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Displaying items by tag: Bering Strait

Guo Chuan and his international crew of four sailors and one media crew, have reached the halfway point of their Arctic Ocean World Record Challenge, six days after departing from Murmansk, Russia and headed for the Bering Strait via the Northeast Passage.The team has already set one record.
According to the team’s weather expert Frenchmen Christian Dumard, it is the first time ever that a racing boat has sailed so far north. The 97-foot trimaran "Qingdao China" reached 78°33’25 North on Tuesday afternoon, just 1271 km (790 miles) from the North Pole, and the most northerly point of their journey.
As Afloat reported earlier, The crew plans to sail the entire Northeast Passage non-stop from Murmansk to the Bering Strait between Alaska (U.S.A) and Russia, the quickest route from Europe to the Pacific, expecting to set the first non-stop sailing world record for the Northeast Passage in the process. The voyage is about 3300 nautical miles and expected to be completed within two weeks around September 14. To celebrate reaching the halfway point, the crew enjoyed some Chinese moon cakes and a little Russian Vodka.Along with skipper Guo Chuan, Qingdao China’s crew includes Frenchmen Jochen Krauth (Baie de Quiberon) and Quentin Monegier (La Trinité-sur-Mer), Germans Boris Herrmann (Kiel) and media crew Tim Bastian Frank (Hamburg), and Sergei Nizovtsev from Russia.
Monegier has also been celebrating the birth of a baby son Lucien, on the day of the departure. He has received baby photos to his phone via Inmarsat satellite.
Published in Offshore

Every Year Ireland's Search & Rescue Services deliver emergency life saving work on our seas, lakes and rivers.

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Think Before You Sink - Wear a Lifejacket

Accidents can happen fast on water and there may not be time to reach for a lifejacket in an emergency therefore don't just carry a lifejacket - wear it; if it's not on you, it can't save your life.

Irish Water Safety's Safe Boating Alert:

Check condition of boat and equipment, hull, engine, fuel, tools, torch.

Check the weather forecast for the area.

Check locally concerning dangerous currents and strong tides.

Do not drink alcohol while setting out or during your trip.

Carry an alternative means of propulsion e.g. sails and oars or motor and oars.

Carry a first aid kit on board and distress signals (at least two parachute distress rockets, two red hand flares).

Carry a fire extinguisher, a hand bailer or bucket with lanyard and an anchor with rope attached.

Carry marine radio or some means of communication with shore.

Do not overload the boat - this will make it unstable.

Do not set out unless accompanied by an experienced person.

Leave details of your planned trip with someone ashore - including departure and arrival times, description of boat, names of persons on board, etc.

Wear a Lifejacket at all times.

Keep an eye on the weather - seek shelter in good time.

In Marine Emergencies, call 999 or 112 and ask for Marine Rescue.

Lifejackets Checklist

Ensure Cartridges have not been punctured and are secured firmly.

Ensure all zips, buckles, fasteners and webbing straps are functioning correctly and adjusted to fit the user.

Check that fitted lights are operating correctly.

Ensure that Automatic Inflation devices are fully serviced and in date.

Check that the valve or lifejacket is not leaking.