Monday, October 17, 2005

Cowboys Reef named to honour our team

'Cowboys Reef' was officially named today in recognition of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys outstanding 2004 and 2005 seasons.
'Cowboys Reef' was the initiative of Member for Herbert, Peter Lindsay, after the team's phenomenal 2004 season. 'Cowboys Reef' will be depicted on all Great Barrier Reef Marine Park zoning maps in the future.
The Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Virginia Chadwick and Member for Herbert, Peter Lindsay, announced that a reef located off Townsville, the North Queensland Cowboys home base, would now be known as 'Cowboys Reef'.
"We are absolutely delighted to be able to recognise the magnificent efforts of the Cowboys over the last two years with the naming of a reef in their honour," Ms Chadwick said.
"When Peter Lindsay suggested the idea we got 100 percent behind the initiative. After the Cowboys sensational 2005 season it seems particularly fitting that we can now announce 'Cowboys Reef'."
Member for Herbert, Peter Lindsay, said he was thrilled a piece of the Great Barrier Reef was named after North Queensland's own Cowboys.
"Our community is just so proud of the team and how well they have done over the last two years and I think it is a fitting tribute to have a reef named 'Cowboys'," Mr Lindsay said.
'Cowboys Reef' is located off the coast of Townsville, south of Myrmidon Reef and close to Davies Reef.
Mrs Chadwick said naming a reef is a complex exercise, involving a range of people and organisations.
"Our priority was ensuring we found the closest, unnamed reef to the Cowboys Townsville home base, where the team has such a huge supporter base," she said.

Radio safety supported

Seven members of the Whitsunday Bareboat Operators Association have donated $2360 to VMR Whitsunday to help with the cost of maintaining the VHF radio repeater stations in the Whitsunday area. Further donations have been made by some commercial operators to ensure that these vital radio links are maintained.
For many years the repeaters have been an important link for mariners in the region although many mariners do not realise that they are put in place and maintained by the volunteer group.

Shipyard wins award

The award is made to an individual, organisation, or development team in recognition of outstanding treatment of environmental issues in the context of a development project. Entries were invited from projects that demonstrate environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, the reclamation of contaminated or degraded land, and / or application of leading edge technology to create innovative long-term environmental solutions
Mackay Marina Shipyard is part of the award-winning Mackay Marina Village complex, owned and operated by Port Binnli Pty Ltd. A marine services base for the repair and maintenance of all types of vessels, construction began in 1999 and the Shipyard opened for business in May 2003. The Shipyard and maintenance repair and refit facility has set new standards of compliance with EPA licence requirements. With the implementation of world's best environmental practices the Shipyard is setting benchmark standards for other facilities to follow. The preservation and on-going protection of the fragile eco system that surrounds the Marina complex is of paramount importance for the future of the boating industry.
Jeff Smith, Executive Manager, Property, for Port Binnli Pty Ltd said: "Locally the Shipyard is recognised as a safe, clean place to work and for repair and maintenance on locally owned vessels. Nationally and globally we have attracted boats from world-class Superyacht Nicorette to trawlers, which previously had to travel to Cairns for maintenance.
The $5 million vessel repair and maintenance facilities on the Shipyard are the first stage of an anticipated collaborative investment of $30 million with the Mackay Port Authority aimed at developing Mackay as the premier vessel repair and maintenance facility on the Australian East Coast for commercial and recreation vessels alike.
Mackay Marina Shipyard features the latest in environmental protection systems for the catchment and treatment of all wastewater and pollutants. Environmental considerations have been key to its design. A sophisticated drainage network is in place, providing filtration and treatment for wastewater. Waste oil is collected and recycled by a licensed waste removalist. They also have environmental plans in place to manage surface coating activities; vessel surfaced cleaning, water quality, dust and particle dispersion, noise and waste.
In keeping with world's best management practices, all containments, including stormwater run-off, are contained in underground holding tanks. Pollutants and solids are filtered and separated. Treated clean fluids are then automatically discharged to sewer under controlled conditions. No contaminated water is released into Mackay Harbour waters.
All vessels are positioned into special galvanised steel cradles, within the concrete catchment area, which have been locally designed and manufactured to withstand cyclonic conditions. The cradles feature additional side 'acrow' supports and certified chain, both of which securely 'lock' a vessel in place. This avoids accident in the Shipyard and the spilling of oil etc into the water.
The development of this unique marine industry 'hub' has encouraged many new businesses to locate at the Shipyard. To date, eleven specialist marine companies are now based on site, collectively employing more than 60 staff. As the marine industry in this region is rapidly expanding, future employment growth is assured for the town. The Shipyard has become a marine industry showcase, not only from an economic perspective, but also at the forefront of environmental sustainability.
In addition to the unique filtration and treatment plant, a motorised road sweeper cleans the Shipyard daily. A fully enclosed paint booth allows vessels up to 24m to be spray painted professionally and in an EPA approved unit. Enclosed maintenance sheds are also available for major refit works and sandblasting operations.

Boaties to save water

The Queensland boating industry wants boat owners throughout the state to voluntarily adopt, on a permanent basis, new water restrictions adopted by the Brisbane City Council.
The Boating Industry Association of Queensland (BIAQ) says the new rules, which are already in force in Brisbane, are common sense and would be environmentally beneficial if maintained outside drought periods as well.
BIAQ General Manager, Barry Hibberd, said the changes would impact on boat owners, some of whom would have to change the way they cleaned their motors after use.
"But the proposed restrictions will cut back on water wastage, which is desirable at all times," Mr Hibberd said.
"We will urge the public to adopt the new restrictions on a full time basis right throughout Queensland."
To comply with the new restrictions boat owners can:
* wash the motor with a sponge and bucket of water filled from a tap;
* rinse the motor with a trigger hose, not a twist nozzle; and,
* connect the hose directly to the motor, or via ear muffs, to flush the internal components for the prescribed time recommended by the manufacturer, usually 2-3 minutes.
Mr Hibberd said the main requirement will be that the hose be attended and held at all times.

Freshwater fishing prize

When the offshore fishing is not on, turn to the fresh water for a change. In addition, if you buy your Stocked Impoundment Permit (SIP) online and you could find yourself kitted out with a swag of fishing essentials.
Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) are giving away 300 fantastic prize packs to anglers who buy their SIP online.
Policy officer Aimee Moore said the giveaways including cooler bags, tin mugs, backpacks, caps, travel mugs, tote bags and water bottles were up for grabs during the next 12 months. Twenty-five prizes will be given away every month starting in October.
"Buying a permit online is easy and convenient. It saves time as anglers can do it before they leave home, which means more time on the water," Ms Moore said.
"Buying online also means local and travelling freshwater fishing enthusiasts can purchase their permits when it suits them, rather than having to find a permit issuer when they arrive at their favourite stocked dam.
"While online, anglers can also take the opportunity to download the latest fishing news and information from the DPI&F Fishweb site."
Stocked impoundment permits cost $35 a year or $7 for a week.
To be in the draw for these giveaways, fishers should buy their permits online at www.qld.gov.au/fishing. A random prize draw will be held at the end of each month and the lucky winners will be notified soon after.
More than 3800 SIPS for freshwater fishing in Queensland's stocked dams have been sold via the Internet since the online scheme was introduced just over a year ago.
"Freshwater fishing permits allow people to fish in the 29 stocked dams throughout Queensland. Money raised through the SIP scheme provides funding to community stocking groups to buy fingerlings and carry out other activities to enhance their local fisheries," Ms Moore said.
The SIP scheme is proving effective with more than $2.4 million raised since it started in July 2000 with permit sales continuing to increase. More than four million fish have been stocked in the dams since the scheme was introduced and financial benefits to stocking groups are more than $1.8 million.

Fitzroy Reef

Entrance Buoy Replaced. Mariners are advised that the port hand lateral buoy marking the entrance to Fitzroy Reef has been replaced in position latitude 23° 36.6` S, longitude 152° 09.5` E. The buoy is unlit. AUS Charts Affected - 819

A fair breeze

"Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees."
-J. Willard Marriott

Fair Winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Fine weather, few reef fish fines

Near perfect weather conditions on the weekend attracted recreational fishers by the boatload but only a handful chose to ignore the nine-day coral reef fin fish closure period that ends today, Wednesday (October 5).
Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries officers have conducted multiple vessel inspections since the new moon spawning closures began on September 27.
Mackay district officer Dan Stampa said that from a significant number of offshore vessel inspections undertaken last weekend, only four fishers aboard two recreational boats were located in possession of reef fin fish.
Yeppoon district officer Mike Broadsmith said field officers had detected three closure offences up until October 3 including one involving the taking of 21 coral reef fin fish species.
Mr Broadsmith said the three nine-day spawning closures introduced for the first time last year had been put into place to protect coral reef fin fish during the spawning period when they were deemed to be most vulnerable.
"The two remaining new moon closure periods will be from October 27 to November 4 and from November 25 to December 3 this year," Mr Broadsmith said.
Mr Stampa said the coral reef fin fish closure applied to all commercial, charter and recreational fishers and it was an offence to have reef species aboard a vessel during the nine-day closures.
A detailed list of coral fin fish species can be found on the Fishweb site at www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb or from the DPI&F Call Centre on 13 25 23.

What's the ketch?

So, did you hear the one about the divorcing British couple and the scuttled luxury ketch? The advertised 53-foot ketch 'Rebel' was ("was" being the operative word) valued at between £60-100K, dependent on news source.
Yacht wife advertised it for the low, low price of £40,000. Yacht husband sees the advert, something snaps and he's off to the yacht on Dartmouth harbour in Devon. He then smashes open valves below the water line until all anyone can see of this spectacular bargain are the tops of two masts.
Police were unable to press charges since, technically, the chap still owned the boat. A quayside crane was used to recover it from the water on in an operation expected to cost £10,000. So, yacht husband will cop a bill for the ten grand.
Yacht wife advertised the yacht in the Torquay-based Herald Express newspaper last week for a "quick sale."
The advert read: "Ocean-going 53ft sail boat. Fibreglass. All the extras. Make a nice riverside home. Owner must sell quickly. Hence £40,000. Any quick cash offer seriously considered."
Her husband is then believed to have used an axe to destroy a seacock, a valve to allow water into the engine to cool it.
Yacht wife, a waitress at a hotel in the town, told a newspaper: "There was an argument between us. It was a beautiful boat - and he sunk it."
The yacht had been used to sail around the Mediterranean and as a family home.

Freshwater fishing prize

When the offshore fishing is not on, turn to the fresh water for a change. In addition, if you buy your Stocked Impoundment Permit (SIP) online and you could find yourself kitted out with a swag of fishing essentials.
Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) is giving away 300 fantastic prize packs to anglers who buy their SIP online.
Policy officer Aimee Moore said the giveaways including cooler bags, tin mugs, backpacks, caps, travel mugs, tote bags and water bottles were up for grabs during the next 12 months. Twenty-five prizes will be given away every month starting in October.
"Buying a permit online is easy and convenient. It saves time as anglers can do it before they leave home, which means more time on the water," Ms Moore said.
"Buying online also means local and travelling freshwater fishing enthusiasts can purchase their permits when it suits them, rather than having to find a permit issuer when they arrive at their favourite stocked dam.
"While online, anglers can also take the opportunity to download the latest fishing news and information from the DPI&F Fishweb site."
Stocked impoundment permits cost $35 a year or $7 for a week.
To be in the draw for these giveaways, fishers should buy their permits online at www.qld.gov.au/fishing. A random prize draw will be held at the end of each month and the lucky winners will be notified soon after.
More than 3800 SIPS for freshwater fishing in Queensland's stocked dams have been sold via the Internet since the online scheme was introduced just over a year ago.
"Freshwater fishing permits allow people to fish in the 29 stocked dams throughout Queensland. Money raised through the SIP scheme provides funding to community stocking groups to buy fingerlings and carry out other activities to enhance their local fisheries," Ms Moore said.
The SIP scheme is proving effective with more than $2.4 million raised since it started in July 2000 with permit sales continuing to increase. More than four million fish have been stocked in the dams since the scheme was introduced and financial benefits to stocking groups are more than $1.8 million.

Windsurfing or Sailboarding?

Sailboarding sounds a little more Olympian than windsurfing, I suppose, which is what it is.
In 1948, twenty-year old Newman Darby first conceived of using a hand held sail and rig mounted on a universal joint, to control a small catamaran. Darby did not file for a patent; however, he is considered the inventor of the very first sailboard.
Windsurfing or boardsailing is a sport that combines sailing and surfing and uses a one-person craft called a sailboard. The basic sailboard is composed of a board and a rig.
Californians Jim Drake, a sailor and engineer and surfer and skier Hoyle Schweitzer received the first patent for a sailboard. They called their design a Windsurfer. The early Windsurfer boards measured 12 feet (3.5 m) long.
Several sailboats and 2 1/2 decades later (1964) Newman designed the first universal joint to go along with a flat bottom sailing scow. This sailboard was fitted with a universal joint mast, a centerboard, tail fin and kite shaped free sail and thus windsurfing was born."
Naomi Darby, Newman's wife, was the first woman windsurfer and helped her husband build and design the first sailboard.
According to the official Windsurfing website "The heart of the invention and patent was mounting a sail on a universal joint, requiring the sailor to support the rig, and allowing the rig to be tilted in any direction. This tilting of the rig fore and aft allows the board to be steered without the use of a rudder - the only sail craft able to do so."
Hoyle Schweitzer began mass-producing polyethylene sailboards (Windsurfer design) in the early 1970s. The sport became very popular in Europe and by the late 70's, windsurfing fever had Europe firmly in its grasp with one in every three households having a sailboard.
The first world championship of windsurfing was held in 1973. Windsurfing first became an Olympic sport in 1984 for men and 1992 for women.

Abel Point tide board

Mariners are advised that a tide board has been permanently established on the starboard lateral mark beacon Fl.G.2s that marks the entrance channel to Abel Point Marina. AUS Charts Affected - 253

Status Quo

Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status. -- Laurence J. Peter

Fair Winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Reef fishing closure starts

The first of the annual coral reef fin fish spawning closures started on Tuesday September 27 and will be enforced for nine days through to October 5.
Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries district officer, Mike Broadsmith, said the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol had been inundated with inquiries from recreational and commercial fishers and charter boat operators regarding the new moon spawning periods.
"Obviously people want to do the right thing and respect the three nine-day spawning closures that have been put into place to protect the coral reef fin fish when they were deemed to be most vulnerable," Mr Broadsmith said.
The other two closed periods would be from October 27 to November 4 and from November 25 to December 3 this year.
Closures apply to all coral reef fin fish species on Queensland's east coast in waters north of Latitude 24 degrees 50 minutes South which is located near the mouth of the Burnett River and north of Waddy Point on Fraser Island.
"Our Central region patrol field officers have not had to issue a $300 on-the-spot fine to any recreational fisher either catching or having coral reef fin fish species in their possession during the full moon spawning closures introduced last year.
"The closure applies to all commercial, charter and recreational boaties and even if the reef fish were caught prior to the nine day closure, it is an offence to possess any reef fish species aboard the vessel.
"People can still catch fish such as mackerel and estuarine fish species so long as they are not coral reef fin fish such as coral trout, cods and gropers, emperors, parrot fish, sweetlip, tropical snapper and sea perch," Mr Broadsmith said.
A complete list of coral reef fin fish species together with Queensland's fishing regulations can be found on the Fishweb site at www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb or from the DPI&F Call Centre on 13 25 23

Race to aid rescue volunteers

Marine Rescue volunteers from Airlie Beach to Cardwell are to benefit from the 2006 Dent to Dunk Race say organisers, Abel Point Yacht Club.
Eighty per cent of crew fees are pledged directly to the VMR and Coast Guard that will aid in the running of the 2006 Dent to Dunk Island Race in May.
Club officials say the crew fee revenue could be as high as $4,000.00 and feel VMR and Coast Guard could well benefit from the donations.
"The VMR and Coastguard do a sometimes thankless job all year round and then donate time to our event to aid with radio schedules and weather updates. They are directly responsible for making the annual Dent to Dunk Race one of the Safest and most pleasurable yacht races on the East Coast," A club officials says.

