Environment

Ocean gyres concentrate plastic pollution in five main areas of the world's ocean and various research groups are bringing back alarming data documenting plastics impacts for the seas' fauna and flora. For some years, a number of sea protection organisations have been organising beach cleaning campaigns in spring every year, where thousands of tons of plastic garbage is collected. This year, almost 1'000 actions have been announced. The first ones will begin on the coming weekend. A report.

Decision making at the International Sailing Federation ISAF is based on submissions made by National Authorities, Recognised Classes and ISAF Committees. It is up to all interested parties to assume their rights to direct the sport in a direction wanted by a majority with meaningful proposals. After deliberations, Council, representing the ISAF Members, makes the final decisions at the Annual Conference, this year in Puerto Rico from Nov 3 to 13. The deadline for receipt of submissions was 12:00 UTC 1 August 2011.
During their July meeting, the Board of Directors of US SAILING unanimously approved twelve Submissions to ISAF for changes in the 2013-2016 Racing Rules of Sailing. These Submissions were prepared by the US Racing Rules Committee, which met 19 times since last October to consider, discuss, and revise the proposed changes. Additionally, the committee members exchanged literally hundreds of e-mail messages with comments and proposed rewording of the rules in question.
The respective Submissions are posted on the US SAILING website.

1,3 mio tons of plastic produced world-wide ends up in the Oceans annually, finally concentrating in one of the Earth's five great ocean garbage patches. Breaking into smaller and smaller pieces, some pieces end up in plankton and algae, or drift to the ocean floor. Others are mistaken for food by turtles. The stomach content of a juvenile sea turtle accidentally captured off the coast of Argentina, contained 74 plastic objects. (Image). Like so many environmental problems, ocean plastic seems overwhelming. But countries like China, South Africa and Thailand are already taxing or banning single-use plastic bags, which pose the greatest threat to turtles. A report.

West Marine announced the recipients of their first annual Marine Conservation Grants program. Grants for a total amount of $30,000 are being awarded to non-profit organizations throughout the U.S. who are working to "improve and protect marine habitat," which is part of West Marine's mission. The nine winners: California & Hawaii: The Ocean Foundation Tag-a-Giant Fund; Huntington Beach, Calif.: Get Inspired; Sebastian, Fort Pierce, Indian River Lagoon, Fla.: Marine Cleanup Initiative, Inc; Jacksonville Fla.: Think It, Sink It, Reef It (TISRI); New Orleans La.: Marine Research and Assistance Council and Friends of the West End; South Carolina & Texas: Coastal Conservation Association (CCA); Orange County, Calif.: Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA); Get the details (PDF).

Hurricane Igor is forecast to clip southeast Newfoundland and a tropical storm warning is in effect from Stones Cove northward and westward to Charlottetown and the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. Along with the strong winds, rainfall could locally near 8 to 10 inches in a few locations. As of 11 PM Eastern Time Monday, the center of Igor was located about 565 miles southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland. Top winds with Igor are 75 miles per hour, making Igor a minimal hurricane. However, since Igor is a rather large system, hurricane force winds extend up to 85 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend up to 380 miles away from the center. Igor is not expected to change much in strength as it transitions into an extratropical system over the next 24 hours. Igor is moving to the northeast at 29 miles per hour. Well away from Igor, large swells should continue to impact much of the East Coast of the United States and the south shores of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland through Tuesday, with dangerous rip currents expected in the surf zone. Large swells impacting the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Hispaniola continue to slowly subside. Meanwhile, a new tropical depression, number 14, is forming west of the Cap Verde islands with sustained winds of 35 mph, slowly moving north. The report and NOAA's Active Storm page.

Dame Ellen MacArthur says she learnt about sustainability from her experiences sailing around the world. She told BBC Radio 5: "Having collected everything I would need for my survival for two and a half months and having to manage it...I had a real idea of the notion of finite." MacArthur has set up an educational foundation to promote sustainability. Key objectives include: To provide a framework for change through inspirational content, education programs and communication. To help seed the future economy with people with the knowledge and skills to build a sustainable future. To engage with industry and showcase what is already happening in this area and challenge the status quo. For more of ellen's plans, visit the Foundation's Web site.

As Tropical Storm Danielle dissipates in the North Atlantic, the East Coast of the U.S. is bracing for a brush with Hurricane Earl. Earl is now a powerful Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands and a watch is in effect for the southeastern Bahamas.The center of Earl will continue to move away from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands this morning and move over the open Atlantic east of the Turks and Caicos. Tropical storm force winds extend as far as 200 miles. The hurricane center warns that interests from the Carolinas northward to New England should monitor the progress of Earl. Complete report in Trade Only Today.
Check out the NOAA's storm page to get a read on the predicted track of the season's second major hurricane that looks like it will be rolling up the eastern seaboard from Florida to Newfoundland. You might find value in playing with the animations on the tracking page by Sailing Weather Service where you can zoom in over the Chesapeake or New England.

