Life on an Very Large Container Ship

Guest Post From Zac Watson: Zac is a good friend who has sailed with me from Hawaii to Los Angeles and From Galapagos to Marquesas. He is in the process of completing his Maritime Academy Studies and currently doing a practical and internship aboard a Very Large Container Ship. I've always wondered what life is like on these monstrous vessels as the pass by on the ocean. Zac provides a nice perspective and insight into life aboard....


One hundred and five days. That's long enough to become accustomed every creak and groan of the ship's roll, to know the shudder she makes when she pitches forward and the prop comes near the water's surface. Long enough to only slightly wake when the engine goes into an automatic slow down, sending vibrations through the steel hull, or to know how to step when a wave breaks into the bow and in a revolt of momentum she bodily staggers and everything not fixed by at least two corners shifts.
My room is beige and has alternate layers of bleached white streaks where rags have been wiped across in a rush, black soot, and cigarette smoke stain. There are two outlets on every wall, so at no point are you more than an arm's length away from plugging something in, which I find handy, but a little strange. I have a rotary telephone that rings every morning at seven twenty and I answer with 'Cadet,' and the A.B. on watch tells me that 'it's zero seven-twenty' and I say 'Yes, thankyou.' And then I climb back into the warm covers of my bed and wait for my watch alarm to go off in ten minutes, and then I either lay there for a half hour rocking with the ship, or get up and brush my teeth, then head down to breakfast.
I have oatmeal almost every morning now, I've lost interest in trying to come up with strange things to have the cook prepare. I don't even know what eggs florentine are, but that's about the only thing I haven't ordered. I keep thinking one of these mornings I will, but I've taken a liking to my morning oatmeal.
I eat with the Chief Mate, Captain and Chief Engineer, and I don't say much at breakfast. They'll ask me things occasionally, but rarely do I engage in conversation, my brain is still idling and not at full temperature to engage the gears yet.
Then up to the bridge for coffee and to check our position on the world. I like having to look at a chart encompassing the entire North Atlantic to figure out where I am. This trip back we went through Pentland Firth, which means we went up and over England and through the Isles of Scotland. I didn't see any of it, crossing through the Firth at five in the morning there's only a few flashing lights to witness, but it's an interesting route on the chart and I like having been this far North. No iceburgs though.
Then I head down to the Chief Mate's room and ask him what the plan is. Every morning for the past sixty days or so I've done just that, knocked on his office door as a courtesy, step into the office whether he responds or not, and I yell into his connecting room “Hey Nick. What's the plan for today?”
Nine times out of ten it's simply to just go out and check the reefer temps. We carry about a hundred refrigerator units aboard and every morning we have to log the temperatures. That's my job, walking around with the log book and a mechanical pencil so I can write small enough to get the temps in the little boxes.
It takes an hour and half, and it's one of my favorite parts of the day. The idea of it makes me recoil and dread it. Putting on my carhartt jacket and red wool winter cap, lacing up my work boots and pulling the legs of my jeans down over them. It's cold and damp and the wind can snap back at you with malice, like it's angry I'm out here under the power of engine and not canvas.
And the containers all have strange smells, rotting vegetables mixed with transmission fluid and stale air. And the reefers all whir and are constantly in states of kicking on or shutting off and they spit water the wind whips up and pelts into your eye.
But it's me and Nick out there, and we inspect everything regardless of the weather. And I'll stop and look out, look up from from my log book with the broken left hander's handwriting that looks like a five year old filled it out holding the pencil in a fist, and I'll lose my breath in the horizon.
I forget where I am, the vastness of the ship and the duties required while working don't allow for much time to be outside looking at the horizon, and I'll go long stretches in the day where I don't look up. And then like a beautiful woman is walking by, my head lifts up and I follow with my whole being the contour of the horizon.
I really am too sentimental. Out here with all these rough characters, never read a poem in their lives and here I am, this tender hearted poet sailor who is overcome with the beauty of a horizon. I don't know why I chose these jobs. Its firefighting all over again. All these tough guys who see this tree hugging hippy with bags more full of books than clothes or work gear, and they all think I won't last a week. They thought that when I was a firefighter, didn't expect me to be able to work past the first fire. By the end they were calling me a badass.
Same out here. The captain at the beginning of the trip was only on for five days, and he said I didn't stand a chance. Three months later he came back from his vacation, and I'm still here, not only surviving, but thriving. He acted pretty surprised when he asked me if I was ready to get off and I told him I'd rather stay aboard than go back to school.
But I'm ready to get off. It's time to see the family, have a beer, wink at some girls, go snowboarding with my buddies.
I've been standing the eight to midnight watch. Standing in the light of radar screens telling stories with the AB and the third mate. Keeping quiet and watching the dark go by. It's been about twenty thousand miles since I've slept on land. When Frost wrote that he had taken “the road less traveled by and that has made all the difference” I have no doubt this is what he meant.

________________________________________________________________

I'm in Holland right now. Just spent the first part of October steaming across from Norfolk, and here I am tied up at the dock. Actually, sitting in a bar in Brielle, near Rotterdam.

This has been an excellent trip so far. I've put in a few days with long hours, but nothing bad. It's mostly doing paperwork and chartwork and that sort of thing, so it's not like it's exhausting or anything. But I get a call at 7:20 a.m. every morning, and then eat breakfast and get ready and am ready to work by eight.

The Chief Mate and I walk the decks checking lashings and temperatures for reefer containers, and that takes about an hour and a half. We carry containers, lots of them, back and forth between the U.S. and northern Europe on this 950 foot long ship.

It's a comfortable ride, even in some ten foot swells it doesn't rock or roll bad at all, just a nice gentle shift at most. It's warm, quiet at night, and full of reclining chairs in the lounge and good food and a refrigerator full of icecream whenever I want. It has a weight room and exercise bikes and a bowflex. It has an elevator that stops at all six decks including the engine room.

Really this is a posh ship compared to anything I've seen on the lakes. The guys aboard have all been good. I got a lucky crew in that the Chief Mate is a great guy who's good to work with from 8 to 11:30 every morning, and then I eat lunch. Then I head up to the bridge and work with the 2nd mate standing a 12 to 4 watch. We do chart corrections and plot positions and courses and calculate speeds needed and propeller efficiencies and take weather reports and stand around telling sea stories.

The 2nd is a curmudgeon who's been sailing for 45 years and is really a walking encyclopedia. He doesn't just know something about everything to do with ships, he's been there and used them and has a story for anything I've been able to think up to ask.

