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Woman "trapped" on a boat for a decade details amazing "escape"

<p>A woman has recalled her turbulent childhood spent "trapped" a boat with her parents, detailing how she made her "escape".</p> <p>Suzanne Heywood was just seven years old when her parents told her she, along with her younger brother Jonathan, would be pulled out of school to go on a three-year voyage around the world. </p> <p>The family of four from the UK set out on their quest to recreate Captain Cook’s infamous third and final voyage around the globe, which ended up taking a decade instead of the promised three years. </p> <p>While her parents thought it was the trip of a lifetime and often described the opportunity as a “privilege”, Suzanne has since compared it to being locked up in prison.</p> <p>Now 55 years old, Suzanne has shared her tale of survival on TikTok, and recalled her 10 years at sea in her tell-all memoir <em>Wavewalker</em>. </p> <p>“My father said we would be back in three years’ time, and that my dog would be waiting for me, and my friends and school and everything would go back to normal,” the author said in a now-viral video. </p> <p>“But in fact, it was almost 10 years before we came back, and I spent that time trapped on a boat, unable to go to school or have normal friendships.” </p> <p>Despite her father assuring her the “trip would be safe”, Suzanne claimed it was “incredibly dangerous”, sharing details of a perilous journey from South Africa to Australia where the boat hit an “enormous storm”. </p> <p>“The waves became bigger and bigger, and finally one crashed over the back of the boat, through the deck and out the side,” she recalled.</p> <p>“I was thrown, a little girl at 7, against the ceiling of the cabin and against the wall, fracturing my skull and breaking my nose. Three days later, we found a tiny little island in the middle of the Indian Ocean where I had multiple head operations without anaesthetic.”</p> <p>In order to get through her "very strange" childhood, Suzanne recalled how she was determined to get an education to live a normal life. </p> <p>“As it became clear my parents had no intentions of going back, I decided I had to educate myself as it was the only lifeline that I had,” she told the hosts of <em>The Morning Show</em>. </p> <p>“The only way to get off this boat was to get an education, it was my only hope to ensure I had a ‘normal life’ for myself one day.”</p> <p>While remote education wasn't an option in 1969, Suzanne enrolled in an Australian correspondence school when she was 13. </p> <p>she began studying in the small cabin of the boat, which she found challenging both practically, and academically as she “had missed a lot of education”.</p> <p>Then, when she was 16, and her brother 15, her parents enrolled the two teenagers into a school in New Zealand while they continued sailing.</p> <p>Despite the gaps in her education, Suzanne landed a spot at Oxford University, and after saving up money she’d earned working on a farm, Suzanne bought a one-way plane ticket back to the UK.</p> <p>Since going public with her story, which she was inspired to do after the death of her husband in 2018, Suzanne's book instantly became a bestseller, and she continues to work through the trauma caused by her "unstable" childhood. </p> <p>Suzanne's extraordinary tale has captured the hearts of millions, with thousands of online fans hailing her bravery. </p> <p>“<em>Wavewalker</em> is one of the best books I’ve read, I’m so sorry you went through all that,” one person replied, while another said, “Thank you for the this! Your story inspires me and I can change my life no matter when and how.” </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Suzanne Heywood</em></p>

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Incredible moment huge whale body slams boat

<p>The incredible moment a humpback whale launched out of the water and slammed itself onto an unsuspecting boat has been caught on camera. </p> <p>The incident, which was filmed off the coast of New Hampshire in the US, showed the whale leap from the water and onto the back of a small boat. </p> <p>Two fishermen were seen scrambling off the boat before it flipped onto its side and capsizes. </p> <p>There were reportedly no injuries, but the US Coast sent out an alert to nearby mariners to assist the two men if possible, according to <em>TMZ</em>. </p> <p>A nearby boat helped the two men and brought the capsized boat back to safety. </p> <p>The video has gone viral, with former NHL player Ryan Whitney reacting to the video on X: “There is a pissed off whale patrolling the waters of Portsmouth NH today. Head on swivel if you’re out there.”</p> <p>Experts have also spoken out on the incident, saying that it was just a coincidence, that had nothing to do with the humpback's temperament. </p> <p>“It was an accident,” Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation co-founder and director of research Dianna Schulte told <em>The New York Post</em>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">There is a pissed off whale patrolling the waters of Portsmouth NH today. Head on swivel if you’re out there <a href="https://t.co/xQPIHs8ZjN">pic.twitter.com/xQPIHs8ZjN</a></p> <p>— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) <a href="https://twitter.com/ryanwhitney6/status/1815803088306933987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>According to the researcher, the humpback whale was feeding when it came up and hit the boat. </p> <p>“The whales will come up through schools of fish with their mouth wide open and close their mouth, either right before they break the surface or even after they break the surface,” she said. </p> <p>“The boat was in the wrong place.”</p> <p>A population boom in Atlantic menhaden, where whales, dolphins and sharks can usually be found, could be the reason why the mammal is coming closer to the coast, according to Schulte. </p> <p>She said that it could be using the shallow waters to its advantage as it builds its hunting skills. </p> <p>“The boaters that are in the video, they should have known better to not be fishing with a large whale in the area, because (an accident) can happen,” she said. </p> <p>“The whales, when they’re feeding on the fish schools, when they’re that dense, they just can’t see through the fish school, so they don’t know what’s above them, especially on a cloudy day like today. So the whale had no idea that the boat was even there,” she added. </p> <p>“I’ve been watching whales and researching whales for 30 years, and I’ve never seen a humpback whale purposely hit a boat.”</p> <p>She warned that boaters and fishermen should give the mammal as much as 100 yards of space, especially during mealtime. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <div class="more-coverage-v2" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; border-top: 1px solid #e0e1e2; float: right; margin-left: 16px; max-width: 40%; padding: 16px 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> </div>

