OCC turns 60, tsunami test, reaching Newfoundland—World Cruising news

by David Schmidt, Sail-World Cruising Editor on 11 Sep 2014 While the majority of the electronics that we use to navigate the world’s oceans had not yet been invented-let alone even conceived-60 years ago, this didn’t stop the founding members of the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) from boldly setting forth on long passages, or from banding together into a group of likeminded adventurers. Now, to celebrate its 60th anniversary, the OCC has hosted no less than 16 different gatherings, which have taken place on three continents (plus the Caribbean and New Zealand). Given the club’s custom of arriving at these meetings under sail, it’s safe to say that members have also been logging plenty of miles in 2014.

The OCC’s 60th anniversary celebrations included an opportunity to honor five of the OCC’s founding members (Derrick Allen, Harvey Loomis, Colin Mudie, Ian Nicolson, and Bill Wise) and four Port Officers (Derrick Allen, Dick Davidson, Alfredo Lagos, and Ian Nicolson), each of whom has dedicated more than 50 years to the OCC, at the club’s Annual Awards Dinner and AGM, which was held in London aboard 'HQS Wellington'. 'We were very pleased that four of the five living Founder Members were able to attend and regale us with stories of the days when Hum Barton and his chums got OCC off the ground in 1954,' said Commodore John Franklin.

Get the full report from the OCC’s 60th anniversary, inside this issue.

Meanwhile, a few months ahead of the 10-year anniversary of the worst tsunami to have occurred during living memory, 24 nations around the Indian Ocean are participating in a large-scale tsunami-practice exercise that’s being organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. The tests are set to take place on September 9 and 10, and they are aimed at evaluating the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System.

According to reports, one of the principal goals of this exercise, which is being called 'IOWAVE14', is to evaluate the effectiveness of communications between the different stakeholders, the level of readiness in each country, and the efficiency of their emergency plans. Under the test scenarios, participating nations have to face two mock earthquakes, each with a magnitude of at least 9.0, as well as tsunami waves that are traveling across the Indian Ocean. More, inside.

In international shipping news, piracy seems to be on the decline off the east coast of Africa, but that certainly has not stopped the shipping community from devising ever more effective, non-lethal tools for warding off unwanted 'fishermen'. Inside, check out the 18 latest methods for keeping the bad guys at bay. While many of these technologies (e.g., the anti-piracy laser device, the long-range acoustic device, or the Foul Smelling Liquid) are better suited for supertankers than sloops, a few of these methods (e.g., the Dazzle Gun) could be worth investigating, should your cruising itinerary take you through questionable waters.

And on a happier note, be sure to check in with world-renowned cruisers Jimmy and Doina Cornell, who recently made landfall in St. John’s Newfoundland after an abandoned attempt on the Northwest Passage. 'When Jimmy woke me early in the morning of Friday 5th September, I rubbed my eyes and stared in wonder at the green Newfoundland coast,' wrote Doina Cornell in her trip report, which is inside this issue. 'Finally, after two months, I get to see trees again!'

While this sounds like a chunk of time at sea, not to mention some serious offshore miles, the Cornells only launched their latest cruising boat this spring. 'Aventura by now was happily clocking 7000 nautical miles on her log, an impressive figure when you think she only left on her adventures at the end of May, some three months ago,' continued Doina. 'I’m proud to say I’ve done 3,500 of those [miles], a great loop from Greenland north to the High Arctic and back sliding south to our new destination, St John’s Newfoundland.' More, inside.

Also inside, get the latest news on the EU’s mayday response efforts, check-in with the Galley Guy (Sail-World’s own Greg Nicoll) as he explores the culinary delights of Montréal, and-in keeping with our culinary theme-be sure to check out the review of Fiona Sims’ 'The Boat Cookbook'. Enjoy!

May the four winds blow you safely home,