The 3rd mate then I only really see when we're each off watch. So far we've been playing basketball (yeah, there's a basketball hoop welded up on main deck) every night after I get off watch. He's just a few years older than I am, and we get along well. He bought a Wii at the last port in the states and we've been getting into some fairly intense tennis games. I'm afraid someone's gonna get hurt because we're both a bit competitive.

Life is pretty good. I've dabbled at my sea project, not doing as much as I'd like to be doing, but I'll get to it.
Not too long ago was a full moon in the middle of the Atlantic. It's easy to get lost in the beauty of this world. Maybe I'm a touch sentimental, but I get overwhelmed by how expansive and powerful and gentle this world can be. Soft moon glow lighting up the sea from horizon to horizon, reflecting and refracting so even the crisp night wind seems to be made visible in the luminance.

Whales and dolphins are as regular a sight out here as deer and squirrels are back home. I've seen a flash of something jump or a white spout every day I've been on deck.
And coming through the English Channel, we had a clear warm sunshine, which I'm told is pretty rare, and The White Cliffs of Dover were shining in the sun. I've always read about them and heard about them, watched scenes in movies with them, but they really are something special. France on one side of me, England on the other, wind ripping twenty-five knots tearing at my hair and clothes, I just felt envigorated and fortunate and excited to be alive.

But make no mistake, this is no pleasure cruise. It's a floating factory. It spews out diesel exhaust and soot and there's always somebody running a grinder on something, and it stinks of chemicals and toxic substances, and there's grease on every chain, turnbuckle, holding rod and deck shoe can see. Which in turns means there's grease on you, which means it's on everyone else, which means it's worked it's way onto and into everything on the ship. My shower handles have black grease on them right now. There's no getting away from it.

There's 23 men aboard and they all have jobs that require constant awareness and care. There's a professional manner projected at all times, and no one forgets that a mistake at sea means there's no doctors to help you, limited medical supplies to help you, and however many days of being in pain before we even get to a place where getting you to a hospital is possible.
Someone said they'd like to be in my shoes. Yes, I love where my shoes are and where they've been, but out here, I'm wearing work books and stomping around in rain, wind, sea spray, whirring container fans, clunking metal joints stressing and popping against each other, creaking turnbuckles that weight 25 pounds each, and however untold many amount of stuff to be careful about I can't even describe.

But it's a good experience for me. The knowledge and hands on experience is truly awesome, and though at times I'm really missing home and the fall colors changing, I'm out here with the wind and tides and I can't help feeling that all is as it should be.

Zac zacinthewind@yahoo.com

Selemat Hari Raya Kemerdekaan’

17 August 2008

Indonesians celebrate the proclamation of independence from 350 years of Dutch colonial rule.

The Indonesian Declaration of Independence was officially proclaimed at 10.00 a.m. sharp on Friday, August 17, 1945. The declaration marked the start of the five year diplomatic and armed-resistance of the Indonesian National Revolution, fighting against the forces of the Netherlands until the latter officially acknowledged Indonesia’s independence in 1949.

Its Indonesia's' Independence Day today. The people of West Papua are celebrating their Independence The main festivities will be at the parade field. All around town for the past few weeks preparation and practice has been taking place for today. A mass cleaning and painting has occurred along the main pot hole studded route that the President's motorcade will travel to the main event. Indonesian Red and White flags have been placed every where. Festivities abound in cities and villages alike, organized by the government, neighborhood community associations and organizations.


I am stoked for a great photo outing. I do my prep the night before clean my lens , charge my batteries, set everything out so I can get up early and get out there and get some good "behind the scenes" shots of West Papua at its best.
I arrive at 0703 and the area is packed already with about 50 different parade troops all assembling in their various areas. Every branch of the military is represented, police honor guard troops, dance troops and schools are represented. Important military and government officials are taking there front row seats under the only covered area. Many High Ranking Military, with weathered faces and chests full of medals take the prime seats.

I am clicking away, the photo ops are every where. I am wandering through a troops of military cadets all with automatic rifles (I am pretty sure they are in safety lock mode) and getting great close up shots as they march in formation right by me. I am grabbed by two guys...one on each side, each with a firm, squeezing grip on my arm, steadily increasing their grip to get my attention. They are swiftly ushering me out of the street and telling me I cant take pictures.

I react calmly and cooperatively to the plain clothed Secret Police's control of the situation...wisdom gained from leaning the hard way how to react in a situation like this.. About ten years ago in Cancun, Mexico, I was grabbed from behind, and with a much more aggressive reaction I turned with a round house punch. The punch landed squarely on a 300 pound Mexican Federalie's jaw. What happened after this is a 24 hour very uncomfortable and unpleasant story...This scene flashed though my mind as I was being ushered off the parade staging area street.

So the parade is starting and so is my drama with the Indonesian secret police. Who am I, why am I taking pictures, what agree the pictures for.... To make matters worse I forgot my passport on the boat. Now I am detained behind a fence with four guards on me. I am told I need to wait until immigration officials arrive. In the mean time I call our local, ships agent "Whaid" She can vouch for me and help translate to me what is going on and what I can do to diffuse the situation.

Fast forwarding four hours after being taken away in a immigration police vehicle, missing the ceremony, I am questioned, forced to delete all of my photos, and had to sign a statement that said "I am sorry for taking pictures and forgetting my passport, I will not do it again"! Seriously, this is what I had to say and sign a statement before they would let me go.

I was waiting for the Immigration chief to ask me to write it out 500 times on the black board.

When in Indonesia, do as the Indonesian's do...

I am driving back from my morning detention with the Indonesian Immigration and Secret Police. All around town festivities and Independence day celebrations continue on. On the left I spot a very large gathering at a Police/Military post. The attraction is two greased telephone poles, each with a prize carousel at the top. Men from two competing villages are trying to reach the top and score the prizes by building a human pyramid. As if having the pole covered in grease was not challenging enough, he poles are set in the middle of a mud pool.

I spent about ten minutes watching and photographing this. Keep in mind I am the only white person in town so I am getting a lot of attention. I watch these guys try and fall, then pick themselves out of the mud, rally and try again, only to fall in a heap of grease, mud covered bodies.

For some reason I got the urge to do this, I actually thought that with my help we could do it!

