Yachts All Around

Architects for rich people are falling on hard times, or at least not living it up quite the same way.

Never fear, they'll cope.

Norman Foster, the leading British architect who designed the Hearst Tower in New York, has added yachts to his résumé, recently creating a string of vessels for luxury boating company YachtPlus.

Eye on Safety

NTSB: More Emphasis Needed On Boating Safety

WASHINGTON, DC— Recent actions taken by the marine industry and state legislatures to advance boating safety are moving the industry in the right direction, but additional measures are required to further reduce recreational boating fatalities, injuries and accidents, maintains National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker.

In his address at the Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA) annual conference in Las Vegas Wednesday, Rosenker focused on the use of personal flotation devices, which is on the NTSB’s Most Wanted list of safety recommendations, and the safety of sole state passenger vessels.

Name the Whales

Over at Greenpeace, they're having a whale-naming event.
Vote before Dec.7
Whale naming competition
More than 11,000 possible whale names were submitted but we are now down to the last 30 possible whale names...which ones will be given to the wonderful humpback whales currently travelling on the Great Whale Trail?

Choose your favourite name from among the 30 below and hit the submit button at the bottom of the page. You can only vote once but you can ask as many friends to vote as you like.

So vote now and get all your friends to vote too.Aiko - means 'little love' in Japanese
Amal - means 'hope' in Arabic
Anahi - means 'immortal' in Persian
Atticus - named for Atticus Finch, the main character in the famous book "To Kill A Mockingbird"
Aurora - is Latin for 'dawn'
Babu - means 'grandfather or old man' in Swahili
Bumi - (pronounced 'boo-me') means 'Earth' in Malay
Cian - (pronounced keen or kee-an) means 'ancient or enduring' in old Irish
Echo - means...well, echo
Gana - means 'song' in Hindi
Humphrey - was just too popular not to have here
Jacques - named for Jacques Cousteau, environmental activist, educator and explorer of the oceans
Kaimana - means 'divine power of the ocean' in Polynesian
Kigai - means 'strong spirit' in Japanese
Libertad - means 'freedom' in Spanish

Guarding the Oceans

Scientists urge $2-3 billion study of ocean health

OSLO (Reuters) - Marine scientists called on Sunday for a $2-3 billion study of threats such as overfishing and climate change to the oceans, saying they were as little understood as the Moon.

A better network of satellites, tsunami monitors, drifting robotic probes or electronic tags on fish within a decade could also help lessen the impact of natural disasters, pollution or damaging algal blooms, they said.

"This is not pie in the sky ... it can be done," said Tony Haymet, director of the U.S. Scripps Institution of Oceanography and chairman of the Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO).

He told Reuters that a further $2-3 billion would roughly match amounts already invested in ocean research, excluding more costly satellites. New technologies were cheaper and meant worldwide monitoring could now be possible.

"Silicon Valley has come to the oceans," said Jesse Ausubel, a director of the Census of Marine Life that is trying to describe life in the seas.

Lighthouse Collection

The Internet Public Library has a neat section devoted to lighthouses.

LI Oil Spill

Crews cleaning up oil along Long, Atlantic beaches
BY JOHN VALENTI
Environmental clean-up crews clad in yellow Tyvek worksuits combed the shores of Atlantic Beach and Long Beach Friday morning, collecting spilled fuel oil that began washing ashore on Thanksgiving Day. U.S. Coast Guard officials said there is still no indication where the oil came from.

Affected by the spill of what is estimated to be about 500 gallons of No. 6 crude oil -- a heavy, unrefined fuel that likely was stored cargo in a tanker and not fuel used to power a ship -- is about 3,000 linear feet of beach in Atlantic Beach and 1,500 linear feet of beachfront in Long Beach.

Crews are hopeful the congealed oil can be cleared from the beaches by high tide Friday, which is expected around 6 p.m.

The oil on shore ranges from specks the size of BBs or pellets to bigger globs the size of fried eggs. Officials said the cold weather and the heaviness of the crude oil helped keep it together in blobs, rather than being spread out in a film.

A spokesman for the Department of Environmental Conservation, Bill Fonda, said: "We haven't found any impact to wildlife yet." He said there was no sign the oil had diluted into the water -- and that most of the migratory birds had left the area, minimizing impact.

US Coast Guard

Tillerman's Boating Trivia

Tillerman did a Thanksgiving-related boating blog yesterday.

Drought Leaves Them High and Dry

The drought is tough for everyone in the Southeast, including boaters.

Boaters become fish out of water


By SCOTT BERNARDE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It was 4 p.m. Tuesday and traffic was gridlocked.

Not usually big news, but when vehicles are lined up bumper-to-trailer like they were at Lake Lanier's Shoal Creek boat ramp, it causes some grumbling, a few beeps of the horns and raised eyebrows.

The drought has closed most of Lake Lanier's boat ramps. Deanna and James Gabriel take their boat out at Shoal Creek boat ramp on Tuesday.

The sun was getting low, and boaters coming off the lake hoped to get home for dinner. And those putting in, knowing the striped bass were actively feeding in the late afternoon, wanted to catch a few fish before dusk.

