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Category Archives: High Seas

‘Sea of Thieves’ Update Adds Season One, 120 Hz, Arena Tweaks and MorePatch Notes – Newsweek

Posted: January 29, 2021 at 12:21 pm

Sea of Thieves' Season One update is finally here, adding big changes, new cosmetics, the Plunder Pass, a 120 Hz mode and more. While most of the tweaks amount to small bug fixes, your first quest for Renown should still start off from a more solid place. Check out the full patch notes courtesy of an official Rare blog post.

Season One Plunder Pass

Lunar Festival Ship Collection

Lunar Festival Costumes

Lunar Festival Weapon Bundle

Time-Limited Lunar Festival Pet Outfits

Order of Souls Possessed Pets

Vigilant Weapon Pose Emotes

Heroic Emotes

Free Plead Emote

New Year Sale!

Lunar Festival Bundle (Store Only)

Dark Adventurers Set

Silent Barnacle Set

Bedraggled Castaway Bilge Rat Set

Legacy Event Cosmetics

Arena Communication

Recommended Crew Size

120Hz Performance Mode

Larinna's Black Market

Gameplay

Pirate Emporium

Mysterious Notes

Tall Tales

Localization

Environment

Visual and Audio

Performance and Stability

As expected, the bulk of the Sea of Thieves Season One update is focused on the new additions to the game for its first official season. These include the paid Plunder Pass with 11 unique cosmetics, the free Renown progression system with 100 levels to climb and the addition of Trials to aid in said climb. Simply put, Sea of Thieves is becoming more similar to the other serviced-based games and battle royales you might already be playing.

Rare's iteration on the format, however, seems to offer players a lot at no additional cost. Still, there are paid rewards for those who wish to spend the extra $10 in Ancient Coins. The cosmetics are aplenty, but it should be noted that all Plunder Pass items will eventually make their way to the Emporium. In other words, if there's only one Plunder skin that you like, it may be smarter to buy that as its own item down the line rather than investing in the Plunder Pass upfront.

The Season One update also includes few noteworthy features we weren't expecting. Perhaps the most interesting item on the list is the 120 Hz mode tailored to those taking to the high seas on Xbox Series X. While we would've liked to see support for the Series S as well, it'll still be interesting to experience Sea of Thieves at such high framerates.

We're also pretty happy with the updated communication guidelines too, as anything that removes toxicity from the community is well worth implementing. While most of the minor adjustments in Sea of Thieves' latest update amount to bug fixes, Rare has snuck in some cool surprises to kick off Season One.

Sea of Thieves is available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC.

What are your thoughts on Sea of Thieves Season One so far? Are you happy with the update? Tell us in the comments section!

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Sea Of Thieves Battle Pass Price & Details Revealed By Rare – Screen Rant

Posted: at 12:21 pm

Rare has detailed the price and content specifics of its upcoming Battle Pass and Seasons that will be coming to Sea of Thieves in the future.

Rarehas released details about Sea of Thieves' upcoming Battle Pass and other features that will be added to the game in the near future. Rare has shown a high level of support for the online Pirate-based teamwork game since its much-hyped release. The game didn't have much content at launch, but Rare has worked diligently to change that and continue supporting the artistic world that it has created.

Sea of Thieves was released in March of 2018 after being initially teased at E3 2015. The teamwork-based ship play, vast open world, and stylistic art approach drew much attention to the title. Hype continued to gather around the game until its release, whereupon it received middling consumer and critical response. The core game was a solid foundation, but the primary complaint that many players had was that the game did not haveenough content to keep people pillaging across the high seas. Luckily, since then Rare has released many updates that expanded on the core game's strengths and improved upon the criticized lack of content.

Related: How To Defeat Flameheart's Ghost Fleet In Sea Of Thieves

In an article by Gamesradar, Rare details the specifics pertaining to the game's upcoming Battle Pass and recurring Seasons. The Battle Pass itself functions similarly to others of its kind. Each Season within the game will last roughly three months each and introduce specific cosmetics, power-ups, timed events, and additional gameplay modes and variations. The Battle Pass allowsfans to acquire seasonal content easier than other players while givingthem earlier or even flat-out exclusive access to certain pieces of content. The Battle Pass will setplayers back 999 Ancient Coins (or $10 of real cash).