This was much harder than it looks. First of all you can barely breath because of the body order of your team mates, then you can barely get your footing in the mud, then you get the first guy on your shoulders, his feet are covered in a coarse sand/mud mix that immediately starts to work your skin like 60 grit sandpaper. Now you have to plant your self, wrap your arms around the grease covered pole, like a wrestler going for a single leg take down and hold on, block out the pain in your forearms and shoulders, forget your legs trembling as the third layer of people go up.

Then it happens, a weak link gives out, with out warning, and everyone comes falling down on top of you.

Well by the third go of this, I had the battle going in my mind should a quit or stick it out. I quit, I could not do it! I was sore, my skin was shredding and I was afraid that someone was going to fall on my neck and that might be the end of the day.

Covered in mud and grease I do walk of defeat off the field. I have not quit many things that I have started, but I am pretty sure I made the right decision here!


Now time to find a hose and rinse down. I am out behind the Military Police barracks grimacing in pain as I rinse the ground in sand out of my shoulders and clean off all of the mud.

Walking out of the office door next to me strolls the same Secret Police guy that grabbed me in the morning. Both with complete suprise, I look at him, he looks at me...and we both just start shaking our heads and laughing!

Great Barrier Reef coral in crisis

Global Warming, more acidic oceans cited; 'pretty scary' findings, one expert says
By Miguel Llanos

The rate at which corals absorb calcium from seawater to calcify their hard skeletons — and thus grow — has declined dramatically in the last two decades and signs point to manmade greenhouse gas emissions as the culprit, according to a study of samples from Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Researchers with the Australian Institute of Marine Science looked at the skeletal records of porites corals collected over the years at 69 reefs along the 1,600-mile-long Great Barrier Reef. Those corals, some 400 years old, showed that calcification declined by 13 percent between 1990 and 2005.
"The data suggest that such a severe and sudden decline in calcification is unprecedented in at least the past 400 years," the researchers stated in the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science.
A reef expert not involved in the study described it as "very important." In a commentary posted on newsvine.com for msnbc.com, John Bruno added that "the findings are frankly pretty scary."
"Slower growth might not seem like a big problem, but reef scientists are concerned that this will exacerbate the impacts of other threats to coral reefs," said Bruno, an associate professor of marine ecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "For example, it will slow the vertical growth of corals, making it harder for them to keep up with rising sea levels.
"It could also slow recovery from other disturbances such as coral bleaching episodes and destructive storms," Bruno added. Bleaching occurs when corals expel the organisms living inside that create the colors found on reefs.
The study's authors themselves wrote that "precipitous changes in the biodiversity and productivity of the world's oceans may be imminent" given how central coral reefs are to marine ecosystems.
Changes tracked via skeletal ringsThe researchers sampled porites coral, which can grow over centuries into massive boulders. Porites also lay down annual growth rings, making it possible to compare specific years to water temperature records and other data.
Several potential causes were ruled out by the researchers, among them sewage and other runoff since many samples were originally far from the coast. Disease was also ruled out because the samples were all from corals that had been healthy.
That, they wrote, left "two most likely" factors, both tied to carbon dioxide emissions: warming sea temperatures and more acidic oceans as CO2 raises the pH levels of the seas.
The researchers noted that their findings confirm lab experiments and computer models predicting negative impacts of rising carbon dioxide on corals.
"If temperature and carbonate saturation are responsible for the observed changes, then similar changes are likely to be detected in the growth records from other regions and from other calcifying organisms," they warned.
How fast can coral adapt?Bruno noted that "we will almost certainly see this problem grow over the next few centuries" due to greenhouse gas emissions. "The only questions are by how much, how quickly corals can acclimate to climate change and what the broader impacts will be."
Bleaching has also been tied to warming waters, and adds to the pressure on corals. The Great Barrier Reef saw severe bleaching in 1998 and 2002 — the two hottest summers on record there — and officials warned that the northern end of the reef could see severe bleaching again over the next few months during the Southern Hemisphere's summer.
Bruno warned that while corals are not widely visible their role is critical. "Corals create the physical structure that thousands of other species depend on," he said. "They play a role analogous to trees that create forests. When corals die, so do the fish and invertebrate animals that live on reefs."
© 2008 msnbc.com Reprints

Back in Time...Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea in general gets a bad rap, for its crime and various very harsh issues in the cities like Port Moresby. In general the cruising in Papua New Guinea is like nothing you can experience any other place in the world. When you are a custom to a world of Starbucks, ATM's, on line shopping, SMS, blah blah blah...It is simply amazing to see such insular and primitave living.

Their really are not any cruising guides for this area. You come here and you are on your own. You need to be self sufficient, 100%. Most areas are not even surveyed or charted. Charted areas the GPS Datum's are way off (GPS shows you about two tents of a mile off your actual position!) Daylight navigation in the coastal areas is critical to see the reefs.


As soon as your anchor hits the bottom near the villages you are greeted by dug out canoes. Many just want to have a look - very few yachts come this way. We may be the only big sailboat this year. For some of the children we may be the first white people they have seen. The stares of curiosity are unnerving.Papuan villages are so insular that 750 different dialects are spoken in PNG. Backpacker and traditional tourism is non-existent without any road infra structure. The only way around the country is by boat or by air. In general PNG only gets about 15,000 tourists a year. Mostly coming to trek or dive.

Very few private yachts make the effort to cruise these areas. In a way, I hope it stays this way. Their are not may places in the world where life goes on as it did 1000 years ago. Can you imagine a culture where money has no real value...a place where neighbors live cooperatively, working together to exist off the land and sea. As monetarily and creature comfort deprived as the Papuans are these are some of the most kind, innocent and proudly contented people I have ever come across.

Making the effort to cruise PNG is incredibally rewarding....

The Betel Nut Rage

The first thing that you notice about the people of Papua New Guinea is they all have red mouths. A bit strange at first until you discover the major addiction and favorite past time of incessant Beetle Nut chewing (and spitting). You really have to watch where you walk so you don't step in Betel nut slop or get spit on...

The stimulant combo is Betel Nut, Coral Lime powder and Mustard plant. These are all chewed together and apparently they get a super caffeine like buzz from this! The three ingredients are the most readily available thing in PNG. Every market you will find 70% of the vender spots selling Betel Nut.

The lips teeth and gums are permanently stained and major tooth and general mouth decay takes place. I also heard that some find this look attractive! About 90% of the population from children to invalids chew. I decided to take a pass on this one...did not want to end up looking like this guy...

Depth Survey the "Old School" Way...