Duck vs. Duct

Originally a product of necessity, and still essential, duct tape made its debut in 1942 during World War II when U.S. soldiers needed an all-purpose adhesive tape to keep ammunition cases dry. Available in Army green and referred to as Duck Tape because of its water-resistant qualities, American GIs quickly discovered how useful the versatile tape was for repairs.
During the post-war housing boom, the tape picked up its now familiar silver color, and was used for household applications on heating and air conditioning ducts, which is how it came to be called duct tape.
In 1985, Jack Kahl renamed his product "Duck Tape," and the original name of the grey wonder tape became a household fixer's word.

Duct Tape Effective for Warts

Warts (verruca vulgaris) are a common problem among patients who present in family physicians' offices says Karl E. Miller, M.D.
"Although a significant number of warts will spontaneously resolve over two years, patients frequently request treatment to clear their skin of the lesions.
"Treatments such as cryotherapy (freezing), acid preparations, laser therapy, heat, and tape occlusion have been used in the management of warts, with cure rates ranging from 32 to 93 percent. However, most of these therapies are expensive, painful, or labor intensive.
A few trials have studied the use of tape occlusion in wart treatment, with one study reporting cure rates of approximately 80 percent. Focht and associates compared the effectiveness of cryotherapy with duct tape applied to common warts.
In patients treated with duct tape, 85 percent of the warts completely resolved, compared with 60 percent in the cryotherapy group.
The main adverse effect in the cryotherapy group was mild to severe pain at the freeze site during and after the treatment.
The authors conclude that duct tape occlusive therapy is more effective than cryotherapy in the treatment of common warts. They also state that duct tape therapy is less expensive and has fewer adverse effects than cryotherapy.

Tape has fans

However, under any name, the stuff has gained so much popularity that newsletters, Web sites and a fan club are devoted to it.
Not only is there a Duck Tape Club, currently promoting the 2nd Annual America's Tackiest Room Contest(tm) but it is associated with the Duck Tape University.
If only Shakespeare would have lived to see the Duck Tape University English Department, he would have had incredible inspiration for his work.
"Is this Duck Tape I see before me?"
"What fix upon yonder things that break. It is the Duck Tape."
"This above all: Know thy Duck Tape."
Finally, a mate came up with a Belly Remover after reading the wart study. To remove that middle-aged gut, simply apply a strip of duct tape over your mouth for six days to two months. Success guaranteed, he claims.

QE 2 cruses launched

The QE 2 may not be on the Trans Atlantic run now, but she sails to more ports than ever before.
The Queen launched the new Cunard cruise liner named after her, the Queen Elizabeth 2, at a ceremony on the Clydebank.
Tens of thousands of people crowded the banks of the river as the Queen appeared on a platform high against the bow of the 963-ft (293.5 metres) long liner.
In clear tones, she pronounced: "I name this ship Queen Elizabeth the Second. May God bless her and all who sail in her." A BBC report says.
She then pressed the launching button, and a bottle of champagne shattered against the huge bows of the ship.
The QE2 made her maiden voyage to New York on 2 May 1969.
She became the company's flagship, and one of the most famous cruise liners in the world. After extensive refits over the years, she is now a byword for the ultimate in luxury at sea.
In 1982, she was requisitioned by the British government as a troop transport vessel during the Falklands War.
She began her last season of sailings to New York in 2003 and was replaced in 2004 by Cunard's biggest passenger liner, the Queen Mary 2. The QM2 has also replaced the QE2 as flagship of the British merchant fleet.
She can carry 1,800 passengers and a crew of up to 1,000. She has made more than 500 Trans-Atlantic crossings and passengers consume nearly 42,340lbs of lobster and 2,409lbs of caviar and 73,000 bottles of champagne a year.

What, me worry?

"There are two kinds of worries-those you can do something about and those you can't. Don't spend any time on the latter."
-Duke Ellington

It's been said that worry is like prayer in reverse. The thought, time and energy you spend worrying about something can actually make it worse.

Fair Winds to Ye!
Cap'n Dan