Slovenia wins battle with Croatia over high seas access – BBC News


BBC News
Slovenia wins battle with Croatia over high seas access
BBC News
"The Tribunal determines that the junction between the Slovenian territorial sea and the 'High Sea' is an area in which ships and aircraft enjoy essentially the same rights of access to and from Slovenia as they enjoy on the high seas," it said in its ...
Arbitration panel grants Slovenia access to high seasABC News
Court Rules In Favor Of Slovenia In Sea Border Dispute; Croatia Rejects DecisionRadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
Slovenia gets bulk of Piran Bay, "junction" with high seasSTA - Slovenska Tiskovna Agencija (subscription)

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Slovenia wins battle with Croatia over high seas access - BBC News

High seas adventures at the Hannibal Aquatic Center – Columbia Daily Tribune

The high seas adventures were at the Hannibal Aquatic Center Saturday, June 24, as 19 boats participated in cardboard boat races.

The high seas adventures were at the Hannibal Aquatic Center Saturday, June 24, as 19 boats participated in cardboard boat races.

Youngsters enjoyed their time being skippers and first mates, navigating the boats they made through the water. Some of the boats were a little more seaworthy, and some of them sank right as the contestants got on board.

The cardboard boat races were sponsored by Hannibal Parks & Recreation.

The race came down to the wire, as the fastest boats competed in the last heat.

The winners were:

Fastest

First place: Prestan Schanbacher and Zane Lomax

Second place: Alex Arthaud and Patrick Arthaud

Third place: Jocelyn Clark and Andrew Clark

Best Dressed

First place: William Rolsen and Jordyn Schmelzle

Second place: Adyson Ryan-Davis and Chevelle Pope

Third place: Kael Viehmann and Gage Conrad

Titanic Award

First place: Jay Arnold and Calvin Biggs

Second place: Isaiah Fessenden and Hannah Fessenden

Third place: Terner Otten and Ben Schisler

Jenna McDonald, aquatics director at Hannibal Aquatics Center, reported a successful event and said the cardboard boat race will be tentatively scheduled for June 23 next year.

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High seas adventures at the Hannibal Aquatic Center - Columbia Daily Tribune

Come See the Value Opportunities I Saw on the High Seas – TheStreet.com

I was out of pocket last week, sailing the high seas aboard a cruise ship bound for Bermuda, and my plan was to try and ignore all things investment-related. We all need a break from this crazy world of the markets from time to time, and I was doing pretty well, at least for a while. However, it is difficult to suppress that side of my brain for long, and I was caught several times checking out the happenings on my iPad.

While it does not look like I missed all that much last week, at least in the ever-narrowing world of value, there were plenty of investment-related observations to be made aboard our ship. First, the cruise industry seems like a cash machine. We were on a Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) ship, and they seem to have it all figured out, especially how to compel passengers to part ways with their money. As my son observed, putting the casino in the middle of everything, out in the open with no doors -- you had to walk through it to get anywhere -- is a brilliant way to draw moths to the lights. For its efforts, NCLH boasts low-teen net profit margins. Yet those of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) and Carnival Corp. (CCL) are even higher, in the mid to high-teens.

Meanwhile, I also noticed a lot of step-counting going on as Fitbit Inc. (FIT) devices were plentiful, even among the 20-plus family members with whom we were traveling. FIT remains unpopular with investors, and seemingly with good reason. Its brief run as a cult stock has ended badly as revenue and guidance fell off of a cliff, leaving shares down 90% over the past two years. Nearly all the luster is gone, and along with it, so are expectations. It's the type of situation where most have given up, driving the stock price into the ground, that can be compelling.

Some would call it a falling knife, but Fitbit does have a long runway, with $726 million, or $3.21 in cash and short-term investments, and no debt. With so little expected, any good news -- a new product that re-engages consumers or some better-than-expected numbers -- may put some wind back into Fitbit's sails. FIT may turn out to be a great representation of the oscillation between greed and fear that plagues many of us as investors. Clearly, the stock was not worth $50 a share (greed), but at just over $5 a share (fear), you have to wonder. This one is not for the faint of heart, and I am under water so far on this trade, although I kept the initial position small, with the idea of adding opportunistically (or stupidly).

Fogo de Chao Inc. (FOGO) was also on my mind as my wife and I had dinner one night on the Norwegian Breakaway's version of a Brazilian steakhouse, our first visit. That was quite an experience, and not one to undertake if you are not overly hungry. While I've written endlessly about not being a big fan of the restaurant sector these days in light of potential headwinds and stretched valuations, Fogo de Chao is one of the few I have on my radar. At about 14 times 2018 consensus estimates and with profit margins in the high single digits, it is one of the cheaper names out there.

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Come See the Value Opportunities I Saw on the High Seas - TheStreet.com

High seas adventures at the Hannibal Aquatic Center – Hannibal.net

The high seas adventures were at the Hannibal Aquatic Center Saturday, June 24, as 19 boats participated in cardboard boat races.

The high seas adventures were at the Hannibal Aquatic Center Saturday, June 24, as 19 boats participated in cardboard boat races.

Youngsters enjoyed their time being skippers and first mates, navigating the boats they made through the water. Some of the boats were a little more seaworthy, and some of them sank right as the contestants got on board.

The cardboard boat races were sponsored by Hannibal Parks & Recreation.

The race came down to the wire, as the fastest boats competed in the last heat.

The winners were:

Fastest

First place: Prestan Schanbacher and Zane Lomax

Second place: Alex Arthaud and Patrick Arthaud

Third place: Jocelyn Clark and Andrew Clark

Best Dressed

First place: William Rolsen and Jordyn Schmelzle

Second place: Adyson Ryan-Davis and Chevelle Pope

Third place: Kael Viehmann and Gage Conrad

Titanic Award

First place: Jay Arnold and Calvin Biggs

Second place: Isaiah Fessenden and Hannah Fessenden

Third place: Terner Otten and Ben Schisler

Jenna McDonald, aquatics director at Hannibal Aquatics Center, reported a successful event and said the cardboard boat race will be tentatively scheduled for June 23 next year.

