Category Archives: High Seas

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Captain Lee Rosbach and Kate Chastain Look Back on Below Deck Hookups

Love is always in the air on Below Deck, whether it's a flirtmance, a hookup, or the start of a full-blown relationship. And while these romances may not have the best track record when it comes to longevity, the crew, as well as viewers at home, always love to see how it all plays out.

So now that we're seven seasons and more than 100 episodes into Below Deck, we thought it was high time we looked back at all the love, heartbreak, and laundry room rendezvous the yachties have had over the years. And who better to reminisce with than the crew members who have lived through it all: Captain Lee Rosbach and Kate Chastain?

Captain Lee and Kate reflected on all the romance aboard the Below Deck yacht when The Daily Dish caught up with them earlier this season (clip above). And let's just say that Captain Lee wasn't really shipping any of the couples we've seen in the past. "Can you think of anyone you wish was still together?" Captain Lee said to Kate in the video. "Some of them are best left forgotten."

One hookup no Below Deck fan will ever forget is Eddie Lucas and Rocky Dakota in Season 3. In fact, it changed the series forever. "We now have cameras in the laundry room," Captain Lee said with a laugh.

"They ruined it for everyone," Kate quipped. "This is why we can't have nice things, Eddie and Rocky."

Believe it or not, Eddie and Rocky got off easy when it came to Captain Lee and Kate's commentary. They really brought the sass when it came to reflecting on most of the past relationships on the yacht. "Laughable," "weird," and not being able to see this person "with anybody that has good hearing and more tastebuds in their mouth than anywhere else" are just a few choice descriptions from Captain Lee and Kate.

What a trip down memory lane this has been!

Want more Below Deck? New episodes air every Mondayat 9/8c.

Watch theValorcrew reflect on their latest high seas adventures in theBelow Deck Season 7 After Show, below.

After Show

Rhylee Gerber Calls Kevin Dobson Out for Being a "Cry Baby"

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Kate Chastain Says This Below Deck Couple "Ruined It for Everyone" - Bravo

Audra McDonald, who won her fifth of six Tony Awards for playing Bess in the 2012 revival of Porgy and Bess, will return to the piece in a new capacity. The Broadway mainstay will host the Metropolitan Opera's upcoming Live in HD presentation of its new production of the American opera.

As previously announced, the February 1 matinee will be broadcast live in movie theatres around the world as part of the Met's ongoing series. The filmed version will also air on PBS in July to conclude the 14th season of Great Performances at the Met. McDonald will introduce the presentation and speak with performers and artists throughout the performance.

James Robinson's production, which opened the Met's 20192020 season, marks the first time the New York City house has presented the Gershwin and Heyward opera in 30 years. After consistently playing to full capacity in the fall, the production added three February performances to its run (a first in the company's modern history).

THE VERDICT: What Did Critics Think of Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera?

Eric Owens and Angel Blue star in the title roles, along with Golda Schultz as Clara, Latonia Moore as Serena, Denyce Graves as Maria, Frederick Ballentine as Sportin' Life, Alfred Walker as Crown, and Donovan Singletary as Jake. David Robertson conducts.The staging also features the work of a handful of Broadway regulars, with costumes by Tony winner Catherine Zuber, sets by Tony winner Michael Yeargan, lighting design by Tony winner Donald Holder, and choreography by Tony nominee Camille A. Brown.

In addition to The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, McDonald earned Tonys for Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, A Raisin in the Sun, Ragtime, Master Class, and Carousel. She last appeared on Broadway in a revival of Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. On screen, she can be seen on CBS All Access' The Good Fight, as well as the upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic Respect.

Though she studied classical voice at Juilliard, McDonald made the decision to pursue musical theatre early in her career. She has since returned to the opera world sporadically, including in Michael John LaChiusa's Send with Houston Grand Opera and Kurt Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny with Los Angeles Opera.

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McDonald will be a special guest performer on one of Playbill Travels upcoming Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Cabins are now on sale for Broadway in the Great Northwest, Playbill Travels first domestic cruise featuring Kate Baldwin, Tedd Firth, Aaron Lazar, and Beth Leavel (April 26May 4, 2020), and for Broadway on the Mediterranean (August 31September 7, 2020), featuring McDonald, Will Swenson, Gavin Creel, Caissie Levy, and Lindsay Mendez, and for Broadway on the Nile (December 27, 2020January 7, 2021) and Broadway on the Caribbean (February 1522, 2021), with performers soon to be announced. To book a suite or stateroom, call Playbill Travel at 866-455-6789 or visit PlaybillTravel.com.

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Audra McDonald to Host Metropolitan Opera's Live in HD Broadcast of Porgy and Bess - Playbill.com

(MENAFN - Gulf Times) Cold conditions are expected in the country Sunday along with poor visibility at times due to dust and strong winds in some places, the forecast shows.The Qatar Met department has also issued a marine warning for strong winds and high seas Sunday.Doha and other parts of the country experienced dusty and windy conditions Saturday evening, leading to a sharp drop in visibility at a number of places.Sunday's detailed forecast says it will be relatively cold during the day and dusty conditions are expected in some places occasionally. Also, scattered clouds are likely along with a chance of rain towards the north, and it will be cold by night, the weather report states.Dust, cloudy conditions and a possibility of scattered rain at times have been forecast in offshore areas Sunday.The wind speed may go up to 38 knots offshore and 34 knots inshore Sunday, with the sea level rising to 15ft at times.The minimum temperature Sunday is expected to be 8C in Abu Samra, 9C in Wakrah and Mesaieed, 10C in Dukhan, 11C in Al Khor, 12C in Doha and 13C in Ruwais. The maximum, on the other hand, will be 16C in Dukhan and Ruwais, 17C in Al Khor, 18C in Doha and Abu Samra, and 19C in Wakrah and Mesaieed.Saturday, a minimum temperature of 7C was recorded in Abu Samra, followed by 8C in Sheehaniya, Karana and Ghuwairiyah, 9C in Dukhan and Jumayliyah, and 10C in Mesaieed, Turayna, Mukaynis and Shehaimiya, while in Doha (airport area) it was 13C. The maximum ranged from 19C to 23C around the country.The weather office had earlier predicted a cold spell in the country from Sunday, which is expected to continue for several days.Saturday's 'dust block' started affecting the western regions before moving to other areas. The visibility fell to below 2km in many places due to the dust.The weather office advised people - especially those with health concerns - to exercise due caution in the prevailing conditions.Late in the night, the Met department tweeted about a significant improvement in the horizontal visibility as the 'dust block' moved eastward towards the sea. However, it also said the country was expected to be affected by another 'dust block' in the coming hours.Images showed the presence of the second 'dust block' in the Arabian Peninsula, which could gradually affect the country - especially the southern and central regions, leading to a low visibility of below 2km in some areas at times, the department tweeted, urging people to be careful.

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Qatar- Sunday to be cold, dusty and cloudy - MENAFN.COM

Reality shows have quickly become one of the most popular things we watch on television. For fans of fishing, "Wicked Tuna" is a must see.

The show is a series about commercial tuna fishermen based in Gloucester, MA and their quest for the lucrative Atlantic Bluefin tuna.

This season you may see someone you recognize!

Sam Law of Greenland will be making his debut this season on his boat FV/Kraken out of Seabrook, NH!

Law went to Portsmouth High School and has been a fisherman his whole life. He studied at Maine Maritime Academy. New Hampshire is already well represented with Tyler Mclaughlin of Rye a series regular.

National Geographic Channel says the new season will be full of drama on the high seas, as the show follows a group of salty fishermen from the nations oldest seaport, Gloucester, MA.

According to Premieredate.news, "Wicked Tuna" will debut sometime in March.

Check out the trailer here:

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New Hampshire Man to Appear on Upcoming Season of 'Wicked Tuna' TV Show - wokq.com

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has told members that "an unauthorised party" may have pilfered a database containing personal information from 2015.

A statement issued by the boating organisation, which awards sailing qualifications and safety training to the Great British Public, said it had spotted the breach just over a week ago.

"On 17 January 2020 we became aware that an unauthorised party accessed and may have acquired a database created in 2015 containing personal data associated with a number of RYA user accounts," it said.

Stolen information included names, email addresses and "hashed passwords", including a "majority held with the salted hash function." No payment or financial information was said to have gone walkies.

The association statement, seen by The Reg this morning, continued: "Our investigation into this matter is ongoing and we have engaged leading data security firms, including forensic specialists, to assist in our investigation." The Information Commissioner's Office has been informed.

All boaty people with RYA online accounts have had their passwords reset, with account access being disabled until this is done. In an email sent to RYA members and seen by The Register, the association said: "We will provide more information to those users potentially impacted by this possible breach as soon as possible."

The standard post-breach advice is to change one's password, particularly on other sites or services where you've reused the same combination of email address/username and password. This helps prevent miscreants from using the same combination elsewhere to get into your online life.

