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Is this the real reason why Mary Rose sank?

Editor — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:44:18 +0100

The truth was withheld to maintain the Navy's image, explains Dr Dominic Fontana a geographer with the University of Portsmouth.

By claiming the ship was toppled by wind and an incompetent crew, the Navy's supremacy was maintained, Henry VIII's pride remained intact and the French were unable to claim victory

"The Mary Rose was holed by French gunfire received from an advance party of fast, oar-powered galleys which were heavily armed," said Dr. Fontanta.

"She would have quickly taken quite a quantity of water into her hull before she manoeuvred to bring a broadside of guns to bear on the attacking French galleys." That fateful manoeuvre was her undoing because the sudden movement of water in the hold caused her to capsize.

"Mary Rose was hit by French gunfire and despite valiant efforts being made by her crew she capsized just one mile from Southsea Castle from where King Henry VIII was watching.

"Those onshore would not have known anything about flooding in the hull caused by a French hit on the ship and it would have appeared as though she had been caught by a freak gust of wind and blown over."

Mary Rose sank after 34 years of service, fighting in two wars against the French and one against the Spanish.

The Mary Rose was an English Tudor carrack warship and one of the first to be able to fire a full broadside of cannons. The Mary Rose was well equipped with 78 guns (91 after an upgrade in 1536.)

A tight squeeze

Editor — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:22:13 +0100

Dead water caught on film

Editor — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:34:38 +0100

Nansen wrote afterwards: "Fram appeared to be held back, as if by some mysterious force, and she did not always answer the helm We made loops in our course, turned sometimes right around, tried all sorts of antics to get clear of it, but to very little purpose."

Nansen called the effect "dead water", reporting that it slowed Fram to a quarter of her normal speed.

Research has already shown that dead water occurs when an area of water consists of two or more layers of water with different salinity, and hence density - for example, when fresh water from a melting glacier forms a relatively thin layer on top of denser seawater. Waves that form in the hidden layer can slow the boat with no visible trace.

Now French scientists recreating that scenario in a lab tank have revealed new detail of the phenomenon and even captured the effect on video. The work will help scientists to better understand dead water and the behaviour of stratified sea patches.

Fish Choose Their Leaders By Consensus

Editor — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:29:58 +0100

"Not only that, but they also preferred fat over thin, healthy over ill, and so on. The part that really caught our eye was that these preferences grew as the group size increased, through some kind of positive social feedback mechanism."

"Their consensus arises through a simple rule," said David Sumpter of Uppsala University. "Some fish spot the best choice early on, although others may make a mistake and go the wrong way. The remaining fish assess how many have gone in particular directions. If the number going in one direction outweighs those going the other way, then the undecided fish follow in the direction of the majority."

Officials in Florida sees increase in sea turtle nests

Editor — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:25:47 +0100

Florida’s loggerhead nest counts during the 2008 season were slightly higher than counts in 2007, which were the lowest nesting levels in the 20-year history of this monitoring program, according to information on Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI).

“Last year for instance on Fort Myers Beach we had eight nests,” said Eve Haverfield, founder of Turtle Time which is the permit holder for Fort Myers beach, Bonita Beach, Bunche Beach and Big Hickory Island. “This year I had 44. Last year we ended up with 397 total hatchlings. This year we had 2,294.”

Whale watching in the Dominican Republic

Editor — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:12:02 +0100

From January through March, Samana Bay is nearly taken over by humpback whales. For centuries, thousands of these majestic mammals migrate to the warm protected waters of the Bay of Samana on the DR’s east coast. The Tours from Samana Bay are available during this time and most offer a 99 percent sighting rate. Under the strictest guidelines, these playful whales can be admired at fairly close range, without intimidating mothers and their calves or risking your safety.

Protection = eco-tourism
In the DR, eco‐tourism opportunities abound and connect visitors with the environment in sustainable ways, granting access to the unimaginable beauty of the land. The Whale Sanctuary in Samana provides safety for 3,000 to 5,000 breeding humpback whales each winter. In addition to coastal protections, the DR’s plentiful national parks located inland boast such sites as the highest and lowest geographical points in the entire Caribbean. Minister of Tourism, Francisco Javier Garcia said, “By setting aside 20 percent of our land for preservation, the DR has taken a very systematic approach to ensure our natural beauty remains unspoiled. This dedication has led to the development of 83 protected areas including 19 national parks, 32 natural monuments, six reserves and two marine sanctuaries.”

Divers launch Yemen's first underwater cleanup campaign

Editor — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:01:22 +0100

Waste collected underwater included oilcans, plastic bags, pipes, plastic bottles, shoes, ropes and rusty metals. The team managed to collect 40kg of rubbish during its first dive.

Five divers from Yemen and Egypt participated in the cleanup campaign, and despite the bad weather and visibility they succeeded in collecting considerable amounts of garbage.

Whale shark tracked to inland village

Editor — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:50:53 +0100

The high-tech tracking tag on its back was collecting important new information about these mysterious giants - the world's largest fish - which are under threat from ocean-going vessels and hunting in Asia.

But then the journey stopped abruptly just off West Timor.