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High seas adventures at the Hannibal Aquatic Center - Hannibal.net

Seniors make waves with high-seas whodunit – Simi Valley Acorn

When razors and pill boxes go missing,fingers start pointing in original cruise ship caper

By Alicia Doyle

Special to the Acorn

WELCOME TO THE SHOWAbove, actors sing Sea Cruise during rehearsals this week for Hi-Jinx on the High Seas at the Simi Valley Senior Center. The original musical comedy, which runs two hours and features some 30 songs, will be performed June 29 and 30 at the center. At right, Bill Heiden, left, leans in to listen to Tina Larson as she whispers to him during a scene. The show is filled with kooky characters, including gamblers and seasick passengers. A whodunit caper about stolen items on a cruise ship is the subject of an original musical comedy that will be staged at the Simi Valley Senior Center on June 29 and 30.

Hi-Jinx on the High Seas was written and directed by members of the Simi Valley Senior Center Performing Arts Group.

It is a conglomerate of vignettes of people you would see if they were traveling on a cruise shipand people start missing things, said Jeanne Reed, 79, the shows director. We lose really important things, like hemorrhoid cream, a razor, a pill box, comb and sunglasses.

JESSE WATROUS/Acorn Newspapers Cast members, most of whom are residents of Simi Valley, use their own names for the characters they play.

This production has no star, said Reed.

The play is filled with kooky characters, such as a compulsive gambling husband whose wife is a compulsive spender.

I lose my hemorrhoid cream and he loses his shaver, said Tina Larson, 73, who is playing herself alongside her husband, Duwayne, 79.

Reed will play the role of a passenger traveling with her best friend, who has tremendous seasickness and keeps losing track of her seasick pills.

Were this crazy group of oddballs, Reed said.

Yolie Alvarado, 68, plays the prime suspect.

Everybody thinks Im the thief, said Alvarado. I carry this big bag around with me, so they think I have all the goodies in there.

In the play, shes a solo traveler whose father owned a secondhand store.

So Ive got this weird, bizarre clothing, said Alvarado, who will sing Second Hand Rose. Im by myself all the time and my character is just crazy wacky. I cant hear too well, I cant see too well, Im in my own little dream world. I dont like anybody.

Alvarados song is one of about 30 to be performed during the musical. Popular tunes include Ill Be Seeing You, I Could Have Danced All Night, Under the Sea and The Best Things in Life Are Free.

The show, which runs about two hours, will include an intermission, when tap dancers from the Simi Valley Senior Center will perform.

Linda Detamore, one of the tappers, is also portraying a passenger in the play.

Im a friend of a disabled lady. Shes in a wheelchair and Im her caregiver, Detamore, 59, said about her role. I protect everybody and I stand up for Yolie when shes accused. Im only there because Im taking care of my friend, whos on her first cruise.

Pat Danova will play the part of Detamores friend.

There are so many talented people in this show, said Danova, 74.

Trudy Dubrow, 85, is performing with the group for the first time this year.

My character is someone who is always nervous; I get seasick and nauseous and I worry about my seasick pills, said Dubrow.

Dubrow, who is also involved with an improv group in Woodland Hills, said she was happy to find a group in Simi Valley that would give her the opportunity to participate in one of her favorite hobbies.

I just moved here to Simi, Dubrow said. Im enjoying this skit and the people at the senior center are lovely. Ive always done straight acting, and when I came here I didnt know this was a musical. So this is a whole new thing for me.

Hi-Jinx on the High Seas will be performed at 1:30 p.m. Thurs., June 29 and at 9 p.m. Fri., June 30 at the senior center at 3900 Avenida Simi.

Admission is free.

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Seniors make waves with high-seas whodunit - Simi Valley Acorn

Big waves close coastal walkway, but some still brave stormy seas – Taranaki Daily News

DAVID BURROUGHS

Last updated15:17, June 26 2017

DAVID BURROUGHS

Part of the coastal walkway in New Plymouth is closed due to large waves.

High waves crashing on to the footpath turned a pleasantstroll into a soggy adventure for people on New Plymouth's Coastal Walkway.

The section of the walkwayrunning adjacent to the Woolcombe Terrace cliffs was closed off by the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) around midday on Monday and barriers and warning signs were erected.

READ MORE: *Christchurch's top five walks *Rockfall prompts coastal walkway changes *Six waving wands to be installed along New Plymouth Coastal Walkway *Cyclist suffers serious head injuries in crash on Coastal Walkway

GRANT MATTHEW/Fairfax NZ

Members of the public avoid the big waves caused by high tides along the Coastal Walkway.

However a number of people ignored the signs, with one person commenting "that was fun" as they clambered under the barrier and back onto the open stretch of walkway.

Another biker was seen almost getting washed off his bike before hopping off and watching the waves crash around him.

Those that stayed on the open stretch of walkway weren't safe either, with some people franticallyrunning when particularly large waves hit.

GRANT MATTHEW/Fairfax NZ

Part of the walkway was closed due to the size of the waves.

Delwyn and John Lusted, who were visiting from Palmerston North for a few days, didn't let the waves deter them from taking a walk and managed to dodge getting hit.

"I nearly did, it's fun,' Delwyn said.

"If you like getting covered in sea water," John added.

DAVID BURROUGHS/FAIRFAX NZ

The walkway was closed at 11.30am and the New Plymouth District Council estimated it would be closed for about three hours.

He said quite a few people had told them about the walkway and they had finally come to have a look.

