Ocean solutions

From Le Monde Diplomatique by Torsten Thiele

In June 2015 the UN General Assembly approved a resolution to negotiate a new legally binding instrument to implement the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
We may hope this will pave the way for the creation of areas where marine biodiversity is rigorously protected by law, as well as more equitable access to the high seas and fairer sharing of their benefits, within a framework of shared governance.

This is just the start of what promises to be a lengthy process, but it represents a major shift in the international community’s attitude to the protection of the oceans.
It also signals the start of an era of real hope for a swift and effective end to the exploitation and degradation of the ocean that has characterized the last hundred years.
It is encouraging that private organizations are driving a vision for bigger ideas, new thinking and broader partnerships.

Private philanthropic initiatives can provide decisive support in the design and implementation of marine protected areas.
They offer a management framework that, by engaging local communities as well as scientists in the process should make it easier to overcome challenges and stay on course in the longer term.

Large, remote high seas ecosystems such as the Sargasso Sea are now recognised as key areas for protection, but by virtue of their size will require new forms of monitoring such as satellites, drones and unmanned marine vehicles.
These will deliver scientific research benefits as well as operational efficiencies.

Studies have shown the value of large no-take marine protected areas as carbon sinks (helping to prevent global warming) but also as breeding grounds for whales and dolphins.
The preservation of marine mammals is vital for the fishing and whale-watching sectors, and for global biodiversity.

It’s clear we need to think differently.
The ecological, scientific and legal arguments for ocean conservation are numerous and irrefutable, but they are not enough.
To be effective, they must be combined with new ideas, technologies and sources of finance suited to the task.

The creation of an “ocean bank for sustainability and development”, funded through a one-time equity investment by governments and private partners, could offer viable financing options for initiatives to promote the survival and regeneration of the oceans.

We also need to broaden our partnerships.
The Paris climate conference (COP 21) this month offers an opportunity to form alliances between professionals from different sectors united by their awareness of the importance of protecting marine biodiversity.
It’s high time we recognized that the oceans are not just a source of food and minerals for exploitation, but are also vital for the future of our planet and the survival of humanity.

Links :

• Le Monde Diplomatique : Global warming, actors and victims / Easter Island’s marine reserve /  Towards a ‘blue economy’ / Time for international rules

Oceans

Extract of the "Oceans" movie

Links :

• GeoGarage blog : Oceans film, a tradition of commitment to nature and the environment / Ocean planet, the movie / Word Ocean Day

Your guide to the Boxing Day Sydney to Hobart 2015 yacht race

www.rolexsydneyhobart.com

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, is the ultimate test for skippers, tacticians and crews.

The 2015 race will be the 71st edition of this time-honoured event and see 110 yachts from 28 nations race more than 600 Nautical Miles in quest of the Tattersall’s Cup and to win the coveted Rolex timepiece.

From ABC & Courier Mail

All eyes will once again be on defending Sydney to Hobart line honours champion Wild Oats XI and American challenger Comanche when the annual Boxing Day race begins on Saturday.
This year's blue water classic is shaping up as a replay of last year's epic finish, when Australia's yachting sweetheart pipped her 100-foot rival by just 55 minutes to claim an unprecedented eighth title.

Fellow supermaxis Ragamuffin 100 and the celebrity-laden Perpetual Loyal will also contend for the coveted crown, as will another US raider in Rambler 88.

The Wild Oats XI preparation includes some serious testing of a radical, retractable hydrofoil-type wing that will extend 2.75 metres out from the hull on the leeward side to improve the yacht's downwind performance.
"It assists us more in surfing downwind, off the breeze, sailing mode"

But the focus will undoubtedly be on the two powerhouses at the starter's line on Boxing Day, just as it was last year when Comanche left Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards eating dust with a spectacular start.
Richards and his crew recovered to arrive first in Hobart, however owner Bob Oatley has since gone to great lengths to stay ahead of his American counterpart and the chasing pack.
A radical $2 million nose job has been the talk of the sailing community since Wild Oats XI went under the knife mid-year, although Richards said he held no fears she had lost any of her speed.

Two weeks ago she blew her opponents — minus Comanche — out of the water in the SOLAS Big Boat challenge and showed off some serious speed.
"There's absolutely no issues there at all. These guys have been building boats and been in the boating job for a long time. So we've got a lot of confidence there," Richards said.

The Wild Oats team have enjoyed a relaxed Christmas Day in comparison to last year, when they were forced into repairing a broken boom in the lead-up.
"Last year we had a few issues with a few bits and pieces which weren't prepared until Christmas Day," Richards said.
"So we were out there checking a few things on Christmas Day. It's a bit more relaxed this year.
"Whether it's a good sign or a bad sign, I'm not quite sure. But we'll see what happens."

In the handicap battle, Hobart debutant Chinese Whisper is the leading contender to take the crown off defending champion Wild Rose, who will also get stiff competition from Rambler 88 and Ichi Ban.

A is for armada: 109 yachts will race south in the 71st Sydney to Hobart. The first race in 1945 had just nine little yachts.

B is for bowmen/women: They’re in the firing line at the front of the boats. The wettest job in the game and one of its most dangerous because it involves working on a wildly bucking and very slippery platform

C is for clipper: Round the world yachts are using the Sydney to Hobart as a leg of their world odyssesy. A fleet of 12 of these yacht, many sailed by novices, are racing south. Aussie Wendy Tuck is one of the skippers.

D is for the Derwent Ririver. It’s where the race finishes between two and six days after it starts on December 26. The fickle winds on the river, which can shut down completely overnight, can turn the race upside down — and have done so on more than one occasion.