Breaches of old credentials are a cause for concern. Many people simply keep using the same username and password until forced to change it, despite the best efforts of the infosec industry to convince them not to do that. It isn't plain sailing out on the cyber high seas.

Sponsored: Detecting cyber attacks as a small to medium business

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2015-member database floats off through breach in Royal Yachting Association's hull - The Register

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Okay, the best Pokmon by definition doesn't exist. The legendary pseudo captured by Ash Ketchum in episode 10 of Pokemon 2019 however, it really is one of the most loved and powerful of the entire saga, as well as one of those additions that served the young champion's team to be able to conquer other important trophies.

Feel free to pinch yourself if you have to because Ash Ketchum, 23 years after his first appearance, has finally managed to catch a Dragonite. At the bottom of the article you can take a look at the video of the capture, as well as some fantastic fan reactions.

Episode 10 opened with Ash and Go aboard a ship. Once you get off, Go manages to catch a Dewgong and rides him along with his companions to try to further expand his Pokdex. After losing control of his new Pokmon, engaged in the pursuit of a female Dewgong, the two end up on the high seas and find themselves beached on an island populated by Dragonite.

Here Ash manages to make friends with a Dragonair and helps him free one of his companions captured by Team Rocket. With the help of Pikachu the two emerge victorious from the confrontation and the Dragonair evolves in Dragonite. Ash prepares to resume his journey but the legendary pseudo seems to have become too fond of the protagonist and consequently asks to be captured.

Dragonite is currently the third Pokmon traveling with Ash, along with Pikachu and Mr. Mime.

And what do you think of it? Are you happy? Let us know by leaving a comment below! Meanwhile, we take this opportunity to remind you that the next episode of Pokmon will be dedicated to Koharu and that in the next one, the number 12, we will instead see a great battle.

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After 23 years, Ash Ketchum has finally caught the best Pokmon of all - Asap Land

Converted shipping containers are used as shops, storage facilities and workers' accommodation but there are still very few examples in Dunedin. Kim Dungey reports on one.

A Dunedin couple thought outside the box when building this property from shipping containers.

The shape and the cladding might give away its industrial roots but inside, it is difficult to believe you are in steel containers that carried goods on the high seas.

Former Otago rugby player Nick Moore said the project had taken longer than he thought, cost double what he expected and was something he would probably not do again, but once he and wife Nadene had committed to the project, there was no turning back.

As South Island manager for SEA Containers New Zealand, Mr Moore was already familiar with repurposed containers and keen to use them for their next rental property.

Designed to be stacked on top of one another, the units can also be placed side by side to provide multiple living areas and bedrooms.

On the bottom level, the containers serve as a kitchen-living area, a guest toilet, a bedroom and with five bedrooms the maximum permitted on site a large storage area.

There is also a carport, underneath the top level.

"Each container also has substantial structural support over and above what is required for housing as it had to be able to survive being transported and lifted by crane on to site."

Outside, landscaping is still to be completed. Inside, MDF offers a hardy wall lining and chipboard placed over the existing plywood floors provided a flat surface on which to lay carpet.

Closed-cell foam insulation, together with double glazing, keeps noise from the one-way road outside to a minimum.

While the couple planned to demolish the existing house in 2017 and have the new one ready to let at the start of 2018, the project took more than three years.

One big expense was moving the containers three times firstly from the container depot in Christchurch to an engineer in Southland, then to storage in Dunedin while foundations were completed, and finally to Ethel Benjamin Pl.

In hindsight, it would also have been better to remove complete walls as leaving part walls where the containers met meant framing them up on both sides, Mr Moore said.

Both, though, are happy with what they have created and delighted with feedback on the project.

"People have said that they didnt expect it to be this big inside, that it doesnt look like containers and that its very quiet," Mr Moore said.

"Im happy to see the end of it but Im really proud of the way its turned out."

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Outside the box - Otago Daily Times

Cruise of Thrones - inspired by the game-changing book series and HBO show - will take to the high seas in 2021, and bring to life the epic story that has inspired a generation and amassed a legion of followers.

This exclusive luxury cruise will visit various Game of Thrones filming locations throughout Europe, offering two unique itineraries which will travel through Iceland, Northern Ireland, Spain, Malta and Croatia.

The brainchild of Lynette Durovic, owner of Dalmatian Travel & Events, the inspiration for the cruise came from her die-hard appreciation for the George R.R Martin books.

It started with a day in Dubrovnik. I had just made the rounds of the city on a Game of Thrones tour and was sitting on a wall looking at the Red Keep, recalls Ms Durovic.