A new 13-week television show series aims to show an up close view of the devastating impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on Gulf of Mexico boating and fishing communities. Airing Sundays at 10 a.m. (EDT) on Fox Sports Net and presented by BoatUS Angler, Cabela's Fisherman's Handbook portrays a realistic picture of conditions out in the field. Visits to bird recovery facilities, documenting the oil spill's damage to sensitive marshes and bays, and most importantly, fishing trips on the large swaths of unaffected areas are all included. BoatUS set up a Web site, to help boaters stay informed, safeguard their boats, and assist with recovery efforts. The full release.

After 130 days and 8000 miles, Sailing News friend David de Rothschild, his 60-foot plastic-bottle cat 'Plastiki' and the intrepid crew have reached Sydney, Australia, the final destination of their cross-Pacific voyage from San Francisco, CA. Yesterday they arrived at Sydney's Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, to the welcome of family, friends and supporters. The 'Plastiki' was officially greeted by Sydney's Deputy Lord Mayor, Phillip Black and the US Ambassador to Australia, Jeffrey Bleich. The pursuit of this ocean expedition that started in March in San Francisco was to alert the world to the effects of single-use plastics on the health of the oceans and its inhabitants. The boat will be on public display for the next month at the ANMM. "It's an incredible feeling to finally arrive in Sydney,” expedition leader, David de Rothschild said. "We had great faith in the design and construction of "Plastiki” and while many people doubted we'd make it, we have proved that a boat made from plastic bottles can stand up to the harsh conditions of the Pacific.” Read their blog and see the gallery.

A couple who took a yacht for a quiet sailing trip were stunned when a 40-ton whale crash-landed on their boat off Cape Town RSA. The pair were enjoying calm seas off the South African coast when the animal flipped into the air and smashed into their mast. Ralph Mothes, 59, and Paloma Werner, 50, were helpless as the beast thrashed around on their 33ft vessel before slipping back into the water. Miss Werner said: "It really was quite incredible but very scary. The whale was about the same size as the boat. "We'd spotted it about 100 metres away and thought that was the end of it. Then suddenly it was right up beside us. "I assumed it would go underneath the boat but instead it sprang out of the sea. We were very lucky to get through it, as the sheer weight of the thing was huge. "There were bits of skin and blubber left behind, and the mast was wrecked. It brought down the rigging too." Thank goodness the hull was made of steel and not fibreglass or we could have been ruined." The story and a slide show.

'Plastiki,' David de Rothschild's plastic bottle catamaran, is on schedule to reach their final destination of Sydney by July 25. Boat and crew will be moored in Sydney's Darling Harbour, at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Originally they wanted to pit stop at Coffs Harbour and rendezvous with a pre-arranged charter escort vessel. But due to the "unpredictable nature of 'Plastiki's' sailing capabilities and the prevailing weather conditions,” as a press release put it, the crew opted to get the escort vessel sooner to avoid being set north of their intended staging destination of Coffs Harbor. The 13 meter AVCG vessel, 'The Mooloolaba Rescue' rendezvoused with the 'Plastiki' on Sunday afternoon and is now in Mooloolaba. Read the phone log from a call by the Man, David de Rothschild, himself.

The parking lot entrance of Key Sailing offers a breezeway to paradise. Out the back, Santa Rosa Sound beckons with its gentle surf, wide expanse and sparkling shoreline of Quiet water Beach. In the summer, it's usually a crowded hub of boating activity. "I would have 10 kids running around the beach right now doing stuff, three or four people working the counter and 100 people lined up out the door,'' said Kirk Newkirk, who has operated the business for 36 years. But not now. Not this week. Not this summer. While the sound has not been dotted by tar mats or tar balls, the impact of the oil spill has been severe for Key Sailing and other businesses on Pensacola Beach offering water recreation activities. The water has been perfectly fine for sailing and boating, but far less people are doing it. "Percentage-wise, we are down somewhere between 70 to 80 percent,” Newkirk said. Pick a day, any day from May 1 until today, and Newkirk can show the log sheet of rentals. In addition to sailboat rentals, Key Sailing offers parasailing excursions, jet ski rentals and pontoon boat rentals. "Here's eight people (renting) on May 6, 12 people on May 7, whereas in a typical day we would fill a column and a half (of rentals),'' Newkirk said. "Instead of eight, we would have 80.” Read the entire story of the Pensacola News Journal.