This is the latest large update that Rare has brought to Sea of Thieves to help keep the ever-expanding player base wanting more. In the past year alone, 15 million players have logged onto the game. While it can be a bit intimidating to enter a game fresh after it has already been established and after various updates, there are some easy ways to get startedwithin Sea of Thieves.

The story of Sea of Thieves is one that has became a bit too common within the gaming industry. Much like the releases of No Man Sky and Cyberpunk 2077, hype seemed to outpace where the game itself was actually standing as far as functionality and gameplay was concerned. However, Rare has shown that it is prepared to release continuous support for its game while also diligently staying aware of what the community has to say about their experiences. This is the reason why Rare is adding the Seasons and Battle Pass systems, to increase the lifespan of the game. This allows players to enjoy the game they were expecting.

No Man Skyhas seen a similar treatment since its release and a much needed overhaul is coming Cyberpunk 2077's way, according to CD Projekt Red. Sea of Thieves seems to be jumping onto the successful "game-as-service" bandwagon that has worked very well for smash hits such as Fortnite and Rainbow Six Siege. For anyone looking to jump into their own pirate adventure, they can snag Sea of Thieves on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows.

Next: Every Xbox-Exclusive Game Coming In 2021

Source: Gamesradar,Sea of Thieves

Obsidian's Grounded Adds Bees & Mosquitoes In New Update

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Antoine Mermod, IMOCA Class President, hails 2020-21 Vende Globe as one of the greatest races – Sail World

Posted: at 12:21 pm

by Ed Gorman / IMOCA Globe Series 29 Jan 07:00 PST

Antoine Mermod, president of the IMOCA Class, hailed the 2020-21 Vende Globe as one of the class's greatest ever races, after a breathtaking night of drama on the Bay of Biscay that saw the Maitre CoQ IV skipper Yannick Bestaven clinch victory.

Speaking at the finish at Les Sables d'Olonne, Mermod noted that there is still a long way to go, with many boats still on their way up the Atlantic, but he said that it was already clear that this Vende Globe will go down as among the greatest and certainly one of the best races in the history of the IMOCA Class.

"Anyone who watched the battle to the finish over the last few days - that saw five skippers with a chance of winning after 80 days at sea - will agree with me that this was an exceptional race," said Mermod. "We have witnessed the best of solo ocean sailing by skippers in a class that has produced the most competitive race we have seen."

"It has also been a wonderful example of sportsmanship on the high seas," he added, "and I could not agree more with Yannick when he said graciously at the finish that there were two winners of this race, in a reference to Charlie Dalin who took line honours on APIVIA but has had to settle for second overall."

Mermod said the race had served up a gripping spectacle from day one, with regular changes in leader and with a highly competitive group at the front, fighting for every mile around the world. "What's more we have seen a very good battle between the foilers and the older boats and also some competitive races within races further down the fleet which continue as we speak," he said.

Mermod particularly highlighted the very low number of retirements with just eight skippers of the 33 who started in early November having dropped out so far. "I hope, of course that we do not see any further retirements," he said. "But I think that, given the very difficult circumstances in which this race has been staged against the backdrop of a worldwide pandemic, it has been a great endorsement of the IMOCA Class in terms of the rule and the preparedness of the boats and skippers."

"The stringent entry requirements that we have in place for skippers wishing to take part in the Vende Globe, together with the one-design aspects, the challenge of innovation and the safety protocols, have all been validated in a race, which has tested all the skippers and their boats to the limit," added Mermod.

"I would also like to salute the work of the SAEM Vende and its loyal and passionate partners. They stood firm in this very special context and enabled all those involved with the skippers to offer a Vende Globe to the public this winter, and what a Vende Globe!"

The IMOCA Class president said he was delighted by the global audience for a race which has been followed online all over the world. "We are keen to reach new markets and new fans wherever they are on the planet," he said, "and this race has helped project the exciting IMOCA story and its commercial partners in a way that few races have done before."

"We have witnessed exciting racing which has changed the way we think of the global race course," he added, "but also high drama with Jean Le Cam's display of exceptional seamanship when he rescued Kevin Escoffier. Then in the closing stages we have seen Boris Herrmann survive what could have been a major incident when coming into contact with a fishing trawler in the Bay of Biscay."