The drought has been tough on boaters this fall. With water levels at lakes Lanier and Allatoona nearing record lows, boats ramps are being closed on a weekly basis. Shoal Creek, located off Buford Dam Road on the south end of the lake, is one of only two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat ramps on Lanier that were still open this past week (Tidwell to the west is the other one). It's not much better at Allatoona, which has only four public ramps open — Blockhouse, Galt's Ferry, Cooper Branch No. 1 and Red Top Mountain State Park (at Bethany Bridge) ramps.

Changing the Oceans

And not for the better.

A World Dying, But Can We Unite To Save It?
By Geoffrey Lean
The Independent
Humanity is rapidly turning the seas acid through the same pollution that causes global warming, the world’s governments and top scientists agreed yesterday. The process — thought to be the most profound change in the chemistry of the oceans for 20 million years — is expected both to disrupt the entire web of life of the oceans and to make climate change worse.

Too Much Fishing?

Greenpeace Slams 'Unsustainable' Tuna Quota

ANKARA (AFP) - An international commission designed to protect bluefin tuna stocks has effectively increased the fishing quota for 2008 from what was already an "unsustainable" level, Greenpeace said Sunday.

"Countries are approving a bigger quota for a species that is on the verge of collapse instead of acting immediately to save it," said Sebastian Losada, Greenpeace Spain's Oceans Campaigner.

The environmental pressure group said the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), held in Turkeyhad approved a nearly 1,000-tonne increase in the 2008 catch.

Organisers issued no statement on the conclusions of the meeting -- attended by a Greenpeace delegation -- in the Turkish Mediterranean resort of Antalya.

Democrats on the Environment

Three Democratic presidential candidates, Dennis Kucinich, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, are going to be discussing environmental issues at 5 p.m. Eastern today.
I tried the video link a little while ago but it wasn't working but if it's up and running later, I'll post it at Going Green


I wonder where Mr. Interior, Bill Richardson, is? And Obama?

Grist also has a breakdown on where the candidates, Democratic and Republican, stand on environmental issues.

East Hampton Dory Squad

A couple of Florida lawyers who specialize in marine/admiralty issues found this video of the East Hampton Dory Rescue Squad, which is, I believe, defunct. It's marvelous. Good find by the lawyers.

Venter Explores Ocean Diversity

TED--Technology,Entertainment,Design--puts together conferences on thinking big ideas. Worth your while and great video.

Maritime Program

Here's a maritime education program right in our backyard. Or backwaters.

Kingsborough program gives hands-on boating experience

BY DENISE ROMANO
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Ahoy!
The Maritime Technology program at Kingsborough Community College is truly one-of-a-kind. Students get hands-on boating experience, learning both operation and repair of vessels, helping to launch them into interesting careers.

"Most move right out of college and into a job," said Kingsborough President Regina Peruggi. "Young people should think of careers on the water."

Graduates of the two-year program receive Brown Water licenses, permitting them to work on watercraft inshore, in coastal waters and harbors. Blue Water licenses are issued for working in international waters.

"The jobs are here in our waters," said Capt. John Nappo, who helps run the program, adding that it's good for students who want to stay close to home.

Seabreeze Goes Free

"Seabreeze" the bottle-nosed dolphin was released yesterday. You can track his path here.

Also, the Riverhead Foundation has scheduled lectures on sea turtle rescues.

SF Oil Spill

What a mess.

Boating Terms

Over at EndBoat, there's a good explanation of boating terms.

'Seabreeze' Going Home

"Seabreeze," a bottled-nosed dolphin rescued from muddy water near Bellmore in July and treated by the Riverhead Foundation, will be released to the sea on Monday.

LI Sound Dredging

BOSTON, Nov. 9--Six public meetings have been scheduled during the week of Nov. 26 to allow public input on the "Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement" related to the development of a Dredged Material Management Plan for the navigation facilities of Long Island Sound harbors. Three meetings each will be held in communities in New York and Connecticut.

The purpose of developing the Programmatic EIS is to evaluate the overall impacts of alternatives identified in the development of a Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) for dredged material that would be generated in the maintenance or the improvement of navigation facilities in Long Island Sound with respect to the environment of the Sound and its tributaries.

The DMMP will be developed by the Army Corps of Engineers in conjunction with representatives from U.S. EPA (Regions 1 and 2), N.Y. Dept. of State, N.Y. Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Conn. Dept. of Environmental Protection, Conn. Dept. of Transportation, Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Long Island hearings are:

Tuesday, November 27 Afternoon 1 - 4 pm Location: Diplomatic Ballroom Address: Danfords on the Sound Meeting and Conference Center 25 East Broadway Port Jefferson, NY 11777 Telephone: 631-928-5200 Directions:

Tuesday, November 27 Evening 7 - 10 pm Location: Long Island Room Address: Holiday Inn in Westbury- Long Island 369 Old Country Road Carle Place, NY 11514 Telephone: 516-997-5000

Boating in China

Interesting, from a paper in Maine. China wants to build a recreational boating industry.
Deputy Secretary General of China's shipbuilding industry visits locally
The top government official charged with developing recreational boating in China visited Maine last week on his way to the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show. The visit was a follow-up to the Maine boat builders representing the U.S. at the China International Boat Show in April, through the support of Maine's North Star Alliance Initiative.

