Category Archives: High Seas

KOLKATA: At a time when all eyes were on Avani Chaturvedi, Mohana Singh and Bhawana Kanth as they were commissioned into the Indian Air Force as the country's first women fighter pilots, Sneha Kathayat and three other young officers like her had already stormed a male bastion in India's defence forces. They had been trained to pilot Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) or hovercrafts that are used by the Indian Coast Guard in combat roles off the coasts of Gujarat and Bengal.

Assistant Commandant Kathayat had dreamt big when she joined the ICG on July 3, 2011. She was not one to be satisfied with an administrative job on shore and when the opportunity arose she jumped to it.

Now, as the first woman hovercraft pilot in the country, she is posted at Haldia and regularly patrols India's maritime boundary with Bangladesh and areas close to the Sunderbans, searching for smugglers, poachers and other anti-national elements.

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At ease on high seas, woman pilot storms into male bastion | Kolkata ... - Times of India

Chris Egan pictured with Roy Keane

In 2013, Chris Egan and David Bevan, who were both cancer patients, completed a remarkable1,200 nautical mile journey that included stopovers in Dublin and Cork for treatment.

However, Chris health problems are far from over and two years ago, he was diagnosed with a retinitis pigmentosa which will eventually lead to the complete loss of his sight.

The Rathkeale postman is losing all peripheral vision and whatever remaining vision he has is affected by light.

I only see shadows now most of the time, the avid yachtsman said as he announced details of his new sailing challenge.

Chris, who recently qualified in independent living skills training with the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, is retracing his round Ireland sailing challenge when he leaves Limerick during this Mays Riverfest.

Explaining his condition, Chris said that if I was to look a persons face, I would just see either their right eye or the left eye, not both.In saying that, the sight I have is good, but limited just like looking down a tunnel and not being able to see anything outside of that.

He is determined to do one last round Ireland fundraising campaign as a gesture of thanks to those who have helped him in his latest struggle. He says that he is undertaking the round Ireland challenge in a bid to repay that help and toraise awareness and funds.

There have been moments when it has been tough and realising the challenge of dealing with this because it is a condition that only worsens, Chris explains.

Chris, who uses a long cane to overcome obstacles like kerbs and steps, says that his ability to cope is helped by learning new skills and tapping into his memory of when he had full sight.

In 2010, he was diagnosed with lymphoma and Hodgkins Disease that required surgery and chemotherapy.

You just keep going one day at a time but you have moments. Thankfully I have a huge interest in sailing and that helps with lots of very good people around when you need them.

Facing a cancer battle, as many know, was a challenge but visual impairment is different because it is a worsening condition. There is no light at the end of this tunnel, if you pardon the pun, he adds.

James McCormack, Commodore of Foynes Yacht Club, who will assist Chris in his latest sailing challenge along with fellow club members, said that he knows the postman to be always hugely positive for almost 30 years.

This is another hurdle in his life and he will overcome it and I will support him whatever way I can.

Mr McCormack said that his yacht will be used for the sailing challenge with Chris and two other crew members from the County Limerick yacht club.

Chris sailing challenge will raise money for Irish Guide Dogs for the blind and the RNLI.

Anything we do on the water is hugely dependant on the RNLI and we want to support them but the Irish Guide Dogs will be the main benefactors.

We will sail around Ireland and leave Riverfest on May 1 and hit off down to the bottom of the River Shannon, turn right (at Loop Head) and keep going around until we come back again, he said.

Fundraising events have been planned for March and April in the lead up to the May Bank Holiday departure.

Tags: Chris Egan, featured, Foynes Yacht Club, Gangway for Guide Dogs, INIZI, limerick, Riverfest, Round Ireland, Sail against Cancer, Sailing

Category: News

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Limerick cancer survivor returns to the high seas - Limerick Post

Finding the gays and the welcoming straights on generic cruises

David Webb sailed through the Panama Canal aboard Holland Americas Zuiderdam over the 2016 Christmas holiday. (Photo courtesy David Webb)

David Webb | The Rare Reporterdavidwaynewebb@yahoo.com

Sitting in the Ocean View bar of Holland Americas Zuiderdam somewhere in the Caribbean over the 2016 Christmas holidays, I engaged in one of my favorite pastimes eavesdropping on the conversations around me.

