SeaWayBLOG

Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009 is one of the best competition for nature photographers, and each year is a wonderful source of very inspiring pictures. It's organized every year thanks to London's Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine and sponsored by Veolia Environment. As I did one year ago with a post about the 2008 edition, I would like to show you here a selection of my favourite award-winning pictures from this edition (as always I've chosen just amongst water or snow related images...). Some photographs are just perfect for the beauty of colours, composition and atmosphere like the one here above (my personal favourite). In some others, like the one here below with a king penguin chick examining footprints in the sand on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, the best part is what you can read "behind" the photograph itself.
Don't forget to visit the official website to see all the other pictures and read the interesting captions.

The amazing pigeon trio!

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:38:00 +0000

Newspix / Rex Features via Daily Mail and The Sun.

This is quite amazing. Imagine a trio of pigeons in need of cooling off during a hot summer day in Brisbane, Australia. Believe it or not the three fellows have worked out a clever system of adapting a water fountain built by humans for their very own purposes!
After waiting for the fountain to be free, one bird jumped on the lever and pushed it down to fill up the bowl, while another kept watch and the third splashed in. What a clever birds! and not only clever.. they are also great team-workers infact according to the passers-by when the third pigeon had drunk its fill and cleaned its feathers, it hopped up to the handle and let his friends have a go! The three birds continued their bathing ritual for ten minutes.

Pigeons have a very bad reputation but on the contrary of what many people think thay are amongst the most intelligent birds. Wikipedia has also a very interesting entry about Pigeon Intelligence (click to read it).

I've found a passage totally awesome. It seems that according to some experiments by Watanabe, Sakamoto and Wakita, pigeons are able to distinguish paintings by Monet from paintings by Picasso! Take a read:

The birds were first trained on a limited set of paintings: when the shown painting was a Picasso, the pigeon was able to obtain food by repeated pecking; when it was a Monet, pecking had no effect. After a while, the pigeons would only peck when shown Picasso paintings. They were then able to generalize, and correctly discriminate between paintings of the two painters not previously shown, and even between cubist and impressionist paintings (cubism and impressionism being the two stylistic schools Picasso and Monet belong to). When the Monet paintings were shown upside down, the pigeons were not able to properly categorize anymore; showing the cubist works upside down did not have such an effect.
In a later paper, Watanabe showed that if pigeons and human college students undergo the same training, their performance in distinguishing between Van Gogh and Chagall paintings is comparable.
from WIKIPEDIA

Training for the Olympics

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:18:00 +0000

I've always wondered how winter sports athletes could train during summer months. TIME has answered to this wonder with this nice video that shows us U.S. athletes of nine different winter sports training for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. In some cases like with the Ski Jumpers, they seem so at ease that you may wonder if the snow is really essential!

Launching Huge Ships

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:47:00 +0000

Working as a sailing photographer I've attended many boat launches but always something smaller than 90 feet (mainly racing yachts). Being curious about how does the launch of a huge ship look like I've found this interesting video. Now i know that big ship's launches are a pretty terrific stuff!

Chimeras of the digital age (part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Many time ago I've published a gallery of pictures realized with Photoshop. I called theam "Chimeras of the digital age" because they were the fusion of an aquatic animal with a not aquatic one. It's time to add a second part: this time the artists have merged an aquatic animal with a vegetable! The source of both galleries is Worth1000, a famous creative contest community on the web. Every day they run a few different types of creative contests (photo-editing, photography, illustration and more). Enjoy these impossible but pretty funny creatures:

Melon Turtle

Banana Fish

PotaToad

Strawberry Frog

Apple fish

Greenland, between sovereignty and glacial retreat

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:56:00 +0000

Image courtesy of Science

Greenland while being the world's largest island that is not a continent, is as well the least densely populated country in the world with just 57000 inhabitants on an area of more than two millions squared kilometres, That means that each person "has" 40 km2 just for himself...