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“A beautiful soul”: Teenager killed in Aus Day boat crash identified

<p dir="ltr">The teenager killed in a fatal boat crash on Australia Day has been identified, as her heartbroken family remember her as a “beautiful soul”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Darcy Davey-Sutherland was enjoying a day on the water when two tinnies collided near the Gray’s Point boat ramp in Sydney’s Sutherlandshire, where the 16-year-old was critically injured. </p> <p dir="ltr">Paramedics arrived on the scene and transported Darcy to St George’s Hospital, where she later died. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 16-year-old was wearing a lifejacket at the time of the crash, and it is believed onlookers found her face down in the water and performed CPR on the teenager until paramedics arrived.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her father, Michael Davey-Sutherland, said his daughter was "the beacon of light within our family" in both the UK and Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She was about to embark on the most special part of life as she stepped into adulthood," Michael told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-darcy-sutherland-killed-in-grays-point-boat-crash/794e7737-9970-4e41-80b0-4324c4d6db5c" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>9News</em></a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Words cannot describe the pain we feel at the moment."</p> <p dir="ltr">Darcy, who was the eldest child and was very close to her two younger brothers, was also fondly remembered by her family and friends online.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I will miss you so much Darc, I feel like I've lost a part of me," one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Will forever love you. You will forever be missed, my beautiful angel, I will never forget our time together," another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I pray for your family to find the strength to live with their forever broken heart, keeping your memory alive. Rest beautiful girl," a third added.</p> <p dir="ltr">A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/darcy-sutherland">GoFundMe</a> page set up to help the Davey-Sutherland family has already seen more than $40,000 raised in 24 hours.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: 9News / Facebook</em></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ece18212-7fff-7359-edb0-233aa1d71116"></span></p>

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Harry Potter publisher killed in boating accident

<p>A tragic boating incident off the Amalfi Coast in Italy has claimed the life of prominent publishing executive Adrienne Vaughan.</p> <p>Aged 45, Vaughan held the position of President at Bloomsbury Publishing's US division. The distressing accident occurred when she was thrown overboard from a motorboat and suffered fatal injuries from contact with the vessel's propeller.</p> <p>The ill-fated incident took place as Vaughan, accompanied by her spouse and two children, was en route to Positano on a motorboat. Regrettably, the motorboat collided with a sailboat, resulting in the tragic accident. The motorboat had been under the guidance of a hired skipper at the time of the collision.</p> <p>Tragically, the sailboat that was struck was carrying over 80 tourists from the United States and Germany, who were joyously celebrating a wedding onboard. An attendee recording the wedding festivities inadvertently captured the harrowing moment when a woman struggled in the water.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="it">Incidente sulla costa amalfitana in cui ha perso la vita una turista americana. Il motoscafo della turista si è scontrato con un veliero dove si stava festeggiando un matrimonio. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/amalfi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#amalfi</a> <a href="https://t.co/dn6TfT3I9s">pic.twitter.com/dn6TfT3I9s</a></p> <p>— Colonnello Kurtz (@danilomik1) <a href="https://twitter.com/danilomik1/status/1687448152108916736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Despite efforts to rescue her, Vaughan was retrieved from the water and transported to a dock. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries before a helicopter ambulance could arrive, as reported by state television.</p> <p>Italian authorities, specifically the Amalfi coast guard office, have initiated an investigation into the incident. However, at the time of reporting, the coast guard office had not provided further information in response to inquiries.</p> <p>Vaughan's husband, Mike White, sustained a shoulder injury and was subsequently hospitalised. Thankfully, their two young children emerged from the incident unscathed. Remarkably, no individuals aboard the sailboat suffered injuries.</p> <p>In a disheartening turn of events, a blood test conducted on the motorboat's skipper indicated the presence of substances in their system. The specifics of the substance were not explicitly mentioned by the Italian news agency ANSA, which reported the incident. The skipper, approximately 30 years old and of Italian nationality, sustained fractures to their pelvis and ribs.</p> <p>The investigation into this tragic incident is being overseen by prosecutors in the southern port city of Salerno. As of now, the courthouse has not provided any additional insights into the matter.</p> <p>Adrienne Vaughan was a distinguished figure in the publishing industry. Holding a master's degree in business from New York University, she had previously held roles at prestigious organizations such as Disney Book Group and Oxford University Press. In 2020, she joined Bloomsbury as an executive editor and COO, later being promoted to President. She was also an active member of the Association of American Publishers, a prominent industry trade group.</p> <p>In the wake of this devastating loss, the Association of American Publishers' board chair, Julia Reidhead, and President/CEO, Maria A. Pallante, released a joint statement: "Adrienne Vaughan was a leader of dazzling talent and infectious passion and had a deep commitment to authors and readers. Most of all she was an extraordinary human being, and those of us who had the opportunity to work with her will be forever fortunate."</p> <p><em>Images: Bloomsbury / Twitter</em></p>

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Aussie tourists share their ordeal after Bali boat capsizes