It's a rough ride for Plastiki', David de Rothschild's plastic bottle cat that is on it's way from Samoa to Sydney Australia. Gale force winds and 25-foot waves are their companions as the boat twists, yaws and lurches toward Oz. They will put in somewhere on the coast, probably Coffs Harbour, before rolling into Sydney, provided the boat holds up. No dates have been announced. Vern Moen blogged about the experience:
'Mr. T, David, Max, and myself are wrestling 60 knots of wind as we perch off the bow and wrestle the headsail like we've never wrestled before. It's like holding onto the cape of a giant, flying grizzly bear. All hands on deck. No cameras were rolling. It's not documented anywhere. A moment that is just for the three of us to keep.We're currently experiencing a different side of the ocean than what we've grown so accustomed to in the previous 6,700 miles. We seem to have ventured into the land of 60 knot winds and 25 foot waves.Being on the helm is the most dramatic view of the situation. Physically, you're about a foot away from the edge of the boat, so as a wave builds, it seems to be building especially for you. Though waves hit the side every 3 seconds, the biggest waves come in sets; about every 1 minute, and there's usually 3 per set. These are the monsters.” Read it all.

World Trade Center construction workers dug up something unexpected this week: an 18th century sailing ship. Plans for the new Trade Center require workers to unearth parts of lower Manhattan left undisturbed during construction of the original buildings. During part of this dig, in an area between Liberty and Cedar Streets, beams of wood rose from the mud. Yesterday, archaeologists confirmed that 20 to 30 feet below street level, a 30-foot ship chunk has rested for more than 200 years.
It's not unusual for such artifacts to hide under large coastal cities. As a young city's population grows, inhabitants look for any way possible to extend the city's borders, transforming dirt and trash poured into the water into prime real estate. As The New York Times reports, this isn't the first ship uncovered in Manhattan. In 1982, New Yorkers discovered a 1700s sailing vessel that had been hiding under 175 Water Street. The story in Discover magazine

Yestereday, David de Rothschild and his mates on the plastic bottle catamaran Plastiki departed Noumea, New Caledonia, with course for the Australian coast. It is a 10-14 day passage for this kind of boat (not exactly fast) in fair winds. They hope to reach Sydney between the 18th and 25th of July, weather permitting. On arrival day we are anticipating a welcome flotilla and photo opportunity and then press conference, following that the crew will take part in various keynotes, roundtables and discussions. Regarding the structural reinforcements that had to be made in Samoa, de Rothschild said they concerned the brackets that connect the deck beams to the hulls and had buckled through the rig loads, the boat's motion and the hot weather. Read more.

The Florida Keys, Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas have a 61 to 80 percent chance of being impacted by oil from the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. However, any oil reaching these areas would have spent considerable time degrading and dispersing and would be in the form of tar balls, not a large surface slick, NOAA added. Much of Florida's west coast has a low probability - 20 percent or less - of oiling. NOAA used modeling of historical wind and ocean currents to project the likelihood that surface oil will impact additional U.S. coastline. More on Trade Only Today.

US Sailing is getting in on the oil-spill-update act, collecting and disseminating information for sailors who might be directly or indirectly affected by the pollution. And the threat is very real: As Sailing News reported last month, the Hobie Cat class canceled a major event on the Gulf coast earlier this year due to concerns about sailors' health. John Matthews, former Commodore of the Pensacola Yacht Club (PYC) reported that the 2010 Gulfport to Pensacola Race (run every year since 1948) on June 11 was canceled, but that the Gulf Yachting Association Challenge Cup on June 18-20 was held, albeit with fewer boats than normal. A total of 28 Optis plus several Flying Scots, 420s and Lasers have registered for the Junior Olympic Festival scheduled for the Fourth of July and the club says it is on track to host the U.S. Singlehanded Championship on July 29 – Aug.1. Go to the US Sailing oil spill page for more info and useful links.

Tropical Storm 'Alex', the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, is moving across the Yucatan Peninsula and into the Gulf of Mexico today on a track that would keep it away from the Gulf oil spill. The storm, with maximum sustained winds near 50 miles per hour, was becoming better organized as it moved slowly away from the Yucatan Peninsula, according to an advisory issued early this morning from the National Hurricane Center. Alex could become a hurricane by Tuesday. More in Trade Only Today.

AccuWeather.com chief hurricane meteorologist Joe Bastardi increased his original forecast of 16 to 18 storms to 18 to 21, with six hurricanes, two or three of which will have major landfalls. As many as three other tropical systems have the potential to track close enough to the spill to impact cleanup and other operations, as well as other oil rigs in the Gulf. Bastardi predicts the time period between Aug. 15 and Oct. 15 will be most active. Read the story in TradeOnly Online.