Motoring back from the Market in the tender to our anchorage off Noosa Island I see a dugout canoe and a outboard powered boat working together in the channel. I was very curious what they where doing. The guy in the dug out canoe was dragging a line while being slowly towed by the outboard powered Panga.

I slowly pulled up and realized that they where doing a depth survey of the channel. Doing this with a lead line! I asked how long it usually takes to sound the channel and he showed me his hand sketched chart with soundings already
collected and said about one week.

I showed them that I had a digital depth sounder on board the tender, and their eyes lit up like the light bulb was discovered. I invited the chief surveyor aboard with his clipboard and we where off, zig zaging up the channel.

After one hour of readings we had finished what would have taken them a week the "old school" way!

You dont see this every day...

We are anchored stern to the pebble beach, our stern is 6 meters to the shore and tied off to a Betel Nut Palm tree. We are anchored in Dinah's Cove. We are told the story of the Skull Cave. Apparently their are piles of human skulls laying in testament to bygone rituals.

The story goes that when a warrior died the victim would be buried up to his neck in a crouched position with a clay pot covering his head. When the neck was soft enough the head would be twisted off and presented to the widow. She would then put the head in the eaves of her home for three weeks and then the skull would be ceremoniously placed in the cave.

We had to check this out... The local guide that told us this story leads the way...Sure enough a cave full of skulls. Standing over the pile of human remains, pretty speechless, the guide breaks the silence and picks a small child like skull up and says "you can take one if you want..."

Malaria was not in the plan...

Wikpedia: Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, Malaria parasites are transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes. The parasites multiply within red blood cells, causing symptoms that include symptoms of anemia (light headedness, shortness of breath, tachycardia etc.), as well as other general symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, flu-like illness, and in severe cases, coma and death.



The anti-Malaria pills do no good sitting in the medicine chest.... My "it wont happen to me" attitude regarding Malaria changed quickly after my blood test results at the Kavieng Hospital. I had been suffering from severe headaches and fever for about seven days. Being on a guest trip I worked through it popping Advil like M&M's. This is not to sound macho, the truth is I had no idea why I had the headaches and fever and I had no where to go to get it checked out until, the guest trip ended in Kavieng.

The Kavieng hospital is a whole other story in itself. A very basic facility tending to everything you can imagine. I was very concerned with leaving with more than I came in with. A few days later Lisa and I visited the Hospital and handed out some toys and small stuffed animals in the Pediatric ward. This was very uplifting for the kids in the ward, with not enough beds or doctors...

After a week of various medications to kill the parasite in my blood I was coming back to life and regaining my strength. Moral of the story, Malaria pills in the medicine cabinet are like a life jacket in the bottom of the boat...they do no good unless you use them....

Kavieng (PNG) 50 Year Catholic Jubilee

Guest Post by Father Bruno Junalie

Towards the end of July 2008 the Diocese of Kavieng (New Ireland Province - Papua New Guinea) staged a series of events to celebrate some important ocasions. The Youth Cross programe comes in line with the World Youth Day gathering in Sydney Australia during July 2008, where youths from around the world met with the Pope and other world church dignitaries. Thirty nine local New Ireland Province youths along with two Diocesan priests from the Diocese of Kavieng attended the world event.

The youths coming back from Sydney WYF08 arrived back to Kavieng on Friday 25th July to meet an jubilant and enthusiastic crowd at the Kavieng Airport, followed by a welcome Mass and dinner. On Saturday 26th July the youths from the Kavieng Deanery (Church District) enthroned or stationed the Diocesan Youth Cross on the hill adjacent to the Cathedral. This youth cross has been going around the Diocese for two years.

Then on Sunday 27th July, the Catholic Church in New Ireland Province which includes; Manus and the Duke of York Islands, celebrates its 50 year anniversary as a Diocese (Church Province). The whole week-end celebration was in line with all these events.
Dignitaries from the New Ireland Council of Churches, The Provincial Government, and other Christian Denominations and the Catholic faithful came together to celebrate this memorable occasion.

Their was an open air celebration of the Holy Mass presided over by his Lordship Reverend Bishop Ambrose Kiapseni MSC DD along with six priests and a Uniting Church Paster Concelbrating.

Light refreshment and lunch was served for guests and the public followed by speeches with the noted address from Bishop Ambrose and the Honorable Governor of New Ireland Province, Sir Julius Chan OBE CMG.

Singing and dancing came towards the later part of the day, with a display of many different cultural dances from the islands such as New Hanover, Tabar, Lihir and Tanga and some from the New Ireland mainland including Livitua, Lamusmus, Lemakot and Lamasong. Judging front he intensity of the displays of various dynamic and colorful dances, the performers have obviously put s lot of effort into preparation.

The vibrant and joyful atmosphere could be very profoundly felt even by those who came into just to observe. The singing and dancing continued well into the evening where every one was very tired. Eventually some have to travel back long distances by land and sea to their homes.

Father Bruno Junalie
Diocese of Kavieng
PO Box 49
Kavieng N.I.P
Papua New Guinea
diokug@global.net.pg

Father Bruno approached me as I was roaming around taking pictures of the event and asked if I would share them with the Church and local media. Obviously I was more than happy to do this. After about 3 hours in the "digital darkroom" I edited about 275 shots down to about 65 "keepers".

I met with Father Bruno the next day to give him the photo discs and look at them together. Father Bruno fired up the diocese computer, I think I could hear the tubes in the machine warming up, the donated relic from the Melbourne Australia Rotary Club, complete with floppy disc drive (pre cd drive circa). I'm glad I brought my laptop...as the floppy drive was obviously not going to work for the Photo DVD that I had burned with Picasa. Crowded around my laptop in the stifling hot room where several of the youths and the priests that attended the World Youth Program in Sydney. It was very rewarding to view the photos and see their reactions first hand.

After the slide show we talked about their trip to Sydney. Keep in mind that none of these guys have ever been off of the Island they live on, let alone on a long plane flight. It was very moving to see the strong emotions as they attempted to describe something that so awesome for them. To see their eyes well up and and hear their voices shake, as they described being apart of something so large, in an amazing city was very special.

Another one of those experiences that makes me really appreciate life, and the experiences that I am fortunate to have...

Click on the picture to the left of the "Cross Ceremony" to view a slide show of the finale event for this Celebration.

Papua New Guinea Arrival

6 July 2000
We are motor sailing up the China Strait of South Papua New Guinea. We have been underway for 3 days crossing the Coral Sea from Australia. Its been a quick ride here, about 20 knots of true wind on the beam. With two reefs in the main and big jib we averaged about 10+ knots the whole way. Along with this fast ride where some pretty big seas so our bodies and equilibriums welcome the flat water inside the reefs of PNG.