NICK COBBING/AFP/Getty Images

Nevertheless Greenland has recently got everybody's attention for two main reasons:
First of all it's probably the place where global warming consequencies are more evident: the melting of the massive ice sheet that covered the island is quickly changing the look of greenland, bringing dreadful effects on this delicate habitat and changing dramatically the life and habits of its inhabitants; A change that involve everybody, from Inuit people to the polar bears.

REUTERS/Bob Strong

The other reason of the sudden fame of this wonderful land is that after almost 300 years under Danish rule, the island has just taken a big step toward sovereignty. Greenland passed a referendum last year requesting more powers from Copenhagen, and it was granted, taking effect on June 21st, 2009.

KELD NAVNTOFT/AFP/Getty Images

Internationally, on 21 June 2009, Greenland assumed self-determination with responsibility for self-government of judicial affairs, policing, and natural resources. Also, Greenlanders were recognized as a separate people under international law. Denmark maintains control of finances, foreign affairs, and defense. It is a step towards full independence from Danish rule. Greenlandic became the official language of Greenland at the historic ceremony.

AP Photo/POLFOTO, Jorgen Chemnitz, Sermitsiak

REUTERS/Nick Cobbing/Greenpeace

REUTERS/Bob Strong

REUTERS/Bob Strong

REUTERS/Bob Strong

REUTERS/Bob Strong

Image courtesy of Sarah Das, WHOI

Kim Hansen / CC BY-SA

Slim ALLAGUI/AFP/Getty Images

Slim ALLAGUI/AFP/Getty Images

REUTERS/Bob Strong

REUTERS/Bob Strong

Kim Hansen / CC BY-SA

REUTERS/Bob Strong

Uwe Pieper / CC BY-SA

Slim ALLAGUI/AFP/Getty Images

Kim Hansen / CC BY-SA

REUTERS/Bob Strong

Slim ALLAGUI/AFP/Getty Images

Mila Zinkova / CC BY-SA

you can find other picture @ THEBIGPICTURE.COM

China Cup 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:44:00 +0000

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

China is growing fast and strongly in practically every field, and so is for the sailing. Carlo Borlenghi's pictures lead us in a interesting journey through the third edition of the China Cup.

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

©Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/China Cup

Melges24 Worlds 2009 in Annapolis

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:17:00 +0000

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

Just a bunch of nice pictures by Stefano Gatttini from the last Melges 24 World Championship in Annapolis:

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

Cannibal Monster Shark spreads terror in Australia

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:53:00 +0000

Photo: QLD Primary Industries and Fisheries Dept

A 3mt long Great White Shark has been found nearly bit in half but what experts think should be at least a 6mt (20ft) monster (just for you to compare: the fictional monstre shark from the movie "Jaws" was just 1 meter longer)!

Photo:Courier Mail

The wounded creature was still alive when a crew hauled it onto a boat, close to Deadman's Beach.
Swimmers have been warned to stay out of the water off Stradbroke Island

Sharky, the tea-infuser

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:58:00 +0000

This is a great design idea that recalls another one that I've spoken about one year ago in a post entitled There's shark in your mojito!
This time I should say "there's a shark in your tea" because we're speaking about a really well designed infuser.
Sharky, that's its name, won the 3th prize in the "Beyond Silver" competition by designboom.com.

This floating tea-infuser looks just like a shark fin swimming in circles in the waters of your tea mug! and the streamers of steeped tea could become blood for the most imaginative kids...

Pablo Matteoda is the designer and you can see his website here

An underwater cabinet meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:35:00 +0000

The government of the Maldives has held its first underwater cabinet meeting to attract international attention to the dangers of global warming.

It's quite easy to understand why Maldivians are so concerned about this issue: Maldives, the heavenly archipelago of atolls and islets in the Indian Ocean, are so close to sea level that a water rise poses a serious threat for them.

Most of the Maldives lie less than three feet above sea and scientists have warned that the islands could become uninhabitable within 100 years (provided a rise of 7-24 inches).

Eleven of the 14 cabinet members attended the meeting, conducted with whiteboards and microphones 20 feet underwater, and all signed their wetsuits, to be auctioned off for the cause.

Doom of the Albatross chicks

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:19:00 +0000

©Chris Jordan

When i saw these pictures for the first time, I thought it was very difficult to post something about this topic. I simply prefer nature when it's alive. But on the other hand it's really something that people should be aware of. And we have to be aware of it because we are the source of the problem. There's no better way, however, to explain it using the author's own words:

"These photographs of albatross chicks were made just a few weeks ago on Midway Atoll, a tiny stretch of sand and coral near the middle of the North Pacific. The nesting babies are fed bellies-full of plastic by their parents, who soar out over the vast polluted ocean collecting what looks to them like food to bring back to their young. On this diet of human trash, every year tens of thousands of albatross chicks die on Midway from starvation, toxicity, and choking.

To document this phenomenon as faithfully as possible, not a single piece of plastic in any of these photographs was moved, placed, manipulated, arranged, or altered in any way. These images depict the actual stomach contents of baby birds in one of the world's most remote marine sanctuaries, more than 2000 miles from the nearest continent."
Chris Jordan, October 2009

©Chris Jordan

©Chris Jordan

©Chris Jordan

©Chris Jordan

©Chris Jordan

©Chris Jordan

©Chris Jordan

©Chris Jordan

Chris Jordan is not only a great photographer but also a truly original and creative artist who has recently become famous thanks to his amazing work called "Running the Numbers". Something I would like to speak you about later on.

This is just a selection, click here to see the whole gallery on Chris Jordan's website.

Alinghi started its training in Ras Al Khaimah

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:27:00 +0000

©Guido Trombetta/Alinghi

As I've told in the previous post I've just come back from Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) where Alinghi Team has started its training for the 33rd America's Cup. I post here just a few pictures, more will come later when the time is ripe.... ;) (I've had the wonderful opportunity to go on board Alinghi 5, and this is an experience that won't be easy to forget...)

©Guido Trombetta/Alinghi

©Guido Trombetta/Alinghi

©Guido Trombetta/Alinghi

©Guido Trombetta/Alinghi

©Guido Trombetta/Alinghi

©Guido Trombetta/Alinghi

©Guido Trombetta/Alinghi

Rolex Middle Sea Race 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:18:00 +0000

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

While I'm in Ras Al Khaima (UAE) taking pictures to Alinghi 5 first training days in what will be the venue of the 33rd America's Cup (as soon as possible I'll post some pictures) Carlo Borlenghi and Bruno Cocozza were shooting at the 2009 edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race. The conditions were once more pretty spectacular (in Italy it's very cold right now and Etna volcano was covered in snow as you can see in a couple of pics) and they've sent me these amazing shots:

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Bruno Cocozza/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Bruno Cocozza/DSK

©Bruno Cocozza/DSK

©Bruno Cocozza/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Bruno Cocozza/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Bruno Cocozza/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Bruno Cocozza/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

©Carlo Borlenghi/DSK

Heather Jansch's enchanting driftwood horses

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:26:00 +0000

© heather jansch

The idea is simple yet really original and the results outstanding. Collecting driftwood on the beaches to use it to create sculptures of animals. The author is Heather Jansch an English artist that joining her passions for drawing and for horses have started the amazing series of masterpieces. You can see some examples in this gallery (and not only horses).
Check out her website for any further info about her and her artwork. There's also a book available

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

© heather jansch

Fire Ants can create living rafts

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:24:00 +0000

Imagine a flood that suddenly cover the ground of the forest with many inches of water. You would think that this should mean a doom for an anthill. But ants are clever. A fire ant colony infact can create a sort of living lifeboat. Linking the legs of each ant they take advantage of the surface tension of the water. This way they can save and keep dry the precious queen and larvae until they reach a dry ground again. Enjoy this amazing BBC video.

