Author: ws lirakis
a sailor who carries a camera
PLANTATIONS ON THE ASHLEY AND DOGS IN THE PARK
As a New Englander, the South has always been an enigma. Try as I might I can only think I understand. While I believe in not forgetting the past; how can we ever move forward as a nation when those in the south still harbor strong feelings for the Confederacy?
The Plantations are wonderful, yet for many they are harsh reminders of a life of cruelty. I cannot rectify the two in my mind. The words of Scarlett O’hara resound: that Tara will rise from the ashes; as will the Confederacy.
Charleston is similarly a city full of life and yet seems to hide dark secrets.
SOUL FOOD IN PETERSBERG
It has become the “new” normal in our household. A new adventure as we set out across the country. This time with stops in Virginia and South Carolina; before turning west.
One of the great disappointments of my youth was never having caught a Luna Moth. Try as I might I was the only one of my friends never to have caught one. I might add they never showed me their prize choosing to taunt me with my failure. Tonight returning to the Motel; there he was a newly hatched Luna Moth on the wall under the light.
AMERICA’S CUP 35 PROTOCOL
“We’re going to have our work cut out for us, that’s for sure.”
So says ORACLE TEAM USA skipper Jimmy Spithill as he assesses the competition for the 35th America’s Cup.
Today, the Protocol was released, which defines the rules, format and commercial regulations for the 35th America’s Cup. Entries open on June 9th and close August 8th, 2014, giving prospective teams two months to enter.
The Class Rule for the new AC62 yacht, which has already been shared with teams in draft format, will be issued in the coming days, prior to the entry period opening.
Highlights of the Protocol include:
* A three year racing program from 2015 to 2017 with every race counting towards qualification and/or points in the final America’s Cup Match
* At least six America’s Cup World Series events per year in 2015 and 2016 to be raced in the AC45 class. All teams have an opportunity to host an event in their home country
* An America’s Cup Qualifiers series in 2017 involving all teams, with a bonus point in the America’s Cup Match at stake
* America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs for the top four challenger teams to emerge from the Qualifiers
* The America’s Cup Match, featuring the defender, ORACLE TEAM USA against the top challenger. The first team to win 7 points will win the America’s Cup
* Up to two Youth America’s Cup events providing a pathway for young sailors to join the top rank of professionals
* The new AC62 yacht – a foiling, wing sail catamaran sailed by 8 crew – to be raced in all events in 2017
* A crew nationality rule requiring at least 25% of the AC62 crew to be nationals of the country of their challenge
The Protocol was negotiated between defending champion ORACLE TEAM USA and its Golden Gate Yacht Club and Team Australia’s Hamilton Island Yacht Club, the Challenger of Record.
The 35th America’s Cup builds on the successful elements of the last America’s Cup – fast, exciting racing in foiling multihulls that is challenging for the best sailors in the world and appealing to spectators.
“We are convinced the 35th America’s Cup will surpass previous events in almost every way: more challengers, amazing new boats and a competition structure that will engage and enthrall people over a three year period,” said Mat Belcher, the skipper of Team Australia, the Challenger of Record.
For his part, Spithill is aware that a stronger group of challengers will make it that much more difficult for his team to hold on to the Cup.
“It’s the America’s Cup, so it’s not supposed to be easy, but our goal is to make it a three-peat,” says Spithill, who led his team to victory in 2010 and 2013. “It was so close last time. Battling back to win from being down 8-1 is something we will never forget and I expect it will be just as difficult this time.”
The entry period is open from June 9th to August 8th 2014.
THE NEW NORMAL: FOILING
ANOTHER LOOK AT THE SHAPE OF SPEED
The America’s Cup showcased foiling under sail; something no one can ever unsee. Foiling is the new standard. Swing keels are also a standard in the search to reduce wetted surface.
It is hard to imagine that “Charisma” was once the standard for speed under sail. Construction with aluminum lent itself to very strong boats that could be easily altered. “Charisma” was perhaps the penultimate IOR boat.
For ease of altering a boat nothing can beat aluminum. Carbon fiber is however in a class by itself for strength to weight ratio; making today’s yachts lighter and stronger than ever.
HURRICANE SEASON
In its 2014 Atlantic hurricane season outlook, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a near-normal or below-normal season.
The main driver of this year’s outlook is the anticipated development of El Niño this summer. El Niño causes stronger wind shear, which reduces the number and intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes. El Niño can also strengthen the trade winds and increase the atmospheric stability across the tropical Atlantic, making it more difficult for cloud systems coming off of Africa to intensify into tropical storms.
The outlook calls for a 50 percent chance of a below-normal season, a 40 percent chance of a near-normal season, and only a 10 percent chance of an above-normal season. For the six-month hurricane season, which begins June 1, NOAA predicts a 70 percent likelihood of 8 to 13 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 3 to 6 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 2 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher).
These numbers are near or below the seasonal averages of 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes, based on the average from 1981 to 2010. The Atlantic hurricane region includes the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
“Thanks to the environmental intelligence from NOAA’s network of earth observations, our scientists and meteorologists can provide life-saving products like our new storm surge threat map and our hurricane forecasts,” said Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “And even though we expect El Niño to suppress the number of storms this season, it’s important to remember it takes only one land falling storm to cause a disaster.”
Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, said the Atlantic – which has seen above-normal seasons in 12 of the last 20 years – has been in an era of high activity for hurricanes since 1995. However, this high-activity pattern is expected to be offset in 2014 by the impacts of El Niño, and by cooler Atlantic Ocean temperatures than we’ve seen in recent years. – NOAA, read on
National Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 25-31. NOAA offers hurricane preparedness tips, along with video and audio public service announcements in both English and Spanish, featuring NOAA hurricane experts and the FEMA Administrator atwww.hurricanes.gov/prepare
DRAGON DAMMAGE
Looking at this video I certainly believe I have sailed exactly where “Dragon” struck the rocks many times. I guess I was just lucky.
CURE FOR CANCER?
I found this among family papers I was sorting. Ruben Adams, son of Ephraim and Sarah adams ws cured of a cancer, may 1811, following the recipe. He was my great, great, great, great uncle.
“BATTLE OF THE BOATS” AC 72
BECA sponsored the presentations throughout New Zealand given by Neil Wilkinson and Andy Kensington.