E is for emergency tiller: A small tiller that fits into the top of the rudder post which can be used to steer the boat if main wheel steering equipment fails. Crucial if boat is damaged.

Comanche Sails!! FAST!! from Onne van der Wal

F is for freeze dried food: Activated by water and used by some crews for convenience and to save on weight. Not a favourite of sailors but does the job.

G is for gunwale. The rail that sticks up at the edge of the deck; as in walking on deck feels more secure if there is a gunwale.

H is for hot bunking: Where one crew gets up to go on watch and his/her warm bunk spot is taken by another. Usually people are so exhausted they really don’t mind.

I is for internationals and invaders. The US supermaxi Comanche is in Australia with designs on winning the line honors race. So to is the 88-footer Rambler. In all a record 27 international yachts are competing.

J is for jury. A group of appointed officials who enforce the rules of international racing during the Sydney to Hobart. They are needed most years to sort disputes and arbitrate on crashes and rule infringements.

K is for kite. Another name for a spinnaker which is used when a yacht races downwind and is the biggest sail on the boat. Provides the yacht with extra grunt.

L is for line honors winner. The boat which makes it to Hobart in the shortest time. Wild Oats has done this a record eight times — and won the race twice overall. She also owns the race record and is the defending champion.

M is for minnows. The polar opposites of the supermaxis as they are the smallest. The smallest yacht allowed in the Sydney to Hobart is 30 foot but this year the minnow is actually 34 foot.

N is for nautical mile. One minute of latitude or about 1.15 statute miles. this is how distance is measured in sailing.

O is for overall winner. This is decided under a handicapping rule which involves a complicated calculation of such things as size, age, form and results. This allows older yachts to go head to head with newer, fast and bigger boats. Wild Rose is the defending champion.

P is for personal flotation device. A devise which crews must wear. It’s also for Perpetual Loyal, the 100-foot supermaxi being raced to Hobart for charity. Onboard is a celebrity crew which includes former Australian cricketer Michael Clake, Wallaby Kurtley Beale and former Rooster Anthony Minichiello.

Q is for queue. It can be as hectic on the water as it is on the land on Boxing Day, so be patient and mind the queues.

R is for Ragamuffin. The 100 footer is owned by Syd Fischer, at 88 the oldest skipper and sailor in the race. A five-time America’s Cup campaigner he is also a past overall winner of the race.

S is for sunfish. Every sailor’s nightmare. A yacht hits one of these maritime wonders which lurk just below the surface at speed and enormous damage can be caused.

T is for Tony Cable. They say when a sailor does his 25th Sydney to Hobart he goes on the “idiots board”. Sydney sailor Tony Cable is about to embark on a record 50th.

U is for under bare poles. Not a situation you want to be in. When all sail area is taken down due to wild winds and sea conditions. This helps slow the boat down by taking the load off the yacht. A last resort

V is for VHF radio. Every boat must take one as part of extremely strict safely rules tightened in the wake of the deadly 1998 race sounds.

W is for women. This is the 70th anniversary of female participation with two women competing in the second race to Hobart in 1946. There are also a record seven female skippers.

X is for X-ray. This is used on boats to ensure it is ship worthy and safe to sail.

Y is for yacht. Some of the most hi-tech, cutting edge boats in the world contest the race. But little cruisers and slow wooden yachts are all in the wet more for the camaraderie than desire to smash he opposition.

Z is for zephyr. A whisper of breeze. Not good in a race like the Hobart where you want to get south as fast as possible.

Links :

• GeoGarage blog : Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race : who knows what danger lurks at sea? /High speed yacht racing / Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race: Against all elements / Sydney Hobart : Wild Oats XI unveils secret weapons / Sydney-Hobart 2011 : Investec Loyal's against-the-odds victory closest in 28 years / Sailing across the years

US NOAA layer update in the GeoGarage platform

21 nautical raster charts updated

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Christmas islands

Christmas Island is a small territory of Australia located in the Indian Ocean,

2600 kilometres (1600 mi) northwest of Perth in Western Australia,

500 kilometres (300 mi) south of Jakarta, Indonesia, and 975 km ENE of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

 Christmas island (AUS) bathymetry (source QPS)

Detail an East Indies map (1660) by Pieter Goos showing Christmas Island 
This small section of the map shows the location of Mony, now called Christmas Island.
It is the first time Christmas Island appears on a map.

This is the 'Christmas island' we know on the Territory of Australia, famous for the red crabs migration. (see video)

So named because of its discovery on Christmas Day in 1643, Christmas Island became a territory of Australia in 1958 after spending a number of years under British sovereignty.

The island is primarily rainforest, and 63% of the Island has been designated a national park.

But actually, it turns out that there are actually two Christmas Islands!

Wjo knew the other one ?
Kiritimati aka Christmas Island (Part of the Line Islands, a district of Kiribati)

Kiribati is a country comprised of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, including three island groups: the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands, and the Phoenix Islands.

The Line Islands, where Kiritimati is located, can be found in the central Pacific Ocean, south of Hawaii. 

Kiritimati (where the ‘ti’ combinations are pronounced as ‘s’) is the world’s largest coral atoll.

The island was discovered on Christmas Eve in 1777 by explorer James Cook, thus the reason for the island’s festive name.
A fun fact about the country of Kiribati: it is the only country in the world to fall into all four hemispheres (northern, southern, eastern, and western).

Kiritimati (formerly spelt Christmas)
for the island forming part of Kiribati in the central Pacific Ocean

 Kirimati bathymetric map

 1777 Chart of Christmas Island (Kiritimati)