"It has been an unforgettable story and even as I speak that story continues to be written," said Mermod.

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Heavy Swells Continue with Possibility of Coastal Flooding in Parts of Eastern and Southern Newfoundland – VOCM

Posted: at 12:21 pm

(Photo: Ashley @Ashley_LBMCOC)

Heavy swells and rolling seas caused by a storm system parked off Greenland are generating a lot of attention and social media posts, but officials are warning people of the dangers of unpredictable wave action.

Environment Canada says high waves, pounding surf and higher-than-normal water levels are expected to continue for another few days off the east coast.

Thats prompted a warning from Public Safety about the chance of coastal flooding. The greatest risk could come around Saturday mornings high tide, with heavy seas extending to parts of the southwestern Avalon and eastern side of the Burin Peninsula this weekend.

Residents are asked to use caution near the coastline and be prepared in case of damage to roads or other infrastructure.

Advisory! Ongoing sea swells & storm surge conditions are occurring, causing significant damages to the breakwater at Long Pd. Forecasted conditions are expected to continue until Tuesday. Please use caution & stay away from the area. Repairs will begin when safe to be onsite.

Conception Bay South (@TownofCBS) January 28, 2021

Meanwhile, the Town of Conception Bay South is advising residents to use caution after a large portion of the Long Pond breakwater was washed away by storm surge. High sea swells eroded an estimated 200 meters of the breakwater.

Mayor Terry French says the situation is volatile, as there is a risk for significant damage in the coming days. The town encourages anyone with nearby property to take steps to ensure safety and reduce the risk of damage.

(Photo courtesy Pierre Gauvreau via Twitter.)

The town has hired an engineering firm to assess the damage and repair the breakwater when it is deemed safe to do so. However, due to the extent of the work, that may not happen until next week.

Depending on forecasts for the weekend, Mayor French says the town is considering setting up barricades to prevent access to high-risk areas.

An update is expected today.

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Switzerland’s irresponsible reign on the sea – SWI swissinfo.ch – swissinfo.ch

Posted: at 12:21 pm

International legal expert Mark Pieth argues that Switzerland needs to stop allowing big shipping companies to fly under the regulatory radar of their host country.

Mark Pieth, Criminal Law Professor, University of Basel

Though Switzerland is a landlocked country, it is the seat of some of the most prominent shipping companies in the world, including the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the second largest container shipper and the third biggest cruise ship operator.

MSC operates over 500 ships but there are many other smaller Swiss-based shipping companies close to the commodity industry, like SwissMarine with its 150 bulkers for coal and iron ore. Given Switzerland is one of the most important financial centres and the worlds largest commodity trading market as well as an important insurance (Swiss Re, Zrich) and logistics hub (Khne+Nagel, Panalpina), the countrys link to shipping shouldnt come as a surprise.

Switzerland has a long tradition in international trading. One of the oldest and most well-known companies, UTC (the former mission trading house), had its base in Switzerland and its own fleet of cargo sailing ships. Beyond shipping on the high seas, the ship registry in Basel is the nominal domicile for a large portion of cruise ships on the Rhein, Danube and other major rivers.

One question lingers: is Switzerland turning a blind eye to the industry because the ships roam seas far from the countrys borders and in a gray international legal zone?

Unlike for the financial services or pharmaceuticals industries, there is no regulator for shipping companies based in Switzerland.

The marginal exception is the mere 27 aging ships flying the Swiss flag simply to obtain public subsidies in view of potential crises. They can be called upon by the Swiss government to help in a crisis but contribute very little to the Swiss economy. There is an oversight body in Switzerland for these ships but the ships are amere footnote in history.

The large container, bulker and cruise operators flag their ships out to so called flags of convenience (predominantly Panama, the Marshall Islands and Liberia). This allows them to evade labour standards and minimum wages, to save taxes and hide behind a dense curtain of confidentiality. Trade unions have been unsuccessful in putting and end this practice.

A complex web of financial players and transactions has so far allowed Switzerland as the host state of shipping companies to evade responsibility for the sector.

Typically, a large container ship is owned by an obscure single ship company based in a place such as Hong Kong. The finance tools and beneficial owners hide behind offshore companies for instance in Panama. Frequently the safety standards of the ship registered with flags of convenience are lower than those registered in major sea faring nations. So-called classification societies are charged with the concrete supervision of standards on behalf of such flag states. They are, however, frequently caught up in a conflict of interest between their official function and private advisership - not very different from big auditing firms.

