I'm Sailing

The Ice Age starts this Autumnal Equinox

2009-09-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

This is going to be the most warm autumn we have recorded. The Arctic sea ice cover appears to have reached its minimum extent for the year, the lowest since satellites began measuring minimum sea ice extent in 1979. In the end of Summer, in the Arctic, after six month of sun-light, naturally ice melt down, but the actual low extent of the ice cover doesn't seem to be in the range of a natural variability.
The new alert comes from the National Snow and Ice Data Center of the Colorado University (NSIDC). And while some people are still in denial about the warming effects and the growth of the World Green House, see on the NSIDC's twitter feed, Green Peace is collecting data to send to the world leaders at the Copenhagen Climate Conference to be held at the end of the year. The Green warriors are doing it on board of the Arctic Sunrise, from where Peter Wadhams, a world-class sea-ice expert, says: "We're entering a new epoch of sea-ice melt in the Arctic Ocean due to climate change. In five years' time most of the sea-ice could be gone in summer".
This is not the first mission for the Arctic Sunrise, a ice breaker that, ironically was once a sealing vessel: in 1997 she became the first ship to circumnavigate James Ross Island in the Antarctic, which previously was an impossible journey until a 200m thick ice shelf connecting the island to the Antarctic continent collapsed. This was just one of the many signs of climate change which the Arctic Sunrise has helped to document.

Holidays guided tour - Saint Tropez France, 3 different ways to enjoy it

2009-07-05T00:43:00.000-07:00

Intro on Holidays guided tour - Saint Tropez France, the opencast vip party and more

Every year 5 millions tourists head to Saint Tropez a true pearl on the Cote d'Azure, France. Turists are attired there just because that many music and movie stars have elected that town as the most trendy place all over the world. But Saint Tropez is not all about vips and Vip Watching, it has many attractions : I'm trying to get the most out of it building for you 3 different ways to enjoy your holidays.
(Click here or on the map if you want to locate the places on the town)

Golden path - VIP TOUR.
This is probably the main goal that a one day turist has on mind. Sharing the same ballroom with Paris Hilton could have its thrill.

(main map)
1 - L'Escale Joseph: A dinner feet on sand. Jacques Chirac, Jean Paul Gautier and Bruce Willis among its customer

2 - The Port: 800 boats. Cost per day of a 20 mt. boat on the old port 270 euros, 125 on the new one. 30mt. 500/230 euros. 40 mt. 780/360 euros. 50mt 1280/514 euros. 60mt. 1500 euros per day.

3 - Vip Room: usual guest star Paris Hilton.

4- Place aux Herbes: the market, go there if you want catch the boat people shopping fish and vegetables for their lunch onboard.

5 - Les Caves du Roi: so renowned that once Kathy Holmes and Tom Cruise weren't able to get in because of the overcrowded vip area

6 - Papagayo: Corti is waiting for you with two bars, a big dancefloor, a VIP room booked for international Jet Set

(Pampelonne map, aside)
13 - Tahiti: Known more for its restaurant than the beach, it takes its name from a movie whose scenes are still there.
14- Le Voile Rouge: both you've arrived on big yacht, there's a pier, and on board of a helicopter, there's also that convenience, you'll have to pay cash. Sly has appreciated it a lot.
15 - Club55: a lot of time ago there was a beautiful girl (Brigitte Bardot) and a good director (Roger Vadim) they made the fortune of this place. It must be that: nothing has changed from then.
16 - Nikki Beach: it's not easy to explain

Silver path- ARTISTIC TOUR
Not so edonistic like the golden path, it has been thought for people looking for smooth and refined sensations, relax, and a scenic site: the perfume of a coffee at sunrise, the bliss to be in the place where Picasso painted the "Odalisque"

(on the main map)
7 - Senequier: cafe au lait and croissants at sunrise and on the first raw on the port
8 - Hotel Sube: coffee house on the first floor and a view on the port
9 - Le Gorille: give a chance to their Tartare

10 - Rondini: a master shoemaker . Here you can find the Tropezienne sandals

11 - Cafe des Arts: vegetables and fruit of Provence on Places des Lices (tuesday and saturday), a cafe where men play cards, the favourite of Alain Delon, the place where, May 12 1971, Mick Jagger and Bianca Perez Morena had their wedding party.
12 - La Ponche : the fishermen neighbourhood. Pablo Picasso, housed at the poet Paul Eluard's house drew the fomous L'Odalisque here.

Bronze path- Fanatic TOUR
Roger Vadim is buried in the Maritime cemetary and Brigitte Bardot his a well known resident. Existentialists elected the town as their Summer retreat and a master Pointillist like Paul Signac bought there a house that he named La Hune. There's enough stuff to make any manic tourist happy.

13 - Maritime Cemetery: In front of the sea. The graves of Roger Vadim and Edd Barkley are only two of the many celebrities to visit.
14 - La Citadel: the Musée de la Marine et de l'Histoire Locale (Museum of Shipping and Local History), good the reproduction of a Greek galley. From the battlements there is a good view of the Gulf of St-Tropez and the Massif des Maures.
15 -Musée de l'Annonciade: permanent exhibition of artists like Signac, Derain, van Dongen, Rouault, Braque, Bonnard, Matisse and Maillol.

La Madrague: Brigitte Bardot moved from here leaving her properties to the Brigitte Bardot Fundation, a society for the defence of animals, still you could hear the echoes of the 70's faboulous parties.

Grande Bravade: The event honors Saint Tropes, and includes a parade in which his statue is carried through the streets. (mid May).

Holidays guided tour - Saint Tropez France, the opencast vip party and more

2009-07-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

No. In Saint Tropez we couldn't find anymore the naked Brigitte Bardot after the cameras on the Saint Tropez's beach, but Bono Vox has a reserved table at the Club 55, named, due to the frequent visits paid by the singer, the "Irish Embassy". That hut on the Pampelonne Beach, where Roger Vadim and his young wife Brigitte Bardot had meals during the shot of Et Dieu Crea la Femme, is now a well renowned club and one of the most exclusive nightclub all over the World. There you could came across tycoons, movie and music stars and anything that comes after that kind of fauna, vips in general. They come by their yachts mooring at the club's private dock or having landed on one of the many bases for helicopter built near the vineyards or in the villas just outside the town of Saint Tropez.