[Ed note: While the oil keeps gushing, BP boss Tony Hayward goes sailing… the UK tabloids are all over this]
The BP boss at the centre of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill came under further pressure last night after he was spotted relaxing at a yachting event on the Isle of Wight. Tony Hayward, BP's £1million-a-year chief executive, was enjoying the clear blue waters of the Solent, 4,500 miles away from the disaster. His appearance came as it was reported he had been removed from day-to-day control of the crisis. Just 48 hours after Mr Hayward was 'sliced and diced' for four hours at a US Congressional hearing in Washington in which he was accused of failing to take responsibility and ignoring dangers when BP was drilling in the Gulf, he watched a 52ft yacht named Bob, which he co-owns, take part in the JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race yesterday. It came fourth in its class behind triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie. Read the full report.

World Oceans Day was a day to celebrate our seas and a time to honor ocean heroes across the planet. But not in Japan, where two anti-whaling activists, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, known as the Tokyo Two, were arrested two years ago after exposing government corruption at the heart of Japan's whaling industry. They stood trial last week and the prosecution demanded a sentence of 18 months in jail. If imposed, this would be the longest jail term for any Greenpeace activist. Read the Greenpeace report.

For those who were busy racing, here are some reports you might have missed in our weekend editions: Star EC - Campbell/Nichol win Silver; Teen Sailing - Abby's next ride; Laser EC - Croatia x 2; Etchells NA - Golison wins; Bol d'Or - Dona beats the boys; Oil spill - Hobie Cat event canceled; Beach Cat - Round Texel preview.

The Coast Guard has given BP engineers to the end of the weekend to increase the containment of the oil spilling from the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico. The order came in a letter sent to the company on Friday by Rear Adm. James A. Watson, who is the federal government's on-scene coordinator for the cleanup effort. The letter, which was released to the media on Saturday, was sent to Doug Suttles, BP's chief operating officer. "I am concerned that your current plans do not provide for maximum mobilization of resources to provide the needed collection capacity consistent with the revised flow estimates,” Admiral Watson wrote. "Recognizing the complexity of the challenge, every effort must be expended to speed up the process.” Read the New York Times report and view the shocking gallery.

In support of its ongoing efforts to improve and protect the marine environment, West Marine is launching a Marine Conservation Grants program and donating $30,000 to local recreational fishing and conservation organizations. The grants will be awarded to groups that offer conservation projects that are beneficial to recreational fishing and sustainable commercial fishing, while preserving marine resources. There will be five to ten grants awarded in amounts ranging from $500 -$5000 per recipient. Applications are available online beginning today, June 8, 2010 on World Oceans Day. The closing date for entries is September 1, 2010 and official rules and application information can be found here.

Saturday, June 5, 4 p.m., Portland, Ore. Yours Truly returned from a two-hour leisure paddle on the lower Willamette River between St. Johns Bridge and the confluence with the Columbia. I had left empty-handed, but started picking up trash that passed within arm's reach. The tally: 86 pieces of crap (including the patio chair) that won't end up in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. We have to stop talking and start doing, because the buck stops with us. Tuesday is World Oceans Day. What's on your agenda? Send us your pictures and stories.

Encouraged of by their success in helping push the Assembly to ban stupid single-use plastic bags in California, Sealife Conservation kicks off celebrations for World Oceans Day tonight from 5:30 to 7 p.m. with a sunset cruise on Monterey Bay with their sleek research vessel, the 65-foot cat ketch 'Derek M Baylis'. Along for the ride will be best-selling author Douglas Carlton Abrams who will share tales of diving with whales in Tonga and reveal little-known marine conservation facts, while guests enjoy wine and light refreshments and the natural wonders of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Boarding starts at 5:15 pm at 66 Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, cost is $55 for general public, $45 for Monterey Bay Aquarium members. For reservations and more information, contact the Monterey Bay Aquarium at (831) 647–6886 or visit the Web site.