To prevent risks of unsafe ships roaming the seas, the port states assume a certain monitoring role called Port State Control.

While the large shipping companies, operating hundreds of ships worldwide, are often domiciled in Switzerland, they are not part of the Swiss regulatory system. Instead, the ships are under the regulation of their flag state, which are mostly flags of convenience.

How does this matter? If we look back at major oil spills (Deepwater Horizon, Erika, Prestige) traces of ownership and control regularly lead to Zug in central Switzerland. Switzerland can hardly plead ignorance when over the last decade 90 ships operated by Swiss companies were dismantled on beaches in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh under horrid conditions called beaching. NGOs claim that 80 of these ships run by MSC, were sold for their last voyage to a so called cash buyer to shield them from any responsibility during the beaching process.

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The problems of beaching or breaking down ships on tidal beaches, are well-known: toxic substances flow freely into the sea and workers are exposed (without protective gear) to asbestos, mercury, heavy metals, toxic paint, among other materials. Working conditions are extremely dangerous, much more than in the mining industry.

International treaties like the Basel Convention and the Ban Amendment prohibit the export of toxic waste to developing nations. With the more recent 2009 Hong Kong Convention on the safe recycling of ships, the lobbyists of the shipping industry and the Flags of Convenience States were able to rehabilitate beaching.

Officially, Switzerland states that it is not responsible for ships flying foreign flags even if the company operating them is based on its territory. The Swiss government considers the sale to a third party for its last voyage and the flagging out to an even more disreputable country as valid transactions. Switzerland totally neglects that the Basel Convention also applies to those organising the export of toxic waste.

Once again, Switzerland is allowing a problematic industry to establish itself on its territory and to fly under the regulatory radar.

Mark Pieth was an international regulator and criminal law professor for several decades. He is the author of books on corruption and the gold trade in Switzerland. He is currently working on a book about the challenges in the maritime industry.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of swissinfo.ch.

Opinion series

swissinfo.ch publishes op-ed articles by contributors writing on a wide range of topics Swiss issues or those that impact Switzerland. The selection of articles presents a diversity of opinions designed to enrich the debate on the issues discussed. If you would like to submit an idea for an opinion piece, please e-mail english@swissinfo.ch

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10 Months After Outbreak, USS Theodore Roosevelt is Back in W. Pacific – The Maritime Executive

Posted: at 12:21 pm

Image courtesy USN

By The Maritime Executive 01-24-2021 07:28:00

The USS Theodore Roosevelt and her escorts have returned to the South China Sea, marking the carrier's second deployment to the region in less than a year's time.

After sailing through these waters throughout my 30-year career, its great to be in the South China Sea again, conducting routine operations, promoting freedom of the seas, and reassuring allies and partners, said Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo, commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine. With two-thirds of the worlds trade traveling through this very important region, it is vital that we maintain our presence and continue to promote the rules-based order which has allowed us all to prosper."

The strike group is carrying out a range of routine training and presence operations, including flight ops, maritime strike exercises and coordinated tactical training between surface and air units, the Navy said.

We all benefit from free and open access to the seas and our operations represent our commitment to maintaining regional security and stability, said Capt. Eric Anduze, USS Theodore Roosevelt's commanding officer. Im incredibly proud of the work and professionalism this crew shows every day operating on the high seas.

Images courtesy USN

The strike group includes USS Theodore Roosevelt, the cruiser USS Bunker Hill and the destroyers USS Russell and USS John Finn.

Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego for deployment to the Indo-Pacific on December 23. Herrare "double-pump" deployment follows after a challenging tour in the Western Pacific in the first half of 2020. After a port call in Vietnam, an outbreak of COVID-19 swept through the ship, eventually infecting one quarter of the crew. A 10-week period of quarantine and disinfection followed at the Navy's base at Guam, and after the all clear, Theodore Roosevelt returned to San Diego, arriving in early July.

Despite a second, smaller COVID outbreak affecting her personnel, she trained up and got under way in late December, less than six months after her return to base.She sustained two crewmembers fatalities in the run-up to departure, including a man-overboard in mid-December and a suicide in mid-October.

