Fitzalan Passage buoys
Mariners are advised that a lighted Special Mark buoy FL.Y.2.5s has been established in approximate position Latitude 20°17.9313'S, Longitude 148°55.047'E and another in approximate position Latitude 20°18.7922'S, Longitude 148°56.0571'E in Fitzalan Passage which is off Whitsunday Passage. The buoys are expected to be in place until further notice. Charts affected: AUS 252, 253, 254, 824

"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him."
Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), English novelist and essayist.

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Ship sourced sewage strategy sought

Maritime Safety Queensland is currently conducting public consultation on proposed laws to govern vessel-sourced sewage management. Discussions and consultation have been continuing since marine pollution regulations were introduced in 1995.
It is necessary to introduce workable and practical measures to assist in the protection of Queensland waterways and waterway users from vessel-sourced sewage say Maritime Safety Qld.
Draft laws for vessel sewage management have been developed and a vessel-sourced sewage Regulatory Impact Statement is available for comment.
Most ships and yachts operating in Queensland will be affected by this legislation.
The Regulatory Impact Statement details proposed vessel sewage management requirements to be included in the Transport Operations (Marine Pollution) Regulation 1995.
You are invited to comment on the Regulatory Impact Statement. A copy of the Proposed Regulation will be provided.
Comments are to be received by Maritime Safety Queensland no later than close of business Monday, 12 May 2003. A Response Form is provided to assist you in making a response with full details available from MSQ offices.

Crew wanted

A crew of "gun" sailors are required for Hamilton Island Race Week on an ex-America's Cup yacht.
* Can you 'smoke' the main halyard of a 12m yacht without gloves? You are probably our mast man.
* Can you pick a fight with a pub full of shearers and win (because you are the fastest runner)? You are probably our forward hand.
* Can you spot a "real" blonde at 500 paces? You are probably our tactician.
For more crew requirements see www.boatingoz.com.au/news

The Seasick Sailor

"The deck was deserted, and he crawled to the extreme end of it...There he doubled up it limp agony...the surge and the screw combined to sieve out his soul. His head swelled...his body seemed to lose weight...he was fainting from seasickness. The roll of the ship tilted him over the rail...a low, gray mother wave swung out of the fog...pulled him down and...away. The great green sea closed over him, and he went quietly to sleep." From CAPTAIN'S COURAGEOUS By Rudyard Kipling
For anyone who has been seasick, Kipling captures the essence of the experience. But the story below is not fiction. It is the brief story of a hapless passenger overcome by seasickness; however, unlike the young man in Kipling's novel, no other vessel was nearby to save him.
The weather had turned foul, but the seas did not seem too bad. The captain thought the water would be calm enough at the dive site by the next morning, so he decided to sail with the small party of sport divers. In the wallowing seas no one felt very good, and it wasn't long before most found their way to the bunks below. Perhaps each were struggling too much with their own misery to notice Mr. Smith, but Mr. Smith was ill as it turned out, deathly ill.
While the captain fought the sloppy seas, Mr. Smith gripped the gunwale in his own "limp agony." On several occasions the deckhands and the passengers offered warnings to be careful, but he didn't respond- he was alone in his misery. No one thought to get a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) for him or to rig a harness. Perhaps they hovered in the purgatory of loneliness between seasickness and normalcy and shared his need for solitude. Whatever the reason, it seemed little transpired between those aboard. One of the passengers recalls seeing Mr. Smith around midnight. At about 0230 a passenger notice the he was not in his bunk; nor was he at the rail or in the head. It was quickly evident that he was missing. The captain swung the vessel around and began to search along the track line. The Coast Guard was notified, but the day's search was fruitless.
The investigator pieced together the final day of Mr. Smith's life from statements of the passengers and crew. No one saw him fall overboard. He simply disappeared...unseen, like Kipling's young hero...fainting from seasickness...slipped over the side...and went silently to his final sleep.
Know the dangers of seasickness. Take care of your passengers even when they are sick. Don 't leave the seasick unattended without taking basic safety precautions.

War statistic

You are sailing your yacht around the world, as one does, and you are approaching a U.S. Naval vessel. You have heard of the Naval Vessel Protection Zone and don't want to become a war statistic. Now, how did it go again?
Answer: The protection zone is 500 yards (within 100 yards is a no-approach zone and within another 400 yards you must operate at minimum speed). In situations where you must pass within 100 yards to stay within a navigable channel, you must contact the coast guard or escort vessel before approaching within 100 yards.

Easter Regatta

The 2003 Easter Regatta incorporating the North Queensland Championships will be held in Airlie Beach on 18 - 20 April. Hosted by The Whitsunday Sailing Club.
Classes sailing in the annual regatta will include Sabot 1-up and 2-up, Flying Ant, Laser and Laser radial, Tasar, 49er, 29er, 505, 14' skiff, catamarans, and other class monohulls.
A Notice of Race is available from the sailing club. Presentations will be held on Sunday night.

Red Sea

The Red Sea got its name from the occasionally extensive blooms of algae that, upon dying, turn the sea's normally intense blue-green waters to red.

Fitzalan Passage buoys

Mariners are advised that a lighted Special Mark buoy FL.Y.2.5s has been established in approximate position Latitude 20°17.9313'S, Longitude 148°55.047'E and another in approximate position Latitude 20°18.7922'S, Longitude 148°56.0571'E in Fitzalan Passage which is off Whitsunday Passage. The buoys are expected to be in place until further notice. Charts affected: AUS 252, 253, 254, 824

"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him."

Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), English novelist and essayist.