I sat alone at a table behind two middle-aged couples who chatted aimlessly. I gathered they had just met, given the frequent topic-switching.

The two men began discussing the variety of bars on the ship, and what an assortment of people they observed traveling on the ship on its way through the Panama Canal. Well, you know what the Crows Nest is, dont you? one of the men said to the other. Thats where all the gays go.

Of course, my ears perked up as I waited for his next comment or a response from the other man. That never happened though, because the speakers wife and I exchanged knowing glances and she launched an interception. Shut up, she said to her husband as I quietly chuckled.

Whats the matter? he said. It says on the activity list that there is a nightly LGBT gathering in the Captains Corner of the Crows Nest. Doesnt that mean gay?

She again told him to shut up, and he did even though he obviously didnt understand why he should.

I locked eyes with the woman and mouthed the words, Its OK, and I smiled.

Finishing my drink, I decided it would be a good time go find the Crows Nest. I resisted the impulse to say, See you all in the Crows Nest.

Looking at the activity guide, I saw that the LGBT gathering indeed took place in the Crows Nest, and I would be just in time for happy hour. So off I went to the top and front of the ship.

During previous cruises I was disappointed not to find many LGBT people in the designated cocktail lounges. I saw lots of gay men and lesbians and even one drag queen on previous cruises, but they never seemed to be where the ships cruise director tried to send them.

But this time, I got a surprise. I did indeed find not just one or two gay men and lesbians in the bar, but a whole bevy. This is more like it, I thought.

Among the group sitting at the bar was an older, wealthy couple from California traveling with their personal assistant.

(I knew they had to be wealthy because they had a personal assistant. Also, they occupied a suite in the sky and paid for the personal assistant to enjoy himself in a balcony room alone. I got along quite well with the personal assistant, but thats another story.)

Traveling alone, I enjoyed 10 splendid nights of dining, drinking, gambling, dancing and dating. It was a wonderfully fulfilling cruise that surprised me in many ways. I met gay and lesbian people traveling alone, with their parents or with partners.

To say the ships personnel proved to be gay-friendly would be an understatement. Many of them were gay. In fact, I saw several ship officers of the same sex dancing together in the late-night bar near the casino.

I also really enjoyed the dinners and drinks I shared with the straight people I met.

One night when I went into the dining room, I saw the man and wife I had overheard in the cocktail lounge sitting alone at a table. They beckoned to me, and I went over and sat with them. The husband could not have been more gracious.

I saw his wife in the casino alone one night, and we had a good laugh about the whole thing. Hes clueless, she said.

I went on a gay-only cruise in the Mediterranean several years ago, and I enjoyed it. But I cant say that I had more fun on it than I have any of the several generic cruises Ive taken since then.

The truth is I found the gay-only cruises to be a lot more expensive than the other cruises Ive taken. So if your budget is tight like mine, dont be afraid to take advantage of the less expensive cruises.

You will not be the only queer on board

. Bookmark the

.

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Fun on the high seas - Dallas Voice

It was on March 6 that we left from the Djibouti port which is located north of Somalia. This was to proceed to the Mogadishu Port. Aboard our ship the staff cadre numbered eight. All of them were Sri Lankans and there was over 1500 metric tonnes of diesel on board the ship.

We travelled for about six days without any issue. On March 13, we saw a boat that came from the Somalia Port which had stopped en-route. Taking small boats from the vessel, a group of about 20 to 25 persons came to our ship without bearing arms. To inspect the ship they looked everywhere and asked us for water.

Even though they did not have weapons we knew that these were Somali pirates. What they wanted to find out was whether there were military personnel protecting the ship on board. There were none and they left.

After a while they returned and boarded the ship firing their guns. They then took the ship under their control and by that time we felt something like this would take place.

The moment they took the vessel to the port we informed the company. We had already informed the company through the alarm system on the ship. There was however no way we could talk at length at that time.

The Somali pirates surrounded us and we had never seen some of the weapons they had on them. They took our vessel to the Somalian port and anchored it at a nearby town. Afterwards another group numbering 10 men joined in and at all times there was around 25 armed attackers. They took our phones and computers.

