Posts Tagged ‘sailing’

We quite regularly blog about sailing at the extreme end of the scale – the likes of the Americas Cup and the Vendee Globe – and continuing in that theme we have done a little research into the world of  speed on the water and were intrigued to discover that as we write there is an attempt being made on the current world record for a sail boat over 500 metres.

The following comes from www.yachtpals.com forwhich thanks, who reported yesterday from Namibia on how Sail Rocket and her skipper Paul Larsen are trying to reclaim their crown

‘Formerly the fastest sailboat in the world, SailRocket is making her final attempts at the outright speed sailing record this month, trying to steal the title from the big hydrofoil sailboat l’Hydroptere. One of these attempts ended in a dramatic boat crash on Tuesday, catapulting the little boat and her skipper into the air in a stunning flip, while the support team watched in horror from the sidelines.’

It is believed Sail Rocket attained a speed of 53 knots before her crash, thankfully Larsen emerged unharmed but the boat was not so lucky suffering damage to its flaps. Only time will tell if she can be repaired for another attempt to be made.

Here is the Vestas SailRocket in action which gives you a good impression of how very close to the edge she is when sailing flat out. The video comes from paolosailtv

SailRocket lost the title in September to the spectacular French boat l’Hydroptere, skippered by Alain Thebault, which recorded a speed of 51.36 knots over 500 metres and also set a new record for the mile – when sailing off Hyere, France. In the video from yachtpals you can see her in action -

We wonder how long it will be before someone, some boat, beats this record – there are certainly many people trying including Thebault’s own team. It is after all an extreme title worth holding.

We received many comments from both race organisers and individuals interested in the Vendee Globe in which the last competitor finished on March 15th and therefore thought it only right to mention another mighty world circumnavigation that is currently underway. The Volvo Ocean Race is an exceptional test of sailing prowess and human endeavour which has been built on the spirit of great seafarers – fearless men who sailed the world’s oceans aboard square rigged clipper ships more than a century ago.

Their challenge back then was not a race as such, but recording the fastest time between ports. This meant new levels of pride for themselves and great recognition for their vessel.

The spirit that drove those commercial sailors along the web of trade routes, deep into the bleak latitudes of the Southern Ocean and around the world’s most dangerous capes, emerges today in the form of the Volvo Ocean Race, a contest now seen as the pinnacle of achievement in the sport.

We are extremely grateful to the Volvo Ocean Race website www.volvooceanrace.org for this historical information.

The first edition of this sporting adventure came in the wake of two remarkable sailors of the last century, Sir Francis Chichester and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, men who drew worldwide acclaim for amazing solo voyages around the planet. Inevitably their success led to talk in international sailing circles of a race around the world for fully crewed yachts. It became a reality in 1973 with The Whitbread round the World Race, the longest, most demanding and perilous sporting contest the world had known.

Dangerous it was. In that very first race three competing sailors were lost after being washed overboard during storms. This led to the inevitable call for that inaugural contest to be the last, but the desire for unbridled adventure and great competition led to the race being staged every four years.

The re-badged Volvo Ocean Race was run for the first time in 2001-02. Today it is, quite simply, the ‘Everest of Sailing’.

During the nine months of the 2008-09 Volvo, which starts in Alicante, Spain in October 2008 and concludes in St Petersburg, Russia, during late June 2009, the teams will sail over 37,000 nautical miles of the world’s most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Kochi, Singapore, Qingdao, around Cape Horn to Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway, Goteborg and Stockholm.

Each of the seven entries has a sailing team of 11 professional crew, and the race requires their utmost skills, physical endurance and competitive spirit as they race day and night for more than 30 days at a time on some of the legs. They will each take on different jobs onboard the boat and on top of these sailing roles, there will be two sailors that have had medical training, as well as a sailmaker, an engineer and a media specialist.

During the race the crews will experience life at the extreme: no fresh food is taken onboard so they live off freeze dried fare, they will experience temperature variations from -5 to +40 degrees Celsius and will only take one change of clothes. They will trust their lives to the boat and the skipper and experience hunger and sleep deprivation.

The race is the ultimate mix of world class sporting competition and on the edge adventure, a unique blend of onshore glamour with offshore drama and endurance.

It is undeniably the world’s premier global race and one of the most demanding team sporting events in the world.

Ports of call for the Volvo World Ocean Race

The promotional video below from Darkxtremheb will give you a better idea of what is involved in this extreme test of stamina, sailing skill, nerve and team effort.

The race is now well under way and the boats having rounded Cape Horn are heading north for their next port of call which is Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. That will mark the end of leg 5 whereupon the teams will have to ready themselves for the 6th leg from Rio to Boston which starts on April 11th at 13.00 hours local time.

