The Earthist Chronicles

I’m just guessing, but if any of you are like me, at some point in your life you fantasized about becoming a Greenpeace warrior, heading out onto the high seas in a RIB to zip around and confound the whale hunters (and Seinfeld lovers will remember when Russell, the head of NBC programming and Elaine stalker, became a Greenpeacer because Elaine said she admired them). Well, in recent years Greenpeace has been mostly out of the news. But I’m glad to report that the Greenpeace navy, such as it is, is back on the prowl. And one of their ship’s is out to confront the Japanese whale hunt. Even better, they’re blogging from onboard (go here). And of course it all has a certain Greenpeacean, granola-crunchy, saving-the-earth, feel to it. Here’s one excerpt:

This morning while Jetske and I were sorting and stomping cans for recycling (she’s our on-board “garbologist” – I’ll explain that some other time) we sliced hard into a wave. I was heading into the ‘wetroom’ (the room just off the poop deck that serves as a workshop and portal between the dry areas and the deck) when I heard her yelp in surprise and looked back to see a wall of water and the can bucket in mid-flight. At first I was deeply concerned she might have got swept over board (under captain’s orders no one is allowed to work out on any deck alone due to sea conditions), but the water cleared and there she stood, one hand on a tight line, fully doused from head to toe in near-freezing seawater, among a constellation of smashed aluminum. We ran around and chased up the loose cans like a hockey team down by a point in the final minute, saving them from being swept overboard, just managing to wrangle them into the bin before she went in for a change of clothes.

Phew. It’s dangerous out there on the front lines. And here are some pics of the RIBsters fighting ocean dumping. Go Greenepace…!

“Hmm. I’m not sure this tactic is going to work out very well..”

“Yup, that’s about what I thought…”

Every once in a while a class and a regatta come together and produce a major happening. That’s the case this year with the Corum Melges 24 World Championship, sailing out of the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo December 11-16. One hundred boats, and you won’t be able hoist a beer without elbowing a world champion, a sailmaker, or an America’s Cup sailor. Philippe Kahn and his 2003 world champion son Shark will be there, with Papa Kahn getting tactical input form none other than Russell Coutts. This will be a classic. Stay tuned…

Shark Attack: “Where’s Dad? Time to lee bow him again for laughs…”

This snowboarder really launches. Funny thing is, it was totally unintentional. Watch here…

“Uh-oh…”

Still haven’t signed up (see below)? Well, maybe you need to watch Part 2 of Sir Robin’s excellent visual enticement…

Joltin’ Joe Harris: “I’ll be there, especially if I can keep the damn bow out of the water…”

It doesn’t start until next October. But the 5 Oceans Race, formerly the Around Alone, is the next big solo race on the calender. Around the world, alone, in just four legs. Why am I writing about it now? Because all you dreamers out there have just enough time to register and charter a boat, and I’m here to help you do it. Need a notice of race? Go here. Need a boat? Go here. Need inspiration? Watch Part 1of the slick vid Sir Robin has put together (Parts 2 and 3 will air later in the week). Go on. Go racing. You know you want to…

Frigid, Soaking, Lonely Fun: “I can’t believe Tim talked me into this…”

Hate shopping? Don’t know what to get the Wetasses in your life? Then I urge you to peruse this list of the 100 greatest adventure books, compiled by National Geographic adventure. Number 1? The Worst Journey in the World, by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, about Scott’s failed mission to the South Pole. Here’s the write-up:

As War and Peace is to novels, so is The Worst Journey in the World to the literature of polar travel: the one to beat. The author volunteered as a young man to go to the Antarctic with Robert Falcon Scott in 1910; that, and writing this book, are the only things of substance he ever did in life. They were enough. The expedition set up camp on the edge of the continent while Scott waited to go for the Pole in the spring. But first, Cherry-Garrard and two other men set out on a midwinter trek to collect emperor penguin eggs. It was a heartbreaker: three men hauling 700 pounds (318 kilograms) of gear through unrelieved darkness, with temperatures reaching 50, 60, and 70 degrees below zero (-46, -51, and -57 degrees Celsius); clothes frozen so hard it took two men to bend them. But Cherry-Garrard’s greater achievement was to imbue everything he endured with humanity and even humor. And—as when he describes his later search for Scott and the doomed South Pole team—with tragedy as well. His book earns its preeminent place on this list by captivating us on every level: It is vivid; it is moving; it is unforgettable.

It doesn’t get much more laudatory than that. But, you know what? The reviewer is right. And if you’ve read it already, don’t worry. There’s tons of good stuff on this list…

Chilled Cherry-Garrard: “Sure everyone is dying. But it’s going to make an amazing book…”

When we last checked in on Alain Thebault’s flying, foil-elevated tri, it had broken into bits during a transatlantic record attempt. It was towed into the Canaries, and despite near total destruction the old girl is being rebuilt. After assembly Hydroptere will continue on to Miami and New York, presumably for more record attempts. Who knows when that will happen. But in the meantime go to the hompepage and check out the very cool video of Hydroptere sailing fast. And then go here to watch a four minute video of how Hydroptere came to be, with great footage of scale models and test tank action. This is still one of the coolest projects afloat. And you have to admire Thebault’s resilience and determination…

“Is this thing really a sailboat…?”

Bog With An Irish View…
(Photo: Courtesy of TWC reader Andrew Killen)

Is this bungee jumping or BASE jumping (click here to watch)? I can’t tell. But who cares? It’s pretty creative (though he does end up in a tree)…

How Great Ideas Are Born: “Damn, I sure could use a parachute about now. Hmmm…”

Now, this would be an impressive regatta:

A new race for giant multihulls will be, officially, announced on December 7, at the Paris Boat Show.

The event is being organised by naval architect Yann Penfornis, a member of the Multiplast design team, who was project manager for Orange II and is now fulfilling that role for Franck Cammas’ Groupama 3.

The start and finish, of the 12 day race will be in Vannes and, as Penfornis told BYM News “All the big boys will be there!”

The competitors committed to lining up are Orange II, the original Orange, Cheyenne (formerly Playstation), Doha 2006 (formerly Club Med), Geronimo and Groupama 3, which will be launched next May.

All these boats, except Cheyenne, are built by Multiplast, which – in the last few years – has built more giant multihulls, than any yard in the world.

Groupama 3 is the second maxi-trimaran to be built by the yard; the first was the Van Peteghem /Lauriot-Prévost designed Geronimo, which was in the process of being built when the three Multiplast maxicatamarans, Club Med, Team Adventure and Innovation Explorer, took the first three places in The Race.

Since then, the number of circumnavigations undertaken by maxi-multihulls has multiplied and the Jules Verne Trophy record has been beaten three times; most recently by the Multiplast built Orange II, in the sensational time of 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and 4 seconds.

Interesting, very interesting, if true, though the notable absence of an actual date for the race is telling. These guys always claim every possible boat is committed, and then end up with maybe two boats on the line…and one of them is Tony Bullimore on the old Enza. Still, we’ll stay tuned…

“Saddle up, boys. We’ve got another maxi-multihull party to crash…”