Mr. Yang Xinfa, Deputy Secretary General of China's Shipbuilding Industry, is the head of two of the most important government sponsored professional organizations in China -- The China Boat Industry and Trade Association, and the China Association of Shipbuilding Industry. He is instrumental in developing the recreational boating industry in China. Yang came to Maine to see first-hand what the state has to offer in terms of boats, marine products and boating lifestyle.

'As China's economy continues to grow, luxury boats are desired as a new status symbol," said Elaine Scott, director of marketing/communications for Maine's Department of Economic and Community Development and director of market/business development for the North Star Alliance.

Boating Test Online

Boating safety class goes online

Would-be mariners in Ohio can now take a required boating safety class online so that they may legally operate watercraft in Ohio under an agreement signed yesterday by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Watercraft.

The online course, offered by Boat U.S. Foundation, would be in place of more traditional boating safety courses that are required for any boater operating a powered craft with more than 10 horsepower.

Safeguarding the Ocean's Food Supply

Read about overfishing the planet's oceans and how to avoid it, safe mercury levels, loss of coastal wetlands, water pollution and more.

Noel's Effects at Robert Moses

Fred, at Hurricane City, posted some nice photos today of the waves at Robert Moses.

Lecture on Waters at Stony Brook

SoMAS Presents: Critical Issues Facing Long Island’s Marine Waters

11/9/2007 Start Time: 7:30 PM



"An Assessment of Pollution Problems in a South Shore Estuary: The Forge River"--Bruce Brownawell and Christopher Gobler, Associate Professors

Expanding populations of Suffolk County’s shorelines have led to a host of environmental problems in recent years. Located in Mastic, NY, the Forge River exemplifies this situation as the tributary which has recently experienced low oxygen levels, water discoloration, foul odors, and die-offs of marine life. In 2006, Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences began working with local government agencies and citizens groups to document the extent of the environmental problems and to assist in devising solutions to improve the quality of the Forge River. This presentation will represent a status of these efforts.

The lecture will be followed by a reception.

NJ Scalloping Season Extended

New scallop-fishing regulations issued to save sea turtles

Chain netting draped across sea scallop dredges will be the government's preferred precaution for reducing accidental captures of sea turtles, with a decision this week to abandon seasonal closures that had been used to protect turtles on scallop grounds off New Jersey.

Environmental groups and fishermen alike were surprised by Thursday's decision by the New England Fishery Management Council, which sets rules for the East Coast scallop fishery.

"We know there are turtles in these areas. We should be taking action on the (turtle) hotspots we know," said Gib Brogan of the environmental group Oceana, which advocates such "time and area" closures to reduce contact between migrating turtles and the fishing fleet.

But the National Marine Fisheries Service recommended not closing any areas, now that it requires the use of dredges modified with what fishermen call turtle chains, said Brogan and Patricia Fiorelli, a spokeswoman for the New England council.

"The issue is whether pushing (fishing) effort around is effective. Turtle distributions are very patchy." Fiorelli said. "Last year, there were no takes in the dredge fishery. There were some this year," even with the area closures, she said.

Regulations associated with the federal Endangered Species Act define "take" as any potentially hazardous physical contact with turtles. Researchers working with the scallop industry came up with chain mats across the dredge openings as a way to avoid the accidental capture and drowning of the air-breathing reptiles.

Oceana activists argue that turtles can still be struck and injured by dredges working the sea floor. Seasonal time and area closures on one area called the Elephant Trunk "keeps the gear out of the water while the turtles are there" from late summer until Nov. 1, David Allison of Oceana said in a statement.

Watch Out for Cold Waters

BOATERS SHOULD PREPARE FOR FALLING WATER TEMPERATURES
Inexperienced boaters at risk when on the water to hunt or fish

Boating is usually considered a warm-weather sport but, as waterfowl hunters and anglers know, fall can be the best time of the year to participate in boating activities. It can also be a dangerous time of year for avid sportsmen and women who don’t consider themselves boaters but want to use a boat to get to their desired hunting or fishing spot. More single-boat accidents take place during this time of the year, and with water temperature on the decline, these accidents can prove deadly.

Overloading a small boat with equipment is a quick way to end up in frigid water by capsizing or falling overboard. Either can turn fatal quickly. Sudden immersion into cold water delivers a brutal shock to the body, triggering a spontaneous inhalation reflex. The simple act of wearing a life jacket can be enough to keep one's head above water when this involuntary gasping happens, keeping lungs from filling with water. By keeping capsized boaters afloat, life jackets also enable them to conserve energy and get out of the water.

Ocean Pollution

The Pacific Garbage Patch--twice the size of Texas, floating in the Pacific Ocean.
Altered Oceans series.