At the time of writing Ericsson 4 leads the 8 teams overall with Puma in second place and Telefonica Blue in third place. But it is likely to be Ericsson 3 that is the first boat to arrive into Rio with Ericsson 4, Puma and Green Gragon making the most of some difficult sailing conditions – high pressure.

However with another 5 legs to be completed it is not unreasonable to say that anything could happen. For up to date information we suggest you log onto the official race website – the link for which follows: www.volvooceanrace.org

This is without doubt one of the most extreme sporting events happening in the world today.

So we know things are bad – there has been enough press about the depth and extent of the recession that at least the paper industry should be doing well (its not actually, so times are really bad) – you’ve probably lost your job, your bonus and the potential to make any serious money for the next thirty years – its therefore probably time to start cutting your cloth to your budget.

Well if thats you it may mean cancelling the five bedroomed villa in secluded countryside with large pool and guest house in the South of France to something closer to home. We therefore thought you might be interested to read Dorling Kindersley’s recommendations which they have recently published and which we picked up in The Times On Line for where to go in Devon or Cornwall.

Of course should you decide on this drastic action you must remember that the ‘Beam me up Scottie’ machine has still not been invented ( now there’s an opportunity, but we will not be volunteering ourselves as the test pilot – that would be one extreme too far!) and so you will have to face the wonderful A30, or even worse the A38 as you meander your way into Cornwall’s green and pleasant land.

Of course on that day the sun will be shining without remorse but, because you couldn’t afford to have the car serviced (thanks Flash Gordon) the godarned air conditioner has packed up and the temperature in the car has risen to over 90 degrees F. The two elder children are shouting, pinching and yelling at each other whilst the baby has just expunged itself of waste from both ends – the smell rises and forces you to crease your nostrils – desperately you look down to turn the fan on flat out – BANG – the mother in front of you has stopped and now you have caused the mother of an accident.

Three hours later you are on your way again in a replacement vehicle arriving at your destination to find your room has been filled by another traveller…..

We paint a grim picture – thanks Gordon – but in reality the Devon and Cornish beaches are some of the finest in the world, with great surf, huge expanses of white and golden sand and a vast and bracing ocean. Fun can be had for all the family – from the little ‘uns who can spend hours in harmony building castles in the sand or hunting for crabs in the endless rock pools, to the next generation who can surf, waterski, paraglide, mountain bike, kite surf and wind surf, to the less extreme activities for perhaps Mom and Pop who can go fishing, golfing, walking and sailing.

It is a magical, wonderful place – just two things – the getting there thing…….oh and the weather has broken when you do arrive – make your own fun!

Porthcurno

One of the finest bays of the Penwith Peninsula, Porthcurno, with its wedge of white sand mixed with tiny shells, is squeezed between granite cliffs. The rock-hewn Minack Theatre is located to one side and there is a museum of telegraphy at the back of the beach. Pubs and cafés can be found close by.

Porthcurno beach, Cornwall

Par Beach, Isles of Scilly

Majestic, bare and wild, the beaches on St Martin’s are considered to be the best on the Isles of Scilly. Par Beach on the island’s southern shore is probably the most impressive – a long, empty strand looking out onto rocks that make up the Eastern Isles. Be prepared for chilly water though.

Whitesand Bay

This expanse of fine sand close to Land’s End is a favourite with surfers and families alike. It has a good beachside café and at Sennen Cove, the more popular southern end of the beach, is the Old Success Inn. Surfing equipment is available for hire and courses are also provided.

Kynance Cove

This is one of the best options on the Lizard Peninsula, where beaches are few and far between. The 10-minute walk from the car park is well worth the trudge for its fine white sands, rocky spires and surrounding grassy areas. Swimming is limited by the tides but other attractions include caves and cliffs with serpentine seams of sand.

Woolacombe Bay

Surf dudes come from far and wide to one of the West Country’s most famous surfing beaches. The beach is popular with families and there is a warren of dunes behind for exploring. Crowds gather at the northern end, but more space can be found at the quieter southern end. The small resort of Woolacombe has shops and cafés.

Fistral Bay

Surf aficionados flock to this beach, which is the venue for surfing competitions. A surf centre supplies equipment for hire. Most of the sand is covered by water at high tide and strong currents mean that kids need to be careful, though lifeguards are present throughout the summer. The restaurants and cafés here offer outdoor seating.

Watergate Bay

North of Newquay, this arc of golden sand has a wild appeal. It is home to the Extreme Academy, which offers kite-surfing, land-boarding and other pursuits for the adventurous. Behind it are Jamie Oliver’s famous restaurant, Fifteen, and the more casual Beach Hut, both with splendid views. Watergate is not very sheltered, so make sure you carry windbreakers.