"It's lovely here, so we got a good day," he said.

Mark Joyce walked along the top of the cliffs and said the the waves were "stunning".

"You feel the power of nature," he said.

Andrea Payne was eating her lunch on the nearby railway overpassand said it was a great form of entertainment.

"I'm just getting my giggle from it, watching people get smoked," she said.

She had seen a few people get drenched and a few waves that had come right across the walkway and onto the grass.

It was the worst she had ever seen it.

"I come down most days," she said.

TheNPDCposted on Facebook to say the walkway had been closed for the public's safety due to high seas.

"The Molesworth Street underpass alongside Huatoki Stream is also closed - we'll reopen them in about three hours when the tide drops," it said at midday.

NPDCmanager parks and open spaces, Stuart Robertson, said the walkway was closed as a precaution due to a combination of the high tide and the large waves as it was quite easy for people to be washed off their feet.

"There's a reason why we close it and but at the end of the day it's precautionary and people will make their own decisions obviously,"

"But the reality is you should never turn yourback on the sea and it's a moment ofinattentionand you could be knocked off your feet and swept out.

"People shouldprobablyrespect that."

He said the walkway was usually only closed around four times a year, and he didn't expect it to be closed for too long.

-Stuff

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Big waves close coastal walkway, but some still brave stormy seas - Taranaki Daily News

Taking the Fight to the High Seas with the Dutch Royal Navy – MMORPG.com (press release) (registration) (blog)

The Dutch Royal Navy will be playing host to two professional teams aboard a battleship as they duke it out in Breakaway. During the Twitch live stream, viewers can win alpha keys or gaming hardware. The event is sponsored by Red Bull Esports and AMD with professional esports teams Echo Fox and Rogue taking part.

The event will be held in the Red Bull Esports Twitch channel on Monday, June 26th at 12:00 pm Pacific / 3:00 pm Eastern.

Breakaway is a Team Battle Sport where two squads of four collide in intense competition, passing, juking and dunking the Relic to score and win. It plays like a highlight reel of your favorite action games, with lethal combat, tightly designed arenas and rounds that last just four minutes.

You can learn more in the video below or by visiting theBreakaway site.

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Taking the Fight to the High Seas with the Dutch Royal Navy - MMORPG.com (press release) (registration) (blog)

Spectacle on the high seas: The best boat races in the Caribbean – USA TODAY

Melanie Reffes, Special for USA TODAY 7:58 a.m. ET June 20, 2017

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First held in 1936 when five trading schooners competed for bragging rights and small prizes, Mount Gay Round Barbados Race is one of the most anticipated of the racing season.(Photo: Peter Marshall)

Welcome to boat racing in the Caribbean, where top-notch crews vie for top honors as they race their super-fast yachts and large sailboats in some of the most prestigious regattas in the world. As thrilling for spectators as it is for the competitive crews, cool parties after hot races are hosted by bars on the beach and seaside resorts. Check out our boat racing calendar and get ready to feel the wind in your sails.

Anguilla

Its biggest party of the year on the small island across the sea from St. Martin, and the busiest time of the year for boat racing. For 12 days (Aug. 2 - 13) Anguillas Summer Festival is the hot ticket for soca raves, calypso concerts, parades, pageants, the wildly popular August Monday J'ouvert blowout beach party that starts at 5 a.m. and continues through the next morning, and schooner races that honor the islands national sport. Dating back to the early 1900s when the first organized race marked the end of World War I,boat racing is a time-honored tradition and a sight to behold for fans of the sport. The Super Bowl of races, Champion of Champions on Aug. 13 is the most important on the calendar. Thousands of die-hard fans line the sun-baked shores as the boats with giant white sails take to the high sea.

Grenada

One of the prettiest races in the Caribbean, Carriacou Regatta on Grenadas little sister isleis a watery wonderland Aug. 4 -7, when crews from around the world show off their work boats, sailboats and yachts. Also a good bet for landlubbers, the three-day summer party invites with a roster of fun stuff like donkey racing and beauty pageants. For sailing fans who like to plan ahead, Grenada Sailing Week from Jan. 29 to Feb. 3 is all about spiffy boats, spirited skippers and fans snapping photos from the beach.

Aruba

Three days of parties and two days of racing markthe Aruba International Regatta, Aug. 18 - 20. At Surfside Beach close to the airport in the capital city of Oranjestad, the summer sailing fetefeaturesraces on yachts, beach cats and sunfishes and plenty of beach barbecues, concerts on the sand, windsurfing competitions and all-day happy hours.

British Virgin Islands

One of the longest-running races on the Royal BVI Yacht Club calendar, Willy T Virgins Cup, or the Virgin's Race as many call it, is also one of the more unique in the Caribbean.Slated for Oct. 21, rules stipulate that all boats entered must have a female skipper. Racing around Tortola the largest island in the British Virgin chain and finishing at Nanny Cay on the south side between Road Town and West End,BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festivalfrom March 26 to April 1 is the most-anticipated event of the season. Now in its 46th year, the seven-day regatta is a challenging 31-nautical-mile competition with more than 150 international crews trying to break existing race records.Prizes up for grabs include dinner for a crew of 15, pricey bottles of bubbly and the all-important boating bragging rights.Hosted by the Nanny Cay Resort and Marina, Regatta Village is family-friendly for sailors and spectators who come to cheer on their favorite crew.

Barbados

First held in 1936 when five trading schooners competed for bragging rights and small prizes, Mount Gay Round Barbados Race is one of the most anticipated of the racing season. Organised by the Barbados Cruising Club in association with Mount Gay Rum and Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., the 70-mile race around the island gets underway on Jan. 16 and continues through Jan. 24. While most boats sail for the honor of the fastest time, the consolation prize of a barrel of Mount Gay Rum for the slowest time was discontinued after two boats remained out at sea for days stalling to take the prize. Today, there are no prizes for coming in last, although trophies for the fastest boats are highly coveted.