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Ship sourced sewage strategy sought

Maritime Safety Queensland is currently conducting public consultation on proposed laws to govern vessel-sourced sewage management. Discussions and consultation have been continuing since marine pollution regulations were introduced in 1995.
It is necessary to introduce workable and practical measures to assist in the protection of Queensland waterways and waterway users from vessel-sourced sewage say Maritime Safety Qld.
Draft laws for vessel sewage management have been developed and a vessel-sourced sewage Regulatory Impact Statement is available for comment.
Most ships and yachts operating in Queensland will be affected by this legislation.
The Regulatory Impact Statement details proposed vessel sewage management requirements to be included in the Transport Operations (Marine Pollution) Regulation 1995.
You are invited to comment on the Regulatory Impact Statement. A copy of the Proposed Regulation will be provided.
Comments are to be received by Maritime Safety Queensland no later than close of business Monday, 12 May 2003. A Response Form is provided to assist you in making a response with full details available from MSQ offices.

Crew wanted

A crew of "gun" sailors are required for Hamilton Island Race Week on an ex-America's Cup yacht.
* Can you 'smoke' the main halyard of a 12m yacht without gloves? You are probably our mast man.
* Can you pick a fight with a pub full of shearers and win (because you are the fastest runner)? You are probably our forward hand.
* Can you spot a "real" blonde at 500 paces? You are probably our tactician.
For more crew requirements see www.boatingoz.com.au/news

The Seasick Sailor

"The deck was deserted, and he crawled to the extreme end of it...There he doubled up it limp agony...the surge and the screw combined to sieve out his soul. His head swelled...his body seemed to lose weight...he was fainting from seasickness. The roll of the ship tilted him over the rail...a low, gray mother wave swung out of the fog...pulled him down and...away. The great green sea closed over him, and he went quietly to sleep." From CAPTAIN'S COURAGEOUS By Rudyard Kipling
For anyone who has been seasick, Kipling captures the essence of the experience. But the story below is not fiction. It is the brief story of a hapless passenger overcome by seasickness; however, unlike the young man in Kipling's novel, no other vessel was nearby to save him.
The weather had turned foul, but the seas did not seem too bad. The captain thought the water would be calm enough at the dive site by the next morning, so he decided to sail with the small party of sport divers. In the wallowing seas no one felt very good, and it wasn't long before most found their way to the bunks below. Perhaps each were struggling too much with their own misery to notice Mr. Smith, but Mr. Smith was ill as it turned out, deathly ill.
While the captain fought the sloppy seas, Mr. Smith gripped the gunwale in his own "limp agony." On several occasions the deckhands and the passengers offered warnings to be careful, but he didn't respond- he was alone in his misery. No one thought to get a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) for him or to rig a harness. Perhaps they hovered in the purgatory of loneliness between seasickness and normalcy and shared his need for solitude. Whatever the reason, it seemed little transpired between those aboard. One of the passengers recalls seeing Mr. Smith around midnight. At about 0230 a passenger notice the he was not in his bunk; nor was he at the rail or in the head. It was quickly evident that he was missing. The captain swung the vessel around and began to search along the track line. The Coast Guard was notified, but the day's search was fruitless.
The investigator pieced together the final day of Mr. Smith's life from statements of the passengers and crew. No one saw him fall overboard. He simply disappeared...unseen, like Kipling's young hero...fainting from seasickness...slipped over the side...and went silently to his final sleep.
Know the dangers of seasickness. Take care of your passengers even when they are sick. Don 't leave the seasick unattended without taking basic safety precautions.

War statistic

You are sailing your yacht around the world, as one does, and you are approaching a U.S. Naval vessel. You have heard of the Naval Vessel Protection Zone and don't want to become a war statistic. Now, how did it go again?
Answer: The protection zone is 500 yards (within 100 yards is a no-approach zone and within another 400 yards you must operate at minimum speed). In situations where you must pass within 100 yards to stay within a navigable channel, you must contact the coast guard or escort vessel before approaching within 100 yards.

Easter Regatta

The 2003 Easter Regatta incorporating the North Queensland Championships will be held in Airlie Beach on 18 - 20 April. Hosted by The Whitsunday Sailing Club.
Classes sailing in the annual regatta will include Sabot 1-up and 2-up, Flying Ant, Laser and Laser radial, Tasar, 49er, 29er, 505, 14' skiff, catamarans, and other class monohulls.
A Notice of Race is available from the sailing club. Presentations will be held on Sunday night.

Red Sea

The Red Sea got its name from the occasionally extensive blooms of algae that, upon dying, turn the sea's normally intense blue-green waters to red.

Fitzalan Passage buoys

Mariners are advised that a lighted Special Mark buoy FL.Y.2.5s has been established in approximate position Latitude 20°17.9313'S, Longitude 148°55.047'E and another in approximate position Latitude 20°18.7922'S, Longitude 148°56.0571'E in Fitzalan Passage which is off Whitsunday Passage. The buoys are expected to be in place until further notice. Charts affected: AUS 252, 253, 254, 824

"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him."

Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), English novelist and essayist.