Tunnels Beach, Ilfracombe

This private beach is named after the tunnels that have provided access to it since 1823, when the swimming was segregated. There is a tidal bathing pool and on-duty lifeguards make the beach safe for kids. The rock pooling is top-class and there are kayaks for hire. Open Apr–Jun & Sep–Oct: 10am–6pm; Jul–Aug: 9am–9pm. www.tunnelsbeaches.co.uk

Croyde Bay

Sandwiched between the extensive west-facing Saunton Sands and Woolacombe, this compact bay has fine sand. There are campsites around and the village has pubs and bars that fill up in the evenings.

Blackpool Sands

Backed by woods and meadows, this family-friendly beach makes an enticing sight as it swings into view on the road from Dartmouth. Its sheltered location, clear water and fine sand makes this one of South Devon’s best swimming spots. For refreshments there is the renowned Venus Café.

Top 10 Devon & Cornwall is published by Dorling Kindersley, priced £7.99, and is available at www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk

We wonder why the likes of Damar Bay with the villages of Rock, Polzeath and Padstow – home to Rick Stein’s gastronomique delights (he has four restaurants there – or certainly did have before Gordon took charge!), has not made it to the top ten………………perhaps too upper class and too many drugs of the nefarious kind, reportedly. Let us know your thoughts and get on down there, it will be a blast.

After 84 days 3 hours and 9 minutes at sea, fans came out to welcome home Michel Desjoyeaux in Foncia as the victor in the 2008/2009 Vendee Globe round the world sailing race. During his non-stop around the world voyage he sailed over 28,303.2 nautical miles, at an average of 13.2 knots, allowing Desjoyeaux to grab the top podium place in the Vendée Globe for the second time (he also won in 2001).

Michel Desjoyeaux’s campaign was not an easy one, even for this experienced ocean sailor. After starting the race on November 9th, Foncia sailed just 200 miles before having to return to Les Sables d’Olonne with electrical problems. Undeterred, Michel and the Foncia team quickly fixed the problem, allowing Desjoyeaux to rejoin the race on November 11th. Unfortunately, this put Desjoyeaux 360 miles behind the race leaders. At one point in the race he was 670 miles behind the race leader, but this did not discourage him. Keeping his cool, Desjoyeaux took his set-back in stride, sailing with the calm and intelligent tactics for which he is known.

One after another, he overtook his competitors to the thrill of the international sailing community and fans new and old. He managed to pass them all, and eventually took the lead off the coast of Australia. Once he was out in front with the lead, he would not let it go, and kept ahead of the fleet for the remainder of this around the world race.

Desjoyeaux’s long time friend, Roland Jourdain should arrive in Sao Miguel in the Azores later today, three days after losing his keel bulb.

Armel Le Cléac’h in Brit Air has therefore been able to claim second position and is now only 1,250 miles from the finish at salonne d’Or and is making good speed.

Samantha Davies in Roxy has therefore claimed third place and is a further 1,000 miles behind Le Cleach.

We will keep you posted as to the final rankings but immediately want to add our voice to the thousands to congratulate Michel Desjoyeaux and his team Foncia.

The video below from yachtpals clearly shows the grace of these wonderful yachts but of the 30 who started the race nearly 3 months ago there are only 11 left in this toughest and most extreme of yacht races.

[youtube=http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=_vK2rn4a-P4]

No don’t worry – this is not about a gorilla doing a bungee jump but it is a place where you can go and do both a bungee jump and see a silver back gorilla. Where’s that then? If you guessed Uganda you would have been right. And a lot more besides – check out what you can get up to in one of Africa’s richest countries, ravaged by Idi Amin and now slowly getting its act together and welcoming tourists.

I picked up this great information thanks to Fiona McIntosh of iAfrica.com and for your further interest I have added a video from the WWF who believe that less than 10% of the gorillas habitat could be left undisturbed by 2030.Another example of mankind’s selfish exploitation of the natural habitat of this world which we must learn to share.

Gorilla tracking
Gorilla tracking permits went up to $500 per person last year — but it’s still worth every penny and the often strenuous, muddy hike through the jungle for an hour with one of the troops.

The endangered mountain gorillas are only found in this tiny corner of Africa — the triangle of mountains where Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC converge. Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga reserves offer some of the best and most accessible viewing. This is one adventure you simply must not miss.

Other monkey business
Visitors often overlook the fact that Uganda also has wonderful sanctuaries such as Mgahinga and Kibale National Parks or Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria, where chimpanzees, golden monkeys, colobus monkeys and other rarely seen primates can be viewed.

