Category Archives: Caribbean

It appears Royal Caribbean is going to increase the size of the name on the side of it's newest cruise ship.

While docked in Marseilles, France, Wonder of the Seas is getting some painting done on her hull to increase the size of her name.

When the ship departed the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard, Wonder of the Seas' name was painted like nearly all ships have in the fleet. Now, it appears Wonder's name will move to a large size that is similar to Odyssey of the Seas' name.

The Ready for Cruise Facebook page noticed the change in a video posted by Instagram uservictoriabalabaeva, where the outline for the new name can be easily seen.

The new name is positioned lower on the hull compared to other Oasis Class ships so that the larger size letters can fit better.

In the case of Odyssey of the Seas, the "O" alone measures 11.2 meters (36 feet) in height.

When Wonder of the Seas debuts next year, she will become the new largest cruise ship in the world.

The inaugural sailing of Wonder of the Seas is scheduled for March 2022, when Wonder of the Seas departs from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

She will then transition to the Mediterranean, beginning May 2022.

Read more from the original source:

Royal Caribbean adding giant name to side of Wonder of the Seas - Royal Caribbean Blog

By ohtadmin | on November 30, 2021

UNESCO said AI is present in everyday life, from booking flights and applying for loans, to steering driverless cars.

It is also used in specialized fields, such as cancer screening or to help create inclusive environments for the disabled, UNESCO said.

According to UNESCO, AI is also supporting the decision-making of governments and the private sector, as well as helping combat global problems, such as climate change and world hunger.

However, the agency warns that the technology is bringing unprecedented challenges.

We see increased gender and ethnic bias; significant threats to privacy, dignity and agency; dangers of mass surveillance; and increased use of unreliable artificial intelligence technologies in law enforcement, to name a few, said UNESCO in a statement. Until now, there were no universal standards to provide an answer to these issues.

Considering this, UNESCO said the adopted text aims to guide the construction of the necessary legal infrastructure to ensure the ethical development of this technology.

The world needs rules for artificial intelligence to benefit humanity, said UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay. The recommendation on the ethics of AI is a major answer. It sets the first global normative framework, while giving states the responsibility to apply it at their level.

UNESCO will support its 193 member states in its implementation, and ask them to report regularly on their progress and practices, she added.

More here:

Caribbean countries adopt first-ever global agreement on the ethics of AI | New York Carib News - NYCaribNews

Professor Christopher Jackson said he was now wary of opening post and emails (Picture: MEN Media)

A university lecturer who was sent vile letters telling him things like go live in the Caribbean has said racist abuse has increased in the last four years.

ProfessorChristopherJackson, a geologist at the University of Manchester, was told blacks like you are a total disgrace, go live in the Caribbean and asked If this country is so racist, why are you here?.

But when he reported the matter to Greater Manchester Police he was initially told the force would not be taking the issue further.

If you read that letter out, if you shouted it at somebody outside a pub, that would be threatening,Prof Jacksontold the Manchester Evening News.

But the most depressing thing for me is that its kind of expected.

In a letter toProf Jackson, GMP said they would not be investigating as the letter failed to provide any reasonable lines of enquiry to establish an offender despite it being signed and an email address provided.

However, after the case was initially closed, police now say they have now reopened the matter with enquiries ongoing.

In a statement, a spokesperson for GMP said the case was closed due to length of time passed between the crime taking place and the report of the crime and insufficient evidence.

I can confirm however that officers have since been in contact with the victim and enquiries are now ongoing, they said.

Statistics show less than 1%, 155 of 23,000, university professors in the UK are black.

Prof Jackson, who was asked to give the Royal Institutions Christmas lectures last year, said the abuse he had received had increased as his profile has risen.

Id say the racist abuse has increased dramatically over the last four years, ever since I had a few recorded things on YouTube and I did a TV show.

I think the more visible you become the easier target you become because people know youre there.

The most dramatic example of all of this would be someone like Marcus Rashford.

Five years ago nobody was sending him death threats, but now he uses his platform for something other than earning lots of money as a footballer, and people dont like it, he said.

One letter Prof Jackson received was accompanied by a book arguing that slavery was advantageous to black people.

The sender wrote they were disgusted byProf Jacksons daughter saying she was glad he didnt have to be a slave anymore.

But the dad of three said he feels its important to have conversations about racism with his children, aged 10, 8 and 5.

Prof Jacksonsaid he is pretty thick-skinned but admitted that he does now get wary when opening emails and letters.

Nowadays Im a bit more like whats going to be in here, is this going to be something racist or not very nice, whereas five years ago I wouldnt have thought that.

Nowadays I think it might be likely that its not very nice, he said.

Prof Jackson has taken to Twitter to spread awareness about the abuse black academics face on a regular basis.

He said by being open about the abuse he hoped to achieve positive outcomes.

One of my parents said youre always going to p**s somebody off, just make sure its the right person.