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Experimental reefs set to reopen for fishing
Four reefs that have been part of an experiment to determine how reef fish populations react to various amounts of line and spear fishing are to be reopened this weekend.
The four are part of the eight blue General Use B reefs in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park closed to line and spear fishing as part of the Effects of Line Fishing (ELF) experiment. They will be re-opened to fishing this Saturday March 29.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority closed the reefs on March 29 1998 for five years as part of the ELF experiment conducted by the Cooperative Research Centre for the Great Barrier Reef (CRC Reef).
The experiment contributes to the ELF research project that is trying to determine how reef fish populations react to various amounts of line and spear fishing
The reefs that will re-open include the Rocky Islets B (reef number 14-132b, near Lizard Island), Knife Reef (18-081, off Townsville), Liff Reef (20-296, off Mackay) and unnamed reef (21-124, near Storm Cay in the Swains Reefs). Four other blue zone reefs, one near each of those opening next week, remain closed until March 6 2005.
"The experiment includes research on a range of target and non-target species. ELF researchers are using the results of this research to put together a Management Strategy Evaluation Model. This evaluation will give managers and stakeholders solid information from which they can effectively assess current and potential management measures," said Chip Henriss-Anderssen of GBRMPA.
"The ELF experiment has helped researchers monitor the fish stocks since 1995 and will continue to do so right through until the end of the experiment in 2006. The information being collected is integral to discovering the effective outcome of various management policies including reef closures and fishing effort reduction" he said.

Shame file
This week an ex Sydney Hobart skipper pleaded guilty in a Melbourne court to a shameful crime. The skipper who made a 46-footer now racing as Quest somewhat famous around Port Phillip as the Kids at Sea training boat, by taking disadvantaged young people sailing. On Monday he pleaded guilty to 118 theft and deception charges over fake luxury car raffles held during the past 7 years, amounting to $8m. Police allege the man or his associates held most of the winning tickets, and in some Kids at Sea charity raffles there were no prizes at all. A plea hearing will be held in November.

Bible back on Bark
HM Bark Endeavour, the replica of James Cook s 18th Century voyager, will be returning to Falmouth, berthing alongside National Maritime Museum Cornwall this week. This represents a significant moment for Falmouth as Captain Chris Blake, Master of Endeavour, returns to deliver a very special bible back to its home town.
34 years ago, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston set sail from Falmouth to complete the first single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the world. Just prior to his departure he mentioned to Reverend David Roberts, the Chaplain for the Mission to Seamen, that he was without a bible. Padre Roberts and Sir Robin both dashed into Falmouth and purchased a copy; Padre Roberts signed it, wished Sir Robin well and then passed it to him.
After 312 days at sea, on 22 April 1969, Sir Robin sailed back into Falmouth, and the history books, and returned the bible, signed by himself, to Padre Roberts. Some time later, Padre Roberts passed it to Nigel Rowe who competed in the 1994/5 Around Alone race and who also safely delivered his signed bible back to Padre Roberts.
When the Endeavour last came to Falmouth in 1997, Capt Chris Blake and Padre Roberts attended a party in celebration of the promise of funding for National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Padre Roberts said to Capt Blake that he should now take the bible with him on Endeavour as she was headed off around the world.
Sadly, three years ago Padre Roberts passed away but before he died he asked the family, including his daughter Sian Cumins, who now runs The Grove Hotel, opposite the Museum, to attempt to locate the bible and hand it to the Museum.
So, this week Endeavour will sail into Falmouth carrying a unique piece of history, a bible that has sailed on more around the world adventures than any other, been the soul mate of some of our most renowned sailing heroes and is a key thread in Falmouth's relationship with the sea dating back 34 years.
At a ceremony after Endeavour's arrival, Capt Blake will sign and hand the bible to Nigel Rowe, who will in turn pass it to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. Sir Robin will then pass it to Sian Cumins who will then present the bible to Peter Cowling, Director of National Maritime Museum Cornwall. He will accept the bible and place it in the Museum s Bartlett Library its final resting place.
In a final twist to the tale, six years ago, when Capt Chris Blake last came to Falmouth with Endeavour, he stayed in the Grove Hotel - a favourite resting place of his. At the time it was not run by Sian Cumins and her husband, so you could say fate had a large hand to play in the great story of this bible.

Queen Mary II on slips
The construction of the biggest passenger ship of all time is underway at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards in France's western port of Saint-Nazaire.
With a length of 345 metres, the Queen Mary II will be 45 metres longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower and as tall as a 23-storey building. The QM II is scheduled to be launched next year.
She will carry 2,620 passengers on seventeen decks enjoying the most luxurious accommodation and facilities ever provided on a cruise liner, with 1,250 crew at their disposal. With a maximum speed of 30 knots, she will cross the Atlantic Ocean in six days.
Project manager Alain Crouzols described the project as "an extraordinary venture". "The difficulty lies less in the size of the ship than in the industry's lack of references for working on such a scale".
The Queen Mary II will be owned by the British shipping company Cunard, its fourth major passenger ship following the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and the still operational Queen Elizabeth II.
The first such ship built outside Britain, she will fly the United Kingdom's Red Ensign, with Southampton as home port.
It is the biggest contract ever signed by the company. Worth 780m dollars, the ship is not only the biggest of its kind ever built but also the most expensive.

Fitzalan Passage Buoys
Mariners are advised that Notice No.66 (T) of 2003 is cancelled. The lighted Special Mark buoys FL.Y.2.5s temporarily established in Fitzalan Passage, which is off Whitsunday Passage have been withdrawn. Charts affected: AUS 252, 253, 254, 824

Rest easy.

Daylight Saving ends this weekend and southerners may now rejoin sunny Queensland.