They could speak broken English. We are taking you all. We dont want to kill you. What we want is money, they said. We stayed there for a day and on the night of the second day after seeing the Somalian military they took the ship to another place.

Yet, on that occasion the military came to where we were and surrounded the ship. They were special military personnel deployed by the Somali Government to curb piracy. They surrounded us with two boats. On the third day, the military shot at the pirates. Both groups shot at each other. We were sleeping inside the ship. Initially, they didnt allow us to go out but protected us. That was because they knew that if any harm befell us they would not get any money.

During this time we spoke to the company and there was food and drinks on the ship but no one was particularly keen on eating or drinking.

On the third day, the military continued to shoot at the pirates who then exposed us to the firing. When the Somali military saw us, the shooting stopped. On the next day the pirates told us that if we couldnt get the shooting to stop, they would kill us and throw us into the sea. They took our third engineer blindfolded to the deck and told us that they would kill him and throw him into the sea and do the same to each and every one of us. We then requested the Somali military to call off the firing while also calling on the company to intervene which marked the fourth day of captivity.

The shooting stopped and the two navy boats left although the military ship remained. In the meantime, from time to time, groups of Somalian pirates boarded and left the hijacked ship. Finally, we felt that someone in a high position had planned to take the ship to another location and demand the money.

But by 9 pm that night they had changed that decision probably realizing they (pirates) could not fight the Somali military as they were outnumbered. The pirates took the rest of the goods on board our ship as they had from time to time.

We then informed the rescue vessel that the pirates had fled the scene and military personnel numbering around 25 came along in four boats and took us away. The Somali governor also travelled with us to the port of Bosasco.

The eight of us had a firm belief that we would be saved and tried not to despair. The only time we panicked was when our engineer was taken away by the pirates. To our relief he returned unscathed.

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Freedom on high seas - nation.lk - The Nation Newspaper

Cover by Art Adams

The ResurrXion is less than a month away, and weve got a look inside the first issue of X-Men Blue, the new book about the time-displaced founding X-Men, written by Cullen Bunn with art by Jorge Molina. All the press around ResurrXion has been about taking the X-Men back to their roots as supheroes, and thats definitely going on here, with the team leaping out of a Blackbird jet to stop a robbery on board a luxury yacht. And the thief turns out to bea classic X-Men villain, to boot.

Molinas art is just perfect, with each X-Man having their own distinctive look (aided by Jamie McKelvies costume designs), and no less than two heroic group shots in just this four-page preview.

X-Men Blue #1 is out April 12, and features variant covers by Billy Martin, Leonard Kirk, Ramon Villalobos, as well as two featuring revamped art by Jack Kirby and Jim Lee.

Heres the official word from Marvel:

This April, the original X-Men unite once more to protect a world that hates and fears them. Today, Marvel is pleased to present your new look inside X-MEN BLUE #1 the highly anticipated new ongoing series from blockbuster creators Cullen Bunn and Jorge Molina! With Jean Grey at the helm, Cyclops, Beast, Iceman and Angel will set out to embody their mentor Charles Xaviers dream. Friendly faces and familiar foes abound as the original Children of the Atom set out on a new journey. But how long will their adventures last before they come face-to-face with their one of their greatest enemies?

Without these original five there would be no X-Men, says Senior Editor Mark Paniccia. The adventures Cullen Bunn and company have in store for them will excite fans of any X-Men team, touching on familiar themes and fresh twists on classic villains.

Plus dont miss a special backup tale from Cullen Bunn and Matteo Buffagni that features the shocking return of an ultimate fan-favorite X-character! Its all happening on April 12th in X-MEN BLUE #1!

The Best Original X-Men Cosplay Ever

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High Seas Adventure With Bunn And Molina's 'X-Men: Blue' - ComicsAlliance

When a 58 Kady Krogen trawler recently hauled out at Lauderdale Marine Center, our hydraulics company, High Seas Hydraulics was hired to do routine service on the ABT Trac hydraulic stabilizer system. Our running gear team was also called upon to pull the props and shafts for routine cutlass bearing and seal service.