I think in this respect this letter proves to me that Im doing the right thing because clearly Ive got peoples attention,Prof Jacksonsaid.

A spokesperson for the University of Manchester said the university was aware of the extremely unsavoury and distressing incident.

They said: The university abhors racism and discrimination in all its forms.

Our staff and students have the right to feel safe while living, studying and working at the university and we will continue to do everything we can to ensure that this remains the case.

We understand this is now a police matter, but we will continue to support Professor Jacksonthrough that process as well as our own internal procedures.

If any of our staff or students feel they have been the victim of any form of discrimination we urge them to report it immediately to the relevant authorities or to the University directly.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this,check our news page.

See more here:

University professor told 'go live in Caribbean' in racist letter - Metro

Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - At the conclusion of the first Ecclesial Assembly of Latin America and the Caribbean, held from November, 21 to 28 in Mexico City and online (see Fides 09/11/2021; 23/11 / 2021), a message was distributed to the people of God entitled "We are all outgoing missionary disciples". "The voice of the Spirit has resounded in dialogue and discernment, indicating different horizons that inspire our ecclesial hope", is what is written in the message, which indicates a series of challenges and pastoral orientations to be taken urgently. Among these: to work for a renewed encounter of all with Jesus Christ incarnate in the reality of the continent; to accompany and promote the leadership of young people; to pay attention to the victims of abuse in ecclesial contexts and commit to prevention; to promote the active participation of women in ministries and in ecclesial decisions. Furthermore, the promotion of human life is reaffirmed, from conception to natural death; formation for synodality; the participation of the laity in the cultural, political, social and ecclesial sphere; listening to the cry of the poor, the excluded and the rejected. The need for the renewal of formation courses in seminaries was also highlighted, so that they take on integral ecology, the value of indigenous peoples, inculturation and interculturality, the social thought of the Church as necessary themes, and everything that contributes to adequate formation to synodality. Finally, it is urgent to renew, in the light of the Word of God and of the II Vatican, our conception and experience of the People of God; reaffirm and prioritize the realization of the dreams of Querida Amazonia; accompany indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants in the defense of life, the land and their cultures. In the final message, the participants of the Conference affirm that they were guided by the desire to revive the spirit of the V General Conference of the Latin American Bishops of Aparecida, in 2007, in harmony with the previous General Conferences, in the horizon of the Guadeloupe Jubilee in 2031, and the Jubilee of Redemption, in 2033. "With great joy we lived this Assembly as a true experience of synodality - they write - in mutual listening and in community discernment of what the Spirit wants to say to its Church. We walked together recognizing our multifaceted diversity, but above all what unites us, and in dialogue, our hearts as disciples turned to the realities that the continent is experiencing, in its sorrows and hopes". In particular they denounce the pain of the poorest and most vulnerable, who suffer the scourge of misery and injustice as well as the lack of solidarity; the destruction of the common home and the "throwaway culture" which mainly affects women, migrants and refugees, the elderly, indigenous and Afro-descendant populations; the consequences of the pandemic, which further increases social inequalities, even compromising the food security of a large part of our population; the sufferings due to clericalism and authoritarianism, which lead to the exclusion of the laity and especially of women from decisions on the mission of the Church, thus hindering synodality. However, there was no lack of signs of hope, such as the synodal journey, which represents "a significant space for encounter and openness for the transformation of ecclesial and social structures that allows for a renewal of the missionary impulse and closeness to the poorest and most excluded". Another sign of hope is constituted by religious life, "women and men who bear witness to the good news of the Gospel", and by the vitality of popular piety. "This Assembly is a Kairos - highlights the message -, a propitious time for listening and discernment that connects us in a renewed way with the pastoral guidelines of Aparecida and the magisterium of Pope Francis, and encourages us to open new missionary paths in geographical and existential peripheries and in the places proper to an outgoing Church". (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 29/11/2021)

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AMERICA - Message from the Ecclesial Assembly of Latin America and the Caribbean: Opening new missionary paths in the geographical and existential...

Celebrity Cruises announced on Tuesday it will require children 5 years and older to be fully vaccinated in order to go on their cruise ships.

In an update to travel agents,Celebrity Cruises Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & ServiceDondra Ritzenthaler announced the policy change that affects guests between the age of 5 and 12.

Effective February 1, 2022 all guests 5 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated, at that time unvaccinated children between the ages of two and fouryears old will be required to bring a negative Antigen or PCR test conducted within three days of boarding.

Previously, children between the ages of two and eleven years old were required to bring a negative Antigen or PCR test conducted within three days of boarding.

There has been no change to the Royal Caribbean International vaccination policy.

"The COVID-19 global pandemic has not only changed the way we all do business, it has altered operating protocols and safety expectations in almost every aspect of the travel industry," Ms.Ritzenthaler explained in an email.