In France Saint Tropez is known as Saint Trop (a joke that translated sounds like "Saint too much") and there's a good reason

But the Club55 is not alone on the 3 miles hot beach of Saint Tropez (the Times sets it in the number of the 10 most trendy beaches all over the World), there are more than 30 private clubs: The Key West with Sushi Bar, the Voile Rouge with its Russians and Arabs literally bathing in thousands of Euros worth champagne, the Nikki Beach: pumping music, showers of cocktails and never ending topless display.
If the busy beach of Pampelonne is good for lunch and can do your afternoon, in the morning and at night it's better you move to the harbour and have a look to the boats berthed: every night there's at least a private party on board of one of the many luxury yachts. In fact the port is the hearth of the life of Saint Tropez and what a life! In France Saint Tropez is known as Saint Trop (a joke that translated sounds like "Saint too much") and there's a good reason: you can find there historical coffee houses like Senequier, le Gorille, the Sube; discos like le Papagayo and the Vip Room, go there and I bet you'll meet Paris Hilton. Go to Le Caves du Roi and dance all night long with George Clooney, Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas, Jennifer Lopez, Helton John and David Furnish, his husband. Most of the photo on gossip magazines were shot in Saint Tropez.
But Saint Tropez is not only Vip watching, or the place to meet and be pictured close to a big star, it's a chapter of the entertainment history, too: La Madrague, the former residence of Brigitte Bardot, is the flag of a 60's changing Europe. The tv serial Sous Le Soleil and many other movies were shot here and many tourist are coming only to see the movie sets. But Saint Tropez it's fashion, too; many craftmen, nautical sports. Do you want some more?: vineyards, ulive trees, art, folk tradition and good food. It's a splendid spot on Mediterranean, and Tropeziens have been able to transform it preserving reasonably intact Nature and wildlife till now.
Have a look to the three ways to enjoy your staying in Saint Tropez.

Holidays guided tour - Saint Tropez France, 3 different ways to enjoy it

Summer showdown - Luxury Yacht Charter and its Designer Swimsuit

2009-06-29T03:45:00.000-07:00

Charters and charters
swimsuit: Lovable
sunglasses: Marc Jacobs

Every now and then we are talking about Abramovic's fleet. I have done it already in 5 yachts you will dream of : Boat People with Abramovic's Eclipse which will soon take the place of Pelorus a 114 m ship. Pelorus, here seen in St.Petersburg, Russia, technically is not a charter yacht. To be admitted on her either you are a guest or a so called "escort" - have a look to the Wiki page about it if you are wondering what it is - in which case you would be the very charter into the bargain. To think that one person, female or male, could be chartered makes me shiver. Call it puritanism, maybe I'm a bit calvinist, but I don't like it. Nevertheless Pelorus is a wonderful boat and for a passionate it's difficult not to notice or mention her and neither to associate her to a wonderful girl wearing the simple, but stylish, designer swimsuit with square neckline and silk ribbon (by Lovable). Sun glasses by Marc Jacobs.

The perfect honeymoon's nest
swimsuit: Calzedonia (Beach is chic)

Haida is a magnificent motor yacht. Formerly known, as Rosenkavalier, completelyand wisely restored is one of the most beautiful charter yachts in the world. Don't miss her presentation on Ocean Independence. So positive, she could make magic and be the ideal nest for a honeymoon cruise. In such a paradise I couldn't wear anything else than a pure bridal white swimsuit with a shower of small and big crystals (Calzedonia: Beach is chic)

Incredible fitness, smartness and fun
swimsuit: Moschino
sunglasses: Philippe Matignon

A friend on Reddit commenting my Personal Fitness Sheet noted down that If you're sailing you need to be, either incredibly fit, or incredibly brilliant. With Aglaya, presented by BCR Yachts things could be different: her husband and wife owners alone (no crew) were able to handle her easily from the UK to the Caribbean, then to Auckland, New Zealand via Panama and across the Pacific. From there she went to the Barrier Reef, Darwin, Cape Town South Africa, Horta and back to the UK... Let me go on... I'm not saying that the two owners were fat and retard, but only that with that sailboat you now could have a skipper and a crew enough trained and smart to sail at your side the Ocean. What you could not do, if overweight, (but if you are it's the right time for a weight loss and fitness) is to wear a swimsuit like the one I've chosen: small blue hearts and ruche frou frou, round neckline and pinces (Moschino), designer sun glasses by Philippe Matignon.

ABC for a wedding in the time of Recession

2009-06-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

I am not too late. Only two years to go. What? Too much? I don't think so, neither Carley Roney does think that way. In her book (The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner: Worksheets, Checklists, Etiquette, Calendars, and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions) she describes and dictate the steps for planning a perfect wedding or something very close to your wedding vision. And my wedding has to be the most cool, funny, formal and informal at the same time, easy but elaborate, expensive yet cheap, with a lot of guests, on time to come and understanding when it's time to go. And since I grew up sailing, I'd love to incorporate the water, and salt and sand into my wedding. That means a hot beach, a pier and a boat - a charter boat - maybe a yacht - a luxury boat, but an icebreaker, a fishing boat or a pontoon could do as well.
Pippo, my fi, thinks different. I'm afraid he's right this time, but one could dream of a fantabolous wedding, couldn't she?
Right now I've already got an avatar and a blog on The Knot.com and a wedding range of colors on dyw (dress your wedding) on Davids Bridal.com, as you can see aside. Still I'm a bit confused by now. Shall we start from the basics?.

The ABC for a wedding in the time of Recession:

A. Art: Wedding Light 1.0

2009-06-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

The ABC for a wedding in the time of Recession

A like Art

THE ART OF WEDDING
Think big. Dreams don't cost much. Ask yourself what will be memorable in your wedding. The location, your bride gown, the jewels, the food and beverages, the printings, too, the boat you rent, the music played, a group of cool bride maids and your groom's friends. I'd say anything could do in a day like that. But believe it or not a fantastic wedding it's not a matter of money but only of time, and time somehow is money. In the book The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner: Worksheets, Checklists, Etiquette, Calendars, and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Carley Roney traces in a wedding vision worksheet the series of steps to take in one year, while Carley Roney again in The Knot Complete Guide to Weddings in the Real World: The Ultimate Source of Ideas, Advice, and Relief for the Bride and Groom and Those Who Love Them. teaches you how and where you could save money. But you shouldn't go that far buying all those books, maybe you could have a look at the Amazon's smart feature "Look inside the Book", I myself am abusing it, but it's worth of. Listen to what Denise Fields is saying in Bridal Bargains, 9th Edition: Secrets to Throwing a Fantastic Wedding on a Realistic Budget, it's brilliant: "The wedding industry isn't as innocent as it looks. You might think that the wedding industry is a collection of sweet old ladies whose only desire is to help young couples in love, but the reality is quite opposite. Instead think of the bridal biz as a group of cut-throat merchants, who in some cases would anything for a sale...". To be wise it's easier today with internet and if you search Google with this phrase: "wedding gown forum" you'll found a big support from real people on the best way to save with your dress, but specialized sites like The knot could give you a lot of support on themeing your wedding and for free.
The more time you will devote to the personal organization of the event, the more your dreams would get real, no matter how big they are, and have the wow effect you are longing to. There's only a case which will make things very expensive and it is when you want someone else to do it for you, when you put your dreams in the hand of a professional. In fact, in that case, you are doing anything else but hiring someone else's time and experience, that at certain extent it's a matter of time as well. In such a case you'll pay a really a big amount of money and, on my experience, you'll get a 20 per cent of what you have on your mind. So, start to plan, look at other's wedding, research internet the keyword is "cheap" followed by anything you want: linen centerpieces, receptions, dishes, chairs and get what you need at the best price, there's not sense on wasting money. and you can do great things with your creativity and a reasonable amount of money.