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
Ernest Hemingway (1899 -1961), American author

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Cyclone Erica wild weather walkabout
Wild weather was on the cards for us a couple of weeks ago, but the system moved off the coast before Cyclone Erica was declared. Erica then went walkabout in the Coral Sea before swooping down on New Caledonia.
We are still in the cyclone season, although it seems to be cooling off somewhat. But never say never - there is always a chance as detailed in this first hand account from friends Dave and Marie Christoper in Noumea, New Caledonia.
"Hello everyone, 'Erica', as it was named, hit New Cal (Caledonia) very hard: our wind speed indicator stopped working at 95 knots, in fact it no longer works at all. Just when we thought this was going to be a year without a cyclone reaching us here in the south end of the island.
Erica started as a small depression off the east coast of Australia, (near Proserpine) which contrary to the norm, travelled north up the coast then headed north east into the south Pacific where it intensified before heading back down south east towards New Cal. Erica approached the Northern end of the island with winds of over 150 knots in the centre then slid down the west coast during Thursday night travelling at about 12 km/hr then early Friday morning while the radars were down in the northern end of the island due to the passage of Erica and while there was no satellite over head, she picked up speed to 50 km/hr, still with a centre pressure of 925 Hpa.
At this time she headed in towards the coast and right over Noumea. Our strong winds started at about 9 am with north-easterly winds of about 60 knots gusting to 70 then at about 11:30 the wind and heavy (torrential) rain died down and we were in the eye of the storm 1/4 hour later the wind came back out of the south west and blew like I have never seen with gusts of over 100 knots. The force of such a wind is incredible and in no time there was massive damage taking place all around us.
"All around boats were dragging and many ending up on the rocks, underwater and even high and dry, blown clean out of the water onto the land as far as 20 meters from the sea. In one of the other marinas a number of docks broke away with all their boats attached and dragged the lot onto the docks behind them making a pile of boats and docks one on top of the other.
"I was not at all scared but did feel the danger very acutely and realized that if anything should let loose near me that that would be the end, there would be no way to duck or move quickly, a few times while helping others put out extra lines etc. I had to go flat on the ground and grab the nearest thing to stop being blown away, a strange feeling to be so over powered and have so little control.
"The hardest thing was seeing the people who lost their boats trying to save them and not being able to achieve anything at all against the force of nature. One guy arrived to find his boat had dragged its anchor together with another boat, to within 2 meters of the rocks, there it had re-hooked and was holding fine but banging into the other boat, so he decided to try and get aboard and motor away. He hardly got more than ten meters when he ran into the mast of yet a another boat sunken in front of him, so with his prop fouled he went straight into the rocks, smashed up and sank, had he left his boat where she was it would have survived easily as the worst was over and the wind slowly dying down.
There are a number of people with their homes and possessions scattered around the bays in New Cal or under water for ever, a few who lost there lives and many hurt, all in such a short time. And now today, 24 hrs later there is almost no wind and lovely sunny skies, hard to imagine.
"There you are and there still will be people who can't wait to see a 'real' cyclone; if they own a boat they are fools. Got to catch up with what could not be done while actively standing watch during the cyclone."
Dave and Marie Christoper, Noumea

VMR Presentation
Seven commercial skippers have completed their training and will receive their VMR Rescue Vessel Commander tickets at a presentation night says VMR Whitsunday spokesperson Michaela Moss.
"On Monday night the 7th of April at 7:30 pm we are issuing seven commercial skippers with VMR Rescue Vessel Commander tickets. This will bring our skipper numbers up to 10."
"We would like members and friends of VMR to attend this event."
"We will also have Kenny from Marine Tech as guest speaker, talking on the common marine electric problems, solutions and the changes in technology.
"To tempt you further there will be some nibbles available and the bar of course will be open at 8:30 pm. Please feel welcome to attend" Michaela added.

Fisher cops fine
A fisherman was convicted and fined $17,500 in Mackay Magistrates Court this week for negligently fishing at Swains Reef last year. Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers on the vessel KI Ross detected the fisherman.
"This is by far the highest fine for negligent commercial fishing to date. As a matter of interest the highest fine previously given was for $10 000 for the same fisherman who was convicted and fined in Bowen last year." Says Chip Henriss-Anderssen of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Poetic promises
"You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose"

Mario Cuomo (1932 -) American Politician


Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Boat show plans on course
Organisers say the Airlie Beach Rotary 2003 Boat Show - to be held on the June long weekend -- will be bigger and better.
Boating enthusiasts will see a grand display of eighty-eight stands featuring engines, sails, marine electronics, boating and fishing accessories. The show will be housed undercover in two giant Hoecker buildings at Abel Point Marina, surrounded by a large outdoor display of trailer boats. Visitors will enjoy non-stop fishing, safety and cooking demonstrations, fashion parades, fine food, music and entertainment.
Local company Oceanic Insurance Brokers have become the Airlie Beach Boat Show major sponsor, ensuring the financial success and future growth of the Show. The Rotary Club of Airlie Beach recognises and applauds both Oceanic's corporate involvement and community spirit.
Sunday June 8 is Whit Sunday, the day the area was named by James Cook in 1770 and date of the annual Blessing of the Fleet. This year Padre Don Fernance Chaplain of the Mission to Seafarers will conduct the Blessing in association with the boat show and local boaters.
For the first time, the boat show will star a superb floating display from the big names in sports and luxury power cruisers - Riviera, Mariner, Mustang, Princess and Sunrunner. So far there are nineteen floating exhibits of new power cruisers, mono and multihull yachts lined up for visitors to see and inspect, with more big names to come.
With only eight out of 88 stands left to fill, the show will soon be a complete sellout. To save disappointment, interested companies are urged to book their stand or berth without delay. For more details please call Michael Merrick Tel: (07) 4946 4212
Take a look at the Boat Show website: www.rotaryairliebeach.com to see the leading marine suppliers booked into the Show and further details. Saturday June 7 & Sunday June 8 - 9.00am to 5.00pm each day
Airlie Beach - what a great place for a Boat Show!

