Cruise ship releasing bow line #cunard #cruise #cruiseship #cruising #southampton #docks #liner #short

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The Crazy Waters Bridge in Chalkis sits at the narrowest point between Evia and the mainland, where the strait is only about 38 meters wide. Because so much water is forced through this tiny opening, extremely strong currents are created — the reason sailors call it the “Crazy Waters.” The bridge is in the middle of the city and opens only once a day to avoid disrupting the constant road traffic. Boats may only pass at slack tide, the brief moment every six hours when the water is calmest. That’s why sailors often go through at strange times like 1:30 or 3:00 a.m. While waiting, boats are not allowed to tie up along the quay because the turbulence is so strong that it would be dangerous. Instead, everyone must anchor in the bay and wait for instructions from Port Control. We anchored there with about fifteen other boats and waited until slack tide at night. At midnight, Port Control suddenly called all boats in order — we were number three. Passing the bridge in the dark was surreal: strong currents below, quiet city lights above. The bridge didn’t lift; it actually slid sideways into the quay walls, disappearing completely. Once through, we moored safely just 100 meters further in the city. Experiencing this natural phenomenon at night, in such a narrow and powerful channel, was something I will not quickly forget!

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Watch Bill Henson’s JPK 45 SIRENE flying downwind with their UK Sailmakers asymmetrical spinnaker in the 2024 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race! Making an incredible debut, SIRENE was crowned IRC Corinthian Division Champion, took 2nd place in IRC Division 2, and finished 15th overall in IRC out of 104 starters—only 74 of which crossed the finish line. Representing Fremantle Sailing Club and equipped with an expertly crafted sail inventory from UK Sailmakers Fremantle, SIRENE showcased the perfect balance of versatility and performance that defines this racer-cruiser. The sails were designed and built by UK Sailmakers, with upwind sails developed by Pat Considine (UK Sailmakers Chicago) and asymmetrical spinnakers by Geoff Bishop (UK Sailmakers Fremantle). SIRENE’s inventory included: • X-Drive mainsail with three reefs • X-Drive J2 race jib, reefable to J3 • Heavy-weather J4 staysail on a furler • Code Zero, A2, A3, A4, and a reaching jib top • Storm jib for safety compliance The sail wardrobe was meticulously planned, combining local expertise with UK Sailmakers' cutting-edge Fluid–Structure Interaction (FSI) modeling—an advanced analytical tool that simulates the interaction between sails and surrounding airflow to optimize performance. The initial sail plan was developed in collaboration with Geoff Bishop of UK Sailmakers and a local rigger, with support from FSI modeling by UK Sailmakers' lead designer, Pat Considine. This resulted in a highly effective combination of a jib with a reef and a furling staysail, minimizing jib sail changes while providing a versatile downwind staysail. Video clip provided by Bill Henson.

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