<p>A newly-engaged Melbourne couple have described their horrifying experience after their tour boat <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/terrified-tourists-forced-to-abandon-sinking-boat-in-bali" target="_blank" rel="noopener">capsized in Bali</a>.</p> <p>Dino and Carolina said they became concerned immediately after boarding the Kebo Iwa Express, which was taking passengers to Sanur, a port near Denpasar on Tuesday.</p> <p>“The boat was hitting the wave and (it) looked like it was flying,” Carolina said.</p> <p>“It was awful, awful.”</p> <p>Passengers then alerted the crew to a leak below deck and put on life jackets as the vessel started to take on water.</p> <p>28 tourists on board and 6 crew members leapt from the sinking boat with footage posted to social media showing passengers clinging to the side of the vessel.</p> <p>Another angle appears to show just three passengers in the water hanging on to the fully upturned vessel before one jumps into the water.</p> <p>“I told (Carolina) to: Swim and swim as fast as possible because the boat could explode’,” Dino said.</p> <p>The group were rescued by passing boats.</p> <p>Dino and Carolina, who got engaged on New Year’s Eve, and are now stranded in Bali and desperate to get home after losing their belongings, including their passports, during the ordeal.</p> <p><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

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Terrified tourists forced to abandon sinking boat in Bali

<p>Terrifying footage has captured the moment dozens of tourists were forced to abandon a sinking boat off the coast of Bali. </p> <p>Passengers were seen jumping overboard into rough seas in lifejackets, while travelling from the island of Nusa Penida-Sanur to the Bali mainland.</p> <p>The boat was struck by a large wave due to wild weather, which caused the trust vessel to sink, according to local news outlets. </p> <p>More than 23 people were rescued, with no casualties reported.</p> <p>Fortunately for those onboard, several boats were in the vicinity of the sunken vessel and came to the rescue of frightened passengers. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cm86aaBDXZy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cm86aaBDXZy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by INFOBALI (@punapibali)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>While there were no causalities, some passengers suffered minor injuries as they exited the boat, while personal possessions were also lost.</p> <p>Footage of the terrifying ordeal has gone viral online, with many Aussies warning other tourists about the dangers of travelling by boat in Bali.</p> <p>"When boats get cancelled or there's a bad weather warning. Don't try and find a cheap boat to get you across," one said.</p> <p>"I vowed never to go on one of those boats again after a horrific trip to Gili T when the captain got on his knees and started to pray," a second said. </p> <p>"We were also coming across shipping lane which made it even worse. These boat operators probably have no insurance and no regular maintenance."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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Boat tragedy claims five lives after whale flips vessel

<p>New details have emerged pertaining to the accident that involved a whale, which was understood to have flipped over a boat at Goose Bay, claiming the lives of five photographers near Kaikōura in New Zealand’s South Island.</p> <p>The fatal accident occurred at 10 am on a Saturday, when the whale breached directly underneath the boat causing the vessel to capsize. Six people were thrown overboard including the skipper; five others were left trapped and did not survive.</p> <p>According to their website, the 10 photographers from the Nature Photography Society had been planning the three-day field trip for months. Everyone made their way to the popular seaside village on Friday September 9, before setting out to photograph landscapes, seascapes and birdlife. </p> <p>The group embarked at 9 am in an 8.5m aluminium boat, leaving South Bay at Kaikōura and heading down the coastline to Goose Bay near the well-known twin road tunnels on State Highway 1.</p> <p>The three-hour charter had taken the group out on the water to capture photos of the snow-capped Kaikōura landscape in the background and the birdlife along the coast, with whale watching not even on the agenda.</p> <p>An hour later, the charter headed north towards Barneys Rock, a popular spot for photographers and tourists. As it motored slowly north it appears it was on the edge of the famous deep trench that is home to whales, where the canyon quickly drops away to a depth of 500 metres and as far down as 3km.</p> <p>The boat was about 500 m from shore when the emerged from directly beneath the boat, flipping the vessel, throwing the skipper and passengers into the water.</p> <p>The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is investigating, in conjunction with Maritime New Zealand and the police.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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The Block star grabs a boat to help flood victims in need

<p dir="ltr">A former star from The Block has taken to social media to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/the-block-star-offers-to-help-rescue-stranded-flood-water-victims/news-story/cbe67a5b13a7817ffc5edb77578c3ddf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offer assistance</a> to those stranded by floods in northeastern NSW.</p> <p>Elyse Knowles first shared a view of the flood waters from inside a vehicle on Monday, before sharing a second clip offering to help those in need on Tuesday.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/flood-insta.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @elyse.knowles (Instagram)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“Headed out to Lismore with a boat before sunrise. If you know anyone in need please contact me,” Ms Knowles wrote on her Instagram story.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a follow-up clip, the 29-year-old said she would travel up to the South Golden and New Brighton area and encouraged people in need to reach out and message her fiance, Josh Baker.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/flood-insta1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @elyse.knowles (Instagram)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“If your phone is running out of battery and you need rescuing please change your voicemail to your address and current situation,” she posted later that morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Knowles appeared on The Block with her now-fiance in 2017, with their apartment helping them secure victory.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVthousBNKc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVthousBNKc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elyse Knowles (@elyse.knowles)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The Melbourne couple now live in Byron Bay and had their first child together last February.</p> <p dir="ltr">The flooding in northern NSW and Queensland has stranded thousands of people and resulted in the deaths of several across both states.</p> <p dir="ltr">In Lismore, the Wilsons River peaked at 14.4 metres on Monday afternoon and has been gradually falling since.</p> <p dir="ltr">It is expected to reach below the major flood level on Wednesday.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @elyse.knowles (Instagram)</em></p>

News

Australian artist and philanthropist Neil Balnaves dies in boating accident

<p dir="ltr">Australian arts philanthropist Neil Balnaves has died at 77 following a boating accident. Balnaves was reportedly holidaying with his wife, Diane, near Tahiti when the accident occurred.</p> <p dir="ltr">Leading figures from the art industry have paid tribute to Neil, as a man who had a vision to “create a better Australia”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Balnaves Foundation released a statement on Tuesday, confirming his death. “The Balnaves family sends their heartfelt thanks for people’s kind words and wishes and kindly requests privacy at this difficult time,” it read.</p> <p dir="ltr">Balnaves had a successful career in TV, running Southern Star production house and producing popular shows including Big Brother, Bananas in Pyjamas, Water Rats and McLeod’s Daughters.</p> <p dir="ltr">After a string of successes, he became chair of the Ardent Leisure Group, which ran theme parks such as Dreamworld on the Gold Coast from 2003 until 2016.</p> <p dir="ltr">After a boating accident on the Gold Coast in 2002, which almost killed him, Balnaves became an avid philanthropist. He gave away $20m of his fortune to arts organisations.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/feb/22/neil-balnaves-australian-arts-philanthropist-dies-aged-77-after-boating-accident">Guardian Australia</a> was just one of the beneficiaries of his philanthropic foundation, which also donated to Sydney’s Ensemble and Belvoir Street theatres, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of South Australia, the Adelaide festival and Bangarra Dance Theatre.</p> <p dir="ltr">The foundation gave a grant to Guardian Australia for in-depth reporting on Indigenous affairs, and an in-depth reporting project on Australian art.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Balnaves Foundation also funded Indigenous and health research.</p> <p dir="ltr">Balnaves is survived by his wife, Diane Balnaves, whom he married in 1971, and his children, Hamish and Victoria.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kilmurry described Balnaves as a champion for the creative community, not just with his philanthropy but his personal passion for the arts.</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">“We will miss his generous and fearless spirit,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Image: Getty</p>

Art

Superspreader fears for over 100 people on party boat

<p dir="ltr">At least 140 people could have potentially been exposed to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 during a Sydney Harbour boat party.</p> <p dir="ltr">NSW Health has confirmed that five people who attended the party on Friday December 3 have tested positive for COVID-19, and genome sequencing is underway to determine if any of them have the new strain of the virus.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to NSW Health, “Preliminary results indicate two are likely to have it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The party took place on a boat operated by Cadman Cruises, and was jointly billed as “Flow Fridays — 90s Themed Boat Party” and “Freaky Sunday Afrovibe: The Last Dance”. It left King Street Wharf at 7.30 pm and returned four hours later.</p> <p dir="ltr">Contact tracers are working to get in touch with the roughly 140 attendees who checked in using a QR code, and all are being told that they must immediately get tested, isolate, and await further public advice. All known positive cases are currently isolating at home.</p> <p dir="ltr">So far, 31 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in NSW, after six new cases were confirmed on Tuesday, and 10 on Monday. Of those 31 cases, 20 are linked to two Sydney schools – Regents Park Christian School and St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School, both in Regents Park – and the Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym in Villawood.</p> <p dir="ltr">Eleven of the known Omicron cases were acquired overseas or on an international flight. So far, no Omicron cases have been admitted to hospital for treatment in NSW.</p> <p dir="ltr">Five Omicron cases have been detected in the ACT and one in the Northern Territory, while one possible case remains under investigation in Victoria.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: wundervisuals</em></p>

News

Panicked sea lions almost sink fishing boat

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A fishing crew in southern Chile had a surprising catch, after dozens of sea lions tried to board their boat en masse to escape a pack of hunting killer whales.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fisherman Antonio Zapata said he had never experienced anything like it in his four decades at sea, despite the fact that encountering hunting orcas was a relatively common experience.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the crew were sympathetic to the plight of the sea lions, they feared the boat would be damaged or sink even lower into the water under the combined weight of the animals and a full haul of sardines.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They were trying to climb on board and we had to spread ourselves around the vessel to try to get them off with sticks because the ones that were getting on were making us sink,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It was a dangerous situation because we couldn’t get the sea lions to go away or make the killer whales leave either.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Footage captured on a mobile phone showed the water around the boat filled with thrashing sea lions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the 10-man crew could be heard joking in the video, Mr Zapata said they were also genuinely worried they could end up in the water too.</span></p> <p><iframe width="600" height="338" src="https://rudo.video/vod/bLSQN9/skin/simple/o/MjAyMS8wNi9sb2Jvcy1tYXJpbm9zLTc1MHg0MDAuanBlZw==" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; fullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There were so many sea lions around the hull that we couldn’t move much - every time we did they got caught up in the propellers and I was worried they could break them altogether,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The crew attempted to approach a nearby island so the sea lions could take refuge there instead, but the whales blocked them from nearing the shore.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once the whales finally drifted away, the sea lions were able to swim for cover as the boat neared the Talcahuano port.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Some of the sea lions came with us into port. We couldn’t get rid of them,” Mr Zapata said.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: ABC news</span></em></p>