"Since the beginning of this crisis, Celebrity Cruises has kept one goal tantamount above all others: to offer the safest cruise vacation options in the industry. That's why we enlisted a panel of experts to advise up on adjusting our already exemplary health and safety protocols to new industry-leading standards. That's why we continually update our protocols to ensure we are staying ahead of global situations. It's all in an effort of leadership in safety, ensuring our guests and your clients will enjoy their bucket list vacation with zero worries. With these enhanced protocols, we've transported hundreds of thousands of guests across the globe safely."

Celebrity joins Disney Cruise Line in requiring kids to be vaccinated in order to cruise.

Starting on January 13, 2022 guests on Disney Cruise Line between the ages of 5-11 must be fully vaccinated to be eligible to cruise.

Celebrity was already requiring 95% of its passengers be fully vaccinated in order to sail, which is a step beyond what Royal Caribbean required.

Royal Caribbean did not require that many passengers to be vaccinated so that it could allow families to cruise with them.

In April 2021,the CDC gave cruise lines two choices: skip test cruises if98% of crew and 95% of passengers are fully vaccinated, or conduct simulated sailings first.

Royal Caribbean decided to go with the simulated sailings because of its commitment to families.

Earlier this summer,Royal Caribbean International's senior vice president of Hotel Operations, Mark Tamis, said the decision to allow families to cruise was an easy one, "Once there were two clear paths, 95% or under 95%, it wasnt even really a consideration."

According to Tamis,more than 1 million children sail on Royal Caribbean ships each year,"We're the largest family cruise brand in the world, so it was pretty obvious that we would just go down this path."

No change has been announced by sister company Royal Caribbean International regarding their vaccine policy for kids.

As of right now, Royal Caribbean only requires guestsage 12 and older must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination, with the final dose of their vaccine administered at least 14 days before sailing. Kids age 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated may present proof of full vaccination and follow the protocols for vaccinated guests.

Guests under age 12 who are not vaccinated will complete additional COVID-19 testing requirements depending on the length and departure port of their sailing.

Two weeks ago, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley was asked about a policy change during a question and answer session.

"if and when we do make the changes, we need to give everybody time. So when we announce we give people obviously plenty of time."

"What we do know is that for 12 to 17, where we we do say that everybody has to be vaccinated, still in the United States, only 48 percent of 12 to 17 year olds have been vaccinated."

"From 5 to 12, everything that we've learned and seen statistically is only currently thirty five percent of parents are going to get there five to 12 year old vaccinated, currently. We think that's going to change. So we want to move to five and up. We're just kind of looking at the data and we'll probably continue to look at the data for a little bit longer before we make the decision."

"We're watching it and as soon as we think we've got a sensible way forward, we'll obviously down everybody, you know, we'll give everybody time as well."

Read the rest here:

Celebrity Cruises adds requirement for kids 5 years and older to be fully vaccinated - Royal Caribbean Blog

Mr. Mills and I just returned from Symphony of the Seas, and boy do I have so much to share!

Since it was our first one back post-COVID, we knew this cruise would be different, but we had no idea how special it would end up being. This trip will definitely be in our memories for a long time.

As with any post-covid cruise, it must start with the test. We opted for CVS rapid antigen tests, and it was simple.

Not only did it cost us nothing, it took us almost no time at all. We have several CVS stores around us, and we both got online two weeks prior to our test, found a time for test day (2 days prior to Embarkation), and we were set.

CVS has you drive up and park in a designated spot, then they call you when ready. You walk into a little double sided booth (it reminded me of a confession stall). The technician takes some information, and then passes you the swab, and instructs you how to test yourself.

I had my results within an hour. It was very easy, painless, and though I was anxious about results--even though I had no reason to be--getting that negative result meant I was clear to cruise!

Onboard, we didnt struggle too much with the covid protocols. I thought Id struggle with wearing a mask everywhere since I work from home and dont have to wear it all day normally, but it soon became second nature.

I did trade out the heavy cloth one I brought from home for a more athletic fit Royal Caribbean mask from the gift shop. Royal Caribbeanalso provides a medical grade mask in your state room each day, if youd rather wear one of those.

There are plenty of vaccinated only spots on the ship, where masks are not required, and if youre sitting at a table with food and/or drink, you do not have to wear a mask there either.

Crew will serve you at almost everywhere that used to be self-serve: ie the Windjammer, drink stations, condiment stations, etc. There are lots more hand sanitizing stations, and crew will remind you to use them! I think that was the toughest part, because I always had something in my hands. Im going to have to find a better bag for onboard, but otherwise there really werent any changes I couldnt handle.

Our cruise was just under 50% full, around 3200 people. This meant that though the Windjammer was open for breakfast and lunch, it was not open for dinner.

We were also told, by some folks that were doing a back to back into our week, that there had been a promotion announced prior, to try to get guests to stay on board. I didnt see anything about that for our sailing, and they were expecting to open the Windjammer for dinner the next week, so they must have been expecting a larger capacity for the holiday.