B. Body : The body of the bride

2009-06-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

The ABC for a wedding in the time of Recession

B like Body

In fact it's fitness and athletics, or better how to fit in a size 6 bride gown and ability to run on a beach, but we can't miss it only for a matter of the starting letter. It's vital and you can't miss it to take it in serious consideration, especially when all the day long you'll have to climb on the boat, jump down the boat, run happily on the beach, hug and be lifted high by the groom. Remember to get to a shape you'll consider appropriate for the photo to show from here to 20 years in the future and off course do it before you start shopping for the bride gown. Notice that now the trend in wedding photography is TTD which stands for Trash The Dress or better since doesn't make sense to have a bulky wedding dress in the armchair for a life, it's better to put in the bin the day after the wedding. I know, that sounds like a scandal, but it's not if you look at the results. At least it will push you not to waste that much money buying it. Trash the dress or not I would like to see you climbing on a greasy truck or running on the shore with 10 kgs more. Nevertheless try not to get killed by a diet too drastic, it's unadvisable to go less than your actual Basal Metabolic Rate - the amount of calories you need in a day -. Instead give you enough time to loose weight naturally with a sport activity: Carley Roney on her book The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner sets the final wedding dress fitting one month before. And that's plenty of time if you start preparing at least one year before. Try to save money and cut down the expenses for the Gym and the personal trainer, jogging three times a week could give you a 1500 calories cut.Think of preparing for a special sport event, plan your training sessions and you won't fail.

The ABC for a wedding in the time of Recession:

C. Check, Cheque, what the Heck?

2009-06-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

The ABC for a wedding in the time of Recession

C like Check List

The wedding checklist puts you on the road to your wedding day. Complete a detailed plan and be sure not to leave behind anything. And more, a detailed checklist will keep you safe from hidden expenses, a plague that strikes on many wedding couples, and your foot glued to the ground and careful to avoid any oddity.

Now, you don't want to buy books like Priceless Weddings for Under $5,000, never mind. I hope you won't bother to run a research on the Web, there are many sites that offers costs-free accounts and provide full check-lists very helpful in organizing a wedding and helping you not to go beyond your budget. I did both reading books and researching the Web but what is still taking me wide-awaken at night is how much the voice “occurrence”, will affect my budget. Are you smiling?. Don't. Don't underevaluate the extra expenses; they could be some more of a surprise and you'd better taking apart some of the money for any occurrence, a lot, be sure: from the extras for overtime to caterers and photographers, to tips and other a thousand costs that you wouldn't have ever thought about. Any oddity could be a "nice" surprise chunk of cash. And, listening to the just married women crowding forums around the web, that experience is quite common . Now if you let professionals to help and advice you on evaluating how much an item could affect the entire budget, since the average cost of a 150-person wedding is 25,000 $, more in an urban area, a basic breakdown of what you can expect to pay is:

Reception: 48%-50%
Ceremony: 2%-3%
Attire: 8%-10%
Flowers: 8%-10%
Entertainment/Music: 8%-10%
Photography/Videography: 10%-12%
Stationery: 2%-3%
Wedding Rings: 2%-3%
Parking/Transportation: 2%-3%
Gifts: 2%-3%
Miscellaneous: 8%
"just-in-case" fund 5%.

(data from The Knot.com)

If you can't afford it, Pippo, my loved FI, a true professional expedients maker, has his recipe for our Wedding in the Time of recession.

Pippo's low-cost wedding budget:

Reception: refectory of the local Church, the same where we'll have the ceremony, flowers, using what the preceding couple left, catering from parents at the chant: “we eat what we can deliver”; rings offered by mum and dad, tips to volunteer cleaners and music from the church's PC: 2%;
Gifts, if we are referring to the favours, Pippo and I have a 10 years old collection almost in mint condition: 0%;
Stationery, we don't need it, with the account online and blog he subscribed from the work's computer: 0%;
Photography/Videography, that's smart of him, he thinks to distribute some disposable cameras and everybody will shoot us all the day long: 2%;
Attire, second hand market or Chinese ebayers: 3%.(note I am to get into an extra small to increase the choice on the second hand market)

That stands for 1,750$!.

In two years I'm still in time either to convince him, to leave him or to love him more.

The ABC for a wedding in the time of Recession:

Your Personal Fitness Center Sheet

2009-06-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Now, if you've decided to get into a size 6 or 8, you know exactly your goal, but what's your starting point? How could you face your action plan without it?. What are your data?, how much weight you are to lose? Do you need my help?: go to the Fitness Center Sheet calculator on the bottom of this post, once you have filled it and clicked on the "GO!" button, print it and put it in your fitness book it will help you to trace your progress, learn from faults, support you when things will get harder and always remember where you come from.

Notions you need to know

The BMI or Body Mass Index is calculated by dividing your weight (in kgs) by the square of your height (in meters). A BMI greater than 25 may indicate that you are overweight, while a BMI greater than 30 generally indicates obesity and means that you must seriously consider a weight loss plan. A BMI of 27.8 for men and 27.3 for women is the cutoff point for obesity used in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey meaning that you'd do better to approach a diet and exercise to loose expecially the belly fat main responsible for heart attack in middle aged people.

The Percentage Body Fat is differently calculated for males and females and is based both on weight and waist size, and is quite sensitive to the value for waist. If you lower the value for the weight without changing the waist, the calculation considers this as a loss of muscle mass, and hence the percent body fat goes up. Since it’s difficult to measure waist size accurately with our resources, this calculation is not useful when evaluating small changes in body and could be advisable if you need more precision, to buy a fat scale which is, without any doubt, more accurate even in determining where is located your fat. Truly an important notion since the fat on the belly zone is to be considered as one of the main responsible for heart and blood circulation diseases.
The percentage of body weight considered "essential fat" is around 4% for men and 10% for women. The American Dietetic Association recommends that men have 15-18% body fat and women have 20-25% body fat. Healthy male athletes might be as low as 5-12% body fat, and healthy female athletes could be as low as 10-20%. The American Council on Exercise recommends men's body fat should be 6-25%, and women's should be 14-31%.

The basal metabolic rate is your daily energy expenditure without any contribution from exercise or digestion. Another term used is the resting energy expenditure (REE), which may also include energy used in digesting food. Generally, it is inadvisable to ingest fewer calories than your basal metabolic rate, but rather consider as the best way to lose weight a light exercise program that makes you burn the exceding fat. Note that BMR is given in kcals/day. The usual term of calories in food actually refers to kilocalories.