Have a Break
"Now that the America's Cup is over it's time for a laugh!" Says regular correspondent Kathy McKenzie of BoatingOZ. How right she is!
An email was circulated by an Aussie this week with Have a Break printed in large white letters on a red background above a photo of the dismasted Team NZ. Below was a picture of a well-known chocolate bar and the words 'Made with the finest Swiss ingredients'.
A Kiwi responded with: "At least we had one to break, you couldn't get one up."
The Kiwi's have always been quick to have a go. Remember when the OneAustralia yacht sank? The Kiwis came up with "how do you watch an Aussie yacht?"
"With a glass-bottomed boat."
Then there's the story about the Swiss Rugby Team challenge for the World Cup and the latest immigrants to Switzerland.
On a more serious note, over 20 cities have shown interest in staging the next America's Cup. A decision will be made in December depending on weather conditions and the potential for development. The Alinghi Swiss Challenge are possibly looking for the best place to recoup the reported $120M they spent on the last challenge, and to cover the cost of the next one.
"Speculation will be rife until the announcement," says Kathy, "but I will take an early punt on Spain as they didn't have a challenger. Royal support is assured and it is a proven tourist destination. I really hope it's Majorca as then I will have an excuse to visit my Australian and Swiss friends there!"
The usually conservative Swiss seem happy with the win. The Alinghi team and the America's Cup flew to Switzerland on a special charter flight. Forty-thousand people gathered at La Rotonde on the north bank of Lake Geneva to cheer their victory at a special ceremony. To keep the crowd warm, hot chocolate and tea were served. The evening ended with fireworks and a light show, taking the form of a neon green outline of the America's Cup.
A new chapter opens for the America's Cup.

Crime takes to high seas
Hijackings at sea doubled last year despite a fall in the total number of pirate attacks, according to figures released by the International Chamber of Commerce. The report on piracy shows that while attacks to ships were down by 27% to 335 worldwide in, the number of cases involving the capture and taking of the whole ship doubled from eight to 16.
ICC says the increase in hijackings is due to greater involvement in piracy by organized crime networks.
Pirates killed a total of 21 crewmembers and ships' passengers last year, and 210 more were taken hostage, the new report revealed. All but one of the murders were in Asian waters.
Last year 71 sea attacks involved guns, up from 53 in the year 2000, while assaults using knives fell from 132 to 105.
Indonesian waters and the Malacca Strait remain the world's most pirate-infested seas. But the new statistics suggest that recently intensified patrols have helped reduce pirate activity in the area.

Fitzalan Passage lights
Mariners are advised that a lighted Special Mark buoy FL.Y.2.5s has been established in approximate position Latitude 20°17.9313'S, Longitude 148°55.0470'E and another in approximate position Latitude 20°18.7922'S, Longitude 148°56.0571'E in Fitzalan Passage which is off Whitsunday Passage.
The buoys are expected to be in place until about Tuesday, 18 March 2003. Charts affected: AUS 252, 253, 254, 824

"The light which experience gives is a lantern on the setrn, which shines only on the waves behind us!"
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English poet, critic and philosopher. (1772 -1834)

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

BoatSafe license plans unveiled

Following a review of Queensland's recreational boat licensing arrangements, Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) is proposing to introduce a new competency-based training and assessment framework as a pre-requisite for the issue of a recreational boat licence.
"MSQ has developed the BoatSafe initiative that aims to further improve marine safety outcomes for recreational boat users in Queensland by enhancing the scope and quality of pre-licence training" says MSQ Director Captain John Watkinson.
"In formulating the BoatSafe framework, interstate and overseas recreational marine licence training and assessment models were examined to identify benchmark standards of pre-licence operator training and assessment. The scheme is modelled on nationally recognised competency-based training and assessment principles and processes." Captain Watkinson said.
There are four documents about the BoatSafe initiative for consideration and comment. A BoatSafe Policy Outline, Competency Standard for the Operation of a Powered Recreational Vessel in Queensland, Management Standards and an Audit Framework.
Written comments on the BoatSafe initiative must be received by close of business 14 April 2003 email: maritime.safety@msq.qld.gov.au



Clean up

The rain did not deter the usual suspects from our Rotary club who were on the job early Sunday morning ensuring the safe and orderly participation by volunteers in the fourteenth annual Clean Up Australia.
About forty volunteers were spread along the coastal strip braving the elements while retrieving a variety of rubbish mainly featuring plastic.
One volunteer told On the Waterfront that plastic bags were "everywhere".
"The plastic bags are just floating around the high tide line like a huge mass of jellyfish. It is easy to see why turtles die when the shoreline is also choking with these bags," she said.
One Rotary organiser Peter Jennings said there was a noticeable difference from the earlier years of the clean up.
"We have smaller rubbish to deal with these days. Things like mattresses are about the biggest we get now, where over the years we have had to pull whole car bodies and boats out of the mangroves and roadsides" Peter said.
The cleanest area around the waterfront is the lagoon due to the daily work of our council staff. If smokers would stop throwing cigarette butts around, the lagoon could win an award any day of the week.
Bouquets to our council workers, Rotary, Scouts, Zonta, Wildlife Preservation Society, Quota and the Hydeaway Bay Progress Committee for all the work done to provide a claen and safe environment.
In the Brickbats category, it is still a matter of concern that volunteers have to pick up used hypodermic syringes carelessly discarded by uncaring individuals.

That Cup again!