We noticed that there were very few children on board, as well as a much lower volume of international guests.

We only ate at two specialty dining restaurants this time around: Chops and Izumi. Chops was outstanding in service and quality. You really cannot go wrong there, and thats why it is a must if youre going to do one specialty restaurant.

We actually had Izumi twice: once for dinner with our Chops +1 dining package. We had the option of doing this a la carte, with a $35 per person credit, or there is a new option of a pre-fixe menu.

I think this is a very good change, as it fits in more with the dining packages. You could choose 1 appetizer, two mains, and a dessert. Unfortunately, I was extremely seasick and did not get to enjoy this at all.

Thankfully, Mr. Mills had booked a Sushi and Sake tasting for later in the week, which I very much enjoyed! I highly recommend doing this activity if you are a sushi fan. There were four courses each paired with a different sake, plus mochi dessert.

This cruise was originally scheduled for the same week last year, but was cancelled due to Covid. We lifted and shifted to the exact same cruise for 2021, and so began the agonizing wait. Our itinerary changed from San Juan and Labadee to St. Maarten and St. Thomas.

Through it all, we chatted not so patiently with the fellow cruisers in the Facebook group created for our cruise week. Weve joined such groups before, but this was the most active cruise group weve ever been a part of. Whether it was because we all had so much time to wait, or because we just all wanted to get back out to sea--we were already pretty close by the time embarkation day came around.

Wed planned a pub crawl for Day 2, which happened to be my birthday, and if youve ever had your birthday with a bunch of strangers--it was one of the best birthdays Ive ever had.

We started at the pub with shots, and it only got better from there. What a fantastical fun day! We were all fast friends by the end of the week, from the crawl, to the solarium cruise, bonding over lost luggage, and dancing the night away at Dazzles. I have no doubt we will be cruising with these folks again!

On the flipside, I dont think Ive ever been as seasick as I was on this trip. Normally, Im a little nauseous on embarkation night as I find my sea legs. But I was sick almost every evening at dinner time. It was much windier than Ive experienced in the Caribbean, and Im not the only person who was feeling it--though it didnt seem to affect Mr. Mills at all. It didnt completely ruin my trip, but I also missed out on a lot of the after dinner activities we usually enjoy, like the piano singer in Schooner.

The vaccinated areas were always busy, especially the Solarium. Even on sea days, the Solarium remained a peaceful place to go and relax, pre-covid. But on this cruise, it was as hopping as the regular pool deck, and pretty noisy. That didn't keep me from enjoying my time there, but it was certainly a different environment.

Also, the Bionic Bar has completely lost its novelty. I never saw the robots moving, and only one or two people the whole week had the Bionic Bar plastic cups. The area was mostly used as extra seating for those in the Promenade. From my observations, we've missed the personal interactions we receive with a human bartender, and while fun--a robot cannot give you that. I'll be interested to see if Royal continues to add this to their ships, or if they try another concept instead.

Ive always been impressed with Royal Caribbeans service, but the crew on Symphony of the Seas really was extraordinarily attentive. From the big stuff--like making sure guests were safe in an emergency--to all the little things Royal Caribbean is so good at--like remembering names, drinks, preferences. They really make a ship feel like a home away from home.

It took an eternity to make it back to sea, and like a flash it was over. Now Im back in cold Indiana, dreaming of the next trip back out to the deep blue. Keep an eye out for more posts in the coming weeks, as I have much more to share!

See the original post here:

Symphony of the Seas 2021 cruise recap - Royal Caribbean Blog

How did you make your start in aviation maritime SAR?

I started my rescue career as a volunteer surf lifeguard in Cape Town, South Africa in 2001. Back then, the busier beaches in South Africa had a sponsored surf patrol helicopter for beach patrol and rescue, much like the Wespac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter in Australia. The helicopter was crewed by a single pilot, paramedic, a volunteer sea rescue crewman from the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), and a volunteer surf lifeguard which operated along the Cape Peninsula. I always wondered if I would be good or strong enough to join the team, and one day the aircraft landed at our beach. The lifeguard was a girl who would train with my swim squad, and I realised at that moment that I too could be a rescue swimmer on the helicopter.

I trained hard to pass the fitness test and, in 2003, I successfully made the cut and started training as a volunteer helicopter rescue swimmer. I was fortunate enough to volunteer on both the surf patrol helicopter and local government rescue helicopter, and the latter is still operated by Air Mercy Service (AMS). A few years later, I joined the NSRI, a volunteer rescue organisation with boat stations along the South African coastline and inshore at some of the larger inland dams. At NSRI, I served on their surf launch and deep-sea going vessel and helicopter stations. I was still an active surf lifeguard and flying with AMS and the surf patrol helicopter, so it was an excellent transition to go from patrolling the surf zone in a 4.5m inflatable rescue boat to responding to call outs in a much larger area of responsibility on larger semi-rigid inflatables and eventually deep-sea going rescue vessels.