Ideal weight and waist calculations are due to the anthropometric studies of David P. Willoughby who was a champion body builder in the early twentieth century and performed extensive anthropometrics measurements on highly-conditioned (male) athletes and found a direct proportionality between waist and height. His ideal form had a percentage of 45.8%. in Willoughby's data the weights are proportional to the cube of the height and similarly the size of the waist is to be proportional to the weight. The studies of Willowghby are in a word only an aesthetic study and don't care much about health. Nevertheless it could be interesting to compare our actual condition (weight and waist measures) to what Willoughby considered the beauty and harmony in an athletic physique.

Anyhow keep these measurements as a mere exercise, what really matters is your health and what could make you live a natural life, without addiction, full of joy and enchantment

If you had got any problem printing "My Personal Fitness Sheet" click here and you'll be sent to the original application page.

3 Golden Rules for cruising beauties

2009-05-31T08:01:00.000-07:00

Have you been invited to a cruising holiday on a yacht?, are you sailing for the first time?. Are you a beauty?. A first time cruising Beauty?. Follow some rules and everything will go for the best:

#1: How many of you?

A - Are you the only girl? Be prepared to work hard: You should be strong, face the life with spirit.....

... but never overdo

B - Case of a couple of females. Two is the perfect number on a yacht: no competition, no quarrels, enough room on mattresses for sunbathing:

C - Three girls. Everything comes to be uneasy: Photographers will often ask you to hug your mates, the space on a boat is so tight and they are worried not to show what is considered to be a negative quality. Laugh, always laugh.

D - Four... what a mess: queues to undress or to the toilet, the war for the bedroom, the struggle for sunbathing: everything will get harder and harder as the time on the yacht goes by. The more you are far from the port the higher rage and hysteria rise. With a number of participant like that, you should do better to have at least a friend, an ally, otherwise the chance to be outcast will get very high.

E - More than four: then you are the member of the yacht crew, you have a niche and are busy enough to forget about the tight space onto the boat. Now you have a role and a proper uniform

or something the like. But never forget to ask what you are supposed to do during the cruise.

#2: Are you well equipped?

on a boat things could go bad if you are not properly dressed:
Ellen MacArthur never forgets it

Yet, Samantha Davies, another sailing veteran, told in an interview that sometimes she sails completely naked. Promotional apart, the truth is that on a boat is better to protect, skin and toes, hands and head and ...

... Life. If you do think that the life-jacket make you awkward, the inflatable bikini will save your life and look in many occasions. Then, it is only a concept at this point, but it certainly has mounds of potential and cruising would never be the same

Ok you are on vacation, and you wouldn't get rid of your stiletto heels shoes, but then don't forget how much could be difficult to get on board of an inflatable during transfers from port to the big boat

#3 - Toilet is Neverland

How many times you've red on a brochure the words "full comfort on board". We know, now: the comfort they hint to doesn't include toilets.
Always a stinky place 6 cases out 10 the toilet on a boat either doesn't work properly or it doesn't work at all.
Everybody has his theory, but nobody got a comfortable technique. Try the "PEE PEE at SEA" a registered mark.

This girl shows you how.

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Esther Williams the star of Bathing Beauty (1944): her swimsuits bordered on scandal in US's Forties.
Our sailing goddess Samantha Davies is the winner of the Vendome Ocean Race 2001 and 2005.
Azimut Yachts is a famed brand. Its line of motor boats is now everywhere.
Victoria's Secret is the most famous lingerie line all over the world. Here the crew of its models is in Miami.
Boob Cruise: what it is explains by itself.
from Splash Vision my image fount
Hellen McArthur, the decade's outstanding competitive sailor

Yacht Show at National Harbor: antidepressive practice

2009-05-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Yacht Show opens May 29, 2009 and runs through Sunday, May 31 at the spectacular National Harbor waterfront resort on the Banks of the Potomac River. My friends, the economy's disaster of this age could do nothing against the natural breath of the Ocean. That's what The historical Miss Ann, the silent witness of last century to the present day, through the depression, World War II and beyond, seems to confirm. And truly a vessel which has witnessed a great deal of our US's history seems to give the direction everybody has got to move to. So why don't you enjoy a day out and have a look at the wonderfull boats anchored at the pier.

The second annual production of this exciting event will be located on the Awakening Plaza in the center of continuous activity. Boating equipment, accessories, electronics, clothing, jewelry and much more will be displayed in covered booths extending along the full 600 feet of the main pier. The marina will be full of fine yachts for sale and tour and a waterside cocktail and snack lounge with continuous entertainment will be the frame for a joyous day out.

Are you interested on yacht? One of the yachts on display will be the 85’ Azimut, presented by Marine Max of Baltimore, MD. The 85 (I've posted the video of the 82) is a Yacht of peerless elegance in its exterior design whilst also offering exceptional livability. And, more look for the Sea Ray 55 a yacht that unites the latest technological advances with the maniacally scrupolous craftsmanship that Sea Ray has always provided to its client. Quite simply, these yachts reign as the most sought-after boats on the water.
Luxurious living comes standard on every Sea Ray Yacht, including their newest addition…the 52 Sundancer.. if you don't believe me go and see yourself.

If then you could still shut your jaws up, enjoy and demo the new AERE’ 3.7 Inflatable catamaran. This new innovative Catamaran allows anyone to enjoy a fun and relaxing time on the water. Great for day sailing, the state-of-the-art, 12’ inflatable catamaran sailboat provides easy handling and set up for novice and experienced sailors alike.

SHOW DATES & TIMES Friday, May 29th 12 pm - 9 pm Saturday, May 30th 12 pm - 9 pm Sunday, May 31st 12 pm - 6 pm Adult Regular Admission - Friday - Sunday - $16 Child Regular Admission (ages 7 - 12)* - Friday - Sunday - $8 *Children 6 and under are FREE

3 fantaboulous Sailboats Shows

2009-05-22T00:32:00.000-07:00

Volvo Ocean Race in Galway (IRL), Ostar in Plymouth (UK), Vendee Globe in Les Sables d'Olonne (FRA) three great events moving at least 500.000 "sailing" people next weekend:

44 skippers from around the world have signed up for the world's oldest solo ocean challenge - OSTAR (Original Single handed Trans-Atlantic Race) 2009. the participants' sailboats will be leaving Plymouth on May 25th, the OSTAR, which dates back to 1960, has received entries from many countries: Britain, Austria, France, Holland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and the USA. With a well established reputation for producing the sailors of the future, two young novices seek to further their reputaions in this race. Rob Cumming, is 19 years old and from Plymouth. Oscar Mead who will be just 18 years of age making him the youngest competitor to have ever taken part.
Also attracting much attention is Katie Miller who, at the tender age of 21 years old, has already been tipped as the next Ellen MacArthur and is the youngest female competitor to have entered this prestigious race.
French sailor Anne Caseneuve will skipper the same 50 foot trimaran which she raced in OSTAR 2005 when she unfortunately damaged her knee and was forced to withdraw. With her sailing experience and 50 foot sailboat she stands a very good chance of line honours, thus becoming the first ever female winner.
The Yacht club has organized some spectator boats to see the start on the water monday 25th may. Mv Plymouth Sound & Silvert Crest leave new pontoon The Barbican at 10:30 returning at 1400. Tickets for seats' rental must be purchased in advance from RWYC (tel 01752 660077) (adults £12 children under 16 £6).