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Why Have Sharks and Rays Declined by 70 Percent in Five Decades? – The Maritime Executive

Posted: at 12:21 pm

Shortfin mako shark (NOAA)

By David Sims 01-27-2021 10:31:00

Oceanic sharks and rays live so far from land that the average person is unlikely to ever see them. But these species, which live in the vast open ocean, are also among the most revered, and include the great white shark and the giant manta ray. For millennia, their remoteness has allowed these species to largely avoid humans. But since the early 1950s, industrial-scale fishing fleets have been able to reach distant waters and gradually spread to exploit the entire global ocean.

Rising demand over the same period for shark and ray meat, as well as fins, gill plates and liver oil, has caused catches of the 30 or so oceanic species to soar. Marine biologists have been raising the alarm for several decades now, but their warnings were often limited to what regional trends showed. Now,new researchhas brought together disparate threads of data into a single, global analysis of shark and ray populations in the open ocean.

Worldwide, oceanic shark and ray abundance has declined by 71 percentsince 1970. More than half of the 31 species examined are now considered to be endangered, or even critically endangered. Compare this with 1980 when only one species, the plankton-feeding basking shark, was thought to be endangered. These are stark statistics, and they indicate that the future for the oceans top predators is fast deteriorating.

Nose dive

To arrive at the first global perspective on oceanic shark and ray population trends, the study synthesised a huge amount of data. The researchers calculated two separate indicators of biodiversity, using indexes established by the Convention on Biological Diversity to track progress towards international targets. They used state-of-the-art modelling to estimate trends in the relative abundance of species. One of the indicators combined assessments of 31 species by theIUCN Red Listover a 38-year period.

The results revealed huge declines in the abundance of sharks in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Once abundant species such as the oceanic whitetip shark have declined by 75% globally in just the past half-century, while populations of the endangered shortfin mako shark valued for its meat and fins have shrunk by about 40%. Manta ray populations have suffered even greater losses.

The study attributes these declines to overfishing. The researchers documented a greater than twofold increase in fishing pressure from longline fisheries for instance, which use lines stretching 100km and bearing 1,200 baited hooks. These lines are deployed each day by any one of the thousands of longlining vessels worldwide, snaring sharks in the open ocean either intentionally or as bycatch while targeting other marine life.

Shortfin mako sharks are one of the worlds fastest animals, but often fall foul of fishing gear.Jos Antonio Gil Martnez,CC BY

The study also found increases in the proportion of sharks that are being fished beyond sustainable levels. But its particularly worrying that unreported catches werent included in the studys analyses. This means the number of sharks and rays killed by fishing boats is likely to be an underestimate and the actual declines of these species may be even worse. Unlike most species of bony fish, sharks and rays produce few offspring and grow slowly. The rate at which they reproduce is clearly no match for current levels of industrialised fishing.

Regulating the high seas

Immediate and far-reaching action is needed to rebuild these populations. Its clear that the rate of overfishing has outstripped the implementation of fisheries management measures and trade regulations. Since most oceanic sharks and rays are caught in the high seas areas beyond national jurisdictions agreements between fishing nations within management organisations are needed for conservation measures to work.

But, as this new study details, fishery limits imposed by management organisations of regional tuna fisheries bodies tasked with managing oceanic sharks and ray populations have been largely inadequate in following scientific advice. As recently as November 2020, the EU and US blocked a catch retention ban for North Atlantic shortfin mako sharks, despitescientific evidenceclearly indicating that it was the first rung on a ladder to restoring this population of an endangered species.

To begin the recovery of oceanic shark and ray populations, strict measures to prohibit landings of these species and to minimise their bycatch in other fisheries are needed immediately. This must be coupled with strict enforcement. Reducing the number of sharks and rays caught accidentally will be crucial but challenging, especially for longline fishing, which is not very selective and inadvertently catches lots of different species. This currently means that bans on intentional fishing are unlikely to be effective on their own. One solution would include modifying fishing gear and improving how fishers release sharks and rays after capture, to give them a better chance of survival.

An equally important measure, noted in the current study, would be banning fishing fleets from hotspots of oceanic sharks and rays.Research published in 2019highlighted where these areas in the global ocean overlap with fishing vessels most. Led by the UN, negotiations are underway for a high seas treaty which would create no-take marine reserves to protect threatened species in the open ocean. This new study should urge the international community to take such action while theres still time.