I joined the NSRIs Western Cape helicopter station, Station 29 Air Sea Rescue, not long after I started as a small boat crewman at my first surf launch station. The NSRI has a partnership with the South African Air Force (SAAF), where they provide helicopter rescue officers and rescue swimmers for maritime SAR cases, which occur along the South African coastline. It was great to transition from the surf patrol helicopter to a helicopter which could affect rescues up to 150 NM offshore. I eventually became a helicopter rescue swimmer instructor and rescue coordinator while working fulltime as a medical sales representative until 2016, when friends within the helicopter rescue community told me to stop messing around with my day job and work in aviation fulltime.

Shortly afterwards, a hoist operator position on the sea pilot helicopter in Richards Bay, South Africa became available, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 1999, my Dad took my brother and I on a helicopter flight for my brothers birthday. We took off from Cape Towns heliport in the V&A Waterfront and as the helicopter set off from the heliport and climbed over the water, I was hooked and vowed that I would fly in a helicopter again.

Luckily, I had an overlap between serving as a helicopter rescue swimmer and becoming hoist operator. In 2014, I had the opportunity to participate on a hoist operator course with AMS in Cape Town. It gave me a new perspective as a rescue swimmer and a better understanding of activity within the aircraft, especially the communication pathway between the hoist operator and the pilot and the subsequent inputs. It gave me the tools to think ahead when it came to a rescue, and I gained a renewed respect for the hoist operator and the challenges that they were faced with, in order to insert me into a position to affect a rescue or recover the medic and myself. I was able to pass on these new insights to my fellow rescue swimmers during training sessions, and rescue swimmer students.

From the hoist operator perspective, it further enhanced my empathy: I completely understood the needs of the rescuer, I knew what was going through their mind whilst watching a ship pitching and rolling in a rough sea, and could keep a few steps ahead in my mind, ensuring the safest and most efficient hoist transfer. To the new rescue swimmers and medics, I could say, I know how you are feeling, I have been there before. The trust between the rescuer and hoist operator is immense. When new rescuers (swimmers or medics) would join the operation, I was able to guide them to what the hoist operator would require from them. Outside of the rescue sphere, I had the same approach to working with sea pilots. The helicopter is a mode of transport to get them to and from work safely, sometimes in sea conditions up to sea state 6. A lot more care was needed when working with sea pilots: their world is shipping, not aviation, so anticipating how they would approach a hoist maneuver was very important, to ensure a safe transfer.

Henley Air has launched a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) in South Africa, utilizing six Bell products

Be willing to share your experiences, never forget how you started out, the challenges and training to get you where you are today, and never discount anyones personal experiences, including your own. We can always learn from someone else, because no two experiences or flights are the same.

At NSRI, I was tasked with revamping the rescue swimmer course. Getting equipment to South Africa is a lengthy and expensive process, so trying out new equipment or procedures needs to be meticulously planned. The team even built an on land simulator, where skills could be honed and equipment tested in the safety of a warehouse.

Looking in other directions, I wanted to find ways of making our operation safer, so the best thing to do was look overseas. Operations in Europe, the UK, and the USA, had been active for much longer than us in South Africa and had established tried and tested procedures. I searched the internet for old Coast Guard manuals, and I reached out to and joined EURORSA - Rescue Swimmers Association. During my first meeting, I started forming relationships with members from Sweden, Australia, Spain, Ireland, and Finland, to name a few, and passed on this knowledge onto our rescue swimmers by improving the course material and standard operating procedures.

It was the experiences and connections with other operations that helped shaped the helicopter rescue swimmer programme in South Africa, and helped us address key questions; how can we improve and do things safer? What are the steps everyone else is doing? These are still questions that I consider today, I believe its important not to get complacent and not get stuck in the mindset of doing things the same way forever. This will ultimately make you and your team safer and better operators.

You can have the newest or oldest equipment as a rescue swimmer, but its the human that makes it work. Hiring crew with the right mental aptitude towards the job is crucial. Not every company can have the most advanced tech or the newest equipment, but they can ensure that the crew using the equipment available are the right people for the job. It takes a special kind of person to hang on the end of a cable, of an aircraft thats hovering above, in all kinds of weather, alongside cliffs, rolling vessels, or over rough seas, putting their life and their safety in the hands of the crew onboard of the helicopter, all in order to help someone in need. Having the correct mindset and the right training will give them the tools to make the safest decision for themselves, the crew, and the casualty.

Regulatory wise, the European standards are higher. Moving to Europe, I was required to know a lot more information with regards to the operation. There were also a lot more checks and requirements for rear crew. These checks and requirements were set by the operators themselves, on the guidance from EASA and the local operating authority.