Damaged threads

Once we dropped the stabilizer fin in order to replace the lower shaft seals, we found the threaded stud on the bottom of one of the shafts was damaged and had signs of thread damage and galling. This was most likely from a stainless steel nut on stainless steel threads that was installed and removed without the proper never seize lubricant. This compromised the re-installation of the stabilizer fin nut so we recommended removing the shaft to repair in our machine shop,Straight Line Marine. Once in the machine shop, we found that the stabilizer shaft was bent 0.080 which is significant for a stabilizer shaft. When we started the straightening process, which involves applying hydraulic force on the high point of the shaft, the stabilizer shaft cracked in two. This was a first never had that happen before. Under examination of the broken ends, it is evident that a crack in the shaft had worked its way to 20% through we just finished off the job.

Cracked shaft

This particular vessel is under new ownership so there is limited history as it relates to past problems and repairs. Obviously, this stabilizer was badly damaged at some point in the past. In all likelihood, the boat probably hit something or experienced a hard grounding which lead to a crack in the stabilizer shaft. Over time, these cracks tend to creep and grow.

We were able to source a new stabilizer shaft from the manufacturer and complete the overhaul on the hydraulic stabilizer system.

We have never experienced a stabilizer shaft cracking in two before in our machine shop, but it just goes to show that a small thing such as damaged threads can be a warning sign of bigger issues.

As mentioned in an earlier post, we were contracted by the new owner and captain of an older 135 foot Broward Yacht to do a number of running gear and hydraulic projects on the vessel. On the running gear side, we were tasked with removing the shafts, props and rudders to inspect and refurbish the components. From the shaft perspective, we inspected them to ensure they were straight and corrosion free. The machine shop found the shafts were slightly bent and required straightening. We also installed new cutlass bearings and repacked the stuffing box and performed an optical scope alignment before reinstalling the shafts back in the boat.

As part of our standard maintenance and service process, we removed the rudders to check the bearings and packing glands. In this case, the bearings were in good shape so we did not have to replace them. We just needed to repack the stuffing boxes to complete the work on the rudder service.

Maneuvering the rudders with lifts

However, the challenge with removing and re-installing rudders on a yacht of this size comes with handling them. Each rudder weighs in excess of 800 pounds. In order to do the job right, and safely, it takes precision forklift work. We use two lifts to start the process, one to stand the rudder in a vertical position while the second secures the rudder so that it can be moved back to the boat.

Its a matter of inches

Maneuvering the rudders to align the rudder shaft with the opening in the boat many times translates into a matter of moving the forklift just fractions of an inch one way or the other.

After considerable team work between the mechanics and the forklift operators, we successfully re-installed the rudders and now the yacht is good to go with a complete running gear overhaul complete.

Its not unusual for mega yachts to haul out at Lauderdale Marine Center requiring extensive work on multiple parts of the boat. That was the case for a 135 foot Broward when she came into the yard. The Captain of the yacht approached High Seas with a laundry list of requirements that included hydraulics and running gear jobs. High Seas is unique in the sense that we have the expertise to work on both areas, providing a central point of contact that can help to design the most efficient work flow through coordinated schedules.

For this yacht, we were hired to:

In coming posts, we will walk through the steps we took to make this yacht ship shape again.

To accommodate the growing marine trade at LMC and the potential for larger yachts visiting the yard for service when the new, more powerful travel lift is installed, we have upgraded and enhanced our own lifting capabilities with the installation of a new 2 ton crane along with a new 1/2 ton crane in our machine shop, Straight Line Marine. The new equipment will allow us to extended our shaft fabricating and straightening capabilities to more vessels hauling out at LMC.

It is critical to make sure your shaft seal system is getting proper forced water cooling. If there is a temporary loss of cooling, the internal bearing on the Tides Seal assembly will become damaged or wear out quickly. Once damaged the seal assembly could spin with the shaft and come loose. This results in a leaking seal.

Most experienced mechanics will see the leak and recommend replacing the seal. This can be done easily in the water if you have a spare seal on the shaft. However, before changing a seal you should determine if the assembly is damaged. Placing a new seal in a damaged assembly is a waste of time and a good seal. It will still leak.