Atlantic hurricane season, in case you conveniently forgot, is upon us in a few days, officially beginning June 1. Last year, there were just nine tropical storms - the fewest since 1997. However, 2010 is an El Niño year and could bring on as many as 18 named storms. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) advises boaters in hurricane states to be proactive with damage prevention and offers online help. Check out the BoatUS Hurricane Resource Center. Alas, no word on what to do if hurricane meets oil spill…

No matter how you parse it, the Gulf oil spill looks like a catastrophe that will have far-reaching implications on energy policy, on seafood prices and on recreational boating. Just how much has spilled since the explosion of the drilling rig a month ago, is a wild guess, because neither government nor BP seem to be eager to measure it. The New York Times reported that two ocean scientists of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, "who have routinely made such measurements, spoke extensively to BP last week … and were poised to fly to the gulf to conduct volume measurements,” but were told "not to come.” The Times published estimates that range from 6.2 million gallons (NOAA) to 83 million (worst case scenario by BP). By comparison the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 was 10.8 million gallons. Now that the slick is connecting to the circular current in the Gulf it looks like it is only going to be a matter of time before it reaches the Florida Keys. Check the NYT oil tracker map and join the discussion on our Facebook page.

The Deepwater Explorer oil spill in the Gulf has many Americans concerned. To help see first-hand what the ongoing spill means to recreational boaters and anglers, the BoatUS Foundation dispatched Chris Edmonston to the front lines in Louisiana to investigate. He filed these pictures and his findings are incorporated on this map. From TowBoatUS Pass Christian, near Bay St. Louis: "Boating here has almost come to a standstill. All marinas, bays, bayous, and rivers have been boomed as of Saturday 5/2/10. There is very little boating activity; all recreational and commercial fishing has been banned beyond the barrier islands.” According to some news reports, some of the oil has already reached the loop current, which means it is heading southeast toward Florida and, quite likely, out into the Gulf Current. Stay tuned for updates. Meanwhile here are some numbers and a place to get more informaiton:
• To report oiled shoreline or request volunteer information, call 1-866-448-5816.
• To report oiled wildlife, call 1-866-557-1401 and leave a message.
• To report oil spill related damage, call 1-800-440-0858.
For more boating-related information, visit the BoatUS oil spill page.

The American Sail Training Association, commended by the US Congress as the National Sail Training Organization and representative in the international sail training forum, has partnered with Great Lakes United to bring a fleet of international tall ships to the Great Lakes as part of the Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge 2010 race series June 30 – August 29. While ASTA trains young sailors in the tradition of a rich sailing history, Great Lakes United presses the importance of protecting the waters that these ships, sailors and 40 million people depend on. The race leads across all five Great Lakes and stops in several ports. More on the ASTA Web site.

More than 200 boats were damaged Monday in a tornado that leveled a marina in Norman, Okla. Bob Davis has owned the Little River Marina on Lake Thunderbird for 21 years. Davis said the marina, worth about $2 million — not including the 275 or so boats that were docked there — is a total loss. Read more and watch the video.

After spending 10 days on Christmas Island (Kiritimati Atoll) David de Rothschild and Plastiki started the next leg across the Pacific toward Australia. As they sail on, they continue their mission against plastic garbage that is degrading the world's oceans and the wasteful consumption of bottled water. Worldwide, 154 billion liters (40 billion gallons) of water were filled into plastic bottles in 2004. To make a one-liter bottle (1 quart) it takes approximately three liters of water. To top it off, only 20 percent of water bottles are recycled.
Water also has been the biggest supply issue on Plastiki. Due to a lack of rain, the onboard catchments did not provide nearly enough to replenish the tanks, so it had to be rationed at the end of Leg 1. For this stage, the crew has bunkered 1,400 liters (370 gal.), which are stored in bladders inside each hull. Follow the trip.

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has launched a new Web site for recreational boaters affected by the Gulf oil spill, which can help them stay informed, safeguard their boats, and assist with recovery efforts. The site brings together a range of resources and information, including how to protect your boat and the environment as well as cleanup tips. The NOAA Web site with live trajectory maps shows the projected movement of the oil slick. Additionally, included are links to the most current information, including the official Deepwater Horizon Response website, as well as news updates, video footage, and other reports.

Eighteen boats will set sail on Wednesday and Thursday May 12-13 in the 26th biennial Regata al Sol from Pensacola, Fla. to Isla Mujeres MEX, trying to avoid the drifting oil slick from the blowout of the BP oilrig in the Gulf of Mexico. Having tracked the spill daily for the last couple of weeks, race officials will institute an offset east of the rhumb-line course that will provide a safety buffer away from the spill. Scratch boat will be the TP52 'Decision' that will have a tough time breaking the existing record of 59 hours 4 minutes for the 555 nautical mile course that will be at least a dozen miles longer this year due to the new routing. The race is co-sponsored by Southern Yacht Club, Pensacola Yacht Club and Club de Yates de Isla Mujeres. Follow the race here.