International Travel

Olympic sailor's boat shed on sale at record price

<p><span>A property in Point Piper has been put on the market for a mind blowing price guide of $37-$40 million.</span><br /><br /><span>It’s not unusual for the ritzy Sydney suburb to have such a high price tag, however the property is causing shockwaves as it is simply a boat shed.</span><br /><br /><span>The shed sets a new Australian price record, holding nearly 2000 square metres and is extended to over two storeys.</span><br /><br /><span>Represented by Ken Jacobs and James Hall from luxury auction house Christie’s International, this shed is not a home yet it could very well be.</span><br /><br /><span>The shed has four berths, and can fit yachts up to 26 metres in size.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.11273792093704px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840123/dolly-parton-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fb46041762f44d7cbfb31bdab08013bc" /></p> <p><em>Image: Domain </em><br /><br /><span>The top storey of the boat shed can also be used as accommodation.</span><br /><br /><span>Not only that, but the property also features a waterfront swimming pool.</span><br /><br /><span>The Point Piper address was previously owned by the affluent O’Neil family.</span><br /><br /><span>Property developer and former Olympic sailor Denis O’Neil used to use the private marina to moor his boats.</span><br /><br /><span>The family bought it in 1958 for £9,000 (AU$16,132) from WWII survivors Dr Ignacy and Elvira Listwan before listing it in 2017 for $33 million.</span><br /><br /><span>It sold for $30 million.</span></p> <p><span>Australia’s property market is soaring to previously unseen heights, marking a 2.1 per cent growth in February – the highest one-month growth in 17 years.</span></p>

Real Estate

"Angel" killed in freak boating accident

<p>A young mum who died in a freak boat accident that her two-year-old daughter survived has been remembered as an “angel” with a “beautiful soul”, who overcame homelessness.</p> <p>Nicole Herbert, 21, of Ipswich, tragically passed way when the small boat she was in crashed into a private jerry on the Brisbane River on Wednesday.</p> <p>Emergency services were called to Chelmer in Brisbane’s southwest at around 4:40 pm where it is reported Ms Herbert was thrown off the boat and hit her head on the jetty.</p> <p>Her partner, Shaydon Harwood, 21, and their daughter, Kylah, 2, were also in the boat at the time but were not seriously injured.</p> <p>A 46-year-old friend also managed to escape without injury.</p> <p>Ms Herbert’s dad, Roger Herbert, told the Courier Mail that his daughter was a “truly remarkable person” who managed to overcome homelessness and made a life for herself.</p> <p>He said he had “a wound that will never heal” and that no one would say a bad word about her.</p> <p>Mr Herbert said his daughter was “full of life and caring beyond belief”.</p> <p>“She really was an awesome human – she started out essentially homeless at 16 and worked her way up to where she was with her partner, Shaydon,” he told the newspaper.</p> <p>Ms Herbert and her partner were high school sweethearts. </p> <p>Friends have also paid their respects to an “honest sweetheart” with “no bad bone in her body”.</p> <p>“You were a great friend, a great partner, a great daughter and beyond anything you are a fantastic mother,” friend Katie Sorensen posted on Facebook.</p> <p>“I give my heart out to all your family in this time of need. You have lost such a beautiful soul but they have gained an even better angel, she will forever be in our hearts.”</p> <p>Queensland Police are continuing to investigate the crash.</p>

Travel Trouble

Sharp increase in whale shark injuries might be due to boat encounters

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Almost one-fifth of the whale sharks in Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef Marine Park are showing signs of major scarring or fin amputations, with the number of injured animals increasing in recent years.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">New research has shown that due to the distinctive scar patterns, it’s being strongly suggested that many of the injuries are due to boat collisions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whale shark scientist Emily Lester from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is horrified by the latest findings.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Some of the major scars were probably bite marks from predators, but most were the marks of blunt trauma, lacerations or amputations arising from encounters with ships, particularly propellers,” Ms Lester said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To make the finding, Lester and colleagues from AIMS and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) reviewed moving and still images of 913 whale sharks taken by Ningaloo tour boat operators between 2008 and 2013.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of these, 146 or 16 per cent of the whale sharks suffered from serious injuries.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Due to the whale sharks migration patterns, it is difficult to tell where the injuries happened as whale sharks migrate thousands of kilometres beyond the boundaries of the marine park.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Mitigating the impact of scarring from vessel collisions is challenging, particularly outside of our jurisdiction of State waters,” said DBCA research scientist and co-author Dr Holly Raudino.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B63AFyvB-GV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B63AFyvB-GV/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Whaleshark hanging out at Ningaloo Reef😁🐋🦈 . Like and tag an ocean lover in the comments❤👍💬 . Shot by @jesshaddenphoto . Follow @scubapilgrim for more! Follow @scubapilgrim for more!</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/scubapilgrim/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Diving Traveler</a> (@scubapilgrim) on Jan 3, 2020 at 5:36am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“One possible explanation is that there is an increase in shipping activity throughout the whale sharks’ range – inside Ningaloo and out – and collisions are becoming more frequent,” said Ms Lester.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The data is unable to reveal the amount of fatal ship collisions as the whale shark is “negatively buoyant”, which means that when they die, they sink to the ocean floor.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A collision between a large ocean-going vessel and a whale shark wouldn’t be felt by the ship, as a result, it’s likely that we’re underestimating the number of mortalities from ship strike, since our study could only document sharks that survived their injuries,” Ms Lester said.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13173"><span style="font-weight: 400;">research is published</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the </span><a href="https://www.int-res.com/journals/meps/meps-home/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marine Ecology Progress Series</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></em></p>

Domestic Travel

“I’m not a hero”: Man saves dozens of lives in boat rescue moments before disaster