The Ispinigoli Cave

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:08:00 +0000

©Carlo Borlenghi

As you may have understood following the blog in the last few weeks I've been VERY busy taking regatta pictures. Many of the events were in Sardinia, so when I've had finally a free day between one regatta and another I've taken the chance to go with Carlo Borlenghi to visit some of the many wonders of this wonderful island. Sardinia infact is mostly known for his wonderful beaches but I'm sure that you'll be amazed discovering how many incredible things are hidden in its inland. In this one day trip I've managed to see a lot of wonderful things but there is one that I can show you here due to its relation with water (the common thread of this blog): The Ispinigoli Cave ("Grotta di Ispinigoli" in italian)

©Carlo Borlenghi

The Grotta di Ispinigoli is a karstic cave in the Supramonte massif, near Dorgali, Sardinia, Italy.
One of the largest grottoes in the island, houses a large stalactite-stalagmite compound: that huge column you can easily spot in the pictures. It's the tallest in Europe and one of the tallest in the world, measuring 38 m in total. The grotto also include the so-called Abisso delle Vergini ("Abyss of the Virgins"), a 60 m-deep hole leading to a 12 km series of caves connecting Ispingoli to many other caves of this part of the island, creating a huge underground labirinth which is still partially unexplored. The name derives from the theory that human sacrifices were held here during the Phoenician rule in this area.

©Carlo Borlenghi

Entering the grotto is a really breath-taking experience due to the magnificence and the immensity of this underground "cathedral". I do think that this wonder deserves much more worldwide fame than what it actually has... enjoy the pics!

©Carlo Borlenghi

©Carlo Borlenghi

©Carlo Borlenghi

©Carlo Borlenghi

©Carlo Borlenghi

©Carlo Borlenghi

©Carlo Borlenghi

Alinghi 5 arrives at Ras Al Khaimah

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:08:00 +0000

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

Alinghi 5 the new huge catamaran that will defend the America's Cup has finally reached the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, the place that has been chosen as the venue of the next edition of sport oldest trophy, after a two weeks journey from Genoa on board a cargo ship. Carlo Borlenghi
sent me some pictures of the loading and unloading of the boat, before and after this journey. Enjoy the pics and don't forget to take a look also to the amazing gallery of the previous step of this long journey form Switzerland to UAE: when the catamatan was flown with a gargantuan helicopter from Geneve to Genoa

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

©Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

Audi Melges 32 World Championship 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:32:00 +0000

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

I've worked for the Audi Melges 32 Sailing Series from the very start of their history, two years ago, so I was looking forward, both personally and professionally, this first World Championship. I have to say that it well worths the waiting and it has been a really spectacular week of regattas. Espacially the first day when 3 meters waves (take a look at the first three pictures of this post and you'll understand what I mean) and a truly horrible weather really put the 29 boats to the test..

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

©Stefano Gattini/Joe Fly

Audi Melges 20 Sailing Series - Porto Cervo 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:19:00 +0000

Just a few shots from the last regatta of the Audi Melges 20 Sailing Series 2009. Carlo Borlenghi's pictures, taken right beneath the boats are simply amazing and the crystal clearness of Porto Cervo's water is the icing on the cake for this kind of shots...