After 39 days and 3617 nautical miles at sea the Plastiki crew have reached Christmas Island within the Republic of Kiribati and the Line Islands. Having now completed nearly half of the distance as the crow flies to Sydney, and sailed the longest, most remote leg of the journey they arrived at Christmas Island on Wednesday 28th April. Upon their arrival they were greeted by 100 locals aboard a rusty boat that guided the plastic bottle catamaran into a mooring where the crew quickly disembarked to set foot on dry land after 39 days at se. Later the crew talked to 1,000 high school students on the topic of recycling and the need to raise awareness for this issue. Once they are prepared for the next leg, photographer Luca Babini and Graham Hill, founder of Treehugger.com will replace Vern Moen and Olav Heyerdahl. Follow the expedition.

The brownish slick covers 2000 square miles of ocean surface and moves toward the Louisiana coast. After last week's explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon drill rig in the Gulf of Mexico, thousands of gallons of crude continue to be discharged into the ocean, which has boaters wondering what they can do to prevent damage to their boats. Forecasters say changes in wind direction could see the light oil slick could be making landfall possibly as early as today. The Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) offers the following tips: Don't cross oil containment booms; if there is oil in your marina, don't run engines with seawater intakes; if you haul out, don't assume costs will be reimbursed by British Petroleum (BP); if your boat comes in contact with the oil, call your insurance to file a claim; uninsured boaters can call the BP Hotline at 800-440-0858 to file a claim. To report the oil sheen moves, call the BP Community Information Hotline at 866-448-5816. More information.

For nearly 100 years, the schooner 'Adventuress' has sailed the waters of the world and now serves as a symbol for responsible stewardship of the Puget Sound watershed. She's also used to kids about building confidence through sailing. But as all good wooden ships do from time to time, 'Adventuress' needs work to keep her going, that's why she is competing for up to $100,000 in the Partners in Preservation grant program. Up until May 12 you can help by voting online so she'll be first in line when the money is handed out. Additionally, each time you vote you can enter a drawing for a free sail aboard 'Adventuress'. She's open to the public at no charge at 705 Dock Street, Tacoma Wash. May 1 (9 am to 12 pm) and May 2 (9 am to 5 pm). Learn more.

Just as thousands of gallons of crude oil continue spilling into the Gulf of Mexico after the sinking of an oil rig, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the approval of the nation's first offshore wind farm, the controversial Cape Wind project on Horseshoe Shoal in the Vineyard Sound near Cape Cod, Mass. The qualified approval still requires Cape Wind to conduct additional marine archaeological surveys and take other steps to reduce the project's visual impact. The authorization of the project to build 130 turbines that stand more than 400 feet above sea level still faces tough criticism, especially from local native tribes, environmentalists, residents but also sailors. Read the report.

It's slow going for the Plastiki. They're 25 days into the trip and have covered 2200 miles, averaging 3.67 knots thus far. But they are in good spirits harvesting kale and sprouts from the cylindrical garden on the mizzen mast and pedaling away on their bicycle generators to generate electrical power for their next blog entry.
Before they set off for Sydney, there was time for a little celebrity chat on board, Dave taking funny guy Robin Williams around the boat, checking out the composting head and the translucent albino laminate. Watch the video.

The Chinese Shen Neng 1 has run aground on Douglas Shoals, close to the Great Keppel Island tourist resort. The shoals, which lie off the coast of Queensland state in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, are in a protected part of the reef where shipping is restricted by environmental law. Authorities fear an oil spill will damage the world's largest coral reef, which lies off northeast Australia and listed as a World Heritage site for its environmental value. A small slick of oil stretching about two miles into the ocean has already escaped from the vessel. The ship, loaded with 65,000 tonnes of coal and about 975 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, hit the reef at full speed and was nine miles outside the shipping lane when the accident took place. Efforts are now underway to prevent the ship breaking up. Anna Bligh, the Queensland state premier, said a salvage team had reached the 755 foot ship and were attempting to stabilise it. Read the initial report and watch the BBC video.

With yesterday's launch and christening, a new phase has started for the Swiss-based PlanetSolar, mainly financed by the German solar energy pioneer Immo Ströher, the spiffy all-solar vessel that is set to motor around the world to highlight the possibilities of renewable energy. A 330-foot crane lifted her out of the hangar at the Knierim yard in Kiel, Germany and placed her into the waters of the frigid Baltic Sea. The coming months are dedicated to testing to get ready for that circumnavigation, which is due to start in 2011 and will lead the boat on a 27,000-mile trip, following the sun on an East-to-West equatorial route. It will start in the Med, cross the Atlantic, pass through the Panama Canal, cross the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean and return to the Med through the Suez Canal, hoping to elude the pirates off East Africa. Estimated trip time is 160 days, the average speed is calculated to be 7.5 knots. There will be multiple stopovers to educate the public about renewable energy systems. Read the press release (PDF)and follow the project.

Here's a trip update from the Plastiki, David de Rothschild's eco catamaran, which is under way from San Frandisco, Calif., to Sydney, Australia. The ditty was filed by Vern Moen, Plastiki's filmmaker, director and owner of the most magnificent moustache.
'I'm the sole American on a boat of Brits. At first I was trying to fight it but realised resistance is futile and so I'm now embracing my inner Englishman. A couple of times a day we'll 'jive' the boat, which basically means we're about to change directions. Jo or Dave T will shout out who's going to do what to accomplish the jive. What follows is the sequential shouting of nautically themed, thickly British, terms that have suddenly mixed with the flapping of sails and rushing of water. "Jeeb ohn! Ease'd main sh-eet! Vern, un-klee d'runnah! Led out de heed sail! Eeez-eh, eez-eh!” For a landlubber American, it's an ordeal.
Nice going Vern, but turning the arse through the wind is called 'gybe,' not 'jive.' Read the entire report, track their progress and listen to Dave's account about mal de mer.

On Monday, March 22, the Croatian ferry Tin Ujevic crashed into the pier during a docking maneuver inside the harbor of Split, CRO. The impact tore open a 10-foot by 10-foot section of the hull at the waterline and caused 33 tons of diesel fuel to leak into the environment. Nobody was injured in the incident. Environmental response teams were dispatched to prevent the fuel from reaching open waters and to alleviate the smell that is bothering residents. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The 300-foot vessel can carry up to 200 cars and 1,000 passengers. It was built in 2002 in Greece. Check the photo gallery, and the video.

After a long delay it finally is happening: Today at 9:30 a.m. PDT at the Maritime Center, 420 West Harbor Drive, Sausalito, Calif., the Plastiki is set to cut her lines to sail across the Pacific from San Francisco, Calif. to Sydney, Australia. Trying to raise awareness about the sad state of ocean health and the millions of tons of plastic pollution, adventurer and environmentalist David de Rothschild, along with his crew including skipper Jo Royle, co-skipper David Thomson, Olav Heyerdahl, National Geographic filmmaker Max Jourdan and Myoo Media's Vern Moen, are embarking on this 11,000-mile trip aboard their 60-foot catamaran that was built from 12,500 reclaimed bottles and srPET, a fully recyclable plastic. An "off-the-grid” vessel relying primarily on 'green' systems, the Plastiki and her crew will also demonstrate how to use waste as a resource and showcase real-world solutions like electricity generation from renewable energy sources, composting toilet, rainwater catchment system and a small garden. The crew expects to make the trip in 100 days with two stopovers along the way. Follow the trip.

The world's largest, non-lethal whale research expedition has returned from Antarctic waters with a range of new information that will help inform future marine mammal conservation. Environment Protection Minister Peter Garrett said that the joint Australia-New Zealand Antarctic Whale Expedition – with scientists from Australia, New Zealand and France – had achieved significant milestones during the six-week voyage in the Southern Ocean aboard the New Zealand National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA) vessel R.V Tangaroa. "The research undertaken on this expedition indicates that there are effective and achievable ways to collect a whole range of important whale data without the need to kill these mammals," Mr Garrett said. Read the whole story

A pioneering deep-sea exploration robot—one of the first successful submersible vehicles that was both unmanned and untethered to surface ships—was lost at sea two weeks ago, on March 5, while on a research expedition off the coast of Chile. The 15-year-old Autonomous Benthic Explorer, affectionately nicknamed ABE, had reached the seafloor to begin its 222nd research dive when the radio connection with the surface vessel was interrupted and efforts to reestablish contact failed. Researchers on board the research vessel 'Melville' believe the vehicle may have suffered a catastrophic implosion of one of the glass spheres used to keep ABE buoyant. ABE, designed and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, was unretired to explore the Chile Triple Junction, the only place on Earth where a mid-ocean ridge is being subducted (or pushed beneath) a continent (South America) in a deep ocean trench. Full report.

With the release of several early seasonal hurricane forecasts for this year, boaters and marina operators may face a much different scenario than last year's relatively mild storm season. Accuweather, a nationwide weather service, recently reported it expects 2010 to be an "extreme season" with as many as 18 named storms, a 100-percent increase over 2009. BoatU.S., a national boat owners group says that most boaters and marinas can survive by being better prepared. The Web site offers storm planning materials including a hurricane preparation worksheet, an in-depth 'Guide to Preparing Boats and Marinas for Hurricanes,' and checklists for what to do before and after a hurricane strikes. Sample hurricane plans for boat and yacht clubs as well as up-to-the-minute storm tracking tools with live satellite images are also available.