However, South African operators have some of the best crews I have flown with. They strive for the same high standards that I have experienced in Europe. From a maritime SAR perspective, South Africa has some highly hostile conditions and the level of skill needed to operate in those conditions is as extensive as those needed anywhere else in the world; the ocean doesnt care who you are or where you were trained and neither does your casualty.

When money needs to be saved, one of the priorities that suffers the most is training. Hours have been cut across the board for a significant time, governments reduce funding to their militaries or SAR operations, and civilian customers want to pay less. Unfortunately, as new tenders come out or budgets are set, there are increasingly fewer training hours built in. But at what cost? Is a pilot or air crewman truly competent if they are only just achieving their set currencies in the required period? It would be good to see the authorities setting currency requirements for SAR and other operations, based on the area in which they will operate, such as offshore or onshore, and for additional training hours to prioritized when budgets are being set, over and above currency requirements. Because, what truly makes aircrew safe and reliable operators; currencies or competence?

I was serving with the NSRI helicopter unit, Station 29 ASR. My team, the South African Air Force 22 Squadron, and the Western Cape Department of Health paramedics were responding to a fishing vessel 40 NM off Cape Point, as one of the crew was experiencing chest pain. We took off in the SAAF 22 Squadron Oryx helicopter, which shares similarities to the Super Puma, to rendezvous with the vessel, a 37m iron fishing trawler named the African Queen.

The weather was poor, low ceiling and lots of drizzle, not to mention the sea conditions were also quite rough. The vessel had lots of rigging and very limited space for the hoist maneuver and the only place to set the medic and myself down was the bow. It was a challenging hoist for the flight engineer I said my hellos to the midship rigging and radar dome a few times but he eventually lowered me onto the bow and that is where I learnt a valuable lesson: always use a zap/discharge lead when hoisting to a vessel, because static discharge hurts.

Due to the rough sea conditions, a few of the crew had come to the bow of the trawler to catch me and the medic, and neither they nor I expected the extreme static discharge. As I was winched just above the deck, the static jumped from me to the crew, knocking one guy to the deck and sending the others running. I still had to assist the medic onto the deck, but the static discharge did not stop there, and seeing the static arc from the medics foot towards the bow is a sight Ill never forget.

Once he was on deck and we assessed the patient, it was ascertained that we needed to conduct a stretcher hoist to recover him into the aircraft. There was no boat hook, so every single hoist and every single time that the hook came close enough to being caught by myself, I got shocked. I was wearing a 5mm wetsuit, so I quickly figured out that it did not hurt as much if I tried to catch the cable just above the hook in the crook of my arm. We managed to safely recover everyone back onto the aircraft, and once I had finally been recovered, I took a moment and I just lay on the cabin floor, tears from the pain, before I quickly composed myself to assist the medic. After that mission, the zap/discharge lead was always onboard.

Khai Trung Le is Editor of AirMed&Rescue. He is an experienced science writer, having previously been embedded in Cardiff University College of Physical Sciences, Innovate UK research council, and the UK Institute of Material Sciences. His writing can also be found on Star Trek and Vice.

Go here to read the rest:

Interview: Kim Germishuys, Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard - AirMed and Rescue Magazine

For the first time in 20 months, the popular Caribbean cruise port in Philipsburg St. Maarten welcomes six cruise ships across four different cruise lines, a sign that cruising is making a comeback. This news comes as cruise traffic to Jamaica increases and St. Kitts also has a second number of ships in over 20 months.

As cruise lines bring more cruise ships back to service safely, Caribbean cruise ports are becoming busy once again, with thousands of visitors bringing much-needed income to economies.

St. Maarten has been among the busiest cruise destinations so far since cruise ships started returning to service in the summer. On November 24, the port had six cruise ships, the busiest day in over 20 months. The vessels brought in more than 7,500 guests and crew to the island, a positive step for local businesses.

Its with great pleasure that we welcome our guests and crew with a warm St. Maarten welcome on Wednesday. After 20-months we are able to accommodate six vessels to our piers. This is a great indication of the direction we are heading. To return and maintain our status as a leading destination we must continue to collaborate with our partners and offer service excellence, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Hon. Roger Lawrence said on Tuesday.

The vessels in St. Maarten on November 24 included Sky Princess, operated by Princess Cruises, AIDAluna, and AIDAdiva ships operated by German-based AIDA Cruises, Marella Discovery operated by British-based Marella Cruises.

Also Read: Grand Turk Prepares as Carnival Cruise Ships to Return in December

There were also two Royal Caribbean cruise ships, Explorer of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas. All the ships were docked between the two cruise piers at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facility. There are also two cargo vessels stopping at the island, increasing the total number of ships to eight.

This is once again a milestone for the destination. The #1 destination in the Northeastern Caribbean will welcome for the first time in more than 20-months six cruise ships in one day. This signifies our resilience and hard work by our staff and stakeholders throughout the year in preparing for the return of cruising, Port St. Maarten Group Chief Executive Officer Alexander Gumbs said on Tuesday.

