NEWSSmartphones are increasingly becoming vital kit afl oat, even when abroadFollow us on Twittertwitter.com/yachtingmonthly Like us on Facebookfacebook.com/yachtingmonthlymag
Falmouth marina application withdrawnIN BRIEF
A planning application to build a 60-berth marina on the historic Custom House Quay in
Falmouth was withdrawn after 1,000 people signed a petition opposing it.
Solent tidal anomalyYMhas spotted a tidal anomaly in Portsmouth Harbour. Some HW contributor Graham Lascelles
tides times in September and October appeared to be an hour early. This is due to a long ‘stand’ at high water, within which the
highest point of tide can shift considerably.First new barge
in 80 yearsA new Thames sailing barge, commissioned by the Sea-Change Sailing Trust, will be
the fi rst built since 1930. MermaidMaldon for fi tting out in the spring and enter service in 2017. will be delivered to Blue
Rules relaxed at GelvesFollowing our report (Summer issue ‘15) about new restrictions
at Puerto Gelves, on the Rio Guadalquivir near Seville, the marina has reversed its policy. Cruisers can once again live
aboard boats laid up ashore, and haul-out charges for long-stay visitors have been halved.
Sea turtles off DorsetA pair of live loggerhead turtles, which are normally seen only in the Med and tropical Atlantic,
were spotted off the Dorset coast in late October. Clarifi cation
Contrary to our report in the November issue, Sunsail is not planning to offer US Sailing qualifi cations at its base in the
British Virgin Islands.Puffi ns could be facing extinction, according to the latest Red List of Threatened Species for Birds, published by the International
Union for Conservation of Nature.eight bird species in the British Isles that are on the ‘vulnerable Atlantic puffi ns are among
to extinction’ list. There are also 14 species on the less severe ‘near threatened’ list, including the curlew and lapwing.
per cent of the entire population of Atlantic puffi n in the summer The UK coast hosts around tenCruising sailors are set to benefi t substantially from the move to scrap all roaming charges for mobile phone users within the
European Union. MEPs have agreed that the charges, levied for using mobile phones abroad, will be banned from 15 June 2017.
mobile phone for calls, texts and data whilst travelling anywhere within Europe as it would at It will cost the same to use a
home. An interim cap will be introduced on 30 April 2016 to limit the extra charges imposed by network operators until the full
ban comes into effect. The cap will limit charges to €0.05 (3.5p) extra per minute for calls, €0.02 extra per SMS sent and €0.
extra per megabyte of data used.Europe rely on mobile data for staying in touch, downloading Most sailors cruising abroad in
chart updates, checking weatherwithin normal data thresholds, and will be signifi cantly less than current local tariffs once these
thresholds are exceeded.’would not confi rm their 2017 tariffs to Mobile network operators Yachting Monthly, but
phone company EE said: ‘We comply with all EU regulation and already provide roaming bundles which are designed to offer better
value and help customers avoid unknowingly running up high bills while abroad.’
breeding season. Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands are home to another 80 per cent.The population of puffi ns
remains in the millions, but breeding failures at key colonies are worryingly high, with many fewer young birds joining the
breeding population, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The decline is attributed to the impact
of fi shing as well as changing sea temperatures and extreme weather events.
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ENGINES | STERN GEAR | FUEL | INSTRUMENTS | FRESH WATER | WASTE WATER | MANOEUVRING | ELECTRICAL | STEERING | HATCHES | VENTILATIONE N G I N E S | S T E R N G E A R | F U E L | I N S T R U M E N T S | F R E S H W A T E R | W A S T E W A T E R | M A N O E U V R I N G | E L E C T R I C A L | S T E E R I N G | H A T C H E S | V E N T I L A T I O NPHOTO: ALAMY
PHOTO: ALAMYPuffi ns are still quite common in our home waters but breeding colonies are shrinking rapidlyforecasts and more. Association estimates The Cruising
that many sailors use up to 4GB of data every month whilst afl oat. There have been fears that
the loss of revenue for mobile network operators could lead to prices increases for mobile phones in general, both domestic
and roaming. It is not clear whether limits on data and call usage will be introduced for phones being used abroad.
Bill Anstead, who cruises in Greece, said: ‘These changes will help avoid the additional cost of Cruising Association member
tariffs abroad that are chargedEU phone data
roaming charges
to be dropped
JANUARY 2016 http://www.yachtingmonthly.com 5Puffi ns ‘face extinction’ in home waters