AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF AT SEA CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE EARTH ON POWER FROM THE SUN TURANOR PLANETSOLAR IS BACK HOME:
*** Congratulations to all involved in the PlanetSolar project on your success ***
Christian Ochsenbein shows off the solar system that powered PlanetSolar around the globe:
LINK
45 days around the World using indirect solar (wind) energy and state of the art technology:
The crew of the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V, skippered by Frenchman Loick Peyron, completed the journey of 29,002 nautical miles around the world at an average speed of 26.51 knots (636.24 nautical miles per day) and won the Jules Verne Trophy in a time of just 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds, setting the new world record for the fastest yacht voyage around the world.
The Fastest circumnavigation by a powered boat was set by Earthrace. The journey took 60 days 23 hrs 49 mins. About 15 days slower than sailing boat Banque Populaire V.
(Earthrace designed by PlanetSolar designer Craig Loomes)
The Daily Telegraph published Banque Populaire V results below, which bear little relation to reality. The Telegraph has a project to improve math in British schools, perhaps they should start with their own journalists?
Even though they are using land miles their average speed per day of 800 (land) miles is wildly out.
Wow, amazing video, incredible the crew could sustain 26.51 knots average for a month and a half!!!
Back to PlanetSolar's more leasurely voyage:
click the photo above for an aerial photo tour of the Cote d'Azure by Alistair Cunningham.
The map below is interactive and has the complete track of PlanetSolar's circumnavigation on it:
Click here to save PlanetSolar's kml file to display in Google Earth.
Agence France Press team on board PlanetSolar:
PlanetSolar has arrived at Calvi, la Corse.
PlanetSolar berths in PortoFerraio, Isola d'Elba:
LOGBOOK - 28.04.2012 5 days left before arrival
Erwann arrives back very happy from his early jogging, Le Levant, the cruise ship from the Ponant company is docked near us. Erwann and Patrick have been in command of this ship several times.
Captain Mathieu invites us for a visit, it is a splendid ship and the crew is very friendly. We also invite them to visit PlanetSolar. It is a nice encounter...
Rachel and Pascal made the trip to meet us a last time before the arrival. We have to synchronise everything in order to make the celebration at the arrival an unforgettable moment for everyone that will be attending.
We are so close, it is unbelievable. Have a nice day. Raphaël and the crew of PlanetSolar.
Raphael on the bridge of Le Levant:
PlanetSolar's track passed close to the Costa Concordia wreck, watch latest CBS video here
Jens drops TELEMATIN film crew on cliffs to shoot PlanetSolar in action beside Isola di Ponza:
THE LAST SUPPER
Albert Falco, friend and patron of PlanetSolar , passed away peacefully during the night of Saturday to Sunday. He is now in the world of silence.
Only a few hours earlier, we were launching a hot air balloon united in thoughts with Albert Falco, known as Bebert, captain of the calypso and Commander Cousteau's adventure companion. We were informed of his death by his familiy shortly before midnight.
Albert Falco is the man who used to tell me fantastic stories every Sunday morning during my childhood, he is the one who gave me the will to explore the world and protect our planet. Together with Cousteau they are the fathers of modern ecology.
I was really lucky to know him and to share with him his passion for the sea. I also had the privilege to dive at his side in the depth of the oceans. During those too brief moments, he showed me his unlimited courage and determination in protecting our planet and oceans.
Albert Falco was a man of simple taste, he was very modest and had a big heart. He was a true adventurer.
PlanetSolar is now an orphan, we lowered the flags to half-mast on board. Our thoughts are with the bereaved family.
Thank you dear Bebert for your valuable help to our adventure, you will be there with us when crossing the finish line. We will miss you.
Dear Bebert, you have now reached the world of silence for eternity but it is certainly not a world without light.
Raphael and the crew of PlanetSolar.
Above, Amalfi Italy.
Below, Messina Sicily:
Above, Planetsolar in Zakynthos, Greece on her way home to Monaco.
Below, seals exploring a wonderous solar boat in the Galapagos Islands, Pacific Ocean.
Above, film crew from Greek TV meet Erwann, captain and Raphael, project founder and expedition leader, on PlanetSolar.
Planetsolar crew all smiles as they celebrate with an Easter feast off the Greek coast before arriving in Zakynthos on their home stretch to Monte Carlo.
Planetsolar heads under Peace Bridge to exit the Suez Canal and enter the Mediterranean the sea she started in.
PlanetSolar in Port Sudan:
THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH ABOUT THE CONVENIENT SOMALI PIRATES?
US has bases in Djibouti, Socotra, Masirah. The bases are separated by about 650nm . They have aircraft loaded with missiles at each base capable of 1700 miles per hour. US spy satellites can resolve down to at least 20cm. Objects located by satellites can be tracked by computers. Genuine fishing boats look and behave differently to pirate boats. The US also has many available drones in the area armed with missiles and very high resolution imaging that would leave no doubt as to the intention of a scanned boat. The drones can fly anywhere in their controlling satellite's footprint for many hours.
(Drone base also on Seychelles, multipurpose base on Diego Garcia).
So you can deduce that if the US military wanted to take out the pirates they could. They extrajudicially execute plenty of Pakistanis without any worry.
But as Stephen M. Carmel says, a very small amount of US trade passes through the area so the Pirates are only a problem for trade competitors of the US.
However the "pirates" do give the US an excuse to set up large military bases in an area they want to control.
US President Barack Obama's chief counterterrorism advisor has defended the non-UN-sanctioned CIA assassination drone strikes (extrajudicial executions without trial) in Pakistan's tribal regions, calling them legal and ethical.
He went on to say that the US Constitution allows the president to protect the nation from any imminent threat or attack. (No threat to USA homeland!)
The US regularly uses unmanned aircraft for attacks on Pakistan's tribal regions, claiming the airstrikes target al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, but locals say civilians are the main victims of the assaults.
The US resumed its drone operations in Pakistan in recent weeks after it halted the strikes in November 2011, when 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in NATO airstrikes at two checkpoints on the Afghan border.
In response to the attack, Islamabad closed the border crossings used to transfer NATO supplies into landlocked Afghanistan and ordered all US personnel to vacate a remote airfield in Balochistan province that was used to launch drone attacks.
Turanor PlanetSolar in Abu Dhabi, Bertrand Piccard of SolarImpulse solar electric aircraft visits PlanetSolar.
Man wreaks massive destruction of marine life and habitat:
