After the keel walk, the mast walk

Alex Thomson does the best ever marketing stunt that involves sailing for Hugo Boss
Fure that with just that photo, Hugo Boss will get more media coverage
than an average America’s Cup campaign.

Solo round the world yachtsman Alex Thomson performs a daring feat on board his high-speed yacht, Hugo Boss : He climbs up the 30-meter high mast of the moving vessel and dives into the ocean.

This is not the first stunt we've seen from Alex - two years ago he completed the "Keel Walk", a stunt that has become famous throughout the world

 It seems like a kind of strange behaviour... 
Does everybody walk on the mast? 
A new game for this summer ?

source : Compass Magazin

 or the Captain of the QM2 standing on the bulb of the ship
photo James Morgan

Links :

• ImocaOceanMasters : The 'Mast walk' by Alex Thomson
• GeoGarage blog : Walk on the wild side

Germany BSH update in the Marine GeoGarage

51 charts have been updated :

• D3-1   Ansteuerung von Helgoland   50000
• D4-1   Die Weser von Robbennordsteert bis Bremerhaven und Nordenham   25000
• D5-1   Die Weser von Nordenham bis Farge, part 1   25000
• D5-2   Die Weser von Nordenham bis Farge, part 2   25000
• D6-1   Die Weser von Farge bis Bremen. Nur Pläne.  Plan A: Farge bis Osterort   25000
• D6-3   Plan C: Häfen von Bremen   12500
• D7-1   Die Jade, innerer Teil   35000
• D32-1   Falshöft bis Holtenau   50000
• D33-1   Ansteuerung der Kieler Förde   12500
• D34-1   Häfen von Kiel   12500
• D35-1   Neustädter Bucht   25000
• D35-2   Plan A: Hafen von Neustadt   10000
• D37-1   Dameshöved bis Wismar   50000
• D41-1   Die Schlei von Schleimünde bis Schleswig, part 1   25000
• D41-2   Die Schlei von Schleimünde bis Schleswig, part 2   25000
• D42-1   Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, part 1   50000
• D42-2   Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, part 2   50000
• D44-1   Elbmündung   50000
• D44-2   Plan: Cuxhaven   12500
• D46-1   Die Elbe von der Oste bis Brunsbüttel und Krautsand   30000
• D46-3   Plan B: Hafen- und Schleusenanlagen von Brunsbüttel   15000
• D47-1   Die Elbe von Krautsand bis Schulau   30000
• D47-2   Plan: Stadersand   15000
• D48-1   Die Elbe von Schulau bis Hamburg. Nur Pläne. Plan A: Die Elbe von Schulau bis Teufelsbrück   30000
• D49-1   Mündungen der Jade, Weser und Elbe   100000
• D51-1   Die Trave von Travemünde bis Große Holzwiek und Dassower See   12500
• D52-1   Die Trave von Große Holzwiek bis Lübeck   12500
• D54-1   Beltsee   200000
• D88-1   Helgoland   12500
• D89-1   Juist bis Wangerooge   50000
• D91-2   Plan A: Hafenanlagen von Emden   12500
• D92-1   Die Ems von Pogum bis Papenburg, part 1   25000
• D92-2   Die Ems von Pogum bis Papenburg, part 2   25000
• D104-1   Die Eider von Eiderdamm bis Lexfähre. Nur Pläne.  Plan A: Eiderdamm bis Nordfeld   25000
• D104-5   Plan E: Nordfeld bis Lexfähre   50000
• D105-1   Die Eider, Norder- und Süderpiep   50000
• D106-1   Hever und Schmaltief   50000
• D107-1   Vortrapptief, Norder- und Süderaue   50000
• D1511-1   Greifswalder Bodden   50000
• D1512-1   Peenestrom, nördlicher Teil   25000
• D1516-1   Prorer Wiek   25000
• D1578-1   Greifswalder Bodden, nördlicher Teil   25000
• D1579-1   Der Strelasund von Palmerort bis Stralsund   25000
• D1621-1   Nördliche Rügensche Bodden   30000
• D1622-1   Nordansteuerung von Stralsund   25000
• D1623-1   Boddengewässer von Barhöft bis Bodstedt   25000
• D1624-1   Boddengewässer von Bodstedt bis Ribnitz-Damgarten   25000
• D1641-1   Ansteuerung von Wismar   25000
• D1672-1   Hafen von Rostock   12500
• D1683-1   Salzhaff   25000

Don't forget to visit the Notices to Mariners published by BSH for corrections on German nautical charts.

NZ Linz update in the Marine GeoGarage

As our public viewer is not yet available
(currently under construction, upgrading to Google Maps API v3 as v2 is officially no more supported),
this info is primarily intended to our iPhone/iPad universal mobile application users
(Marine NZ on the App Store) 
and our B2B customers which use our nautical charts layers
in their own webmapping applications through our GeoGarage API.  

9 charts have been updated in the Marine GeoGarage

(Linz February update published March 7, 2014) 

• NZ53 Bream Head to Slipper Island including Hauraki Gulf
• NZ62 Cape Palliser to Kaikoura Peninsula
• NZ522 Bream Tail to Kawau Island including Great Barrier Island
• NZ532 Approaches to Auckland
• NZ614 Tasman Bay
• NZ5227 Goat Island to Waiwera River
• NZ6144 Abel Tasman
• NZ6212 Plans on the North East Coast of South Island
• NZ6821 Bluff Harbour and Entrance

Today NZ Linz charts (180 charts / 313 including sub-charts) are displayed in the Marine GeoGarage.

Note :  LINZ produces official nautical charts to aid safe navigation in New Zealand waters and certain areas of Antarctica and the South-West Pacific.

Using charts safely involves keeping them up-to-date using Notices to Mariners
Reporting a Hazard to Navigation - H Note :
Mariners are requested to advise the New Zealand Hydrographic Authority at LINZ of the discovery of new or suspected dangers to navigation, or shortcomings in charts or publications.

Ukrainian crisis: Situation map

source : NGA nautical chart with the Marine GeoGarage

 Map of Crimea (Samuel Mitchell, 1859)
David Rumsey collection

From Washington Post by Gene Thorp and Denise Lu

Russia has seized control of the Crimean peninsula, where armed forces wearing unidentified uniforms have surrounded Ukrainian military facilities and air bases.
Key airports and naval headquarters have been blocked.
Although Kremlin has said the troops are needed to protect civilians in the region, many of whom are ethnically Russian, Russian troops essentially outnumber Ukrainian forces in Crimea.
Read related story.

Blockade continues

Russian naval vessels cruising Sevastopol Harbor continue to block in three Ukrainian ships.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet is based in the same port.

see Pleiades satellite image (Airbus)

source : NGA nautical chart with the Marine GeoGarage

Major ships of the Soviet and Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.

 Ukrainian airfield closed

Russian troops have occupied Belbek Airbase.
About 200 unarmed Ukrainian airmen tried to enter the base on Tuesday, but were turned away after warning shots were fired by pro-Russia militia.

Crossing seized

Russian troops reportedly seized the Ukrainian ferry at Kerch Monday. Russian navy ships blocked off both ends of the Kerch Strait Tuesday and armored vehicles were seen gathering on the Russian side.

source : NGA nautical chart with the Marine GeoGarage

Links :

• National Geographic :  300 years of embattled Crimea history in 6 maps
• NY Times : Ukraine crisis in maps
• Mashable : A story map of the place everyone's watching
• The Moscow Times : Russia Scuttles Old Ship to Block Ukrainian Vessels Accessing The Black Sea, Report Says
  

Sailing in Andrea storm

Nicolas Lunven and Eric Peron

Nicolas Lunven photos