But take my advice and do these before you go and see the big guys. Once you’ve stared into the big dark eyes of a mountain gorilla munching on bamboo, or been brushed aside by a silverback male, anything else pales in comparison.

Safaris
The Queen Elizabeth National Park is the prime reserve for game viewing and boasts a few unusual attractions, such as tree-climbing lions as well as wonderful birds and reptiles. Murchison Falls National Park is also worth a visit particularly for antelope, hippo, buffalo and elephant — the Falls themselves are impressive, as is a cruise up the Nile.

The bird life is amazing — but unfortunately much of Uganda’s wildlife was poached, or fled, during the years of unrest. Nonetheless, the parks are recovering slowly and recent restocking measures have seen the reintroduction of white rhino and greater concentrations of big game.

Journey to the Source of the Nile
Well, it’s not a trip that will blow your mind — in fact the ’source’ is an anti-climax — but a day trip out to Jinja is worth the drive. The Nile is after all the world’s longest river and it’s wide and surrounded by beautiful, tropical vegetation here — quite unlike the typical desert scenery you associate with the river in its lower reaches.

So it’s a pleasant place to while away a few hours (or days) dining at one of the riverside lodges or visiting the country’s biggest waterfall at Bujugali. Watch in awe as the rafts hurtle down, and in amazement as local lads shoot the falls with only a big plastic container as ballast! If you’re feeling brave there’s a range of adrenalin-filled activities in the area.

Whitewater rafting
The river Nile, near Jinja, offers whitewater rafting, kayaking and river surfing that are on a par with the mighty Zambezi, but without the crowds. The rapids are big and intimidating, but it doesn’t deter the adrenalin seekers who come for the one day fix, or an overnight adventure. Once you’re hooked you can learn to kayak and plot your own route, or even head down the river in a tandem kayak or on a riverboard.

Fishing
Lake Victoria is famous is for its mean Nile perch. Hire a local fishing boat and you’ve a good chance of hooking a big one.

Bungee
A bungee in tiny little Uganda? You bet, and not only that, Adrift’s Nile High Bungee is also one of the most visually impressive bungee jumps in the world. Kites and fish eagles circle the tower as thrill seekers prepare to jump 44 metres directly down to the source of the Nile at Jinja.

Hiking
The beautiful volcano of Mount Elgon on Uganda’s eastern border is unspoilt and virtually unknown. There are well-marked short walks, and guided overnight hikes to the summit or around the lower slopes can be arranged with local guides. Alternatively, hike the Virunga volcanoes. One- to three-day hikes are offered in Mgahinga National Park.

Sailing
Lake Victoria is vast, and dotted with little islands. A sunset cruise is a perfect end to a Ugandan holiday, and there are longer expeditions to the Ssese islands.

Mountaineering
Trekking in the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains offers similar, and arguably even more dramatic, scenery than on the better-known peaks of Mt Kili and Mt Kenya. A seven-day trekking circuit of the fabled Mountains of the Moon is an incredible adventure for a fit hiker, but although porters carry all your gear and cook all your meals, the weather and boggy, high altitude terrain ensures some tough hiking.

The dry seasons, mid-December to the end of February and mid-June to the end of August, are the best times to visit, but expect rain — and lots of it — throughout the year. Mountaineering trips to the Rwenzori’s glaciated high peaks, Marguerita, Speke and Baker, require ice climbing experience.

This may sound like a bit of a rant, which it is – it is a subject much bigger than extreme sports but the connection is that so many of the extreme sports that we cover concern the use of what nature gives us – be it wind, snow, water, ice or sand.

I think there are many millions of people who have not been moved by the sight of polar bears struggling in an ever diminishing environment – to give just one example. Yes I am talking about man’s selfish and unchecked consumption of the finite resources that we find on our planet. It is happening and we must – MUST – do something about it.

This is going to be a subject that we will revisit, time and time again.

Somewhat perversely I am illustrating through the videos below the power of some of the global and natural forces which we do not utilise properly – dare I say it – because the political pressure from the huge corporations is so intense that no government has the will power to instigate change. But change we must – was that not what Barrack Obama said – well Mr President elect – they say ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’. We await with hope.

Otherwise it won’t be in the too distant future that some of these extremes will no longer be possible.

First up windsurfing speed records from Namibia – thanks isaspeedtour.

Now those crazy Fins again on ice – thanks pedrowind.

And finally sailing speed records – thanks ptoleme.

And lest we forget here is a moving portrayal of what we are doing to our planet – thanks XXOOPisces