St. Maarten

Named for the island and the sponsor,St. Maarten Heineken Regattastarted in 1980 with a modest 12 entries but today can boast that itis one of the largest sailing races in the Caribbean. Hosting 300 competitors from 36 countries, its all hands on deck for the worlds top sailors racing on the world's fastest boats.From March 1 to 4, thousands of fans party hard at beach concerts and at aprs-racing parties, fueled by an endless supply of icy green bottles courtesy of the long-time beer sponsor.

St. Barths

Now in its third decade,St. Barths Bucket Regatta(March 15-18) is a three-day contest on the water with a crowd of top-speed yachts all looking to take home the Bucket Trophy.The race attractsthe worlds most luxuriousyachts many approaching 200 feet in length to the Port of Gustavia.The invitational race started in 1995 with a fleet of four and today it is a hot ticket on the Caribbean regatta circuit, featuring the worlds finest(and largest) super yachts charging for the finish line.

Antigua

Amongthe worlds premier racing events,Antigua Sailing Weekis the granddaddy of Caribbean regattas.From April 28 to May 5, races on the south coast attract 5,000 spectators and 1,500 participants from the Caribbean, Europe, North and South America, Australia and Japan competing in smaller contests. For half a century, English Harbour, Jolly Harbour, Dickenson Bay and Nelsons Dockyard are the places to be to see 100 racing yachts measuring up to 100 feet in length.For non-racers, shore-side partying and after-racing drinking is non-stop, with special events that include beer parties at the Antigua Yacht Club and breakfast at Shirley Heights Lookout.For families who like racing, charter a spectator yacht for up-close views of the action.

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Spectacle on the high seas: The best boat races in the Caribbean - USA TODAY

High Yields on the High Seas | Equities.com – Equities.com

On the three-year anniversary of The Dividend Hunter, income expert Tim Plaehn reviews his portfolio holdings, including two high-yielding limited partnerships in the shipping and storage industry.

Ship Finance International Limited (SFL) owns a diverse fleet of shipping vessels, which are leased on long-term contracts to shipping companies.

Over the last 13 years, the tanker fleet has aged out and been sold off. At the same time, Ship Finance acquired dry bulk carriers, container vessels, car carriers, chemical tankers, drilling rigs and offshore supply vessels, diversifying its fleet.

The company has paid a dividend every quarter since the IPO. The dividend was reduced by 50% during the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis and stock bear market.

Since coming out of that recession, the dividend has grown by 50%. The various shipping markets are extremely volatile, with shipping rates sometimes rising and falling rapidly.

With a focus on strong financial management and using long-term contracts, Ship Finance has produced stable and growing results throughout its history. While the share price is lower than when I first recommended SFL in 2014, the stock has paid 28.2% in cash dividends. The stock currently yields 13.4%.

This is a company with a stable, high free cash producing business combined with an extremely volatile share price. As long as the cash flow remains strong, this is a great stock to buy when the share price swings down.

My rule of thumb is to consider adding shares whenever they drop below $14. In a world with strong economic growth and rising shipping rates, SFL could be worth $20 per share.

Golar LNG Partners LP (GLNG) owns and operates full or partial ownership in a fleet of six liquid natural gas Floating Storage and Regasification Units and four LNG Carrier ships, which are leased on long-term contracts to counterparties.

GMLP was spun-off by Golar LNG Limited in 2011.

GLNG and GMLP have the classic general partner/sponsor and controlled publicly traded MLP arrangement. As the sponsor, GLNG acquires new assets, markets them, and completes the leasing process.

Since its IPO, GMLP has steadily increased the quarterly dividend. Between now and 2018, enough new LNG production facilities will come on line to increase LNG shipping demand by 50% to 60%.

This is a double-digit yield stock, which should grow its dividend because it operates in an energy sub-sector with strong growth prospects. In 2016, the cash flow coverage of the dividend grew each quarter.

This is a stock with a share price that moves in correlation with the rest of the energy sector, as the market only seems to watch the price of crude oil. Adding shares on the dips will produce a very nice income stream. This is a Form 1099 reporting MLP, so tax reporting is not an issue.

Tim Plaehn is the lead investment research analyst for income and dividend investing at Investors Alley and the editor for The Dividend Hunter.

Subscribe to Tim Plaehn's The Dividend Hunter here

About MoneyShow.com: Founded in 1981, MoneyShow is a privately held financial media company headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. As a global network of investing and trading education, MoneyShow presents an extensive agenda of live and online events that attract over 75,000 investors, traders and financial advisors around the world.

DISCLOSURE: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of equities.com. Readers should not consider statements made by the author as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. To read our full disclosure, please go to: http://www.equities.com/disclaimer

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High Yields on the High Seas | Equities.com - Equities.com

High seas inspire collection – Royal Gazette

Published Jun 16, 2017 at 8:00 am (Updated Jun 15, 2017 at 10:52 pm)

Lindsay Amerault jumped from coast to coast following her fathers naval career.

More than 15 years later shes doing the same, this time to promote The Admirals Daughters, a line of graphic T-shirts.

The former Bermuda residents designs are now on sale at Tabs; models wore them at the Ladies Day fashion show in the Americas Cup Village last month.

Ms Ameraults father, retired vice-admiral Jim Amerault, encouraged her to start the company after flipping through her sketchbook.

[He] was doing a lot of speaking gigs with military spouses because it can be difficult to have your spouse away for six [to] nine months at a time, she said. [He was] talking about how important the support role is for families.

I had a sketch that said, My heart is out at sea. The heart was made of waves.

He held it up and said, This would be cool on a shirt.

The 32-year-old assumed her father wanted to use the design to inspire the women hed been speaking with. Instead, he suggested a different way to put her artistry to use.

We started discussing the idea of being able to use my skills to create something that would provide for me and my family in the future and a way to support those coastal communities that raised [us] when we were moving around so often, said Ms Amerault, who moved nine times before she graduated from high school.

It was a really nice coming together of ideas. We seemed to be, for the first time in my adult life, on the same page at the same time.

They decided $1 from every shirt sold would be split between Navy Safe Harbour Foundation, a charity her father founded which gives back to military veterans and their families, and Plastic Tides, an ocean conservation group Ms Amerault met during her time in Bermuda.

The designs are ocean-centric, but not specifically navy. All carry positive messages.

We made sure that the material we sourced was the softest, most comfortable you could find, so the second you touch the shirts you want to put them on your body, said Ms Amerault, who now lives in Jacksonville, Florida.

The bigger and more well known we are, the bigger the reach to raise awareness and financial contributions for those charities. The hope is that people buy into the story of, not so much who we are but what we are doing and what we are trying to provide and promote.

The graphic designer moved here in 2010 and stayed for six years, initially working at Aardvark.

Prior to that, shed been in New York.

I was working at Madison Square Garden and had burnt out with the 12-hour days. One of my bucket list items was to live on an island not Manhattan, a real island, she laughed,

Her honest and impassioned cover letter landed her the job here.

She left last year to focus on the T-shirts and be close to her family.

I stayed for much longer than I anticipated, said Ms Amerault, the youngest of five children. The response to her designs so far has been fantastic.

The tees have taken off in the Florida area. Ms Amerault created two designs specifically for the Bermuda market: a triangle with local motifs including longtails, moongates and a roof-like line pattern; another that reads Ace Girl depicts a gombey mask [with] fierce eyelashes.

In Bermuda, specifically, we sold two thirds of the inventory we brought over in a week, she said.

The Admirals Daughters tees cost $30-$60 at Tabs on Reid Street.

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High seas inspire collection - Royal Gazette

Coast Guard unloads 18 tons of cocaine seized on the high seas – The San Diego Union-Tribune

On lookout duty on the deck of the Coast Guard cutter Waesche, Seaman Danielle Sanchez remembers spotting what looked like a silver barracuda gliding low through waves off the Central American coast.

It was after 2 a.m. on June 8, and Sanchez was nearing the end of her first sea patrol. It was a journey across 12,200 miles of the Eastern Pacific and it led her to a rendezvous with what counter-smuggling agencies call an LPV a low-profile vessel designed by drug cartels to ride low to the water, aiming to hide from Coast Guard helicopters and cutters.

The Waesche stalked this LPV for nearly 100 miles.

When we came up on them, we put the floodlights on them. It looked like a submarine. It was dark out, but it was super cool. Our boat crew was out there, both the small boat thats hanging out on the side and the one on the fantail, Sanchez said, pointing to the sleek interceptor vessel at the rear of the cutter.

The Coasties boarded the submerged boat 54 feet long and only six feet wide and detained four suspected smugglers and 2.79 tons of cocaine, the second-highest seizure at sea by the Coast Guard since October.

On Thursday at San Diegos 10th Avenue Marine Terminal, the Alameda-based Waesche unloaded that seizure and 15 more tons of cocaine seized in 17 other raids at sea since March by it and the cutters Valiant, Hamilton, Confidence, Active, Mohawk, Campbell and Dependable.

Called the Western Hemisphere Transit Zone, the area that the cutters patrolled is vast 6 million square miles, double the size of the continental United States. It runs from California down the western coast of Central and South America and then into the Caribbean Sea in an arc from Cuba to the Lesser Antilles, the string of islands south and east from Puerto Rico to Venezuela.

Counter-narcotics officials estimate that they seize about one out of every four tons of cocaine bound for the United States. About 69 percent of the haul is intercepted in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Federal drug-enforcement officials believe about 90 percent of cocaine shipments to the United States go across the sea at some point in their journey north, but usually are offloaded and then smuggled across the land border with Mexico.

The Coast Guards strategy is to forward deploy cutters to the waters off Central and South America to nab smugglers soon after they take to sea.

The Waesche alone interdicted seven narco-boats during its latest mission, capturing about $266 million worth of drugs, according to the cutters commander, Capt. James Passarelli.

In one 60-hour span, the cutter captured four smuggling boats, reflecting an operational tempo thats doubled for the Coast Guard since 2008.

This is about taking down the networks, Passarelli said. These transnational criminal organizations pose a significant threat to us here at home and to our partners in Central and South America.

In the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, the Coast Guard set a record for annual cocaine seizures more than 221 tons worth more than $5.9 billion to the underworld.

cprine@sduniontribune.com

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Coast Guard unloads 18 tons of cocaine seized on the high seas - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Disney PhotoPass coming to capture your high-seas adventure on Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom – Inside the Magic


Inside the Magic
Disney PhotoPass coming to capture your high-seas adventure on Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom
Inside the Magic
Soon, though, you'll be able to hoist your colors and take home a piece of treasure from your high-seas adventure on Pirates of the Caribbean at the Magic Kingdom. Disney PhotoPass service is being added to the classic ride, giving you the opportunity ...

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Disney PhotoPass coming to capture your high-seas adventure on Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom - Inside the Magic

Skull and Bones is pure high seas sailing fun from Ubisoft – Critical Hit

Theres something magical about the ocean. Blue seas, rolling waves and a ship to sail the high seas on. Now imagine that ship being pursued through hell and back amidst a sea of salty water and cannonballs as dozens of ships chase you down in pursuit of your sweet booty. Thats the world of Skull and Bones, Ubisofts nautical title which takes that one idea that made Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag so memorable and builds an entire game around it.

A game of five freebooters sailing around as one armada in pursuit of silver by any explosive means possible. Its novel idea, that borrows heavily from its inspiration to create a product that plays almost identically to its source material. Theres a lot of that going on in Skull and Bones, but can it stand on its own two peg-legs and establish an identity for itself outside of Assassins Creed?

Yes and no.

One of the big takeaways with Skull and Bones is now on how your ship handles and just how well you the captain plot her course in treacherous waters to plunder some booty. That requires skill and patience, as the ancient ships of another century dont exactly handle like sportscars. Theyre massive collections of lumber and gunpowder, floating fortresses armed to the teeth that are highly dependent on you angling her into the wind to achieve the most knots possible.

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That layers on a more strategic use of maintaining your course and getting within range of your target, as youll have to make good use of your vessel which hails from one of three distinct types of attack-craft. A sniper ship may sacrifice armour for speed and distance, but the Sloop of War makes up for that with a level of marksmanship unmatched by any other ship around. Likewise with a heavier ship such as the Frigate that comes equipped with a battering ram as it may not be fast but it can hit hard right where it counts.

The Brigantine rounds out the lot, sacrificing its turning radius for an entire American towns worth of guns as it hits not only where it hurts but also hard. That selection of seaworthiness makes for a team dynamic where organising your team is just as strategic as knowing how to plot your course lest your teammate accidentally murders your ship and leave it to sink to the murky depths beneath you. Knowing which complement of cannons to use in an encounter makes all the difference here.

As does having enough friends to play with. Much like most of Ubisofts games, the online social space is the real decider here. My demo at E3 had the perfect setup for this, throwing me and fourth other random players into a gang of scurvy misfits who quickly learnt how to work the controls and become a team.

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When we did manage to co-exist, the end result was magical. We were sinking ships, stealing silver and outrunning dozens of pirate-hunter vessels as we communicated and held our own. It was fantastic stuff, made even better by an engine that was built on small details as your salty crew raised the sails and shouted all manner of sailor curses at your foes in ye olde parlance.

Finding your own crew of regulars to join you for these matches will be hard enough, lest you manage to press-gang a few randoms into service. Its still utterly worth it, however, as Skull and Bones takes a solid idea and layers gorgeous visuals on top of it to create something which makes multiplayer exciting. If Ubisoft plans to supplement what I played today with a proper single-player and a world worth sailing, then sign me up for more as a pirates life sounds quite seaworthy to me.

Last Updated: June 15, 2017

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Skull and Bones is pure high seas sailing fun from Ubisoft - Critical Hit

Brazil Gets Ready to Fight on the High Seas and Sets Aside US$ 1.8 Bi for New Warships – Brazzil.com

The Brazilian Navy finalized on May 10th the first stage of the process that will result in the construction of four Tamandar class corvettes. The kickoff was a public announcement inviting Brazilian and foreign companies and consortiums to participate in a future bidding process through which the party responsible for building these ships will be chosen.

Those interested must have proven experience building technologically complex military vessels with the potential to move more than 2,500 tons. Within a month, 21 companies and consortiums from different countries answered the Navys initial announcement. The next step will take place during the second half of 2017 with the release of the technical specifications of the ships design.

Acquiring the corvettes is one of the Navys top priorities, along with developing new conventional and nuclear-powered submarines, said Rear Admiral Petronio Augusto Siqueira de Aguiar, head of the Navys Program Management Board.

He explained that the decision regarding the Tamandar class vessels is based on a broader objective of expanding and modernizing the Brazilian Navys operational capacity. After that, a series of surface vessels is expected to be acquired, which includes not only corvettes, but also frigates, logistic support vessels, and amphibious ships.

The main advantage of acquiring Tamandar class corvettes is the new ships flexibility, able to perform an array of tasks like protecting naval units, attacks on submarines, patrolling Brazils territorial waters to protect economic activities, and even participating in areas under the auspices of international organizations in support of our foreign policy, Rear Adm. Petronio stated.

Security and Comfort

The Navys squadron includes two corvettes, both built at the Navy Arsenal in Rio de Janeiro and employed in various missions throughout Brazils territorial sea [nearly 22 kilometers from the coast] and abroad, explained Rear Admiral Flvio Augusto Viana Rocha, director of the Navys Social Communications Center.

The first to join the Brazilian warship fleet was the corvette Inhama, in 1989. While the corvette Barroso came along nearly 20 years later, in 2008, and has been used in the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, in which it was the flagship vessel until March.

According to Rear Adm. Rocha, the Inhama and Barroso corvettes shall remain in service, even after the Tamandar class corvettes have joined the fleet.

Several aspects of the new corvettes design have been highlighted as significant enhancements in relation to the vessels currently in operation. Among them is being stealthier as a result of redefining the design of the hull lines to reduce the ships visibility on enemy radar screens.

The issue of stealth is related to the secrecy of operations and the ability to conceal the ship, Rear Adm. Petronio explained. With that the corvettes will be able to operate discretely in an area of interest and enable the element of surprise when conducting their activities in our territorial waters, he added.

The design of the Tamandar class corvettes also involves innovation in terms of service members comfort and security, in addition to environmental concerns.

Thus, the ships interior layout was designed to provide better conditions for those who are going to work inside of it. It is expected to accommodate 136 people, to include crew members, divers, marines, pilots, and aircraft mechanics.

In terms of the service members security, it aims to apply better monitoring resources of the ships various areas, and to incorporate labor-saving technologies in flood and fire prevention systems.

Additionally, a few technologies expected to be employed on these corvettes will reduce gas emissions and improve the treatment of sanitary waste, kitchen waste, and oily residue.