<p>Brett Cripps had just watched his family’s holiday house at Conjola Park burn to the ground, but his quick thinking saved the lives of multiple people that were left stranded on the water of a popular holiday spot.</p> <p>With his parents also on board the small boat, they loaded up a family of 11 tourists, their dog, and one extra man just moments before the fire burnt their cars and caravans to crisp.</p> <p>“It wasn’t even minutes,” Mr Cripps told the<span> </span><em>Sydney Morning Herald</em>.</p> <p>“The fire started roaring towards them. They didn’t know what was going on – the wind just fanned the embers and it went berserk. I saw someone and I just yelled out ‘you’ve got to get off’ because they didn’t know the fire was coming over the hill.</p> <p>“I just said you can’t get in the car, you’ve got to come with me. Get in the boat.”</p> <p>The boat, which was made for six, transported 15 people with Mr Cripps joking that he wasn’t expecting a fine from Roads and Maritime Services.</p> <p>His family had owned the holiday home for 50 years, but according to Mr Cripps, no fire had been like the one they recently witnessed.</p> <p>“This fire was just pure evil – that’s all I can say. It just roared … I’ve never seen anything like it.”</p> <p>When the<span> </span><em>Herald</em><span> </span>interviewed Mr Cripps, he repeatedly said one thing – that he just did what anyone in his position would do.</p> <p>“I’m not a hero, I was just in the right place at the right time. It wasn’t just me, there were a lot of local residents with boats and jet skis helping people out. I just happened to be in the spot.</p> <p>“I just want to emphasis that the community banded together.”</p>

News

The Love Boat cast: Where are they now?

<p><em>The New York Times</em><span> </span>called it “dreadful porridge” but viewers consumed it in droves anyway. Ridiculous but aspirational, cheesy but salacious,<span> </span><em>The Love Boat</em><span> </span>was the ultimate guilty pleasure.</p> <p>Despite making its way to the graveyard time slot, the sitcom made people look forward to Saturday nights in the late '70s and early '80s.</p> <p>Till today, Aaron Spelling – the producer behind the show – holds the Guinness World Record for being the most prolific television producer ever.</p> <p><em>The Love Boat</em><span> </span>also featured plenty of household names starring as guests, such as Olivia de Havilland, Lillian Gish, Helen Hayes, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Cab Calloway to name a few.</p> <p>There were also a few stars who weren’t famous back then, like Michael J. Fox and Tom Hanks.</p> <p>But while the guest stars are hard to forget, many remember the program because of its main cast.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see where the cast of<span> </span><em>The Love Boat<span> </span></em>are now.</p>