The China Straight is intricate, winding through various New Guinea out islands like: Rogea, Samari, Ebuma, Bilo Bilolo, and Igwali. Its dark now so we find our way through here relying very heavily on radar as we slowly make our way against a 5 knot head current.

Standing outside, on the back deck, I'm privately soaking in this new place, The landscape is very green, rain forest mountains reach into the sky, their tops are hidden by the low clouds and moisture that they are self generating. They say that most of this rugged mountain land has barely been touched by humans and that there may be 100's of flora and fauna species that have not been discovered here, as it is impenetrable for the most part. The smell of cooking fires coming from the villages dotting the waters edge is thick in the air. This combined with the moist earthy smell is very distinct to the nose after three days of pure sea air.

This is a special landfall, a far away, rugged, well off the beaten path place that very few yachts venture to. I enjoy the solitude of the sea and the job, but moments like these are the times that I wish I had my friends and family with me to share and enjoy the experience.

11 July 2300 Latitude 10 35.001 S Longitude 150 41.8233 E

We are anchored off Tobai Island, in Possession Bay, named by Captain James Cook. Its a perfect anchorage; mirror flat water, great all around protection, good holding and a post card perfect setting of several palm thatch huts sitting under a perfect row of coconut palm trees, with an inviting powder sand beach plunging into the coral lined turquoise water.

We were warmly greeted by the Chief of Tobai- Simon. He had not had visitors from a yacht in years so where a novelty for the kids and his family. He proudly showed us around the village and explained how they are self sufficient. I enjoyed listening as he explained how he had lived in the city (Alotau) for a few years then moved back here because the city was to stressful. He said "when I live in the city I have to much stress because I have bills for rent and electricity....here on Tobai, we grow our own vegetables, catch our own fish, we own the land, I wake up when I want, I swim when I want, and I'm the Chief." Not to shabby...

Tobai is a typical PNG out island. The land is owned by the families that have inhabited it for long periods of time. Tobai is 4 miles long, 1/2 mile wide at its narrowest point and 2 miles at its widest. In all their are 20 villages on the island. Their is a co-op relationship amongst all of the villages to pool their resources, and various skills. On the island there is no electric, no plumbing, no Starbucks or 7 - Eleven's. They live off the land, the sea and their gardens. The only store bought items that they consume are rice, flour, soap and kerosene for the lanterns. When they need money the take fish and garden vegetables to the market in Alotau (about 30 miles away).

Simon and his two children have paddled out in their dug out outrigger canoes to visit. Simon with his, bushy afro, big smile, and Beetle Nut red stained teeth goes on (see post on Beetle Nut). He tells the story of how Captain James Cook came to name the bay, Possession Bay, He speaks like a proud ambassador and family historian, with strong English learned from 12 years of school.

What's compelling to me about the story of Possession Bay is that it was Simons ancestors that first met Captain Cook. Cook was the first "white guy" to discover most of the islands and countries that we have sailed in the last two years. The story goes that back in the 1600's Cook anchored the Endeavor to replenish stores and water. His crew took ashore a few hundred iron banded wood barrels for storing fresh water. When they returned to shore a day later they found Simons relatives happily sharpening their new machetes and knifes. Cook seeing this realized that many of the iron bands where missing from the wood kegs. Cook was upset that the iron bands where stolen, to teach Simons kin about "possessions" he in turn took a few hostages and held them until his property was returned.... In the end, after his lesson stunt, Cook gave the islanders back the tools they had forged and also gave them proper axes, knives and machetes from the Endeavors stock.

Simon also shared how cannibalism was a very real way of life here in this area and all of PNG just 100 years ago. Simon explained that at night the villagers would sleep in the mountains of Tobai Island to avoid the night beach attacks of rival tribes in search of dinner. In fact the Jeffrey Dhalmer diet was still practiced up until the 1960's in the Highlands of mainland PNG. No need to go into any more colorful detail here....Witch craft was also practiced and today, however illegal, sorcery is still practiced in remote areas of PNG. I'm pretty sure we are not in Kansas any more.

Before Simon and the kids left the boat we gave them a brand new soccer ball and a few other toys that we have packed for sharing with children along the way. They lit up.

Picking up the anchor the next morning to the sound of the roosters, I could see and hear a group of the Tobai village kids playing already...strange they would be up so early...they where laughingly kicking their new soccer ball around. On the beach Simon is waving his arms good bye to us. We give him a toot on the ships horn and return the waves in appreciation for a memorable anchorage and close up insight to life on a PNG island.

Click on the Papua New Guinea Images to the left for a slide show

The Great Barrier Reef and Dwarf Minke Whales

4th of July 2008 It is only 1900 and above their is already a star speckled dark Australian night. Their are no city lights to wash out the stars this far north in Australia. We are about 130 miles north of the closest real city.

The fireworks would be starting about right now if I where back in the States. Technically not, as it's only 3 July in the USA right now. Over the past five years I have been treated to some amazing front row-on the water fireworks vantage points. I love fireworks... I hope that I never get to a point that I don't get totally jazzed up about a good fireworks display. I miss them tonight.

Their is plenty to keep me busy tonight on the 4th of July as I navigate through a narrow section of the shipping lane that runs inside the Great Barrier Reef. With the stark darkness outside, I rely totally on the MaxSea chart platter and the Furuno radar to guide us through the tight pass. On one side of the pass is Mt. Thomas - a large mountain jutting up from the waters edge, and one half mile across from that is the hungry Gibbon Reef, lurking there static, ready to snare a lazy navigator.

Their is fishing vessel off the starboard side in the pass, I grab the binoculars, step out side the protection of the pilot house to have a better look. I'm immediately hit by a blast of the Coral Sea's stinging salt spray. Since we left Lizard Island we have been laboring through 30 knot apparent winds and 1.5 meter stubborn seas - on the nose. I am reminded how spoiled we have been with our circumnavigation route that is routed and planned with the worldwide seasonal wind patterns (trade winds) working in our favor. Pushing us downwind to our next destination rather than clawing upwind against them.