Regarding these ships combat system configuration, consisting of weapons, sensors, a tactical system, and weapons-firing direction systems, Rear Adm. Petronio stated that they will have the necessary requirements for top-notch operation in surface, anti-air, electronic, and anti-submarine warfare actions.

Investment in the four Tamandar class corvettes is estimated to reach upwards of US$ 1.8 billion. In the projects initial timetable, construction of the vessels is scheduled to commence in 2019. Deliveries are expected to occur within three years, between 2022 and 2025.

The four vessels should preferably be built in Brazil, Rear Adm. Petronio said, but the Navy believes it is necessary to select a foreign shipyard with proven experience in making this type of ship. By doing so, risks are expected to be mitigated in developing and obtaining the ships expected performance.

A foreign shipyards participation will enable Brazilian candidates to acquire the qualifications to execute the project, through the necessary transfer of technology, Rear Adm. Petronio said.

This article appeared originally in Dilogo https://dialogo-americas.com

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Brazil Gets Ready to Fight on the High Seas and Sets Aside US$ 1.8 Bi for New Warships - Brazzil.com

The Electric, Driverless Revolution Is About to Hit the High Seas … – Bloomberg

Its not just in Google laboratories that the revolution in electric, driverless transportation is gathering pace: a Norwegian shipping company is aiming to be able to deliver cargoes by sea on unmanned vesselsfrom 2020.

The fully electric, zero emissions YARA Birkeland will set sail next year in Europe, Oslo-based Yara International ASA said a statement Saturday. By 2019 it will be able to work by remote control and at the start of the next decade it will be able to deliver on a fully automated basis. The container ship, being built by Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, will transport fertilizer.

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A breakthrough by Yara could have far-reaching implications for the maritime industry, which has historically consumed the dirtiest fuels available from refineries. On land, automakers are boosting their efforts to develop driverless vehicles alongside electrification. Ford Motor Co., Bayerische Motoren Werke and Volkswagen AG have said they aim to develop driverless cars by the early 2020s, while Googles sister company Alphabet Inc. is testing technology already.

Yara uses more than 100 diesel truck journeys a day to haul products from its Porsgrunn plant, in Norway, to the domestic ports of Brevik and Larvik from where it ships to customers around the world, said Svein Tore Holsether, the chief executive officer of Yara.

Yara estimates that the new vessel will reduce truck-powered haulage by 40,000 journeys a year, although the journeys in question -- between Norwegian ports -- are a fraction of those taken by conventional international shipping. The companys shares rose 7.7 Norwegian kroner to 322.8 kroner, on Monday.

While shipping lanes contain less traffic than on-land roads, maritime trade still comes with its own complications that will provide challenges for automation. Those include strong ocean currents, bad weather and -- in some parts of the world -- piracy.

The new vessel will allow Kongsburg to test out new technology that could ultimately curb pollution from the shipping industry, which accounts for about 2.3 percent of global emissions. The International Maritime Organization plans to release an initial plan next year to cut greenhouse gases as the industry isnt included in the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change.

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The Electric, Driverless Revolution Is About to Hit the High Seas ... - Bloomberg

‘Skull & Bones’ takes open world online gaming to the high seas – Engadget

Ubisoft Singapore just announced its next game here at E3 2017, called Skull & Bones. It challenges players to rise to the rank of ultimate pirate kingpin while playing with their friends and against their enemies in an online open world. During the conference, the developers showed off 5-on-5 multiplayer, as ships jostled about in combat and, eventually, escaped with their ill-gotten loot. If this sounds a bit familiar, it shouldn't be a surprise, as the team previously worked on the ocean gameplay in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.

According to the game's description, you will set sail on the Indian Ocean, amass a fleet, and ally with other pirate captains to form gangs. Your character refused a king's a pardon and sailed from the Caribbean to hijack trading ships and take down your rivals. Since a lot of people thought ACIV's ocean-going sections were the best part, there's a lot to be excited about here -- interested gamers can sign up for more information on the upcoming beta test right here, although, with a fall 2018 release window, you're probably in for a wait.

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'Skull & Bones' takes open world online gaming to the high seas - Engadget

High Seas, High "C"s: "The Little Mermaid," at the Prospect Park Auditorium through June 18 – River Cities Reader

Let me begin by stating, honestly, that I am a huge Disney fan, and have a major bias toward anything Disney-related. So when seeing The Little Mermaid come to life during Quad City Music Guild's June 8 preview, the show would've had to be a catastrophe for me to not enjoy myself. Thankfully, it wasn't one. Right from the get-go, as we took our seats, director Heather Beck did an excellent job of setting the oceanic scene through projections on the walls and watery sound effects that reminded me of a Disney-theme-park ride which, again, made my inner Disney fan excited to be there before the curtain even rose.

If, by chance, you're unfamiliar with this Little Mermaid, its the story of Ariel (played by a spot-on Hillary Erb) the mermaid daughter of the underwater mer-King Triton (Nathan Bates) and her desire to travel to the human world. Considered part of Disneys 20th-Century renaissance period, what really made the 1989 film stand out was the amazing music by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Harold Ashman, and the stage show's chief merit with added musical numbers by Menken and lyricist Glen Slater is no exception. Once again, under the music direction of Valeree Pieper, Music Guild's pit orchestra sounds fantastic.

With her program biography stating that she's a big fan of Ariel, Erb had the characters mannerisms down to a T, making it clear that she has seen the film a few (or few hundred) times. Right down to her wobbly legs when trying to stand on them for the first time, Erb definitively embodied Ariel.

Hillary Erb and Nathan Bates in The Little Mermaid

In a rare and unique opportunity, Hillary Erb gets to play opposite her husband John Erb, whose Prince Eric is the human Ariel risks everything for in order to join him on dry land. John delivers a few strong vocal moments, particularly in the song written expressly for the stage show (Her Voice) that finds Eric, after being rescued by the mermaid, trying to remember what Ariel sounded like.