The internal bearing in the Tides Seal assembly should be 0.016 larger than the shaft. This keeps the assembly riding on the shaft and within the tolerance of the lip seal. There is a simple test that you can perform on the Tides Seal in your engine room to determine if the internal bearing has failed or become worn. As you will see in this video, place your hand under the seal assembly and pull straight up. If the bearing is damaged or worn, you can lift the assembly 1/8 or more and water will squirt in. If the bearing is still within tolerance, it will feel like you cannot move it at all on the shaft.

The adjacent photos show cut-away of the Tides Seals assembly with the internal bearing and shaft.

If you do have a damaged bearing the only option is to replace the assembly. This means the shaft needs to come off the transmission, slid back and coupler removed. There are divers that can plug the stern tube to do this in the water if you are well prepared and experienced.

When one of our returning customers, an 87 foot Broward yacht discovered that they had significant corrosion on their stern tubes (shaft logs), they asked our running gear experts to help out. Once we removed the shafts from the boat, we were able to get a better idea of what we were dealing with on the stern tubes. The vessel is made of aluminum and was suffering from corrosion to the point where we would need to fabricate new tubes.

Scoping to align stern tube

To accomplish this, we enlisted our machine shop, Straight Line Marine. The machine shop ensured the inner diameter was machined for the cutlass bearings, drilled & tapped for alignment jacking screws and milled out water vents. Once we finished the machining process, it was time to install the new stern tubes back into the boat. The stern tubes have a cutlass bearing on each end so it is critical that the tube be aligned properly to the struts and engines. To ensure that the stern tubes would be in perfect alignment, we used a process called optical scope alignmentor scoping for short. Scoping is the most advanced method for obtaining a perfect marine shaft alignment with struts, shaft logs, engines or v-drives. Scoping is the latest generation of alignment technology and far more advanced than the old piano wire system and even laser alignments.

Welded stern tube in pace after optical alignment

The twist here is that we used the scoping process to help the welders perfectly place the new stern tubes in the boat. With the welding complete, we were able to finish the job and ensure that the shaft and stern tubes were aligned, guaranteeing a vibration free ride for this valued customer.

A 100 foot Marlow yacht was recently hauled at Lauderdale Marine Center for routine maintenance that included her running gear, hydraulics, topside paint and other services. The captain turned to High Seas Yacht Service for the ships running gear work and our sister company, High Seas Hydraulics for the hydraulic portion.

Old pitted shafts

During the inspection of the bearings and seals, we found that the shafts were deeply pitted to the point that we could not fix them through a cladding or weld-over process. New shafts would need to be fabricated. To make the new shafts, were turned to Straight Line Marine, our full service machine shop dedicated to shaft, strut and rudder straightening for precision alignments and the elimination of running gear vibration. At Straight Line Marine, we can straighten or fabricate shafts up to 6 inches indiameter and performshaftweld-overs (cladding).We areABS Certifiedfor Aquamet Stainless Steel Shaft Cladding. We also perform ABS shaft crack testing and straightening.

For this yacht, we needed to make 4 diameter shafts starting with sourcing the raw materials, machining the right coupler taper and the threading on the propeller end of the shaft. We also had to machine the new key way for the

Machining new key way

shaft.

As is common in many boats, this one used a coupler nut attachment with one big nut on the coupler end in the engine room. The nut that was used would be similar to a propeller nut. Since the coupler nut is usually recessed into the coupler, it takes a very large socket to tighten or loosen it. In order to perform the work, we would have to make custom sockets that would fit on a 1 wrench and then, because of the amount of torque required, put a 3 foot long pipe on the wrench to get the leverage. Because this work is happening in a very tight place, we found that we do not have enough room to swing a long pipe or get the socket in place.

New coupler nut

A more modern approach is the keeper plate or shaft locking plate. The end of the shaft is cut flush, drilled and tapped for much smaller bolts. Three hardened bolts are torqued down in a circle to draw the plate and coupler onto the shaft taper. A common socket can be used on a regular or wrench. We no longerneededlong cheater pipes since the torque required to draw up the plate is considerably less than that required on one big nut.

This yacht now sports brand new shafts and is ready for smooth sailing.