My heart was still pounding with the excitement of the experience. I wanted more. I wanted to see it all, from North of the Wall, to the Free cities, and everything in between. I also knew exactly how I wanted to do it ... from the decks of a luxury cruise ship, surrounded by thousands of fans like me.

Ms Durovic tells Express.co.uk that the cruise is for fans, from a fan, and will feature key elements which will be recognisable to GoT lovers everywhere, with extensive planning and innovation going into the entire experience.

READ MORE: Cruise secrets: Ex crew worker reveals what he wishes he could tell guests about the food

The creative process of conceiving, planning and orchestrating logistics on an international scale has been daunting but exciting, she says.

Ive done weddings, conventions, a humanitarian relief project to Syrian refugees in Croatia, coordinated a community women's conference and reunion cruises but nothing compared to the scope of Cruise of Thrones.

In the midst of developing the concept of Cruise of Thrones, the entrepreneur underwent some difficulty at a pivotal time.

About a year after I started developing the Cruise of Thrones project, I became ill and had to put my business on the back burner.

That was tough, says Ms Durovic. I don't enjoy letting people down and that's exactly what I felt I was doing."

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"It took me about two years to bounce back from that. It is pure joy to see this cruise come back together and to surpass where I was before.

Cruise of Thrones will set sail September 2021 and offers cruisers the chance to take the Northern Cruise of the Southern Cruise.

The Northern Cruise will take passengers to The Wall and beyond visiting Iceland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, while the Southern Cruise will sail to warmer climates in Spain, Malta and Croatia - otherwise known as Dorne, Essos and Kings Landing.

We wanted to make the cruise available to as many people as possible. One aspect that can be difficult for a traveller is to get time off of work. The amount of time they spend on vacation sometimes means being away from family and their job, states Ms Durovic.

We approached the idea of breaking the cruise into two 8-night cruises in an effort to address this issue. If you look at a map of the filming locations, amazingly there is a distinct dividing point between the North and the South. And if you do happen to have that extra time, we invite you to take both the Northern and Southern cruises, which qualifies you for a bonus two-day side trip to see the steps of Dragonstone.

Beyond the iconic locations, passengers on the ship will also have the chance to engage in some cosplay and fully embody the Game of Thrones spirit.

Passengers should expect innovation, energy, surprises and endless activities, said Ms Durovic.

On this one of a kind luxury cruise, they can expect to have all their senses indulged.

"We'll have celebrities, panels, lectures, musicians, dance performances, storytelling, top-notch dining experiences, cosplay, fan art, specialty drinks, games, casino, spa, wine tasting, ice carving -- I could go on, and on.

They will also get exquisite service, indulgences and some fun treats along the way. What they will not get is boredom. I guarantee that one.

More information can be found at cruiseofthrones.com.

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Game of Thrones-inspired cruise is coming to travellers in 2021 - Express

In this July 1973 column, published in The Norwester, Bodden Towns Justice of the Peace William J. Wood relates some of his memories from the Prohibition Era, when Americas Great Experiment in banning the manufacture or sale of liquor put a special value on liquor that could be imported despite the Customs mens close watch. Wood was among the Caymanians who sailed aboard boats which took part in the lucrative trade of getting foreign liquors to US buyers on the high seas.

In the 1920s, Prohibition was in full swing in the United States and the country was dry. All the distilleries were closed and the importation of liquor was banned. Millions of dollars were spent guarding the Canadian and Mexican borders and the long sea coastlines. Of course, this was almost impossible, as there were no planes in those days to patrol the boundaries of sea or land.

And so arose the profession of bootlegging, or rum-running as it was called, in order to make a quick dollar. What actually happened on the land borders is unknown to this writer, so my story is based on the sea boundaries.

Captain Ben Granger, from Texas, was the first to come here and spread the news. He bought an island-built schooner by the name of Island Home and shipped a full crew of Caymanian seamen. He also installed in his vessel an engine which was essential in this kind of work. Large cargo ships brought loads of the finest liquors from the Continent and placed them in bonded warehouses in Havana. Captain Ben, in the initial stages, loaded his boat in Havana and then came to Cayman and had the liquor taken ashore and removed from the cases into sacks, which would stow better and be less conspicuous when landed in the US. This was done on several trips and helped the island greatly as our economy was very low during that period. Shortly afterwards, this practice was discontinued and all boats in that trade loaded at Havana and went to their pre-arranged sites off the American coast.