David Sims is a Senior Research Fellow at the Laboratory of the Marine Biological Association of the UK, in Plymouth, and Professor of Marine Ecology in the Ocean and Earth Science school at the University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, UK.

This article appears courtesy of The Conversation and may be found in its original form here.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

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Ocean Beach Pier designed to take the hits – even after some damage from waves pier demonstrates its prowess – Strutting its piling and decking 1 971…

Posted: at 12:21 pm

Ocean Beach Pier designed to take the hits - even after some damage from waves, pier demonstrates its prowess

Massive waves strike the Ocean Beach Pier in early January. PHOTO BY JIM GRANT

Consider, too, the brawn of imagination, dreamers, and a communitys craving to fish in deeper waters, no boat required. An earlier pier at the foot of Del Monte Avenue took shape in the early 1940s but World War II gobbled the steel needed to finish it.

By 1965, pier fever crescendoed and movers and shakers on the Point Loma peninsula had ruffled enough city feathers to get the job done. The local firm of structural engineers and architects, Ferver-Dorland & Associates, designed the new pier. Opening day festivities on July 2, 1966, were celebrated amidst a mighty commotion of parade floats, bands, and California Gov. Pat Browns ribbon cutting.

Still today, fishermen, sunset gawkers, and hundreds of annual visitors crave a wallowing along the pier. But when winter storms come, sometimes railings get washed away and city lifeguards close the gates to pedestrians.

Those railings are doing exactly what they were meant to do wash away in high seas, lessening resistance of water hitting the pier, says the general contractor who built the pier (he prefers we not mention his name for privacys sake). Rails can be easily replaced, though at an expected cost to the city.

The feat of building such a structure was unconventional. We had to design equipment to handle problems. The whole idea of a fishing pier was to keep it as low as we could for fishermen pulling up their catch.

Incidentally, engineer Greer Ferver, himself a fisherman, in his draft of the pier addressed the convenience of cutting bait on wider tops of the wooden rails.

Ferver had done his underwater design study the summer ahead, noting four feet of sand on top of the natural sandstone layer under the area where we put the pier, the general contractor said.

Midway through the build it was necessary to alter the original blueprint after an aggressive January storm washed out three forward pilings and nearly forced a costly crane into the water. Keep in mind that at the time, the pier was still under construction when the sea devoured portions of two, 30-foot precast concrete deck sections.

It was then discovered that the natural progression of winter tides took out all that sand from the sandstone ledge, which increased the height of waves that would hit the pier.

To accommodate this revelation, the structural engineer redesigned the grade of the pier from the destruction point, or from where the pier bends up, notes the contractor, thus increasing the grade, or slope, by 1 percent to get above the surf, nearly two-thirds the length of the pier. All in a days work

Curious surfers were discouraged from the dangers of riding through the underside of the pier, but piles at this monstrous construction site intrigued nearly everyone.

The contractor holds rich esteem for the community of Ocean Beach, for its early tenacity for want of a pier, and its on-going affection of it. Everybody loves that pier! he crows.

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Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow’s "Drunk" Walk Is Secretly Genius – Screen Rant

Posted: at 12:21 pm

Jack Sparrow's signature "drunk" walk, which gives him the appearance of being constantly inebriated, is actually the result of Sparrow's sea legs.

Within thePirates of the Caribbean franchise, Jack Sparrows (Johnny Depp) signature off-kilter walk earnshim the reputation of being constantly inebriated, but Sparrows drunk swagger has an ingenious secret that doesnt involve a single drop of rum. While Sparrow often refers torumthroughout the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as if its both hisaddiction and a secret weapon that allows him to pull off potvaliant stunts and schemes, the unbalanced walk is actually more telling of another great love of his: the sea.

Thoughits hard to imagine Jack Sparrow being any different from the charming and disreputable anti-hero that is the center of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, a lot of Sparrows eccentricity is owed to Johnny Depps interpretation of the character, who was alternativelywritten as a swashbuckling hero in the original script for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. In an interview with Collider, Depp details some of his early insights about Captain Jack, which he concocted while sitting in a sauna. After experiencing extreme heat within the sauna, Depp had the idea that Sparrows brain would be par-boiled after baking in the sun all day onboard a ship, inspiring Sparrow's mad yet brilliantpersona. Just as being out on the open ocean would affect Sparrows mental state, Depp also decided that the days Sparrow spent at sea would affect his body language as well.