Scored rods

A customer walked into our sister company, High Seas Hydraulics with three leaking Quantum Stabilizer cylinders from a 150 foot Trinity motor yacht. Upon close inspection, it was determined that there were fine scores or scratches in the hydraulic rods that were causing the fluid to bypass the seals. These scratches could not be repaired or polished out so new hydraulic rods would need to be installed.

Raw materials

That is when our hydraulic teams turned to our machine shop Straight Line Marine. Through our procurement department at High Seas, we were able to source the raw materials needed to fabricate new hydraulic rods within a day.

Finished rod

The Straight Line Marine machinist went to work and crafted new rods to exact specifications including intricate thread machining.

The ability to bring the stabilizer cylinders back to top working order with new hydraulic rods fabricated on-site in our machine shop saved this motor yachts owner and captain both time and money and was completed from a one stop company.

A 156 Custom Motor Yacht was hauled at Lauderdale Marine Center for a new paint job and other routine maintenance. As part of the painting process, the hydraulic side boarding ladder was removed by our Hydraulics team at High Seas Hydraulics for disassembly in order to paint the parts. The mechanical project was fairly straight forward. We made new pins and bushings in our machine shop, Straight Line Marine to replace some that were corroded in place and to provide for smoother operations of the ladder.

Using a forklift to reinstall ladder

The tricky part of the job was getting the ladder on and off of a boat of this size with the vessel blocked in the yard and surrounded by scaffolding. Careful use of a forklift and skilled technicians from bothour hydraulics but also from our running gear teams made the job a success.

Our on-site services ranging from hydraulics work, machine shop capabilities and skilled technicians from all three of our companies define team work in getting the big jobs done right.

Our dedicated machine shop, Straight Line Marine, was featured in a cover story in the January/February issue of Professional BoatBuilder Magazine. The article titled The Necessity of Straight provides an in-depth look at the art of shaft alignments. The author visited our facilities at Lauderdale Marine Center for a refresher course in the practice and precisions required to get running gear alignments right. The article also touches on our new Hydraulics division and its capabilities.

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High Seas Yacht Service | Specializing in Marine Propulsion Alignments

People nowadays are craving for new experiences. And, the most effective way of getting out of ones comfort zone to find an adventure is through traveling.

With seat sales and travel tour packages left and right, it isnt a secret that traveling has gone from being a luxury to a staple, maybe even a necessity, in peoples lives. But even then, more and more people are now looking to discover new ways on how to make traveling itself more fun and exciting.

Oftentimes these vacation trips entail having to wait for hours just to travel for a couple of more hours to get to the destination. Who says that the journey to satisfying ones wanderlust has to be ordinary, uneventful, maybe even boring?

Try going on a cruise and let yourself experience traveling like never before. Cruising is making waves as it continually evolves into providing the best experience one can get when traveling, continually trying to find new ways of letting passengers enjoy the ride going to the destination just as much as being at the intended vacation place itself. Experience traveling by starting the fun and adventure the moment you set foot on board. Create experiences even before you get to your destination.

The cruising industry has continually evolved in order to keep up with the ever-changing needs and wants that people might have when it comes to traveling. Whatever type of adventure youre after, cruising can definitely provide it for you. With world-class entertainment and state-of-the-art facilities, youre sure to experience traveling in style and in comfort.

Now, when can you exactly say that you were able to swim, exercise in a gym, play basketball, enjoy world-class entertainment, and get all-around service even before arriving at your destination? Experience all these and other luxurious amenities and services offered onboard. With a wide array of dining options, lounges left and right, you wont run out of options and things to do.

Another one of the beauties of traveling via cruise ship is that you get to be a part of a community while on board. Have the opportunity of getting to meet new people, even probably a few famous personalities and celebrities along the way. The environment lets you meet and make friends and new relationships with people who share the same passion in traveling as you do. Share your favorite wanderlust experiences with them as you create another one definitely worth putting in the books. So even if youve gone on multiple cruises, the interactions you get to have onboard makes it all the more memorable and unique for each and every trip.

Have an adventure from Taiwan and see Japan like no other. Visit the pristine beaches and islands on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa, Japan with SuperStar Aquarius. You can also sail from Singapore to the beautiful islands of Malacca, Pulau Redang, Langkawi, and Penang and get to see Malaysia with SuperStar Gemini.

