Lobstering - tough times in Florida and Maine

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Maine's lobstermen are working harder for less, as demand drops for their expanding harvest.

Lobstermen pulled in a robust 76.3 million pounds in 2009, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources. That's the largest harvest in years, according to state records and estimates, but only in terms of volume.

The 2009 take was worth $223.7 million, which is about $22 million less than the prior year, according to the department. State statistics show that the harvest has dropped in value, year-to-year, since 2005, when it totaled nearly $318 million.

As with most things, the recession is to blame. Cash-strapped consumers are avoiding delicacies such as lobsters, driving down the overall price, according to George Lapointe, commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

"I think it's largely a function of supply and demand, and the world economic condition," he said. "Lobster is a luxury product."

The rest of the CNN Money story is HERE

Ode to the Gowanus Canal

The Gowanus Canal just got named a Superfund site.  So I guess it will get cleaned up.  But not restored to marsh.  The Lowes parking lot is here to stay and the bulkheads.  But the Times issued a call for photos and paintings of the Gowanus.  And there is some beautiful stuff. HERE is the link

The Sandpit: A Day in the Working Life of New York in miniature

The Sandpit from Sam O'Hare on Vimeo.
Original Music: composed by Human, co-written by Rosi Golan and Alex Wong.


For more on the film and an interview with the creator go HERE

Issuma: northbound

Richard Hudson and Issuma are northbound.  East of the continental shelf about 26 degrees South , 42 West, nearing the Rio DeJaneiro parallel.  This is sunrise at sea this morning.  From the set of the headsail it looks like the wind has shifted to the north.  Follow the track and Richard's occasional commentary and photography HERE.

After the storm

Better Days are Coming

Butterfly fish

from Pescadotes

Tall Ship Concordia sinks with 64 aboard - all saved

AP February 19, 2010


A Nova Scotia-based ship carrying dozens of students has sunk off Brazil, but everyone is safe and there were no serious injuries, officials say. 

The Brazilian navy said the tall ship 
SV Concordia went down about 550 kilometres southeast of Rio de Janeiro in rough seas.
West Island College International, of Lunenburg, which runs the Class Afloat program, said all 64 people aboard were rescued from four life-rafts by merchant vessels early Friday.

The 48 students, eight teachers and eight crew had to abandon ship and spent the night in life-rafts equipped with blankets and some food. A Brazilian navy helicopter spotted the rafts and dropped medical supplies.
The rescued people were expected to be moved to a navy frigate and taken to Rio de Janeiro. 
Ships with poor stability get struck by microbursts and ships with good stability get struck by squalls.


For intelligent discussion of the stability issues see the Wooden Boat Forum


Richard Hudson on Issuma was approaching that region as he makes his way north from Uruguay in deep water east of the continental shelf.  he did not encounter the storm system.  But Richard  went through the weather forecasts he receives on board and provides this report(with some interpolations by me):


[Note that Beaufort scale 8 is 34 - 40 Knots with waves 13 - 20 feet.  And that these are informed guesstimates.  Actual conditions may have been more severe.  We won't know the analysis for a while. - GWC]

According to the AP story, it was Thursday night, so Feb 18, and the ship was about 550 km SE of Rio de Janeiro.  That puts it likely in Forecast Area Bravo (possibly Delta--my forecast area map is not very detailed). 

The relevant part of the GMDSS Metarea V forecast for Thursday noon (GMT) to Friday noon (GMT) (winds in Beaufort, seas in metres): 

PART TWO - ANALYSIS AT 180000 (hours)

LOW 1006 AT 29S 043W. 

HIGH 1020 AT 40S 047W. 

C(old)-FRONT OVER RIO DE JANEIRO EXTENDING TO SE AND MOVING WITH 10 KTS TO NE.

I T C Z* 02N020W, 02N030W, 01N040W AND 01N050W WITH 3/4 DEGREES  (*Intertropical convergence Zone)

WIDE WITH LIGHT/MOD SHWRS AND ISOL THUNDERSTORMS IN THE

WHOLE BAND.

PART THREE - WEATHER FCST VALID FM 181200 TO 191200 (hours)AREA BRAVO

SHWRS AND ISOL THUNDERSTORMS N OF AREA. 

WIND SE/E BACK(ing to)  E/NE

(Force) 5/7 OCNL 8 BECMG 4/5 OCNL 6 WITH GUSTS. 

WAVES S/SE 2.0/3.0 (meters) BECMG

SE/E 2.0/2.5. 

VIS GOOD DECR TO MOD DURING SHWRS.

纽约新年游行 Chinese New Year Parade - Chinatown, New York

Went to the New Year's parade in Chinatown with 许冰梅Xu Bingmei and Wang Xuemian.  我们也吃饭在福州饭馆。我吃了辣芥菜， 吃得很高兴。
The slide show is HERE.

Bode Miller - one of every color

I love skiing photography and I love watching Bode ski.  They all go fast and it all looks the same - but Bode's strength and balance are so great that he takes risks and recovers from mistakes that for others are ruinous.  go Bode!  


First he took the Bronze in the downhill, then a silver in the Super G, and now a Gold in the combined.


New Hampshire's finest.