Certainly congratulations go to Ernesto Bertarelli and the Swiss Alinghi Team for winning the America's Cup and becoming the first Challenger to win on an initial attempt. Now the cup moves to Europe, beginning a new chapter in its 152-year history.
Alinghi eventually defeated Team New Zealand 5 - 0, after Race 4 was abandoned for many days due to too little or too much wind. When they finally raced TNZ was dismasted. Then they were defeated by 47 seconds in Race 5.
Alinghi's 41-year-old skipper, Russell Coutts, broke Dennis Conner's record of 13 America's Cup race victories. Coutts has also now equalled Charlie Barr and Harold Vanderbilt by winning three consecutive America's Cups.
While Coutts has won 14 consecutive races, some of his team-mates, also former TNZ crewmembers, have won 15 - Brad Butterworth, Murray Jones, Warwick Fleury, Simon Daubney and Dean Phipps.
The Commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron at a ceremony handed over the cup to the Swiss on Monday. Commemorative medals were awarded to both crews.
The Challenger of Record for the 32nd America's Cup will be the Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco, the home of Larry Ellison's Oracle BMW challenge. The Challenger of Record negotiates the rules for the next event with the Defender, representing the interests of all eventual challengers.
TNZ and the GBR Challenge will challenge again if they can attract sufficient funding. Patrizio Bertelli has told an Italian reporter that Prada won't challenge again. The French based K-Challenge 2006, set up by Ortwin Kandler, one of the pioneers of the Airbus industry, has been training for the next Cup with Dawn Riley as team manager.

Two land reef fines

Combined fines of $40,000 were handed down to two men convicted for separate offences in Breach of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act.
The Korean trained master, Ha Tek Bok, of the Bulk Carrier Seakoh was fined $15, 000 in default of 12 months imprisonment for unpermitted ship operations.
On November 30 2001 a Marine Parks Ranger observed the, 86,210 tonne, Seakoh come past the northern end of Sykes Reef heading west. Under the Mackay Capricorn Marine Park Zoning Plan, ships with a gross tonnage in excess of 1500 tonnes are not permitted to traverse this General Use B zone.
A fisherman was fined $25 000 in default of 12 months imprisonment for fishing in a Marine Park B Zone, also known as a Green Zone, at the unnamed Reef 21-532 within the Swains Reefs. Marine Parks Rangers observed the man fishing in the Green Zone on April 20 2002.
According to GBRMPA Executive Director John Tanzer the convictions should send a clear message to offenders.
"As we have said earlier and we are now seeing. Our interagency cooperation has never been better. We are very serious about protecting the Great Barrier Reef. To those who think they can get away with damaging or putting the Reef into danger there is a good chance they will be prosecuted," Mr Tanzer said.

Weather report

With cyclone Erica spinning around out in the Coral Sea, media weather reports are saying the position of the storm is '600 kilometres east of Proserpine'.
At least tourist operators can't complain about any reference to the Whitsundays.

Fitzalan Passage lights

Mariners are advised that a lighted Special Mark buoy FL.Y.2.5s has been established in approximate position Latitude 20°17.9313'S, Longitude 148°55.0470'E and another in approximate position Latitude 20°18.7922'S, Longitude 148°56.0571'E in Fitzalan Passage which is off Whitsunday Passage.
The buoys are expected to be in place until about Tuesday, 18 March 2003. Charts affected: AUS 252, 253, 254, 824

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

edit your blog:
Bag yourself a better environment

A sea change has accompanied the annual Clean Up Australia over the past fourteen years. People all over our country are taking the environment seriously with the practical message that yes, you can make a difference.
Everyone who has taken part in the annual clean up will relate the huge amount of plastic that is retrieved. While we may laugh at or puzzle over why we find more left thongs on the day, it is no laughing matter when you're hauling in fishing nets, plastic bags, beer rings, packaging and hypodermic syringes.
While some originates from the sea, much is land sourced. Plastic bags and indeed many plastic items find their way into the sea, often in storm water runoff.
Plastic bags in the marine environment are dangerous to turtles and boat engines. Turtles think plastic bags are tasty jellyfish but, the bags are indigestible and the turtles die. Boat engine cooling water intakes choke with plastic, overheat and die.
Cane farmers seem to keep getting a caning from some commentators while urban areas keep dumping plastic, oil and chemical laden storm water and sewage into the sea with impunity. Governments even brag about how much taxpayer money they spend to more efficiently dump waste into the sea.
Clean Up Australia's 'Bag Yourself a Better Environment' campaign aims have been supported by the findings of the Plastic Bag Working Group, released by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, the Hon Dr David Kemp.
The goals of refuse, reuse, reduce, recycle have been integrated into Federal Government policy. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has called on retailers to set targets for reducing and recycling plastic bags and to help change the culture of plastic bag use by participating in education campaigns such a Clean Up's Bag Yourself a Better Environment.
Clean Up Australia founder, yachtsman Ian Kiernan said, "Clean Up Australia developed the Bag Yourself a Better Environment campaign in 2001, with the aim of helping retailers and customers change their behaviour using the 4Rs - refuse, reuse, reduce, recycle. We are delighted that the government has decided to follow the precedent set by Bag Yourself a Better Environment.
Kiernan is calling on Australian retailers, councils and customers to tackle the plastic bag menace by joining the Bag Yourself a Better Environment (BYBE) campaign, which includes a month of action in March 2003.
"Retailers should be aiming for a 50% reduction in plastic bag use", Kiernan said at the campaign launch earlier this month.
"That means that every retailer and customer in Australia should be aiming to refuse plastic bags as often as possible, reuse the ones they must take, and then recycle them through facilities available at their local Coles or Woolworths. Retailers and councils who want to participate in the month of action should call Clean Up on 1800 024 890."
Further information about Clean Up Australia Day call Margaret Perkins on 4945 3199 or Cathie Plant of the Whitsunday Shire Council on 4945 0262 or www.cleanup.com.au
Events and Times: Cannonvale State School, Schools Clean Up Day 12:30 Friday - not open to the public. Proserpine area, Meet at Pioneer Park at 8.30am Sunday. Airlie Beach, Cannonvale, 8:30 Sunday Beach/Coastal. Hideaway Bay Progress Association, 09:00 Sunday Roadway clean up.