Ariel's sisters, meanwhile, pack a powerful vocal punch when performing together, and Sheri Olson, Megan Warren, Olivia Gasper, Danielle Clark, Michelle Steen, and Kailey Ackermann sounded fantastic in their group numbers. In another tune I'd never heard before, titled Shes in Love, these women were soulful and full of energy, and that number that also marked the first time we got to hear the singing of Ariels best friend Flounder (played by the wonderfully impressive 12-year-old Lillian Cobert).

Some say that in every great story, you find a great villain, and that's certainly the case with Beth Marsouns delightfully wicked sea witch Ursula. Arriving complete with purple skin, four moving tentacles, and a wildly evil laugh, Marsouns vocals sent her performance into the sky (rather than the sea). In Ursula's Poor Unfortunate Souls, especially, Marsouns voice will blow you, too, out of the water.

John and Hillary Erb in The Little Mermaid

Other members of The Little Mermaid's cast include J. Adam Lounsberry as Sebastian the Jamaican crab with the funny one-liners and the always funny and delightful T.J. Green as Chef Louis. A tap-dancing Faith R. Hardacre plays the very confused seagull Scuttle, while Harold Truitt, as Erics caretaker Grimsby, treated us to stage voice that was crystal clear and a pleasure to listen to.

I did have some issues with the show, based mostly on its script and some confusing staging toward the end. Considering that most of The Little Mermaid takes place in one of two different worlds one undersea, one human I knew it would be intriguing to see how Beck handled the worlds' collision, even if the stage script's finale wound up different from the film's. (And it was: Rather than a wedding between Ursula and Eric that Ariel and her friends have to break up, the climax here involves a singing contest.) In this staging, though, seemingly out of nowhere, Ursula is suddenly in the castle ballroom as are the other sea creatures and mermaids and it became confusing as to whether we were actually on land or in the sea. (If Flounder really was in that ballroom, that might make for some serious breathing issues.) Some more-creative staging might have helped clear up the audience's bewilderment, even if this was purely a script-based problem.

But in the end, if you know and love The Little Mermaid as either a movie or a stage musical, you'll still see all of the story's iconic visuals in Quad City Music Guild's latest presentation, thanks to the hard work of Beck, costume designer Angie Stark, scenic designer Michael Turczynski, and lighting designer John Weigandt. And, of course, you'll hear all that wonderful music.

The Little Mermaid runs at the Prospect Park Auditorium (1584 34th Avenue, Moline) through June 18, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)762-6610 or visiting QCMusicGuild.com.

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High Seas, High "C"s: "The Little Mermaid," at the Prospect Park Auditorium through June 18 - River Cities Reader

Handmade boat for the high seas – New Straits Times Online


New Straits Times Online
Handmade boat for the high seas
New Straits Times Online
Take one look at American traveller Jonathan Selby's handmade boat and nobody will believe it can survive the deep sea. The 70-year-old, who has earned a reputation in the Philippines after sailing around the country for the last three years, however ...

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Handmade boat for the high seas - New Straits Times Online

African states band together to defeat crime on high seas | News24 – News24

Yaound - A total of 19 African countries on Thursday launched an EU-funded network to tackle piracy, high seas robbery, kidnappings and human trafficking in the strategically important Gulf of Guinea.

The Gulf of Guinea interregional network (GOGIN) officially began operations after a ceremony in the Cameroon capital Yaounde.

"Nineteen African coastal nations, from Angola to Senegal, have begun working together to combat criminality at sea," said an official statement from the group.

The $9.8 million four-year initiative is designed to clamp down on maritime crime in a region where trafficking in both human beings and drugs is rife.

Adding to a raft of problems to solve in a zone stretching across some 6 000km are illegal fishing and oil theft.

Heading the GOGIN taskforce is retired French vice-admiral Jean-Pierre Labonne, who said the agreement followed "several months of fine-tuning with my African colleagues.

Peace and stability

"Our long-term aim is to support peace, stability and economic and human development throughout West and Central Africa," said Labonne, who vowed to spare no effort to ensure the project achieves tangible results.

He added that GOGIN would provide participating states with technical and logistical assistance to fight crime and to better exchange information among themselves.

The African states will also benefit from academic training modules and training exercises at sea with the goal of eventually overseeing such activities themselves.

The project will be implemented by Expertise France, a French international cooperation agency specialising in technology.

GOGIN has emerged from the Yaounde Process, a code of conduct adopted in 2013 following a regional summit on how to tackle illegal maritime activities in west and central Africa.

The GOGIN initiative adds to existing operations, including an interregional coordination centre in Yaounde to monitor the Gulf of Guinea, whose strategic position is bolstered by an abundance of natural resources.

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African states band together to defeat crime on high seas | News24 - News24

High seas force Durban beaches closure | Berea Mail – Berea Mail

Monster waves are expected this weekend and have forced the closure of two Durban beaches,

ETHEKWINI Municipality has temporarily closed Country Club and eThekwini beaches after the South African Weather Bureau and Sharks Board warned of high seas and adverse weather conditions which will hit Durban at the weekend.

The Sharks Board will lift the shark nets at the two beaches.

The city said it would monitor all other beaches and should it become necessary to close any other beaches, the public would be notified accordingly.The bad weather comes after high seas and gale force winds lashed the Cape this week leaving many people homeless and causing damage to homes and businesses.

Earlier this week the SA Weather Service also sent out warning of expected gale force winds and high seas which were being exacerbated by the current spring tide.

The spring tide has made the sea fuller, which means we can expect high seas. We urge people to stay out of the ocean, said the South African Weather Service.

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High seas force Durban beaches closure | Berea Mail - Berea Mail