St. Maarten became not just the first Caribbean nation to welcome back cruises but the first nation in North America when the Celebrity Millennium restarted on June 5, 2021. The ship was based from the port with her first seven-day voyage calling atAruba, Curaao,and Barbados. Celebrity Millennium then continued to sail from St. Maarten through August 2021.

More cruise ships will continue to call at the Caribbean port in the coming days, including Oasis of the Seas, which will make a memorable Thanksgiving call on November 25, 2021.

Continued here:

Caribbean Port Welcomes Six Cruise Ships for the First Time in 20 Months - Cruise Hive

Terry Ward| FamilyVacationist.com

Caribbean island vacation ideas

These are some islands that would make a great vacation for you in the Caribbean.

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Caribbean vacations can be anything you want them to be. To some, that could mean together time spent lounging on a blissful tropical beach. To others, it could be a more active vacation with scuba diving lessons, rainforest excursions and visits to ancient ruins.

In a place as diverse as the Caribbean, theres a perfect vacation for every taste and budget. Here are the tropical destinations that practically guarantee a great vacation for everyone in the family:

Closer to home: The best East Coast vacations for any time of year

For current entry requirements, visit:https://www.bvitourism.com/reopening

Sailors love the British Virgin Islands for the ease of line-of-sight sailing (read: you can navigate visually because everything is within eyesight). Whether you choose to go the bareboat route or charter a catamaran with a captain from a company like the Moorings for the ultimate island-hopping itinerary, the British Virgin Islands make for idyllic Caribbean vacations.

For beach lovers, spots like White Bay Beach on Jost Van Dyke and Tortolas Cane Garden Bay are the stuff of screen saver fantasies. Your family will feel like Robinson Crusoes gang traipsing around the giant boulders lining the sand at the Baths on Virgin Gorda. And there are snorkeling reefs everywhere, lined with swaying sea fans and teeming with tropical fish.

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For current entry requirements:https://www.visitjamaica.com/travelauthorization/

With its fascinating culture, music and all-around laidback vibe, Jamaica makes for great Caribbean vacations. Accommodation options on the island run the gamut from all-encompassing Jamaican all-inclusive resorts that target families to boutique beachfront escapes that come with your own private nanny.

Caribbean bucket list:11 Caribbean family resorts everyone should visit

The third-largest island in the Caribbean, this lush land laden with tropical fruit and full of spices (hello, jerk chicken!) is packed with adventure too. Family vacation activities range from forays into the Blue Mountains and zip line adventures to riding a bamboo raft down the Martha Brae River and visiting famous waterfalls like Dunns River Falls (or lesser-known spots like YS Falls).

For the best beach on the island, make your way west from Montego Bay to Negrils Seven Mile Beach, lapped by turquoise water and lined with restaurants, bars and hotels.

Visiting the Caribbean or Europe soon? CDC warns travelers to avoid destinations with 'very high' COVID-19 levels

The mix of Latin culture, mind-blowing natural attractions and Old San Juans historic streets not to mention no passport required for U.S. citizens makes Puerto Rico an exceptional spot for Caribbean vacations with the family.

No passport required:The Best Puerto Rico all-inclusive resorts for families

When youre not lounging on the beaches of Isla Verde or Culebra or taking surf lessons in Rincon, you can go kayaking in a bioluminescent bay on Vieques, snorkel among sea turtles on colorful coral reefs, or soak up the sound of salsa music while trying Puerto Rican specialties like mofongo on the streets of the lively capital city, San Juan.

For current entry requirements, visit:https://www.puregrenada.com/travel-advisory/

Youre thinking outside of the Caribbean beach resort box when you plan a vacation in Grenada and youll be rewarded with a friendly island where mass tourism is still in its infancy and the beaches are as golden and welcoming as they come.

Dubbed the Spice Isle for the nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and other goodies that grow here, Grenada is a chilled-out Caribbean vacation spot where nature rules and you can spend your days tubing along the Balthazar River, hiking along the crater of an extinct volcano at Grand Etang National Park, or dipping in the Seven Sisters Falls.

Room to spare: The best all-inclusive resorts for families of 5+

For a swim in the sea, theres no beating a day at Grand Anse Beach, lined with coconut palms and tropical flowers and located to the south of the islands pretty capital, St. Georges.

For current entry requirements, visit:https://visitantiguabarbuda.com/travel-advisory/

A beach for every day of the year. Thats right, the islands of Antigua and Barbuda bring 365 beaches to the table for your Caribbean vacations. And if a fun time together sounds like trying a new beach every day, then this east Caribbean paradise might be the place for you. Dont miss Half Moon Bay, arguably the prettiest of the many beaches, then take a road trip around and see what you can discover onyour own. In this Caribbean destination, all roads lead to a beautiful beach.