Freedom Ship plan
It's March 2012, and the Freedom Ship, a floating city nearly a mile long, is in the midst of its second two-year voyage around the world.
The ship has just begun a three-week stay in international waters off Sydney. For the 40,000 or so semi-permanent residents of the ship, it's an opportunity to visit a beautiful English-speaking city.
Paul Kidwell, an engineer who was 32 years old back in 2002 when he helped design the ship, has just turned 42. He and his wife are spending a month in a water view suite reserved for the Freedom Ship's executive team.
A fellow engineer Norm Nixon first dreamed up the Freedom Ship in 1994.
Everything about the proposed ship is staggering in its scale. Not to be outdone, the Discovery Channel in July began featuring the Freedom Ship as one of three examples of "Engineering the Impossible."
If their mission succeeds, the next stage will be an initial public stock offer for Freedom Ship International, which would be in control of the shipyard and would be piecing the ship's hull together in the waters of Belize or Honduras.
True believer Laura Goodman has made her own goals coincide with those of the Freedom Ship makers. A Florida travel agent, Goodman several years ago gave the company money in return for a promissory note and a reservation on a residential unit aboard the ship.
"I am going to open a travel agency aboard the ship," she said
Residences would range from a "motel room" to the ultimate, a 5,100-square-foot unit with 236 feet of water views for $9,137,000. The monthly maintenance fees on these -- going toward maintenance of the entire ship -- would range from $492 to $14,716.
The Freedom Ship -- and the TV shows that have glorified its mission -- has attracted retirees and idealistic youngsters. "The biggest risk is getting enough money --$800 million plus -- to finish the project."
Yeah, that's always the case.

Abel Point sea wall
Mariners are advised that construction of a sea wall has commenced at the end of the existing sea wall of the Abel Point Marina. The end of the existing sea wall will be removed and replaced with a new section that will extend about 70 metres into the marina access channel. Mariners should use caution in the vicinity. Charts affected: AUS 252, 253, 268

"A teacher affects eternity and can never tell where the influence stops."
Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Piracy: past or present problem?

Although Piracy is often seen as a problem of the past, associating images of the skulls and crossbones flag with galleons of gold and cutthroat villains, it has rapidly become an issue of today. Since the 1970's, Piracy has steadily been on the increase around the world and has today reached a level, which cannot be ignored.
Maritime Safety Committee at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reviewed the situation concerning Piracy two decades ago. Legal problems encountered were such that attacks in a home port or within Territorial waters were not considered Acts of Piracy and were subject to treatment by local law as armed robbery. This led to the establishment of "Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships" as a work in progress amongst the concerned IMO committee's.
At a recent meeting the IMO noted with concern the latest statistics on incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea, in particular the identified 20% increase in the reported acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships. This worrying development was a cause for concern and much needed doing to reduce this menace.
The number of acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships during the first eight months of 2002, as reported to the Organization, was 228, a marginal decrease of 1% over the figure for the corresponding period of 2001. However, comparing the figures for the first ten months of 2001 (263) with the corresponding period of 2002 (315) there was an increase of approximately 20%. The total number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships, reported to have occurred from 1984, when the organization began recording reports of piracy and armed robbery incidents, to the end of October 2002, had risen to 2,880.
Between 1 January and 31 October 2002, twelve ships had been hijacked and eight ships had gone missing. From the reports received it had also emerged that the areas most affected were the Far East, in particular the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean, South America (Pacific and Atlantic) and West and East Africa. Most of the attacks worldwide were reported to have taken place in territorial waters while the ships were at anchor or berthed. In many of the reports received, the crews had been violently attacked by groups of five to ten people carrying knives or guns. During the same period, four passengers and one crew member of the ships involved had been killed and seventy-one crew members and twelve passengers of the ships had been reported missing.
It is important that attacks on Yachts are reported as well as attacks on larger commercial vessels. The International Sailing Federation will transmit to the IMO any information sent to it by yacht skippers. This should contain as a minimum the date, time and location of the attack with a brief description. All acts of piracy should be reported to create a greater awareness or areas where acts or piracy are likely to occur and the types of incidents reported.

Readers ask about . . . containers

Several readers have heard about the loss of shipping containers at sea and the subsequent danger particularly to yachts and small craft. Your Waterfront writer had to dig around for some figures, as insurance companies were not forthcoming about the numbers involved.
There have been incidents involving yachts. A friend had the keel shaved off the bottom of his yacht, which then quickly sank, leaving him and two crew standing on the submerged container.
If you were at sea and saw a flock of birds rise up from the sea in front of your ship, change course as the birds may have been standing on a semi-submerged container. Radar cannot detect the container when it is awash.
Every year over 100 million containers are transported around the world - however, not all of them reach their final destination. Approximately 10,000 containers are lost at sea every year, leaving opportunities for destruction in their wake.
A typical 40-foot x 8-foot container can carry up to 26,000 kilograms of cargo and usually floats either on or just below the surface of the water depending on its contents.
Those that float on the surface of the water may be occasionally spotted by radar and cause minimal damage to a crafts hull, but those that float just below the surface of the water cannot be spotted by radar or sometimes even the naked eye, and may cause substantial damage by tearing the guts out of any hull that has the misfortune of hitting it.
In response to the increased pressure regarding the dangers of lost containers, the International Maritime Organization started the process of implementing the Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing 'the CSS Code'. This code set recommendation for methods of securing cargoes on and under deck.
As the loss of containers overboard continued unabated, the IMO took the strongest action possible and that was the requirement for cargo securing manuals to be included in the Safety of Life at Sea Conventions.