We are heading back to Cairns after an amazing 5 days out on the Great Barrier Reef. We are going backwards to clear customs out of Australia bound for Papua New Guinea. I dropped the owner of the yacht off on the private postcard idyllic beach at the Lizard Island resort this morning by tender. Zipping across the various shades of blues and coral patches to the beach the private plane we have chartered for him flies in for a landing, every thing for the owner and guests are synchronized like a fine Swiss Watch. I mention to the owner "you know your in an amazing place when you step off your tender in to ankle deep sand with the sound of your private plane waiting on a run way only a 5 minute barefoot walk through a grove of palm trees". He smiles widely acknowledging a great trip so far. That genuinely sincere smile is one of the acknowledgements and rewards of the hard work that goes into it all.

During this GBR trip we where the first private yacht to be granted the use of a Minke Whale Permit. In order to do this we took on a live aboard guide, agreed to follow strict whale interaction protocol, and participate in the on going research data collection.

Dwarf Minke whales where first recognized as a distinct form of whale in the mid 1980's and there is still little known about them. They attracted attention in the northern Great Barrier Reef waters because they regularly approached close to boats and swimmers. While many countries have banned programs where visitors can swim with whales, a swim with whales industry has developed here in the northern GBR based on voluntary approaches of the Dwarf Minke Whales. To ensure the encounters have minimal impact on the whales, research is being focused on learning more about the whales interactions with swimmers. The goal of all the research is to manage the interaction between the dwarf Minke whale and humans so that it is ecologically sustainable.

To put it simply this swim with the whales program is all about the Dwarf Minke Whales interacting with humans on their terms, at their pace and at their choice. Quite opposite from other whale watching/swimming programs where you have several boats aggressively looking for whales speeding over to their location, hovering over them, ambushing them with a bunch of swimmers jumping in the water....

We arrive at Light House Bommie, a very large coral head located near Ribbon Reef #10. Its important to say as well by securing the permit and taking part in the research every spot we went to we had to our selves. This privacy in such an amazing place is hard to put into words- you really forget for while that their is a whole other world on the other side of the reef. This is a spot that the Minke come back to each year. As we arrive to the mooring, dead on the waypoint bullseye. it is magical, immediately several large Minke are surfacing around the boat. Their is no doubt that they are calling us out to play.

We start off by trailing a 30 meter polypropylene line that has about 7 bicycle inner tubes tied into it and equally spaced. Trailing behind the boat, the plastic line floats on the surface we don our wet suits, masks, snorkels and fins and then one by one gently enter the water and take up our position on the line. Within minutes we had company. The first Minke starts down the line coasting one meter from each persons face, making direct eye to eye contact. As you are looking ahead at one passing whale, another surprises you - a 20 footer, 3 ton whales coasts right under neath you, you do your best to keep your fins up so they do not graze him. You are speechless, in awe, stricken with admiration and the realization that you are having a completely natural encounter with several whales.

At first its a "wholly shit" reaction, a reaction of disbelief that something so big, from a world relatively unknown is coming so close to you. Then the emotions shift to a more powerful deeper experience... as you study them you see their grace, their curiosity, their complete trust in you, you feel a connection as you look eye to eye... The most powerful emotional experiences that I have ever had where the birth of my two children and the death of my father, this day is now in at number four.

When you are out at the Great Barrier you literally are "out there". Over a hundred miles from any real civilization. The trade winds blow a steady 20 25 knots from the South East. The seas outside the reef are running about two meters. You anchor or moor behind the reef for some resemblance of protection but that is diurnal at best. When high tide arrives the reef is awash and you are much more exposed. We had our share of dragging anchors and broken mooring lines, enough to make for very little sleep and 24 hour anchor watches.

PS - It's 0630 8 July. I am finishing this GBR journal anchored in Alotau Papua New Guinea. Arriving here after a 500 mile 10 knot beam reach across the Coral Sea. Its a little surreal as I sit outside typing on my Sony Vaio Laptop computer drinking nice bold coffee from my ceramic Starbucks Mug, listening to Jack Johnson's - "Thicker than Water" CD. I am surrounded by about 35 local handline fisherman in dug out log canoes, wild dogs going crazy barking to the left, three little barn swallow birds are sitting on the running back stay line chirping away, the odd rooster that's waking up late is carrying on, the lingering smell of cooking (and rubbish) fires all against the stunning back drop of the lush rain forest mountain peaks.

Click on the Great Barrier Reef Image to the left to see a slide show.

Triton Megayacht News - Greenland Aritcle

This link will take you to a nice article of our Greenland Cruise, written by Lisa Jouris and printed by the Trtion - August 2007 Edition.

http://www.the-triton.com/megayachtnews/index.php?news=1840

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Guest Post by Lisa Jouris

This past trip took me from the busy metropolis Auckland, New Zealand to the "road less traveled" into Far North Queensland (FNQ), Australia. It like felt an incredible release to get away from the city and to be immersed into pure natural splendor.


It seemed that no matter where we turned, beauty surrounded us. Our little private bungalow was off the beaten path in the rolling hills of Julatten. We were surrounded by wild birdlife that provided a non-stop concert throughout the day and into the night. Even our daily trips into the resort town of Port Douglas took us past endless rows of sugar cane that seemed to stretch for the sky.


The real discovery of this incredible region really began when we left the paved road behind and took the 80 km off-road journey through the World Heritage Rainforest of Cape Tribulation/Daintree via the Coast Road. We meandered along the rugged roads through intensely lush forests and rocky creek with the windows rolled down. Ah… fresh dewy earthy air.


After briefly visiting the quaint historical town of Cooktown (James Cook discovered it in 1770, while seeking as a safe Haven for his damaged HM Endeavour), we took the Mulligan Highway back to our destination. The 265 km road seems to stretch for miles through open grassy fields and high mountains. We stopped at the Annan Gorge to listen to the roar of the rushing water just at sunset. After the sun dropped, our ride home presented a new challenge for us city folk. Cattle roamed the vast open land freely and into the roads. It slowed our travels down a bit, but this was all part of the experience in the great Outback life of Australia.


Our trip to FNQ, Australia presented an opportunity to re-connect to Mother Nature and explore the great Australian Outback. It is a trip worth taking if you get out this way to the land “Down Under”.

Crossing the Tasman Sea

0700 04/04/ 08 Position 29 49S 162 25E

We are currently midway between New Zealand and Australia traversing the Tasman Sea.

This is my third time crossing this body of water in the past three to four months. We've sailed from Auckland to Sydney, Sydney to the Marlborough Sounds in South Island New Zealand and now from Auckland to Queensland.