Beach time: The best all-inclusive beach resorts in the world

You can add a good dose of history to a Caribbean beach vacation in Antigua, too, with a visit to English Harbour, the only Georgian harbor in the world still in operation.

For current entry requirements, visit:https://www.godominicanrepublic.com/newsroom/coronavirus/

From the beautiful beaches of Punta Cana and the elegant golf courses of La Romana to vibrant Santo Domingo and quiet kite surfing towns like Cabarete, the Dominican Republic offers many of the best Caribbean vacations for parents and kids.

Families in search of adventure will find it here, too, in the form of mountain biking trails in the highlands and canyoning or white water rafting on roaring rivers like the Rio Yaque in Jarabacoa.

For current entry requirements, visit:https://www.bonairecrisis.com/en/travel-to-bonaire/

If your family likes to scuba dive and snorkel and wants to spend a whole Caribbean vacation doing it Bonaire is by far the favorite island destination for blowing bubbles underwater. Known as the shore-diving capital of the world, this island in the Dutch Antilles even has drive-through stations where you can refill air tanks, not to mention unlimited shore diving from many of its resorts.

No kids allowed: The best adults-only all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean

Just dont come to Bonaire seeking palm trees. Below the hurricane belt, this Caribbean vacation spot is an arid island full of cacti, not rainforests.

For current entry requirements, visit:https://www.visittci.com/travel-info/turks-and-caicos-coronavirus-covid-19

The beaches of your dreams await in spots like Grace Bayon the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos. You know the scene: blindingly white sand that parfaits into a sea of turquoise, then sapphire so bright youll think youre looking at it through polarized sunglasses even if your eyes are bare.

Beach bliss:The most beautiful Caribbean beaches (and where to stay)

If all you really want to do on a Caribbean beach vacation is lounge on a picture-perfect strip of sand, dip into the water from time to time and retire to your resort for a sunset meal of spectacular local seafood, you wont go wrong in the dreamy isles of the Turks and Caicos.

Along Mexicos Caribbean coast, Cancun is the undisputed queen when it comes to offering the most options for beautiful family beach resorts. Theres truly a resort for every type of family traveler here, whether all you care about is having a cabana on the sand or you want to feel like youre actually in Mexico (and not Miami) during your stay.

Mexico vacations: The best all-inclusive Mexico resorts for families

Even if you dont rent a car for your whole vacation in Cancun (most resorts make it easy to never leave the property), its worth doing so for at least a day to check out the cenotes (freshwater swimming holes) south toward Tulum. For another fun day trip, hop the Ultramar ferry from Cancun to Isla Mujeres, just offshore, where you can rent a golf cart to explore the islands palm-lined beaches and sandy backroads.

Another favorite in Mexicos Quintana Roo state along the countrys Caribbean coast, Playa del Carmen has a more mellow vibe than Cancun, yet beaches that are just as beautiful. Youre closer to the Yucatans famous cenotes here, too, when youre ready to switch things up from the salty Caribbean Sea for a splash in some freshwater.

While the beaches in town can be crowded, its a short drive south to spots like Xpu-ha on the way to Akumal, which have more of a virgin appeal. And as things cool off later in the day, Mexican and tourist families alike love to stroll Playa del Carmens main pedestrian drag, Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue), lined with cafes, bars and shops.

More from FamilyVacationist:

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11 Caribbean vacations the whole family will enjoy: Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Grenada, Bonaire - USA TODAY

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Nov. 17, 2021: A human skull dating back some 200 years has been found on a Caribbean island.

The skull was found on Petite Mustique, a small island in the Caribbean nation off St Vincent and the Grenadines, south of the mainland according to the University of Oregon.

Researchers say it shows signs of leprosy and could be the first-ever recorded case of the disease in the Americas. Leprosy is a medical condition that causes dramatic disfigurement of the hands, feet and face. These changes also leave a trace in the bones of the patients.

The skull dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century and was first found in 2003.

The research published in the International Journal of Paleopathology on November 13th, was conducted by three researchers from the University of Oregon: Greg C Nelson, Taylor Nicole Dodrill, and Scott M Fitzpatrick.

According to the statement issued by UO, historical records hinted that the island might have been the site of a leprosarium in the early nineteenth century when people with leprosy could be quarantined to prevent further spread of disease. UO archaeologist Fitzpatrick, who is also the associate director for research at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History said in a statement, There are a number of pretty well-known cases in the Caribbean and Pacific where smaller islands were used as places to segregate people with leprosy, such as Molokai in Hawaii.

Although the spread of leprosy has been documented in the Caribbean through written evidence beginning around the mid-17th century, they have remained incomplete. With the recent study, archaeologists have found skeletal evidence of the disease that could help trace its pattern of spread in a more efficient manner.

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Human Skull Dating Back 200 Years Found On This Caribbean Island - Caribbean and Latin America Daily News - News Americas