Plastic trash clogs the oceans, kills wildlife and snags keels and rudders. In an attempt to raise awareness about the millions of tons of plastic sloshing around on the high seas, Save Our Oceans and Australian sailor Ian Thomson have teamed up. Thomson will set off in late April to break the record for a non-stop solo circumnavigation of Australia. The current record is owned by David Beard AUS in 68 days 8 hours and 30 minutes. Thomson wants to do it in less than 50 days. Read the report.

Serious fun at shoreside parties often has a dirty secret: The serious amount of trash that's left behind. And the folks at the upcoming the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta want to do something about it. Like last year, they participate in the Clean Regatta Program by non-profit Sailors for the Sea to create environmental awareness and to reduce their impact on oceans and coastal waters. Here's how they'll do it: Issuing reusable bow numbers, enabling paperless registration, using biodegradable office products, using absorbing pads to prevent oil and fuel spills, passing out biodegradable drinking cups and straws at the parties, and selling bracelets to raise money for marine parks on the island. Read more about the eco-conscious attitude in St. Maarten.

Despite the famous name, David de Rothschild is an adventurer in his own right. He was the youngest Brit to reach the North and South Pole and he crossed the Arctic and Greenland's ice cap, all of which puts him into illustrious company and netted him a slew of accolades. But the adventure goes on. Supported by sponsors like Swiss watch company IWC Schaffhausen, Hewlett Packard and Inmarsat, he now wants to sail 11,000 miles across the Pacific ocean, from California to Australia on Plastiki, a 60-foot catamaran made out of recycled PET plastic bottles.
His mission, which was introduced to an international Press Corps yesterday in San Francisco: Creating awareness for the millions of tons of plastic garbage that should have been recycled, but went into landfills or the ocean instead. It may sound a little crazy, but de Rothschild is a man who's not just endowed with considerable means but also confidence and many believe he can pull this off successfully. For part of the voyage he and his sailing crew will be accompanied Olav and Josian Heyerdahl, two grandchildren of the famous Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl. Read the Sailing-News-Interview (PDF) with David de Rothschild. Check out Plastiki photos

Weather and preparations permitting, Plastiki, David de Rothschild's 60-foot catamaran made from recycled plastic bottles, might shove off for its 11,000-mile trip across the Pacific from San Francisco, Calif., to Sydney, Australia. However, space on board will be limited to six or seven. Four will be the primary sailing crew, the rest (i.e. a camera team from National Geographic) will document the trip for posterity. See also the Sailing News Interview with de Rothschild. Therefore, a report about Elizabeth Jagger, the oldest daughter of Rolling Stones front man Mick joining the trip sounded a little peculiar. Lizzie is a famous model and an actress, not an ocean sailor. Maybe we're missing something here, so we checked with the Plastiki Camp and were told: 'Lizzie Jagger was at their christening party Saturday night and someone must have started a rumor.'

Yesterday, the 30-meter Solar-trimaran 'Planet Solar' was unveiled for the first time at the HDW-shipyard in Kiel GER. In a few weeks already, she shall be launched. The round-the-world rounding project with solar energy only will start in 2011. The report (PDF) in french.

Conservation managers need to take a long-term view when assessing the value of marine protected areas, according to a paper in today's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.The paper, 'Decadal trends in marine reserves reveal differential rates of change in direct and indirect effects', was written by an international team of authors led by Russ Babcock of the CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship. It is the first paper to summarise the results from the most significant published long-term studies of temperate and tropical marine reserves. An article in Powerboat World.

The US Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a five-year plan to restore the Great Lakes. 'This action plan outlines our strategy to protect the environmental, human health and economic interests of the millions of people who rely on the Great Lakes,' said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson at a meeting with governors from states bordering the Great Lakes. 'We're committed to creating a new standard of care that will leave the Great Lakes better for the next generation.'
The five Great Lakes are considered the world's largest body of fresh water. More than 30 million Americans get drinking water from the Great Lakes, and the lakes also support a multi-billion dollar economy based on fishing, boating and recreational activities. Read the report in IBI Magazine.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather
Service will use a new hurricane scale this season called the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale. The scale keeps the same wind speed ranges as the
original Saffir-Simpson Scale for each of the five hurricane categories, but
no longer ties specific storm surge and flooding effects to each category.
Report in Trade Only Today

Dieter Loibner, an Austrian yachting journalist living in the US recently published a book with the title 'Sustainable Sailing' about the increasing impact of sailing on the environment. He explains how sailors can be a positive force for change. An interview with the author.