This morning the sun is rising over the eastern horizon, bursting light over the mixed swells and storm tossed Tasman. The first light of the day is spotlighting three intense water spouts (mini water tornados) just off of our port beam. In the darkness before sunrise we navigated around this strong squall line by watching it on our radar monitor. Sailing just south of it to avoid the high wind, and now we can see three water spouts! Good call to divert a few miles!

It really is an amazing sight, I guess mother nature is ever changing the seascape and horizons for us and that is one of the strong allures this occupation has for me.
It's so close yet we are out of harms way. One of the water spouts is a fierce solid dark column, absolutely exploding the oceans surface as it moves across it. Another water spout extends down from the squall clouds to the sea. It has a wicked arc to it...its building power, defining its shape, size and direction...it is twisting, bending and curving like a cobra ready to strike its prey.
To the right of this spectacular nature show is a SOLID wall of rain, none of the mornings powerful first light can penetrate this. Those sun rays that are making it above the horizon paint a bold yellow, gold and red background, creating an erie background for all of the action on our immediate horizon.

This stretch of the Tasman Sea between Cape Reianga NZ and Queensland Australia skirt two prevailing weather systems. Their are highs and lows coming over Australia and tropical lows forming in the north and piping out of the New Caledonia area. This morning we are splitting - aka "threading the needle" between two very powerful systems. A strong high pressure system (rotates counter clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere) that originated in Tasmania and a Tropical Depression - Low pressure system (rotates clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere) that is moving very quickly out of Caledonia.

It's perfect sailing weather for us on this 1800 mile transit. We are scooting along at an easy 10 knots, rolling down 2 - 3 (6 to 10 feet) meter seas, broad reaching with the wind off of our port aft quarter.

To make the trip even more interesting and special, I am sailing with long time friend and mentor Murray Jacob. Murray is about as Australian as can be! He is chock full of knowledge and one of those few people I would trust my life with when in the s*#t on the high sea.

We are leaving Auckland "the City of Sails" just as signs of the Southern Hemisphere winter are revealing themselves. We have spent the last 5 to 6 months south of latitude 23 degrees south to avoid Cyclones. This is the same as the boats in the Northern hemisphere staying out of the Caribbean until November to avoid Hurricanes.

In this time we have hauled the 28 meter/90 ton yacht out of the water and completed an extensive refit. The goal of the refit is simple: to keep the 7 year old yacht in as close to "new" condition as possible and to ensure all systems are mechanically sound to insure our self sufficiency as we continue to circumnavigate the world.

Official Piracy Report Maps

Piracy is not just "Pirates of the Caribbean" Piracy is a real issue. One that requires planning and due diligence to avoid putting the guests, crew and vessel in harms way.

I feel the best strategy, the same as my storm strategy, that is avoidance! Go around it when ever possible! On top of that preparation, training and a solid security plan is essential.

PS I did not take the picture here. I hope and pray never to get this close to a real pirate.

To see the real picture of the actual attacks and attempted attacks as tracked and published by the International Maritime Bureau, check the links below.

The links are interactive you can zoom in and out and click on a specific attack to get the details.



2008 http://www.icc-ccs.org/extra/display.php?yr=2008

2007 http://www.icc-ccs.org/extra/display.php?yr=2007

2006 http://www.icc-ccs.org/extra/display.php?yr=2006

Somalia Piracy

This account is from a previous Captain of the Yacht that I now run. It tells the real story of what is going on in the Somalia region.

S/y Dolphin
Gulf of Aden, 22 April 2008
0030hrs (local time)
Latitude 12º 49´N
Longitude 047º 15´E

Report from “Pirate Alley” (Gulf of Aden).