From Penang, you can sail to the scenic ports of Krabbi and Phuket in Thailand aboard the SuperStar Libra. Discover Chinas Pearl River Delta as you sail to Vietnams Halong Bay and culture-rich Danang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Nha Trang with Superstar Virgo or go on and sail and cruise along the South China Sea for a one-night getaway from Hong Kong aboard Star Pisces. The possibilities of breathtaking adventures are limitless with Star Cruises.

Let Star Cruises take you to your destination and start the adventure as soon as you get onboard. When traveling with Star Cruises, you get to experience traveling around Asia like no other. Enjoy world-class amenities and satiate your hunger with the mouth-watering dishes from all types of cuisines prepared by internationally trained chefs.

Dont miss out your chance to go on an adventure for up to 50 percent off. Climb aboard on SuperStar Gemini for as low as $290 USD and on Superstar Aquarius for as low as $397 USD.

Contact your local travel agency to book your tickets now. For inquiries, you can reach Star Cruises at (02) 836-6830 to 32 or email [emailprotected]

COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by The Standard. Comments are views by thestandard.ph readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of thestandard.ph. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with The Standard editorial standards, The Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section.

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Journey through the high seas - Manila Standard - The Standard

The pair, 55-year-old Irish national Nick Dwyer and 44-year-old French national Barbara Heftman, activated the yacht's emergency position-indicating radio beacon following high winds and heavy swells.

Photo by: AFP

A New South Wales police vessel responded, battling six-metre swells and gale force winds on a 13-hour voyage to reach the yacht and safely haul the pair on board.

Two sailors have survived six metre high waves and gale force winds in the middle of the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.

Authorities said the crew, an Irish and a French national, were travelling from New Zealand to Australia aboard a 12-metre yacht when trouble emerged about 210 nautical miles from Sydney.

The rescue vessel took 13.5 hours to reach the yacht during the six-metre swells and southerly winds.

The two sailors who were travelling with a broken rudder since March 4, were safely transferred ashore and are not injured.

TRT World's Ben Saidhas their story.

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French, Irish yacht sailors survive high seas off Australia's coast - TRT World

An East Kilbride couple have told of their dramatic rescue at sea after their boat ran aground off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

Steve Mackay, a former St Brides High School pupil, and his partner Elizabeth Anne Jamieson, from Westwood, were in the Gulf filming a documentary kayak4kuwait as part of the K20 Expedition.

The pair followed three kayakers who paddled more than 2300 kilometres in 90 days from Kuwait to Oman to highlight sea pollution and its impact on the marine environment.

However, Steve and Elizabeth Anne, both 45, ended up getting more than they bargained for in treacherous seas when their ship, The Katherina, struck rocks off the coast off the UAE.

They led the evacuation from the listing ship, plunging into rough seas, and were eventually picked up by the UAE military and coastguard.

The drama didnt end there as their second yacht, The Aquarius, was battered for weeks by storms in the Gulf.

Even then there was further drama when rigging on the yachts mast snapped and the boat had to limp back to the nearest port.

Steve, who is a documentary-maker and cameraman, met Elizabeth Anne when he helped organise and film a fundraiser.

He was director of photography during the three-month expedition, which began last November, while Elizabeth Anne acted as camera operator.

However, after just five days aboard The Katherina, events took a dramatic turn.

It was absolutely terrifying, Steve said. There were moments I questioned if I was going to make it out alive.

We obviously realised we had struck rocks but panic really set in when the ship began to list. Its not until youre in that situation you know how youll react.

Initially, Elizabeth Anne and I drank coffee on deck and remained calm but once we started feeling the ship listing and heard the crashing of dishes and fridges toppling over inside as we were waiting to be rescued, I definitely felt the fear.

Elizabeth Anne probably handled it better than me. One of the crew knelt on deck praying. Even the coastguard didnt know what to do until we took the decision to jump into the sea.

When it was clear we were going down, Elizabeth Anne jumped into the rough seas first, swimming through diesel and wreckage, and I followed, before we were picked up and flown to Qatar.

A huge salvage operation resumed the following morning without success and within days The Katherina was torn apart by unforgiving seas just before Christmas.