Related:Why Pirates of the Caribbean Succeeded Where Cutthroat Island Failed

While its initially assumed that Sparrows off-kilter and quirky walk is the result of excessive drinking, its actually the product of his sea legs - the capacity to balance and not get seasick when sailing. Since Sparrow spends more of his time being tussled by the waves on board a moving ship, hes not accustomedto walking on dry land, and is therefore ironically unbalanced when on solid ground.However,Sparrows sea legs are exaggerated to an almost preternatural level, since Sparrow walks perfectly straight when on board a moving ship and only acquires his signaturedrunk walk when hes walking on dry land. Not only is the drunk walk completely realistic, since sailors themselves similarly earned a reputation for being drunks due to their sea legs, but Sparrows walk acts as an indicator of where he truly belongs: on the high seas.

Jack Sparrows sea legs also reinforce his eccentric and unpredictable personality. Throughout the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Jacks character consistently thrives by being different from the norm. Sparrows compass doesnt point north; he talks nonsense in circles in a way that strangely makes sense. Having Sparrow be unable to walk a straight path on land, and yet be perfectly balanced at sea, is a rather poetic way of highlighting yet another aspect of Sparrow that shows the normal rules of everyday life dont apply to him.

While Sparrows time at sea couldve naturally given him sea legs, theres also the possibility that the walk itself is a cunning plan devised by Sparrow to manipulate other peoples perspective of him by playing up his reputation as a drunken, half-witted selfish pirate. Sparrows escapades are often successful because he is underestimated by his peers. After teaming up with William Turner (Orlando Bloom) in The Curse of the Black Pearl, Sparrow successfully commandeers the fastest ship in the British Royal Navy, The Interceptor, by subverting Commodore Norringtons (Jack Davenport) expectations of him as the worst pirate hes ever seen. Despite the fact that Sparrow wanted to commandThe Flying Dutchman himself, Sparrow also defeats Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) and Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) in one fell swoop in Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End by choosing to help a fatally wounded Will stab Davy Jones heart and live on asthe next captain of The Flying Dutchman instead of acting in his own best interest.

Since Jack Sparrow already presents himself as scatter-brained and somewhattouched in the head throughout the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the drunk walk may be an additional clever ploy that minimizes his ability in the eyes of his enemies, therefore giving him the upper hand.

More:Pirates Of The Caribbean: Captain Hook's Hidden Role Explained

Zack Snyder's Justice League Posters Tease The Team's Fall & Rise

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Science. Tropical cyclones are closer to land around the world – Sunday Vision

Posted: at 12:21 pm

Madrid, 28 (Europe Press)

According to a new statistical analysis from Imperial College London, tropical cyclones are approaching land as their paths shift toward the pole and west.

The findings, published in the journal Science, could herald an increased risk of these devastating storms for coastal populations around the world. Tropical cyclones are one of the most devastating and costly natural disasters, and today nearly a third of the worlds population resides within their reach.

Recently, it has been observed that these storms are getting stronger and occur at higher latitudes than in the past. Although man-made impacts of climate change are believed to be driving these changes, their potential impact on coastal areas remains unclear.

Understanding these trends is critical to better gauging how coastal tropical cyclone risks will change in the future. For this reason, researchers Shuai Wang and Ralph Tomei studied the global activity of tropical cyclones during the period 1982-2018 and discovered that in addition to their migration towards the poles, the activity of cyclones is approaching the Earth around the world. .

According to their results, the distance between the maximum intensity point of each storm and the Earth decreased by about 30 kilometers per decade. In addition, the proportion of tropical cyclones entering coastal regions defined as the area of the high seas less than 200 kilometers from the nearest Earth also increases every decade, they say.

Wang and Tommy discover a shift westward in tropical cyclone tracks. They say that tropical cyclone activity is moving westward in the western Pacific, eastern Pacific, and northern and southern Indian oceans.

Although the reasons behind these displacements remain unclear, the authors suggest that they may be due to differences in the large-scale atmospheric circulation systems of Locker and Hadley.

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Science. Tropical cyclones are closer to land around the world - Sunday Vision

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