The 2008-2009 Vendée Globe prize-giving ceremony will be taking place on Saturday 23rd May on the main beach in Les Sables d’Olonne. It will offer another opportunity to applaud the thirty sailors, who tackled the Everest of the Seas last winter.

The ceremony will begin at 10 p.m. This event, completely free of charge will be a great popular occasion just like the Vendée Globe itself and will correspond to the achievements of the skippers. Alongside the presentation of the thirty participants and the handing over of the Vendée Globe trophies, there will also be a pyrotechnic display, a light show projected on to giant screens and a film summarising the sixth edition of the Vendée Globe and the 30 sailboats running. A large firework display will bring the ceremony to an end. This will be the moment to applaud for one final time the skippers, who took part in this edition, before looking forward to the next Vendée Globe in 2012-2013, the start date of which will be announced during the ceremony by Philippe de Villiers, the President of the Vendée Globe.

When the Volvo Ocean Race comes to Galway and the seven sailboats berth in the harbour of Galway, a quarter of a million people are expected to watch the in-port race and the pro-am event in the Bay.
It's a great coup for Ireland, and particularly for the ancient west coast city of Galway, following their successful bid as a stopover port in the Volvo Ocean Race. The event will make its first-ever Irish stopover in the fabled waters of Galway Bay. The first sailboats arrival are expected on May 23rd and the participants to the Volvo Ocean race will stay in Galway for two weeks. Usually Galway during the spring and summer attracts visitors to several different music festivals, an International Festival of Literature, the Galway Arts Festival (Ireland’s largest), the Oyster Festival and the Galway Races, which attracts 200,000 people over seven days. So that we shall have plenty of entertainments during the two weeks of the Galway's Leg, included the In Port Race on 30th may and the major events held in the Trade And Expo Arena along the entire period.

Boat (Rich) People - 5 luxury Boats and their rich owners

2009-05-20T00:38:00.000-07:00

6 - Christensen Hull-026 Privacy - Tiger Woods : the missed bargain

Kidding. But it is not very far the moment some will think about a yacht having in mind a thing like that. Instead Tiger Woods commissioned a 155 ft to Christiansen, she was a beautiful yacht fully optional, fine featured, $20 million or the like, but there is a small particular, Woods never bought it. Part of the contract Woods agreed with the yard was confidentiality — although pictures of the boat could be used, its name and interior details, through final fittings, were not to be disclosed. After his marriage of 5 October 2004, the couple used the boat, now called "Privacy" on a honeymoon cruise to Puerto Rico. On his return from honeymoon, Woods sued Christensen for more than $75,000 in damages, because his privacy was violated. But because of Woods' celebrity and how much clout he carries in the advertising world, compensatory damages could have reached $50 million. The action was settled out of court, and it is believed that Christensen paid Woods around half the cost of his yacht in compensation.

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7 - ARCTIC P - Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Kerry and James Packer: who breaks the ice first?

Artic P ranks #23 in the world’s largest privately owned vessel. The late Kerry Packer, the Australian media magnate, would be proud to see how his son James is keeping this yacht busy. He loaned Arctic P, a former icebreaker, to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes for their honeymoon in the Maldives, celebrated his own nuptials aboard in the French Riviera and donated a trip in Tahiti as an auction item during Rock for the Cure, a fundraiser for the Nevada Cancer Institute, last November. One person, the winner of a week's charter on her, that in particular was the most excited about stepping aboard.

8 - Vajoliroja (ex Anatolia) - Fort Lauderdale's her hometown (Johnny Depp)

The Vajoliroja is Johnny Depp's Yacht and was purchased in 2007. It was reported that Vajoliroja is a combination of the first names of his family, "VAnessa, JOhnny, LIly-ROse and JAck". The Vajoliroja, formerly named Anatolia, is a fabulous 156' Superyacht built in 2001, with exterior design by Taka Yachts and interior design by L.M. Pagano Design. You could spot it in Fort Lauderdale very easily.

9 - Maltese Falcon - (Tom Perkins Ewlett-Packard) the 8th Wonder

A privileged few will be fortunate enough to experience Maltese Falcon under sail. The 88 meter clipper Maltese Falcon is the largest sailing yacht in the world and in a breeze Maltese Falcon's immense DynaRig powers her to record shattering speeds. Maltese Falcon’s interior is luxurious with a rich contemporary décor, delightful to the eye and soothing to the soul. Maltese Falcon is the ideal choice of yacht for large scale entertaining while meandering between smart anchorages. Atlantic crossings in ten days are on offer from this extraordinary yacht! A masterpiece of technology and design, the Maltese Falcon is a yacht without equal.

Maltese Falcon Technical Specifications:
Length: 88.00 m (289’)
Beam: 12.6 m (42’2”)
Draft (Keel up): 6 m (19’7”)
Draft (Keel down): 11 m (36’)
Engines: 2 Deutz TBD620 12 V
Speed: Max 18.5 kts
Range @14 knots: 3,000 miles
Builder: Perini Navi Yachts
Delivered: April 2006
Number of Guests: 12
Number of Crew: 16 (Up to additional 4)

Maltese Falcon Tenders & Toys:
Maltese Falcon has 2 32' Pascoe RIB Tenders. 4 Laser Sailing boats. 1 Castold 14' Jet tender. 6 full sets of dive gear, water skis, snorkeling gear. Maltese Falcon has a full gym with Techno gym, stairmaster etc.

Maltese Falcon Guest Accommodation:
Maltese Falcon has a VIP cabin on upperdeck with queen berth. Full beam Master with King berth, a seperate full beam dressing room and private gym on lower deck. Four guest suites that can convert into two enormous VIP suites each with his/her heads. All cabins on Maltese Falcon have King or Queen berths.

Maltese Falcon Audio Visual Equipment and Deck Facilities:
Maltese Falcon has a 50" Plasma in main salon, SAT TV and DVD throuout the yacht. 50" Plasma in Master Suite, all four guest suites have 42" Plasma screens, and the "Passage Cabin" on the upper deck has a 32" Plasma screen. B & O Surround sound throughout Maltese Falcon, including lower and upper outside aft decks.

Maltese Falcon Communications:
Maltese Falcon is equipped with Furuno Sat C, Nera Fleet 77 B, Nera F33 Sat Com.
GSM Cellular. Wireless internet connection throughout Maltese Falcon via VSAT.
Charter the Maltese Falcon from 375,000 Euro per week MYBA WMT Vat Exempt

10 - Phocea - (Mouna Ayoub) Dear unlucky tall ship...