Cruising

Feeling flight shame? Try quitting air travel and catch a sail boat

<p>If you’ve caught a long haul flight recently, you generated more carbon emissions than <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2019/jul/19/carbon-calculator-how-taking-one-flight-emits-as-much-as-many-people-do-in-a-year">a person living in some developing countries</a> emits in an entire year.</p> <p>If that fact doesn’t ruffle you, consider this: <a href="https://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2017-10-24-01.aspx">worldwide, 7.8 billion passengers</a> are expected to travel in 2036 - a near doubling of current numbers. If business as usual continues, one analysis says the aviation sector alone could <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/aviation-consume-quarter-carbon-budget">emit one-quarter of the world’s remaining carbon budget</a> - the amount of carbon dioxide emissions allowed if global temperature rise is to stay below 1.5℃.</p> <p>The world urgently needs a transport system that allows people to travel around the planet without destroying it.</p> <p>A group of European climate activists are sending this message to world leaders by <a href="https://www.sailtothecop.com/project/journey">sailing</a>, rather than flying, to a <a href="https://unfccc.int/Santiago">United Nations climate conference in Chile</a> in December.</p> <p>The Sail to the COP initiative follows Greta Thunberg’s high-profile sea voyage to attend last month’s United Nations climate summit in New York. The activists are not arguing global yacht travel is the new normal - in fact therein lies the problem. We need to find viable alternatives to fossil-fuelled air travel, and fast.</p> <h2>Why aviation emissions matter</h2> <p>A study conducted for the European Parliament has warned that if action to reduce flight emissions is further postponed, international aviation may be responsible for <a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/569964/IPOL_STU(2015)569964_EN.pdf">22% of global carbon emissions by 2050</a> - up from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/climate/air-travel-emissions.html">about 2.5%</a> now. This increasing share would occur because aviation emissions are set to grow, while other sectors will emit less.</p> <p>In Australia, aviation underpins many aspects of business, trade and tourism.</p> <p>The below image from global flight tracking service <a href="https://www.flightradar24.com">Flightradar24</a> shows the number of planes over Australia at the time of writing.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/294963/original/file-20191001-173369-93uhbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> <span class="caption">A screen shot from Flightradar24 showing the flights over Australia at the time of writing.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Flightradar24</span></span></p> <p><a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/environmental/emissions/index.aspx%20Australia's%20civil%20aviation%20sector%20(both%20domestic%20and%20international)">Federal government figures show</a> the civil aviation sector, domestic and international, contributed 22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions in 2016.</p> <p>The number of passenger movements from all Australian airports is set to <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/environmental/emissions/files/Managing-the-Carbon-Footprint-of-Australian-Aviation.pdf">increase by 3.7% a year</a> by 2030-31, to almost 280 million.</p> <h2>To change, start with a jet fuel tax</h2> <p>While airlines are <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/environmental/emissions/index.aspx">taking some action to cut carbon emissions</a>, such as introducing newer and more fuel efficient aircraft, the measures are not enough to offset the expected growth in passenger numbers. And major technological leaps such as electric aircraft are <a href="http://theconversation.com/climate-explained-why-dont-we-have-electric-aircraft-123910">decades away from commercial reality</a>.</p> <p>Emissions from international flights cannot easily be attributed to any single country, and no country wants to count them as their own. This means that international civil aviation is not regulated under the Paris Agreement. <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Regime-Interaction-and-Climate-Change-The-Case-of-International-Aviation/Martinez-Romera/p/book/9781315451817">Instead, responsibility</a> has been delegated to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).</p> <p>The Sail to the COP initiative is calling for several actions. First, they say jet fuel should be taxed. At present it isn’t - meaning airlines are not paying for their environmental damage. This also puts more sustainable transport alternatives, which do pay tax, at a disadvantage.</p> <p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14693062.2018.1562871">Research suggests</a> a global carbon tax on jet fuel would be the most efficient way to achieve climate goals.</p> <p>But instead, in 2016 ICAO established a <a href="https://www.icao.int/corsia">global scheme for carbon offsetting</a> in international aviation. Under the plan, airlines will have to pay for emissions reduction in other sectors to offset any increase in their own emissions after 2020.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8vqwzwazX-s?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>Critics say the strategy will not have a significant impact - pointing out, for example, that the aviation industry is aiming to only stabilise its emissions, not reduce them.</p> <p>In contrast, the international shipping sector has <a href="http://theconversation.com/why-decarbonizing-marine-transportation-might-not-be-smooth-sailing-116949">pledged to halve its emissions by 2050</a>, based on 2008 levels. Some small shipping companies are even using <a href="https://theconversation.com/plain-sailing-how-traditional-methods-could-deliver-zero-emission-shipping-97180">zero-emissions sail propulsion</a> as a sustainable means of cargo transport.</p> <p>Sail to the COP is also seeking to promote other sustainable ways of travelling such as train, boat, bus or bike. It says aviation taxes are key to this, because it would encourage growth in other transport modes and make it easier for people to to make a sustainable transport choice.</p> <p>A growing number of people around the world are already making better choices. In Thunberg’s native Sweden for example, the term “flygskam” - or flight shame - is used to describe the the feeling of being ashamed to take a flight due to its environmental impact. The movement has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/04/stayontheground-swedes-turn-to-trains-amid-climate-flight-shame">reportedly led</a> to a rising number of Swedes catching a train for domestic trips.</p> <h2>Can we sail beyond nostalgia?</h2> <p>Many will dismiss the prospect of a revival in sea travel as romantic but unrealistic. And to some extent they are right. Sailing vessels cannot meet current demand in terms of speed or capacity. But perhaps excessive travel consumption is part of the problem.</p> <p>The late sociologist John Urry has <a href="https://www.zedbooks.net/shop/book/societies-beyond-oil/">outlined a number of possible futures</a> in a world of oil scarcity.</p> <p>One is a shift to a low-carbon, and low-travel, society, in which we would “live smaller, live closer, and drive less”. Urry argues we may be less rich, but not necessarily less happy.</p> <p>Meantime, <a href="https://theconversation.com/greta-thunberg-made-it-to-new-york-emissions-free-but-the-ocean-doesnt-yet-hold-the-key-to-low-carbon-travel-122518">the challenges for passenger ocean travel remain many</a>. Not least, it can be slow and uncomfortable - Thunberg likened it to “camping on a rollercoaster”.</p> <p>But one Sail to the COP organiser, <a href="https://www.sailtothecop.com/project/about">Jeppe Bijker</a>, thinks it’s an option worth exploring. He developed the <a href="https://www.sailscanner.org/">Sailscanner</a> tool where users can check if sailing ships are taking their desired route, or request one.</p> <p>A trip from the Netherlands to Uruguay takes 69 days, at an average speed of 5km/hour.</p> <p>Some ships might require you to help out with sailing. Other passengers may be required to work look-out shifts. Of course, some passengers may become seasick.</p> <p>But the site also lists the advantages. You can travel to faraway places without creating a huge carbon footprint. You have time to relax. And out on the open water, you experience the magnitude of the Earth and seas.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123349/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em>Written by <span>Christiaan De Beukelaer, Senior Lecturer, University of Melbourne</span>. Republished with permission of </em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/feeling-flight-shame-try-quitting-air-travel-and-catch-a-sail-boat-123349" target="_blank"><em>The Conversation</em></a><em>. </em></p>

International Travel

Mockery or bad timing? Cruise staff member waves giant fake hand as passengers miss the boat

<p>Whether it was intentional or not, a cruise ship staff member picked an unfortunate moment to pull out a giant fake hand and wave goodbye to spectators watching the ship disembark from the shore.</p> <p>Just as two unfortunate passengers realised their cruise ship was sailing away without them, a crew member decided to wave a fake hand as the pair looked completely helpless on a dock at St Maarten, Netherlands.</p> <p>But nothing could be done, as the only option the tourists had was to figure out a way to get to the next port on their own.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcrucerospuertorico%2Fvideos%2F688479485001630%2F&show_text=0&width=266" width="266" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>Footage of the unfortunate incident was posted on Facebook, as it shows the Royal Caribbean cruise ship setting sail from the pier in Philipsburg, St. Maarten. Looking at the video, it seems that the couple had missed boarding by just a few minutes.</p> <p>As the phone camera focuses on the distressed duo, it soon shows a crew member on the ship waving around a giant fake hand that has the word “BYE” written on it.</p> <p>It’s possible the action was a result of bad timing, as the intention still remains unclear. </p> <p>Footage also shows other passengers on the cruise noticing the couple, shouting, “They missed it!” to help spread the word.</p>