It was a common sight to see eight or nine boats anchored in Havana harbour awaiting their turn to load. These boats were manned by seamen from the Cayman Islands and British and Spanish Honduras. It was at that time that I joined the gang at Havana. We would leave by sail or motor vessels for the Isle of Pines, take a ferry to Batabano and a train from there to Havana.

When $1,000 bills were used, I worked as a seaman on several boats during over two years there the schooner Cayman, the yacht Narkeeto, and the auxilliary boat Carson, just to name a few. We were well paid and well treated. In fact, there was the first and last time that I ever saw $1,000 bills. We would load at Havana with the best whiskies, gin, cordials and Champagne and would go to a pre-arranged rendezvous off the American coast. This was necessary so that our associates from the American side would know where to locate us.

When their boats came in sight, they would have to give us the correct signals, otherwise we would not allow them to come alongside. We always kept outside the 12-mile limit, so that Coast Guard boats would not interfere with us. Some boats had a purser aboard and sold direct to the smaller boats, while others were unloaded by their owners.

All boats had to be armed with high-powered .303 rifles, in case hijackers wanted to come aboard and help themselves. This happened on several occasions although the crew were armed, because the hijackers came as friends and bought some liquor, and then with pistols caught the crew off guard and compelled them to load their boats, besides carrying off any money or valuables they could find.

One schooner named the Emerald left Havana and has never been heard of since. It is believed that hijackers took the cargo, killed the crew and sank the boat. All boats would have several blank manifests; if some of the liquor was sold, a new manifest would be made showing a different amount and kind, in case they were boarded by the Coast Guard.

It was all very nicely planned and many millions of gallons of good liquor got into the United States. Only the rich could buy this kind of liquor, as it was priced at $35 to $40 a bottle on shore. It was all very thrilling and lucrative, but dangerous, as well. Besides hijackers, when bad weather came, we had to take up anchor and get underway. With our contraband cargo we could not go into port, but had to stay out there and take it.

I remember one time when a heavy northwest storm came up. We had to leave our anchorage and go out to sea for many days and nights, battling the high seas and winds, before we could return. With the exception of Captain Ben Granger and Thomas Jackson, both now deceased, no one seemed to save their money. They spent it all in Havana on women, wine and a jolly good time.

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Archive: 'My two years with the bootleggers' - Cayman Compass

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will send a warship and patrol planes to protect Japanese ships in the Middle East as the situation in the region, from which it sources nearly 90% of its crude oil imports, remains volatile, Japans top government spokesman said on Friday.

FILE PHOTO: A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's P3-C Orion surveillance aircraft flies over an oil tanker as the plane takes part in an anti-piracy operation at the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia, in this photo taken by Kyodo August 1, 2015. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

Under the plan approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abes cabinet, a helicopter-equipped destroyer and two P-3C patrol planes will be dispatched for information-gathering aimed at ensuring safe passage for Japanese vessels through the region.

If there are any emergencies, a special order would be issued by the Japanese defense minister to allow the forces to use weapons to protect ships in danger.

Peace and stability in the Middle East is extremely important for the peace and prosperity of the international community including Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference.

Also, it is very important to make sure Japan-related ships can sail safely in the Middle East, the worlds major source of energy.

Friction between Iran and the United States has increased since last year, when U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran and re-imposed sanctions on it, crippling its economy.

In May and June, there were several attacks on international merchant vessels in the region, including the Japanese-owned tanker Kokuka Courageous, which the United States blamed on Iran. Tehran denies the accusations.

Oil importers and refiners welcomed the government decision.

The Middle East situation remains unpredictable ... We believe the decision, made against this backdrop, will benefit the safe passage of ships in the region, Petroleum Association of Japan President Takashi Tsukioka said in a statement.

Japan, a U.S. ally that has maintained friendly ties with Iran, has opted to launch its own operation rather than join a U.S.-led mission to protect shipping in the region.

Abe last week briefed visiting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tokyos plan to send naval forces to the Gulf.

The planned operation is set to cover high seas in the Gulf of Oman, the northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, but not the Strait of Hormuz.

The Japanese government aims to start the operation of the patrol planes next month, while the destroyer will likely begin activities in the region in February, a defense ministry official said.

The government decision is effective for one year through December 26, 2020. A fresh cabinet approval is necessary to extend the armed forces activities in the Middle East.

A European operation to ensure safe shipping in the Gulf will also get underway next month, when a French warship starts patrolling there.

Additional reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Michael Perry

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Japan to send warship, aircraft to Middle East to protect vessels - Reuters