Yesterday afternoon we received phone calls over the Satcom from relatives of some of the crew, living in Germany and Austria. They were concerned as to our well being since hearing on the local news of a reported “pirate attack” in the Gulf of Aden, the report said a commercial tuna fishing vessel was boarded and hijacked by a gang of pirates. This attack happened in close proximity to our location. The report was correct, but that attack was only one of FIVE during the last 24 hours.
Yes, pirates do still exist, unfortunately though they are not as charming and sympathetic as a certain Captain Jack Sparrow, the personification that most people associate with pirates nowadays. Piracy on the high seas, especially this part of the world is nothing new. Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union and their satellite communist regime in Somalia, in the 90’s, there has been a regular pattern of pirate attacks. I sailed through here, December 1998, as Captain on Geraldo Rivera’s sailing yacht “Voyager”. We were chased by pirates, the duration of a night, in the Strait of Sucatra. Only two weeks ago, April 4th, the French sailing yacht “Le Ponant” was attacked and hijacked in the same area as the tuna boat. Over 30 crew, mainly French and Ukrainian citizens were held hostage onboard, while the pirates took the vessel to a Somalian port. One week later the French government paid a ransom of $2.000.000, the vessel and its crew were released. Soon after four French assault helicopters, one warship and French Special Forces launched an attack, killing eight pirates, arresting the rest and recovering most of the ransom.
April 12th, before setting sail, on our return journey from the Maldives to the vessels home port Palma de Mallorca Spain, we contacted the IMB (International Maritime Bureau) Piracy Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They informed us that since the “Le Ponant” incident there had been no other attacks reported, as CMF (Combined Maritime Forces) had sent additional warships to patrol the area. The CMF consists of Spanish, Italian, American, British, German, French and Australian warships.
But that report was two weeks ago………
April 20th and all hell broke loose here.
It started 20.35hrs (local time) with a Mayday call on the VHF radio. “Faisal Mustafa” a small traditional wooden cargo ship, a common vessel in the Middle East known as a “dhow”, was en route from the Red Sea to India. As it turned out their position was only four nautical miles off our starboard side. We witnessed four small speedboats (dinghy type) quickly approach the ship. The last radio transmission, from the captain, was “Merciful God, can somebody help us, the pirates are boarding, merciful God, help us please!” There was a commotion of screaming and shouting in the background, then the radio went silent. We changed course immediately, contacted CMF and made radio contact with an American warship in the vicinity. They advised us to head south westerly at full speed, to get away from the pirates as soon as possible and in the general direction of a British warship “HMS Chatham”, 30 nautical miles from our position. They also launched a helicopter to meet us. The helicopter soon arrived and stayed over us until “HMS Chatham” had us plotted on their radar. Meanwhile the American warship was steaming towards the distressed vessel to help in some way. We still do not know the outcome of that situation.
Later the “HMS Chatham” Operations Officer advised us to continue towards our destination, Djibouti, on a westerly course leading us into an area patrolled by the German warship, frigate “Emden”. Sailing along through the night and 7 hours later we once again heard the heart wrenching “Mayday, mayday, pirate attack”. This time the call for help was from “Takayama”, a Japanese oil tanker en route from Japan to the Suez Canal. “Takayama” was under attack and only 25 nautical miles ahead of us, on our intended course.
From out of nowhere a small fast (appr. 30knots) fiberglass speedboat came alongside the tanker and opened fire with machineguns and RPG:s (Rocket propelled grenades). With the intention of stopping the tanker, they fired at the tankers rudder, she was badly hit along the whole portside, the lifeboat was shot to pieces, and the fuel tank was penetrated, causing heavy fuel oil to spill into the sea.
The captain of “Takayama” went full speed ahead and changed his course to North West, in the hope of reaching the German warship “Emden”, in the vicinity. “Emden” launched a helicopter which was on site within approximately 10 minutes and the pirates subsequently broke off their attack, we later found out that they returned to their “mothership”. By then “Takayamas´s” portside resembled Swiss cheese, with fuel pouring out of it. “Emden” finally reached the tanker and helped temporarily patch the leaking fuel tanks. She is now 30 nautical miles in front of us slowly limping towards the port of Aden, Yemen, for repairs, escorted by the German frigate.
During the attack, we were advised to change our course to a north westerly course so we could catch up with the tanker and safety of the German frigate.
At that point everyone thought it was over, there couldn´t possibly be more pirates out there. We were sadly mistaken as at 12.28hrs it was time again for “Mayday”, this time another small cargo ship, en route to Somaliland, was attacked and boarded close to the Somalian coast, 12nautical miles. As of yet we have no further information regarding that incident. It was time again, at 13.05 another Spanish commercial fishing vessel, approximately 100 nautical miles east of our position, was also attacked and boarded. They are now hijacked and the vessel is on its way to Somalia, with pirates in charge and the crew is held as hostages.
We are now slowly steaming westwards (8 knots) with our eyes glued to the radar, and constantly scanning the horizon with binoculars. All ships are on high alert and airing to the side of paranoia, changing course as soon as anything suspicious or unrecognized appears on the radar or horizon. Everyone is just listening to the radio dreading the next “Mayday”. Hopefully, Insh´Allah in this neck of the woods, it will not be us making that call………
Insh´Allah, God willing we will reach Djibouti, in one piece, within the next 36 hours, where we will bunker diesel, hopefully get fresh food and rest our minds of the mental stresses endured sailing through the Gulf of Aden.
Our only comfort at this point is seeing helicopters flying overhead, once in a while and the occasional warship. In fact we have a helicopter over us right now seemingly leading us in a westerly direction.
Whilst floating here feeling like sitting ducks, we could not help but wonder. “Is it not about time that the rest of the civilized world dealt with this Somalian issue?” “Is it not possible for either, if not all of these organizations UN, NATO, EU to develop a plan of action and resolve the instability of this poor country?” After all NATO intervened with Kosovo, Bosnia and Afghanistan.
If there is one place on earth that has been truly forgotten, it is Somalia, a country where the poor starving population has no human rights, no functioning infrastructure with no justice system, no police and where the law spells AK47, a weapon readily available and cheaper than a pair of tennis shoes. Where RPGs sell by the dozen, where very few journalists dare to go and foreign aid workers can not go for knowing they would most definitely be kidnapped on setting foot in Mogadishu. Where food aid shipments need naval escorts to guard their cargo being discharged and where fishermen become pirates at night. Something is definitely wrong when a blind eye has been turned and this has been accepted for decades. The only viable looking option is military intervention and I mean something more than the few thousand, poorly equipped, troops from the African Union (mainly Ugandan troops) stationed there right now. One would think it would be in the interest of the international community to see peace and stability here, since most of the Persian Gulf oil and commodities from the Far East must pass through the Gulf of Aden to reach their destinations in Europe and the east coast of North America. If this “piracy enterprise” continues as is it will definitely lead to many more deaths, hijackings, kidnappings, burning oil tankers and sunken ships. These pirates are desperate, they have nothing to loose and they are prepared to risk their lives for daily luxuries most of us take for granted. If they could have had peace, stability and prosperity sooner, they would most probably never have resorted to piracy on the high seas. With a form of central government in control the pirates could be stopped, even before they step into their boats.
So, politicians of the world, do something! Only you have the power to devise a plan and implement it. Only you can make it happen. The chaos in Somalia is so far gone and beyond control that there is no possibility that they themselves can bring anything about to resemble peace in the foreseeable future. Many Somalis, I am sure, would be forever grateful and thankful to the international community if we were to help their country become civilized and peaceful. Many mariners out there on the high seas would also be very grateful for any kind of normalcy. Instead of worrying our selves to death over pirates we could instead concentrate on the usual nautical factors like the weather and wind…

Whilst translating this report from Swedish (my native language), it was our turn to call “Mayday”. At 16.51hrs only 28 nautical miles off the Yemeni coast, Pos. 12º 22´N 045º 17´E, a crew member spotted two small speed boats, 4 nautical miles ahead and fast approaching from either side. We immediately sent out a “Mayday” and made a full speed U-turn. Our call was received by Spanish warship “Mendez Muñez”, approximately 15 nautical miles from our location and a U.S Marine Corps surveillance plane was in the vicinity. Within 9 minutes the plane flew over, circling us and the pursuing boats at very low altitude, the pursuers stopped and turned south. The closest they got to us was 0.8 nautical miles (1.5km), but even that is to close for comfort…..




Johan Lillkung
Captain S/y Dolphin
Satellite tel. +870-764061860
Email: captain@sydolphin.com


Dolphin is a 27 meter long, private sailing yacht, currently returning to Spain having spent the northern hemisphere winter cruising the Seychelles and the Maldives islands.

Dolphin crew:
Johan Lillkung, Sweden
Lionel Laboureur, France
Rene Paganetti, Germany
Sarah Fitsch, Austria
Julietta e Silva, Britain
Gordon Henderson, R.I U.S.A.

The Amazing 2008 Sydney Fireworks

The harbor and shores swelled with 1 million people. All eagerly awaiting the fireworks extravaganza. We had our position in the harbor, sighting straight down the line of 6 fireworks barges, the Opera House and Harbor Bridge and Downtown Sydney all in clear sight. The count down to 2008 begins....

All I can say is this experience should be added to your "things to do before I die list". Simply spectacular!



Check out the videos to the right...