Cruising

Tourists unimpressed as iconic “blue boat house” in Perth undergoes a change of colour

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tourists who have travelled from far and wide to see the iconic Crawley Edge Boatshed said that they’re “shocked” to find it a different colour.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Blue Boat House has been temporarily wrapped in fabric material in tribute to the Manchester United football team, who visited Perth for two friendly matches.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Singaporean tourist Charlotte Chan said she and her family almost got off at the wrong bus stop because they didn’t recognise it when they drove past. “We saw on Instagram that it was a blue house and it is a tourist attraction, so we came here to look at it, but we were very surprised to see it was red,” Ms Chan told AAP.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We had to ask the bus driver if this was the house.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzuZBaDAiIU/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzuZBaDAiIU/" target="_blank">OMG it's red!!! I've read so much commentary on this the last couple of days and most of it has been negative. Seriously, what is it about change that ignites so much passion and protest in people? Don't get me wrong, I love me a bit of routine and structure but doing and seeing the same thing day in and day out makes for a BORING LIFE! Change is good, it's actually great. It's progressive and different and we should be celebrating everything that is unique and exciting in life. This is one of my fave spots to visit and photograph and seeing it like this today is so inspired! Change nothing and nothing changes. Life is for living! This is living! ❤️ {and if you haven't heard, it's temporarily red because @manchesterunited are in town} #normalisboring #UnitedInPerth EDIT: Tourism WA have confirmed it's not plastic. The boatshed is wrapped in fabric and will be recycled when removed. The carpet also isn't plastic. It's sustainable art transforming our State ❤️</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sayhellojo/" target="_blank"> Jo Newman</a> (@sayhellojo) on Jul 9, 2019 at 10:41pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The iconic blue boatshed is owned by Tom Nattrass and it was built in the 1930s. His father and former Perth Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass suggested that the structure be replaced. This was where Julie Bishop stepped in.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It was a family friend, former foreign minister Julie Bishop, who came up with the idea to paint it that iconic blue, so full credit to her,” Tom Nattrass recently told the </span><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-30/perth-blue-boathouse-in-crawley-becomes-instagram-star/11261312"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ABC</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0coazSJoeO/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0coazSJoeO/" target="_blank">The Crawley boat shed is a popular spot among travellers looking for one of the most photogenic buildings in town. Near delicious cafes and a famous brewery this gem is worth a look. Discover more incredible spots around Australia with the Travelust Australia App! . FOLLOW US FOR UPDATES App coming soon . 📸 Photo by @uswhenwandering . #travelustaustralia #seeaustralia #visitaustralia #Travelaustralia #discoveraustralia #anotherdayinwa #discoverwa #australianbeaches #boatshed #crawleyboatshed #perthisok #perthisokay #travellers #travelgram</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/travelustaustralia/" target="_blank"> Travelust Australia 🇦🇺</a> (@travelustaustralia) on Jul 27, 2019 at 9:40pm PD</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Hero image credit: steve.millar.images</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Perth council steps in as tourists head to this famous spot

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This simple blue boat shed is very popular with tourists and it has quickly become the most photographed building in Perth.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Naturally, it’s created a very expensive problem for the local council.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Crawley Edge Boat Shed on the Swan River has become an international hit on Instagram, with influencers flocking to the building for photos.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There has been an increase over the past few years of visitors to this area, with tour buses as well as self-driven visitors stopping here for photo opportunities,” Perth City Council noted in its minutes from the May 28 meeting.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The closest public facility is located at the Narrows Gardens which is 2.4 kilometres away.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BywWoJvhpEl/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BywWoJvhpEl/" target="_blank">📍PERTH 🔵 - WESTERN AUSTRALIA - My bby love ♥️ #crawleyedgeboatshed #Australia #jetty #westernaustralia #perth #roadtrip #backpacker #travel #travelgram #exploringaustralia #postoftheday #positivevibes #world #globetrotter #photographie #exclusive_shots #voyageursdumonde #ocean #wonderlust #traveldeeper #couplegoals #lifestyle #mood #frenchtraveler #workingholiday #dreamtrips #travelpassion #passionpassport #traveldiaries #amazing</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by @<a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/margotsegaux/" target="_blank"> margotsegaux</a> on Jun 15, 2019 at 8:27pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Getting to the boat shed isn’t easy, as tourists have to cross Mounts Bay Road to reach the shed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once they get to the shed, there’s not much there for them apart from a nearby restaurant, who has complained about visitors being rude and verbally abusive, according to </span><a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/western-australia/perth-council-is-paying-400k-after-instagrammers-flock-to-famous-spot/news-story/98aec46261cc85b48ea0d8d2335c7abb"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news.com.au.</span></a></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The local council has decided to build a toilet, which is at a cost of $400,000. The toilet is looking to be Perth’s first solar-powered toilet which will cost $20,000 each year to maintain.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The construction of the proposed facility, with appropriate signage at strategic locations, will allow visitors to the area the respite they need, without exhausting the current business facility’s capacity,” the council said.</span></p>

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Mockery or bad timing? Cruise staff member waves giant fake hand as passengers miss the boat

Tourists unimpressed as iconic “blue boat house” in Perth undergoes a change of colour

Perth council steps in as tourists head to this famous spot

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