Crocs for bucks

From crocodile farms, Australia exports about 5,000 crocodile skins a year. Most go to Paris, where a crocodile purse can sell for more than $10,000.

Oldest measure

The cubit is the oldest known measurement, appearing in the Bible when God gives Noah instructions for the ark. Described as a Royal Cubit, it was measured from the elbow to the thumb knuckle. It was a means of insuring that the nobility got a larger share at the market place.

"A teacher affects eternity and can never tell where the influence stops."

Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Info for sailors Each year the Australian Hydrographic Office issues a publication titled 'Annual Australian Notices to Mariners'. This compact publication contains a huge amount of information of importance to those mariners who venture out to the Great Barrier Reef or want current information on many issues.
The new edition contains information about charts, depths, marine radio changes, garbage disposal, search and rescue, navigation in the Great Barrier Reef, maritime jurisdiction, protected areas, sea safety reporting for Small craft and weather broadcasts and plenty more.
Regular readers of On The Waterfront will have read the occasional Notice to Mariners often placed at the bottom of the column. These are issued regularly during the year and distributed by Maritime Safety Queensland.
The 2003 issue of the 'Annual Australian Notices to Mariners' is out now and available at chart agents. I got my free copy from Terry Kelly at Marlin Marine as I have for many years.

Jack's luck runs out

For those readers who have doubts about tagging fish and the perceived high mortality rate of fish wearing the plastic jewellery then read on as Capt Ken Bryant reports Jack's luck finally runs out after five escapes.
A 33cm mangrove jack tagged at Wild Cattle Creek near Townsville on October 28 2000 was recaptured and released in the same area only 48 days after it's initial capture, and according to respected tagging co-ordinator Bill Sawynock, had grown a healthy 10mm.
The fish, still under the minimum legal size of 35cm, was duly released and was at liberty for a further 320 days before being recaptured on October 31, 2001.
Now measuring an impressive 37.5cm the fish was again released in the same area and was free for another 47 days before being hooked and landed by it's original tagging angler Adam Marquard.
Marquard was to unbelievably catch this fish a third time some 353 days later while fishing the same creek and yet again gave the fish its liberty while measuring a tempting 43cm.
The luckiest mangrove jack in the world was caught for the sixth and final time having been recaptured on five occasions when Peter Weeks caught the fish on January 19, measuring 45cm.
Tight lines. Ken Bryant

Hams lost in space
These three ham radio operators lost their lives last weekend along with the entire crew of STS-107, Shuttle Columbia, as it seemed to explode, burn and disintegrate over Texas, just some sixteen (16) minutes before touchdown after her 16 days in space.
The crew with Amateur Radio Calls were Mission Specialists: 'KC' Chawla KD5ESI; David Brown KC5ZTC and Laurel Clark KC5ZSU.
Students from Melbourne's Glen Waverley College were devastated, they were in the USA to watch Columbia carry a school project into the void of deep space, a science experiment that took 8 'Aussie' spiders into the void, to test the strength of spider webs in zero-gravity.
Through the Space Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) and the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) programs, amateurs have enjoyed a special relationship with the astronaut corps.

60 years of service
The Pacific Inter Island Net conducted on 14.315mhz at 0800z has been on air for over 60 yrs. Spokesham Chris VK2UW says the net was set-up to help the islanders and mariners throughout the Pacific Ocean Area.
Mariners can use the Net to log into while sailing the Pacific as well as other Nets. A Link has been set-up for Family Members to keep in contact or pass messages on to net controllers for those travelling the Pacific Ocean.
VK2UW says they are also involved with the ARRL Emergency services including Amateur Radio Emergency services and the Red Cross along with the Boat watch Centre.
Included in the coverage of the Pacific Inter island Net is another service called the Pacific Island Disaster Net, this net has been set-up to help the Islands in the Pacific in case of a disaster like cyclones etc.

Brazilian fashion revealed in Whitsunday

I'm not generally known for being a fashionista, but occasionally something catches my eye.
While we don't want sugar from Brazil, you won't hear a complaint about the new "Brazilian" bikini as modelled by a couple of Brazilians on board the ship recently while sailing around the Whitsunday islands.
The ship's dive instructor said the fashion almost-garment was "cheeky" while the cook regarded the well-exposed rump as "tasty".
Mrs. Cap'n Dan has just enlightened me about the "Brazilian Wax", but I don't believe anyone would put themselves through such torture! Then again, we are talking fashion.

Travel destination
A Radio Canada International survey asked 'Which country would you most like to visit?'
The winner, by a landslide, was Australia. New Zealand came in a distant second and a few interesting choices came up, including Egypt, Lebanon, Greenland and Siberia!

Crocs for bucks
From crocodile farms, Australia exports about 5,000 crocodile skins a year. Most go to Paris, where a crocodile purse can sell for more than $10,000.

Oldest measure
The cubit is the oldest known measurement, appearing in the Bible when God gives Noah instructions for the ark. Described as a Royal Cubit, it was measured from the elbow to the thumb knuckle. It was a means of insuring that the nobility got a larger share at the market place.

"A teacher affects eternity and can never tell where the influence stops."
Fair winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan