40 years ago people were on the moon!

(20/07/09)

Well it's all over the news so no need to elaborate but here are some interesting links for you people if you missed it:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html
http://www.space.com/news/090714-apollo11-40th-ann-druyan.html

I like the interview with Ann Druyan (widow of Carl Sagan) especially the last bit:

"pure scientific research can change and even create vast amounts of wealth for us. The Maxwell equations begin as an exercise in mathematics, how to make an equation more beautiful. And they end by completely creating, single handedly, the communications revolution that has made our age."

Attached photo: Tyco, cable layer ship getting refuelled by Amorena last night inWhite Bay (notice the red lights on top).

Re: The Captain is always right‏

(15/07/09)

Someone forwarded this classic video, most of you have probably seen it already:



The USS Montana should have the following plaque as some boats have in the wheelhouse ;-)

Standing Orders
1) The Captain is always right.
2) If the Captain once isn't right, goto 1)

Attached photo: boat rounding Peacock Point today outbound, roomy wheelhouse!

Stability problem‏

(30/06/09)

Checkout the interesting slideshow of this boat rolling over while at the berth! The crew might need a bit of brushing up on stability...

http://www.heimsnet.is/iceship/hsmyndir/Slideshow/index.html
http://www.cargolaw.com/2009nightmare_seaflower.html

Hovercrafts at Balls Head‏

(14/06/09)

Saw these 2 hovercrafts today wizzing around Balls Head, one has an Army colour scheme... Gimme one of these for Christmas! :-) Looks like good fun...

The physics of rogue waves‏

(06)/06/09)

Might be worthwhile reading this article on the physics of rogue waves:

http://ptonline.aip.org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_62/iss_6/62_1.shtml

Don't like the look of the huge wave in the photo coming towards the ship... beam me up Scotty now! ;-) Attached photo: you know when it's winter in Sydney when a fairy penguin turns up while rowing to work!

Pacific Adventurer containers found + Drill rig in Darling Harbour‏

(03/06/09)

Here's an interesting page on the Pacific Adventurer incident with underwater shots by the Navy of (what looks like) the missing ammonium nitrate containers:

http://cargolaw.com/2009nightmare_pacific.adv.html

If you're wondering what the drill rig "Sea Lift 2" is doing in Darling Harbour, they're doing core samples for a tunnel for the possible metro link if it goes ahead...

FW: Jenneau Leaving Southport Seaway on Friday‏

(29/05/09)

Someone forwarded these photos, crazy...

"This guy decided to commence a passage from Southport to Yeppoon yesterday. The forecast was seas 9 to 10 mtrs with a storm warning with winds that had at times been recorded at 61 kts at the seaway. He attempted to go out the seaway at 3pm May 22. Police say he may be charged."

World's first zero emission passenger boat‏

(21/05/09)

Checkout the world's first ZERO emission passenger boat (25.5m long) using hydrogen fuel cells:

http://www.zemships.eu/en/

Doesn't use diesel fuel, no emissions, fill up with hydrogen gas instead, a full tank of 50Kg of hydrogen will run the boat for 3 days, has twice the fuel efficiency of a standard boat with diesel engines, non-polluting and virtually silent (electric motor drives the propeller, some new ships use electric AZIPODs:

has been certified for commercial operations to carry 100 passengers. Where do you get hydrogen gas from? Water -> H2O. Where do you get water? Look over the side ;-) The only ding is you need lots of electricity to separate in commercial quantities the hydrogen from the oxygen in the water molecule however as you know there are lots of non polluting methods of generating electricity going around, wind, solar, ocean currents, nuclear etc... Of course hydrogen goes with a bang when ignited so they must have worked out lots of safeguards to keep the German Lloyd people happy...

http://www.archive.org/details/hindenberg_explodes

Should have one in Sydney Harbour going around, give it a test run...