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FRIDAY JOTTINGS

No more ears or tail


This has been a sad week in Catalonia as last Sunday the last bullfight to be held.  Thanks to the animal-rights activists bullfighting has finished in Barcelona.  The activists were outside the Ring celebrating with sparkling wine.  So far there are not activists preventing wine making as cruel behaviour to grapes - but stick around, in the European Union someone will get to that also.  There were of course some differences of opinion and the Police had to break up some fights between the aficionados and the wine drinking activists.  Of course in all this nobody has asked the bulls how they felt - too much bullshit no doubt!


Piracy continues


All is well with this growth industry on both the West African coast and the Horn of Africa.  In addition the pirates seem to be striking further south as they have been active in the Mozambique Channel.  Expansion is a sign of business success and no doubt the percentages were transferred to those financing these scumbags and to those in the maritime industry turning a Nelson's eye.  Why not - besides making weekly reports which are published in other nautical themed blogs, but not by NAUTICAL LOG who really cares about us seafaring second class citizens. 


It was good to see the human element addressed in a Post in gCAPTAIN on Thursday, which in the confused world of the United Nations celebrated World Maritime Day on September 29, 2011 but had listed it for September 22, 2011.  Seems par-for-the-course of the UN.


Well NAUTICAL LOG does and will after each and every Post make a statement - when the captives come home someday we shall have done the best we can to help that happen.  Going to be a good feeling!!


More great names


The Chinese successfully launched this week their first space lab module named Tiangong-1or Heavenly Palace-1.  So now we have the Peace Ark heading for the Caribbean while the Heavenly Palace-1 circles above in space.  Fascinating meld of old world China and 21st. Century technology




Not Again!


Yes indeed - in the case of the loss of the STV Concordia on February 20, 2010 the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has found poor training the root cause.  The "Duty Officer" (OOW?) failed to notice the weather effect on the vessel and her heeling both of which eventually caused a knock-down of the vessel and her loss. 


This is pattern in sail training which needs immediate addressing and correction by the Association of Sail Training Organisations (ASTO) and the individual National Sail Training Organisations.  TSB Canada also stated that clear International standards need to be put in place.  However NAUTICAL LOG considers these are already in place - they are called "Certificates of Competency"  these must be required to be held by STV Officers and displayed on board all STV's for public examination. 


In the case of STV Concordia it would seem there as little or considerable lack of, stability knowledge an examination in that subject is included in the Certificates of Competency examinations.  A clear understanding and the application of, the vessel's "Stability Book" must be known to all STV Officers.


NAUTICAL LOG would therefore urge all operators of Sail Training Vessels and their Organisation to thoroughly review the qualifications of their Masters and Officers in Stability knowledge.  Their understanding of the "Stability Book", its correct usage and their ability to make the necessary calculations.  Another STV incident might just be averted.


Not again 2!


Never fails does it - the SSCS has announced today that they are off to the Southern Ocean to save the whales again this season to oppose the JWF with "Operation Divine Wind ".  They should know that  the kamakazi in WW2 were not really that successful overall as an operation.  But that fits in with what the SSCS have been doing these last whaling seasons - farting about without really accomplishing anything constructive!!


Good Watch

We would remind our fellow mariners that 400 of us are held captive by pirates ashore and off the coast of Somalia.  While those Catalan bulls are now protected nobody cares a jot about the seafarers.

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