Tag: castle hill

NOTICE TO MARINERS

When I was very young I subscribed to the notice to mariners and read every newsletter. Obviously things have changed over the years. The Brenton Reef Lightship was replaced by the Tower and both no longer exist. Personally, I would not make the proposed change. I have stories to support my beliefs. At the finish of an Annapolis-Newport race in heavy fog at night,I knew what to look for and helped guide us (Boomerang) across the finish line, which was a bearing from Castle Hill. “Flyer” which went on to win the round the world race that year was not so lucky, she found kettle bottom and had to be pulled off the rocks. (The navigator can to see me,he was so shaken by having missed the finish, he eventually withdrew from the round the world race)

Good afternoon fellow mariner,

The Coast Guard is considering making a change to the sound signal currently installed on Castle Hill Light, and we seek your comments on this proposed change.

The proposed change involves removing the traditional horn that sounds only during fog or periods of low visibility (such as snow), and installing an “on-demand” foghorn that is activated only when needed by mariners, who would activate the foghorn signal via VHF radio.

There would be no other change to the foghorn’s characteristics, i.e., the new horn would sound at the same decibel level as it does now, and would sound at the same interval (1 short blast every 10 seconds).  During times of reduced visibility the new fog signal would be activated by turning to a CG-designated marine VHF-FM channel and keying the microphone five times consecutively, which would sound the foghorn for 45 minutes.

This change would, in the Coast Guard’s opinion, continue to provide an effective aid to navigation for mariners while also providing a better quality of life for residents in the nearby areas of Newport and Jamestown who are occasionally subject to long periods of time when the foghorn may be sounding, yet there are no mariners in the area actually using the signal to navigate.

Radio-activated foghorns are not new.  One has been installed and in use since September of 2008 at Hog Island Light in Narragansett Bay.  We have received no adverse comments from mariners regarding this aid.  Also, radio-activated foghorns are used exclusively in U.S. waters of the Great Lakes, where there are no longer any traditional foghorns in use.  Radio-activated foghorns can provide an effective aid to mariners, have less initial and maintenance costs than traditional foghorns, and reduce noise for nearby residents.

Please provide any comments you may have regarding this proposed change to Lieutenant Brock Nelson of Coast Guard Sector Southeast New England, who may be reached at 401-435-2348, or Brock.E.Nelson@uscg.mil.  The deadline to submit comments is 31 October 2012.

Please feel free to pass this e-mail on to others who may have an interest in navigation safety and the fog horn at Castle Hill Light.

BACK FROM THE SEA

I am back in front of my computer. Leaving behind the routine that my body had come to recognize as normal. I lost some weight, not unexpected. Now I must reset to land.

Every transatlantic race is a unique experience. This one was no different. Perhaps the most remarkable circumstance was how the Azores and Bermuda Highs dominated the Atlantic. I have never sailed the north atlantic like this. The water temperature was much warmer than expected, and the sea state was more calm than I ever would have expected. The race certainly did not meet my pre-race predictions.

 

Our start on June 29th from Castle Hill in Newport and finishing off the Lizard in southwest England approximately 150 miles from the dock. Our elapsed time was 15 days 11 hours 23 minutes and 23 seconds. The stated distance of the course was 2975 miles. I know we sailed quite a lot further. Picking our route was the true challenge for the race. The winners did a better job than we. “Carina” sailed a brilliant race and was still beaten in the end by Bill Hubbard’s “Dawn Star”. Full results HERE.

“Snow Lion” is always a pleasure to sail. We had moments, I hit 22 knots once; the high of the race. We had only 3 days with runs over 200 miles. We needed more of those days if we were to win the race.

START DAY FOR THE FIRST GROUP

Today is the first start for the transatlantic race leaving Newport, RI to the Lizard, UK, at 2pm from Castle Hill. There are only six boats in this start, ranging from the 40′ “British Soldier “to the classic 86′” Nordwind”. Their start will be in a flood tide and a light southerly wind, and likely sunshine.

Our start is wednesday the largest class with 14 entries; again with a broad variety of boats. A swing keel Cookson 50, “Jazz”, two class 40 boats, a 66′ catamaran “Phaedo” and the 289′ “Maltese Falcon”.

On July 3rd the last group sets off. These boats, “Rambler 100”, “Leopard of London” will all still finish ahead of us despite having started 5 days after we leave.

For every boat routing is the key to doing well. Finding a weather pattern and being able to sail to the boat’s rating. If a boat can sail to it’s potential throughout the race, it should win.