Helmsman/Skipper Roberto 'Chuny' Bermúdez saves boat and beast in mid-Atlantic reflex avoidance of (possible humpback*) whale while Camper races at over 20 knots.

* In opinion of Pádraig Whooley, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

Radar is probably the most versatile of all electronic navigation aids, but the best results are only obtained when you know how to use all the functions correctly. It is not an all seeing eye and can easily mislead those who do not understand its controls, allow for its limitations, or interpret its picture. The International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea state that if you have a radar, you must know how to use it.

RYA Radar Courses for users of small craft are being presented by RYA instructor Anthony Keane of Offshore Cruising Ireland at the Royal St. George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The one day courses, which provide an understanding of radar as an aid to navigation and collision avoidance, are being held on the following dates:

This Leg 5 Documentary (52:43 minutes) tracks the fleet as it leaves Auckland, the 'City of Sails' before starting an epic voyage through the Southern Ocean, rounding Cape Horn, entering the Atlantic Ocean and finishing in Itajaí, Brazil.

Catch all the drama and action as the teams experience the most extreme conditions so far in the 2011 - 2012 Volvo Ocean Race.

Credit: Volvo Ocean Race

Race 5 in  Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Spring Chicken 2012 series, sponsored by Viking Marine, Hyde Sails, North Sails, O'Brien Press, Offshore Cruising Ireland & UK McWilliams Sails and hosted by the National Yacht Club, took place in gusty conditions on Sunday 4th March.

Fastest round the East Pier - Dalkey Island (to port) - Muglins (to port) - Scotsman's Bay - East Pier course this week was Another Adventure (Archambault 35) - IRL 3511, RIYC (Archambault 35) in a return to winning form, narrowly beating Joker II (J109) - IRL 1206, RIYC.

In only it's second outing sporting it's new sail number - IRL 2504, Pink Panther (Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40.3), RStGYC, revelled in the breezy conditions and finished 1st under modified Echo handicap.

The overall lead, heading into the 6th and final race, is now enjoyed by Lady Rowena (Sadler 34SE) - IRL 34218 on 42 Nett Points. Lady Rowena is followed closely by Legally Blonde (Beneteau First 31.7) - IRL 3175, RStGYC, on 43 Nett points and Indecision (J109) - IRL 9898, RIYC, on 47 Nett Points.

Race 5 Results HERE.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Spring Chicken 2012 series, sponsored by Viking Marine, Hyde Sails, North Sails, O'Brien Press, Offshore Cruising Ireland & UK McWilliams Sails and hosted by the National Yacht Club, continued with the fourth of six races taking place on Sunday 26th February. The course took the fleet around the Muglins to port in extraordinarily mild, sunny weather for the time of year - definitely putting the 'Spring' in this year's Chicken!

The J109 fleet dominated the podium positions this week with Joker II - IRL 1206, RIYC, fastest round the course followed by Ruth - IRL 1383, finally ending Another Adventure's unbeaten run. On modified Echo handicap a 1720, Hoot - IRL 1773X, NYC, was declared winner of Race 4 on corrected time. Meanwhile the overall 2012 Spring Chicken series lead is now shared by the fleet's only Jezequel 116,  Cri-Cri - IRL 8709 and a Beneteau First 36.7, Lula Belle - IRL 3607, NYC.

Race 4 Photo Gallery HERE.

Race  Results HERE.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Spring Chicken 2012 series, sponsored by Viking Marine, Hyde Sails, North Sails, O'Brien Press, Offshore Cruising Ireland & UK McWilliams Sails and hosted by the National Yacht Club, continued in perfect sailing conditions with the third race in a series of six on Sunday 19th February.

For the third consecutive week an Archambault 35,  Another Adventure - IRL 3511, RIYC, took the gun. Well done, again, skipper Daragh Cafferky and crew! Congrats too to Calypso - IRL 5643 (Beneteau Oceanis 361 Clipper) RStGYC, winner of Race 3 on Echo Handicap and to Legally Blonde - IRL 3175 (Beneteau First 31,7), RStGYC, overall leader at the halfway point of the series.

1/1000 sec at f/11, 52mm, ISO 320.

Race 3 Photo Gallery HERE.

Race 3 Results HERE.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Spring Chicken 2012 series, sponsored by Viking Marine, Hyde Sails, North Sails, O'Brien Press, Offshore Cruising Ireland & UK McWilliams Sails and hosted by the National Yacht Club, continued with the second race in a series of six on Sunday 12th February.

For the second week running an Archambault 35, Another Adventure (in photo) - IRL 3511, RIYC, sailed the course imperiously to take the gun in consecutive races. Well done skipper Daragh Cafferky and crew!

1/1000 sec at f/5.6, 50mm, ISO 500.

  Race 2 Photo Gallery HERE.

Race 2 Results HERE.  

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Spring Chicken 2012 series, sponsored by Viking Marine, Hyde Sails, North Sails, O'Brien Press, Offshore Cruising Ireland & UK McWilliams Sails and hosted by the National Yacht Club, started with the first in a series of six races on Sunday 5th February.