Steve said: It was emotional leaving the boat behind as it becomes home and a part of you. She was a beautiful yacht.

The whole experience was extremely emotional, not to mention humbling. But I would be lying if I said it wasnt also a little exhilarating.

Having been rescued and checked over by medics, the East Kilbride couple, along with the rest of the expedition, regrouped and boarded The Aquarius early in the new year.

But having survived one dramatic experience, the couple couldnt believe it when they ran into trouble once again.

Steve said: Our hearts were in our mouths when the wires holding the mast started snapping and the mast became loose.

It could have gone either way. I was standing there filming and could not believe we were in this position again.

This time we were facing storms, deep water, no VHF radio and the life-jackets were under the mast in the crew quarters.

We all froze but somehow the captain steered the ailing yacht back to port. Again we were very, very lucky.

One of the group was swept out to sea when filming underwater and had to swim a mile to shore in dangerous currents to survive.

The documentary, which has now been released, saw Steve and Elizabeth Anne explore the coastline from cityscapes, mountains, beaches, deserts, mangroves and come across an abundance of wildlife and marine life along the way.

And they were welcomed by everyone from village folk to dignitaries during the expedition.

Steve said: It was an amazing experience and one we wont forget in a hurry being on a sinking ship wasnt part of the plan but Elizabeth Anne and I are just so thankful it wasnt much worse.

The expedition and documentary have generated so much interest that there are now proposals for a TV series in Alaska or the Amazon and I am looking for investors and sponsors for what would be another amazing project designed to help safeguard the environment for generations to come.

To get involved in Steves project, call 07793 009998.

Read more from the original source:

Drama on the high seas: East Kilbride couple reveal dramatic rescue after boat sinks in Gulf - Scottish Daily Record

First Caribbean Cannabis Cruise

Miami, Florida (PRWEB) March 08, 2017

Bhang Travel Inc., the Cannabis Industries Premiere Travel and Event Agency, presents the first Cannabis Networking Cruise from Miami, Florida on October 21st 28th2017. Bhang will bring together industry experts, professionals and enthusiasts for five days of cannabis-infused fun at the Annual Caribbean Cannabis Cruise!

The six-day cruise will include many of the standard features of a cannabis conference. There will be workshops and seminars that include cultivators, dispensary owners, and healthcare professionals. There will be cocktail mixers where cannabis professionals and people interested in the industry can forge long standing relationships. There will also be a trade show where high-end cannabis companies can educate people about their products and services, and an excursion in Jamaica to Bob Marleys birthplace and/or Rasta Festival.

Included are all of the amenities normally on board a cruise ship, the private Bhang attendees-only cocktail parties, seminars, workshops, trade-show, and the excursion to a working cannabis farm and/or Bob Marleys birthplace in Jamaica. Cabins are limited and start under $1000 per person for a double occupancy.

Bhang Travel Inc. is quickly becoming the go-to cannabis event travel promoter in the industry. Bhang Travel specializes in combining international cannabis-friendly destinations with industry experts and cannabis enthusiasts for an amazing adventure with cannabis on land and at sea. Our events includeTurks & Caicos Health & Wellness Cruise, Alaska, Pacific Coast, Costa Rico, Spain, all-inclusive trips to existing events and festivals, special events to international destinations, our Annual Caribbean Cannabis Cruise and so much more.

"It brings together amazing people in the industry, in cannabis friendly destinations, aboard world class ships, it's really an amazing experience," says owner Candice A. Marschke. "It's something unique to offer to a community that has similar values and interests while educating them about the many benefits of cannabis, while interacting with industry insiders on board luxury full service cruise ships. Look for continuing education credits coming in the future as well. This is just the beginning of an amazing opportunity to be a part of something that is life-changing, and for some, lifesaving!

Visithttp://www.bhangtravel.com or call (954) 900-6100to learn more about how to Travel With Bhang.

Candice A. Marschke is a Solutions Architect by day and the founder of Women Grow South Florida and Bhang Travel Inc. Kathleen M. Isoldi owner of Quality Insurance Group, specializing in Cannabis Insurance, founder of Women Grow South Florida and Bhang Travel Inc.

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Bhang Travel Inc. Brings Cannabis Networking to the High Seas - PR Web (press release)