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Carlo Borlenghi/b-plan

©Guido Trombetta/b-plan

Monaco Classic Week 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:46:00 +0000

A nice gallery from the Monaco Classic Week 2009. Thanks to Stefano Gattini and Bruno Cocozza:

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Bruno Cocozza/YCM

©Bruno Cocozza/YCM

©Bruno Cocozza/YCM

©Bruno Cocozza/YCM

©Bruno Cocozza/YCM

©Bruno Cocozza/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattinia/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Bruno Cocozza/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Bruno Cocozza/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

©Stefano Gattini/YCM

Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:06:00 +0000

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

I've just come back from Porto Cervo, Sardinia and the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2009. It's my third edition and Carlo Borlenghi has seen at least ten. We agree that this has been probably the best one: strong winds and big waves, for the whole week, have never ceased to put to the test the fleet. That's why the gallery this time is a bit larger than usual. Enjoy:

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

For more info and pictures check REGATTANEWS.COM

Perini Navi Cup 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:57:00 +0000

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

Last week I've been in Porto Cervo for the Perini Navi Cup 2009. The biggest and most luxurious yachts of the world gathered to compete in one of the best sailing venue you could ever imagine. The Maltese Falcon, the largest privately-owned sailing yacht in the world at 88 m (290 ft) and the other giants have been perfectly depicted in Carlo Borlenghi's pictures:

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

©ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi

for further info and pictures visit REGATTANEWS.COM

Tapped

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:17:00 +0000

"Tapped" is a new documentary about the bottled water industry from director Stephanie Soechtig and the producers of "Who Killed the Electric Car ?" and "I.O.U.S.A.".
I really suggest you to see it if you can (as far as I know it is hosted in just a few theaters in USA but I hope it will arrive in Europe sooner or later).
I was already aware, thanks to the efforts of Piero Angela, a famous italian science journalist, of how useless, stupid and harmful for our planet is bottled water but this movie has perfectly clarified the mechanisms that have enabled what is probably the biggest and most succesful marketing campaign of all history (together with tobacco).
First of all bottled water is a clear waste of resources; Can you imagine how much oil is wasted for the plastic bottles and how much to transport them? I've seen bottles from a very famous italian brand on sale in the USA, does it make sense? Do you think that italian water is different from the american one? It's always h2o!
Furthermore the ecological impact is terrible: only 20 percent of plastic water bottles used in the United States are recycled, and far too many of the rest probably end up in the Pacific Garbage Patch (I've written a post about it here).
It’s an incredible waste of money for consumers, who pay more than the price of gasoline for water that’s marketed as “pure,” but in reality is largely unregulated, full of harmful toxins like BPA, and far less safe for drinking than free tap water. (In fact, 40 percent of the time, bottled water is nothing but municipal tap water, freed from the government oversight that keeps it safe.)

Take a look at the movie trailer and reflect about the senselessness of bottled water!

"Tapped" has a film’s official website and there’s also a Facebook page

1.2 million snow geese!

noreply@blogger.com (Guido Trombetta) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:08:00 +0000

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

Could you imagine 1.2 million geese together?
I've never been so lucky to see so many animals all together, at most I've seen some thousands mosquitos attacking me in a ricefield... but that was not a nice experience!
However, photographer and storm chaser Mike Hollingshead had the chance to film and photograph one of nature's most amazing displays: 1.2 million snow geese all together.
He was in the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City Missouri between February 17 and March 14, 2009. In that period of the year the snow geese spring migration takes place through the Central Flyway and hundreds of thousands (this year, more than a million) pass through the refuge.

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

Curiously at the beginning of the 20th century the Snow Geese were in decline but the population had increased of more than 300 percent since the mid-1970s and keeps increasing at a rate of more than 5 percent per year. Population indices are the highest they have been since population records have been kept, and evidence suggests that large breeding populations are spreading to previously untouched sections of the Hudson Bay coastline. They have increased to the point that the tundra breeding areas in the Arctic and the saltmarsh wintering grounds are both becoming severely degraded, and this affects other species using the same habitat.

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

Apart ecological concerns this is indeed an astonishing show.
In the following video Mike Hollingshead give us a better idea of what I'm talking about because sometimes pictures does not justice to something so huge, dynamic and loud!

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com

Check Mike Hollingshead's website www.extremeinstability.com at the snow geese page to see many other of his shots from this mind-blowing migration and don't forget to take a look to his storm pictures too!

©Mike Hollingshead - www.extremeinstability.com