Phocea's extraordinary history began in 1972 when Alain Colas, having just won the Observer Single Handed Trans Atlantic Race (OSTAR), commissioned Michel Bigoin to design a race-winning monohull with which he could enter the 1976 race. The 4-masted yacht developed by Bigoin was built at the naval dockyard in Toulon and named Club Mediterranée, after the yacht's sponsors.
Unfortunately due to injury Alain Colas was unable to test the yacht sufficiently before the race, and whilst in the lead the halyards broke - Club Mediterranée lost the race by 7.5 hours.
Following the race, a basic interior was fitted to Club Mediterranée and she sailed to French Polynesia where she began life as a charter vessel taking guests out on day sails. Then Alain Colas lost his life whilst participating in the 1978 Route du Rhum Single-handed race and it was not long before the yacht began to look neglected. In 1982 the French entrepreneur Bernard Tapie came to the rescue. Tapie had the yacht stripped and rebuilt as a superyacht at the Chantier Naval de Marseilles and Michel Bigoin oversaw the project. The yacht was renamed Phocea - to honour the Phoceans, Marseilles's original founders. Tapie then fell in disgrace and knew for a few years the hard life of French Prisons. Club Mediterranée was sold to Mouna Ayoub, a rich Lebanese, and now is a sailboat on rent for 196.000 euro a week in the hot season.

10 top tall ships you shouldn't miss

2009-05-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

The Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009 is a spectacular odyssey around the North Atlantic Ocean of more than 7,000 nautical miles following the traditional route taken by sailing ships of a by-gone age. The vessels now are berthed at the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Harbour, Canary Islands, Spain having departed from Vigo Spain the 30th April this year. Anyone could take part in Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009. Most of the vessels welcome novices as well as experienced sailors. The challenge is for anyone with a spirit of adventure, love of travel and sense of fun: the only problem will be choosing the best ship. I can't make my mind up ...

1. Europa

Class: A
Flag: The Netherlands
L.O.A. 44.5m
Rig: 3 Mast Barque
Year Built: 1911
Home Port: The Hague
Entered By: Rederij Bark Europa

2. Belle Poule

Class: B
Flag: France
L.O.A. 30.48
Rig: Schooner
Year Built: 1932
Home Port: Brest
Entered By: Marine Nationale - Ecole Navale

3. Jolie Brise

Class: B
Flag: UK
L.O.A. 17.1m
Rig: Gaff Cutter
Year Built: 1913
Home Port: Hamble, England
Entered By: Dauntsey's School, Wiltshire, England

4. Mircea

Class: A
Flag: Romania
L.O.A. 92.8
Rig: Barque
Year Built: 1939
Home Port: Constantz
Entered By: Romanian Naval Academy

5. Kruzenshtern

Class: A
Flag: Russia
L.O.A. 114.5m
Rig: Barque 4
Year Built: 1926
Home Port: Kaliningrad, Russia
Entered By: Baltic State Academy of the Fishing Fleet

6. Eagle

Class: A
Flag: USA
L.O.A. 80.08 m
Rig: 3 Masted Barque
Year Built: 1936
Home Port: New London, Connecticut
Entered By: USCG Academy

7. Tenacious

Class: A
Flag: U K
L.O.A. 54m
Rig: Barque
Year Built: 2000
Home Port: Southampton
Entered By: Jubilee Sailing Trust

8. Capitan Miranda

Class: A
Flag: Uruguay
L.O.A. 50.29 m
Rig: Schooner
Year Built: 1930
Home Port: Montevideo
Entered By: Uruguayan Navy

9 . Libertad

Class: A
Flag: Argentina
L.O.A. 105.10 m
Rig: Ship
Year Built: 1956
Home Port: Buenos Aires
Entered By: Argentine Navy

10. Tecla

Class: B
Flag: Netherlands
L.O.A. 27.50m
Rig: Gaff Ketch
Year Built: 1915
Home Port: Winkel
Entered By: Jan Bouwman & Jannette Sluik

Volvo Ocean: the hardest ocean to cross

2009-05-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

The sailboats of the Volvo Ocean race are heading out across the Atlantic in what threatens to be one of the most hazardous legs of the nine-month round-the-world event. 2500 nautical miles, from Boston New England to Galway Ireland, during which the seven crews will be facing dramatic conditons. everybody is well conscious of the dramatic events of last edition in 2006, in which Dutch Bot ABN AMRO 2 lost a man at and Spain's Movistar sank in the Atlantic: "Crossing the Atlantic has always been very difficult, probably one of the hardest oceans to cross," said Ericsson 4 crewman Tony Mutter. "The weather systems are pretty violent and there can be a lot of debris in the water, and more wildlife here than in any other ocean". And Volvo Ocean Race, formerly Withbread Cup, startin from the Season 1973/74 has paid a high number of tributes in lives:

1973/74 Paul Waterhouse of Tauranga: the ship broached violently. The spinnaker boom broke at the mast end causing it to thrash around on the clew of the sail. He rushed forward to get the sails under control and retrieve what was left of the boom, but as he went forward the boat changed direction once more and the sail suddenly took off. The sheets went taut under Waterhouse and threw him high in the air, dumping him back on deck then overboard in a second surge of power.

Bernie Hocking of GBII: disappears overboard, with winds blowing Force 5-6, the crew were not able to recover him despite a search that lasted more than two hours, during which time, they neither saw him nor the dan buoy that was thrown to him after he lost his footing while tidying up in the pulpit. He was gone forever.In his log, Blyth wrote, “Other yachts would have taken this harder or more emotionally. The reason its not affecting us so much is that once again the training of the Paras comes out. You’re steeled towards death. All of us in the yacht have seen active service so have seen death before. This is more personal, but we keep our thoughts to ourselves. He will rarely be mentioned now, more out of respect than anything else. Bernie was one of us. He wouldn’t want it any other way.”

1989/90: Bart van den Dwey and Tony Phillips: a sudden and violent broach thrust Bart van den Dwey and Tony Phillips overboard. It was around 3:00, the seas were big and confused, and although both men were wearing life-jackets and equipped with flares and personal radio beacon, the business of recovery took more than 45 minutes which put their lives in the balance. Skipper John Chittenden recorded each development in detail: “The first man, Bart van den Dwey, was recovered and successfully resuscitated. Tony Phillips was recovered and resuscitation continued for three hours without success. Bart’s lifejacket was inflated. Tony Phillips’ was not. He hit a stanchion as he went overboard and it is thought unlikely that he was conscious once in the water. Two crew-members, Barry Mercer and Julian Morris, went into the sea three times to assist with their recovery. Both actions were in my opinion heroic – Julian’s in particular. A few days later, by radio agreement with relatives ashore, Tony Phillips was buried at sea.”

2006/2007 Hans Horrevoets. Falls from ABN Amro 2 and failed to regain consciousness.

5 yachts you will dream of : Boat People

2009-05-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

1 - Octopus - Paul Allen: We are All in the Yellow Submarine.
Rich people like actors, singers, entrepreneurs or lucky heirs doesn't look for evidence. They are simply bounded to come, get off the big big boat, get in again loaded with shoppers and fade with their fortresses in the fog. Not for Paul Allen. He likes to be seen and admired and in any port he arrives, he likes to invite notable people in the superyacht OCTOPUS, a whopping 416 feet (127 m), long enough to have secured its position as one of the world's largest yachts. Super yacht OCTOPUS is equipped with a music studio and a basketball court. the interior of the boat, which cost $20 million to build, is full of modern electronics, as befitting someone with a software background. For example there's big screen TVs that slide out of the walls. The inside has a classic look, with lots of light wood paneling and muted colors. On the walls there are a couple of Andy Warhol paintings and a Max Ernst original. And more, Paul Allen seems to be an ardent fan of sea cruisers. The latest plaything in the billionaire's playground is a fully operational 40-foot yellow submarine for which he has paid a huge sum of $12 million.

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2 - Lady Sheridan - Ophrah Winfrey, Jude Sheidlin: Changing name and identity.

the Lady Sheridan, 148 ft 5, built in 1988 by Feadship Van Lent, and commissioned by Ophrah Winfrey has changed from owner to owner her name in "L'Elegance", then "Mia Elise", "Easy to Love IV" and finally the actual name, "The Judge". She's truly a female Big Boat very similar to her owners, some of the most paid women in the history of the US TV. Now "Judge" Judy Sheidlin is, with her husband and a couple of friends the owner of this wonderful Boat and are chartering it, because a boat like that is costly even for a billionaire.

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3 - Rising Sun - Larry Ellison: "I'm worried, Larry ..."

Starts like that a letter from the accountant of Larry Ellison founder of the US Oracle, software US giant. Of course, there's no question that Ellison, 62, is good for the loans. Forbes' famous list of wealthy people says the maverick entrepreneur is the nation's fifth richest individual, worth $17 billion, mostly in Oracle stock. Still, Ellison's spending and his reluctance to part with Oracle shares have caused his financial adviser some anxiety. On the water front Ellison has poured at least $194m in a new yacht and $80m in the America's Cup: a true passionate. The yacht is Rising Sun, 452 ft 8 of length, Built by Lürssen, with the style aid of Jon Bannenberg.

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4 - All a fleet - Roman Abramovic: no way, safety comes first

It's almost ready Eclipse for Roman Abramovic (here with his wife Irina in Portofino Italy), the Boat is the fifth of the group and the biggest. The others are in order of volume Pelorus, Le Grand Bleu, Ecstasea and Sussurro. It seems motor yacht ECLIPSE - the largest yacht in the world - will be well-prepared to thwart off the attacks of would-be ship and yacht seizure by Somali pirates and pretty much everyone else. Sources report the gigayacht will have special radar installed, designed specifically to warn of incoming rockets. There will also be armored protection around the wheelhouse and the billionaire owner’s master suite – along with bulletproof windows throughout.
If pirates do, in fact, breach the security cordon and climb onboard the superyacht, the Russian oligarch, 41, and several guests can escape through secret corridors to a submarine that is launchable underwater and can dive away to 160ft in depth. Move over, James Bond!
Underwater cameras with heat-and-motion sensors will detect intruders. The yacht is being fitted with the latest antibugging equipment and there are supposedly even flash sensors installed to warn of paparazzi photographers taking snaps through the windows. In addition to its anti-missile defense system, the yacht will be defended by a crew of 50 fully-armed former SAS and Special Boat Service commandos, ready to take on any modern-day pirates or terrorists.
The onboard accommodations will feature six guest suites, five VIP suites and the aforementioned 5,000 square foot owner’s cabin. All come with two en suite bathrooms and balconies. The owner’s cabin features a grand piano and a private garden area on the foredeck, spanning decks 4 and 5.
The yacht also boasts a wine cellar, humidor, two kitchens, and a mini hospital.
For watersport enthusiasts, there will be four pleasure craft, a 50ft tender to ferry guests to and from shore, 20 jet skis and of course, the 12-seat private submarine.
Currently under construction in Hamburg, Germany at the fabled Blohm + Voss shipyards, her owner is expected to take delivery next summer. Insiders put the cost of the world’s largest giga yacht at + £200m ($470m). Comfort and safety first of all.

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5. Lady Lola - Bejoncè and Jay Zed: Privacy in boat rentals

Not everybody is able to adopt security and privacy measures the like Abramovic is able to do. Not everybody has enough money or the vocation to get busy and loose finance just to take care of a large boat. In that case the Vip should be patient and smile when everybody holding a camera starts to shoot photos or hide in one of the areas expecially studied to keep privacy high. And the Lady Lola is a yacht built having clear in mind what happens in Italy in places like Portofino or the Sardinia Smeralda Coast. With her features The Lady Lola can provide plenty of private room, the upper deck is a full private Owners’ deck that can be entirely closed off from the rest of the vessel. It includes a forward master stateroom with its panoramic 270-degree view and private balcony, as well as a 3,500-square-foot suite including a salon, an office and opening aft on a large covered private terrace and many other amenities that a big star look for when in a holyday

to be continued ----------------------------------

Wanna be a pirate?. First of all get your own flag

2009-05-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Leaving aside the pirate flag of Edward England, the most famous, added in the video above by the Youtuber, if you watch the entire movie you won't see any classic sign of PIRACY. No flag apart some tore piece of cloth, a small motorboat instead of a vessel... so far, for me they are not pirates. Everybody sailing a boat assaulting and robbering is a pirate for them. But the differences between a pirate and a bandit is huge - I am not talking about violences, rapes and murders, which I hate anywhere they come from -: yet, notice it, pirates, the true pirates, the historycal ones, gathered under a flag, personally draught by their commander, terrible for the depicted subject, but still the symbol of a distinction that made the pirate ship something the like of a Nation and not a boat filled by desperate men. It is so simple, piracy was a way of life and not a necessity. Don't you think so? Come along with me through the semantic of piracy:

1 Edward England
(Ireland ? - 1721): This is a classic so that it has got a name, too: Jolly Roger

2 Edward Teach Blackbeard
(Bristol 1680 ab.-22/11/1718):

3 Bartholomew Roberts
(Pembrockshire 17/5/1682 - Gabon 10/2/1722): here the pirate lives and dies with only one friend, the Death

4 Stede Bonnet
(Barbados 1688 - Charleston 10/12/1708): a only love, the death.

5 Pirat Byran (the Pirate Bay):

the Swedish Internet band hints at the same poetry of a bunch of men against the world under the same flag, an audio cassette in place of the skull) -

Sailboat around the world solo: the youngest ever

2009-05-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

Jessica Watson it's setting off for a 7 to 8 month of sailing around the world, a little thing only 22,ooo nmiles. It's tough even for a middle aged like me, Jessica is 17!. A baby.
She is planning to do that emulating the adventures of Kay Cottee, the first woman to sail solo non-stop unassisted around the world and Jesse Martin, the youngest person to do so, Jessica Watson has set her sights on shattering Jesse’s record. The rule are written on the stone: return by means of wind to the starting point, the craft may be anchored or beached during the attempt, but any repairs must be made entirely by the crew without outside resources or materials. And solo means there is only one person aboard that cannot accept any kind of outside assistance. Tomorrow everybody is invited to the press conference at Rivergate Marina and Shipyard (Brisbane) for 10.30am SHARP, to hear from the adventurer and solo sailor Don McIntyre and Jessica in flesh and bones their major announcement to the world.
What else, at least in these few days, don't make her feeling to be alone and click to her site