Here, a crewman on the rail of Adrenalin - IRL 1348, RIYC (Archambault 35) sailing upwind on starboard tack points out to his fellow crew the approach of Albireo - IRL 3435, DMYC, RIYC (Swan 371) on opposite tack. Photographed close to West Pier, Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

1/1000 sec at f/10, 32mm, ISO 640.

Race 1 Photo Gallery HERE.

Race 1 Results HERE.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Spring Chicken 2012, sponsored by Boatshed Dun Laoghaire and supported by the National Yacht Club, starts Sunday 5th February and ends on Sunday 11th March. The six race series involving cruisers, cruising boats, one-designs and boats which normally don't race will be held on Sunday mornings under modified ECHO - performance based, personal handicapping system.

Anyone for Surf 'n' Turf? With Ireland v Wales in Six Nations rugby on the TV at 3 pm (Sunday 5th February), the après sail in the NYC after the opening (Spring Chicken) race could make for an exciting and memorable day's sport.

Details HERE (including Notice of Race and Entry Form).

A report on the 13th January 2012 by Irish Times reporter David Branigan signals a raising of the status of the Round Ireland Yacht Race to that of the classic offshore Fastnet Race by the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

Link: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0113/1224310194396.html#.TxAPhZkPGnw.twitter

Leading UK yacht racing team Sailing Logic has announced a new skipper, James 'Chippie' Gair, for this year's Round Ireland Yacht Race. As the team proved in 2010 with twin Reflex 38 entries Visit Malta Puma (skippered by Philippe Falle) and Jaguar Logic (skippered by James Allen), Sailing Logic will be in the Round Ireland for the silverware, not for the scenery!

James is no stranger to the Round Ireland Yacht Race having skippered boat entry Incisor - GBR 8248 (Corby 45),  renamed Pride of Wicklow by the team of Wicklow Sailing Club entrants who chartered the boat, in the 2010 edition of the race.

Link to story here: http://www.sailinglogic.co.uk/blog/post/2012/01/11/Round-Ireland-2012-Skipper-Announced.aspx

Volvo Ocean Race 2011 - 2012

Race organisers have introduced a series of security measures because of the threat of pirates operating in a vast area off the coast of Somalia.

Legs 2 and 3 have both been split into two parts, with the fleet being transported by ship through the worst affected area to an undisclosed loading/unloading port in order to minimise the threat as much as possible.

In response to a request for help from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon NATO has undertaken the responsibility to combat piracy off the Horn of Africa. NATO has recently issued a documentary video (filmed between February - July 2010) about its operation against piracy featuring the Royal Danish Navy's HDMS Absalon. Watch on YouTube in two parts (approx. 22 minutes in total):

Lifejackets - USELESS UNLESS WORN!

Make sure yours is fitted correctly with crotch straps, a strobe light, reflective strips and spray hood.

Kish Bank - Dalkey Island Proposed (Providence Resources P.L.C.) Exploration Well Location

Providence Resources P.L.C. has applied for a Foreshore Licence from Ireland's Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to conduct a site investigation and exploratory well drilling off the coast at Dublin and Wicklow approximately 6 kilometres from nearest landfall. The nearest mainland is at Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Public Consultation Commenced on 05 January 2012.
Public Consultation Closing Date is 02 February 2012.

Download higher resolution version of above Admiralty Chart HERE (.pdf).
Photomontages HERE.
'Draft Notice to Mariners' available HERE (.pdf download).
'Kish Bank Exploration Well - Oil Spill Contingency Plan' available HERE (.pdf download).

Updates:

• 4th October 2012 Irish Times story - 'Providence awarded Dalkey Licence' http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1004/breaking10.html
• 4th October 2012 Daily Business Post story - 'Providence Resources to drill well at Dalkey Island Prospect' http://www.businesspost.ie/#!story/Home/News/Providence+Resources+to+drill+well+at+Dalkey+Island+prospect/id/19410615-5218-506d-3702-8ac404887416

Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS compiled by Michael König on Vimeo.

Time-lapse photography shot at an altitude of approx 350 km from NASA's International Space Station between August and October 2011 with a Nikon D3s DSLR with Nikkor 17-35 mm f2.8 and Nikkor 14-24 mm f2.8 lenses.

Credits: Ron Garan, Satoshi Furukawa and the crews of expeditions 28 & 29 onboard the ISS.

Iberdrola In-Port Race 29 Oct 2011. Credit: Volvo Ocean Race Videos Channel

Watch the Iberdrola In-Port Race via live streaming

All the action of in-port racing and leg starts will be streamed through your browser with enhanced 3D graphics via the new Livestream service:

• http://new.livestream.com/volvooceanrace

and also:

• on the official Volvo Ocean Race home page: www.volvooceanrace.com
• on the LIVE section of our YouTube channel: youtube.com/volvooceanracevideos

Streaming begins five minutes before the 10-minute warning signal.

Date: 05 September 2011.
Photo Gallery: Click HERE.