Batavia Man on Ship Attacked by Somali Pirates
Local sailor: We practiced evading pirates
“We are under attack by pirates, we are being hit by rockets. Also bullets”
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/04/batavia-man-on-ship-attacked-by-somali-pirates.html

“I’m not a pirate, I’m the saviour of the sea”
Who are the pirate bands menacing commercial and tourist shipping off Somalia? Our writer meets one of the leaders
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article6100783.ece

Sailing Anarchy “Editor” Scot Tempesta has raised some eyebrows among the Flying Tiger fleet, by attempting some underhanded methods to exclude a well-respected and liked competitor from participation:

Flying Tiger thread on SA

Meanwhile, Sailing Anarchy contributors have apparently paid more than $14,000 to fund a delusional effort to launch an America’s Cup challenge…

Who’s Donated?

Where is the money?

…add to the list of things that make you go, “hmmm….”

One Question:

Will the boat be named after Donald Crowhurst…

…or Bernie Madoff!?!

ISAF announces:

The ISAF Sailor Classification Commission is pleased to announce that it will be holding a presentation and panel discussion at next week’s Acura Key West 2009.

Article here:
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Updated – More from National Geographic:
article 1
article 2
video

CNN reports:

Rob Gauntlett, the youngest Briton to summit Mount Everest, died in a climbing accident along with another mountaineer in the French Alps, the British Foreign Office confirmed Sunday. Both were 21.

he bodies of Gauntlett and James Atkinson were found Saturday in the Mont Blanc area. Weather conditions were reported to have been clear and cold in Chamonix at the time.

Gauntlett scaled Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, in 2006 just days after his 19th birthday, along with 19-year-old James Hooper, his Web site says. He shattered the previous British record set by Bear Grylls at the age of 23.

Last month, National Geographic Adventure magazine declared Gauntlett and Hooper “adventurers of the year” for their 26,000-mile journey from one of Earth’s magnetic poles to the other using only skis, sleds, sails and bicycles.

Gauntlett said on his Web site that completing the journey was his proudest moment.

“We had spent three months on a 60-foot yacht sailing across the world’s most brutal ocean. A year before I had done virtually no proper sailing, so to be thrown in at the very deep end was a little scary at times,” he admitted.

Full article here:
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More articles:
National Geographic article
The Independent article
BBC article
NY Times article

A 300-year-old journal of a British explorer who saved the real-life Robinson Crusoe and defeated pirates of the Caribbean has been discovered.

Full article here:
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After years as a money manager, Thierry’s passion remained sailing, Bertrand said. From the age of six, the Paris-born Thierry was most at home on a boat, engaging in regattas and aspiring to become a naval officer.

Full article here:
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