London "advisors", via sat phones, are driving pirates' attacks in the Gulf of Aden

2009-05-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

There they are: Somali suspected to be pirates hold onto their boat in the Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden. It is opinion of the Spanish intelligence that pirates are planning attacks on shipping using detailed information provided by unindentified advisors in London with satellite phones. The suspect is enforced by the fact that on 11 May 2009 eleven Somali pirates got arrested after mistaking a French naval warship, the MV FNS NIvose, to be a cargo ship. In fact a Spanish radio network, Ser Cadena, identifies those advisor as the same owners of the ships depredated. Yet the issue is bigger, and must be stopped at once: more than 30000 ships transit every year in that area and pirate attacks represent a daily direct threat to the people on board, but more affect the world maritime trade, which represent the 90% of world trade. To put an end to all that, EU launched a military operation, the EU NAVFOR Somalia (operation Atlanta) that will protect the vessels of the World Food Programme delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somali coast and be a deterrent, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery in that region.

Volvo Ocean Race: Telephonica Blue rides the (light) wind

2009-05-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

...And bowman Pepe Ribes from Telefonica Blue sprays the crowd with champagne after winning the Volvo Ocean Race in-port race in a misty Boston, could it have been different?. Telephonica blue, dominant over light winds, led from start to finish in the in-port boat race. Bouwe Bekking, the team's offshore skipper and inshore tactician, was in the mood for understatements. "It could have been worse," he said. "We like this weather, but we still had to pull it off and we did. We made it a bit hard for ourselves on the second beat in the second race, when we had an easy lay and the chute came off. We had to tack back and reach into the gate mark. But we did well in difficult conditions."
Indeed, the wind shifted by as much as 40 degrees during the racing, while its speed danced anywhere between five and 12 knots. A thick fog swept the course in the second race for dramatic effect. "Not easy conditions," said Ericsson 4 skipper Torben Grael, a man who was also far from unhappy. Precious points.Telefonica Blue's four points enables them to shave half a point off overall race leader Ericsson 4 and eked out a three-point lead over third-placed PUMA which did not good on the home turf.

Dreamed Sailboats in Portofino (Italy)

2009-05-09T06:14:00.000-07:00

This week end in the port of Portofino it is held the Portofino Rolex Trophy. Created by the Yacht Club Italiano and Rolex the Trophy honours some of the classic designs that make up part of the long history of sailing. The event is open by invitation only to a select list of woodden classes. The confirmed entry list of the 'barca d'epoca' for the Portofino Rolex Trophy 2009 currently includes the 12-Metres CINTRA, VARUNA, EMILIA and eight 8-Metres including MARGARET, BONA and VEGA among others. VARUNA and CINTRA will be celebrating their centenary year, as will ORION, the famous 129' gaff schooner built by Camper & Nicholson (the wonder boat heading the port of Portofino in the pic aside), who will be in attendance as a non-racing Guest of Honour during the regatta. In addition to the display of classic yacht design on the water, there will also be an exhibition of historic wooden Olympic classes in the main square of Portofino. The boats on show date back as far as 1936 (Dragon) and the exhibition includes boats representing Star, Class A, Finn, Snipe, Flying Dutchman, Contender, Fireball, Flying Junior and 5.5M classes.
The Portofino Rolex Trophy is part of the Rolex Yachting Portfolio that includes over twenty world-class sailing events that take place around the world. Rolex is also the title sponsor of classic races such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart, the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the legendary Rolex Fastnet Race.

Volvo Ocean Race: Boston in-port race on Saturday

2009-05-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

Before heading off across the ocean to Galway the seven racer sailboats taking part in The Volvo Ocean race will resume the competion with an in-port race off the coast of Boston. Swedish monohull yacht Ericsson 4 will be seeking to consolidate its lead over its nearest rivals, Spain's Telefonica Blue and US team Puma Racing (in the pic aside while heading towards the port of Boston). The winner of the in-port race will collect four points. The race will mark the return of Telefonica Bluès co-skipper, Iker Martinez, who opted to skip leg six between Rio de Janeiro and Boston which was won by Ericsson 4. Martinez will be joined by French sailer Michel Desjoyeaux, who won the Vendee Globe race and is considered to be one of the world's most successful solo sailers. The Volvo Ocean Race began in the Spanish port of Alicante in October and is set to conclude in St Petersburg, Russia, in June after nine months negotiating 10 stages over 37,000 nautical miles. Standings before the in-port race on Saturday: 1. Ericsson 4 (SWE)/Torben Grael (BRA) 77.5 points 2. Telefonica Blue (ESP)/Bouwe Bekking (NED) 64.5 3. Puma Ocean Racing (USA)/Ken Read (USA) 64.0 4. Ericsson 3 (SWE)/Magnus Olsson (SWE) 53.0 5. Green Dragon (CHN/EIR)/Ian Walker (GBR) 44.0 6. Telefonica Black (ESP)/Fernando Echavarri (ESP) 29.0 7. Delta Lloyd (NED)/Roberto Bermudez (ESP) 21.0 8. Team Russia (RUS)/Andreas Hanakamp (AUT) 10.5 (has temporarily withdrawn from the race). Maybe it's not a news, but it could be fun go to the site of the game online and join the real sail world from your home computer pllaying the online sim game

Volvo Ocean Race, sailboats towards Galway IRL

2009-05-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

The Starting port of the next 3 editions - 2011-12 2014-15 e 2017-18 - of Volvo Ocean Race will be Alicante in Spain. It's a significative change since Whiteley was the starting base of the offshore race since 1998. The agreement between the Volvo Ocean Race and the Spanish regional government of Valencia was signed in Boston MA, from where the seventh leg of the current contest will depart on May 16th for Galway in Ireland. Into the bargain there's also the construction of a museum that chronicles the 36-year history of the race, which is now usually held every three years. Eight sailboats, including the seven which are still in the race, are taking part in the current edition which cover 37,000 nmiles and 10 stages. Sweden Ericsson 4, depicted here aside at the arrival in the port of Boston, MA April 26th, is currently first, scoring 13 points more than its nearest rivals Telefonica Blue of Spain.

sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving and blogging. What else?

2009-05-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

While we are striving saving money to rent a sailboat for our annual summer tour, Ben Southall wins the contest "The Best job in the World". He will start his job as a caretaker in Hamilton Island in July and he will be paid 112.686 euros for sailing, snorkeling and scuba diving. Off course it's a joke a commercial joke: in fact the contest was held aiming the tourist promotion of Hamilton Island and Ben's main job will be to write a daily blog about the island and the Great barrier Reef.