Roaring Forties close Tasmania

The Roaring Forties has long been recognised as a powerful wind force. And that wind carries some of the world’s cleanest air. The Cape Grim Baseline air pollution monitoring station, on the north-west coast of Tasmania, has measured the cleanest air on earth.



But today, volcanic ash from a Chilean volcano is ringing the globe at a latitude of around 40 degrees. While Melbourne airport has re-opened, Tasmania remains closed and New Zealand is next in the path of the ash.

In the old days, Cape Grim was a bain to the early explorers because of its wild seas, ferocious winds and rugged coastline.


Today that wind is captured in a huge windfarm.

During the 1800s, the area was farmed by convict labour and was part of the Van Diemen's Land Agricultural Company property.

An isolated spot but worth a visit.

Chile aware of Tsunami and earthquake dangers

While a catastrophic tsunami or earthquake is something no country wants to experience, these sorts of natural disasters are eventuallities which Chileans have some provisions for.

I have visited Chile on two occasions and was told in Santiago back in 2004 that a big earthquake in the region was overdue.
The last one they experienced measured over 9 on the Richter Scale. It was the biggest quake on record in the world.

When I visited in 2008, I noticed on almost every street corner of one of the northern Chilean coastal towns, Tsumani warning signs with arrows pointing to higher ground.


Why is it then that warnings on Australian beaches go unheeded by some brave/foolish beachgoers?
The cost of installing these systems must be enormous but some folk treat the early warnings almost as a joke. And some are disappointed if they do not see the catastrophic tsunami wave.

This is the second quake in a short period of time (Haiti only a few weeks ago). Obviously some of the tectonic plates are on the move?

The big question is - is California due for the big one?
I've never been to Califormia (apart from changing planes in LA) but I doubt they have warning signs on the street corners - and if they do, will people take heed of them when the sirens sound?

Funicular railways, ascensors, cable cars - worth a visit

An invention of the late 1800s, some original funicular railways around the world are still operating.
The ascensor (funicular) Artilleria in Valaraiso, Chile was built in 1893 and still runs every few minutes from the busy Port area to the houses and Maritime Museum at the top of the hill.
I rode it last year.
In Wellington New Zealand people are building private funiculars to transport themselves to their houses built on the inaccessible steep sides of hills overlooking the bay.

The funicular railways still operating in Scarborough, Yorkshire, attract locals and tourist and for me they are a reminder of childhood holidays at the seaside town.

If you would like to read more go to my new site I'm building about funiculars.
Pic: Ascensor Artilleria in Chile
Pic: Scarborough, UK, funicular

Hornblower and Aubrey reflections of Admiral Lord Cochrane

Having just re-read Memoirs of a Fighting Captain – the autobiography of Admiral Lord Thomas Cochrane, I am truly blown away by this British naval officer’s exploits, the number of his victories (in just one period of 13 months he took 50 ships) and above all his faultless courage.
Readers of Patrick O’Brian’s stories of Captain Jack Aubrey (depicted in the movie – Master and Commander), and the stories of Horatio Hornblower of CS Forester (TV drama series), see their daring naval exploits as rip-roaring tall tales of adventure.
But in fact many of the colourful events and setting depicted in those famous fiction novels were pirated/borrowed from the real life adventures of Cochrane.
For example: CS Forester used Cochrane as his inspiration in Hornblower and the Hotspur and A Ship of the Line,
Patrick O’Brian drew on Cochrane in Master and Commander, The Reverse of the Medal and Blue at the Mizzen.
It is thought by some that Cochrane was the bravest naval commander who ever lived and, in my opinion, he leaves Horatio Nelson’s life story as disappointing second in many regards.
Cochrane was an inspiration to the British seaman and to the South American countries which placed their trust in him to secure their independence from Spain.
Photo: M. Muir - Stained glass window of Lord Thomas Cochrane – Maritime Museum, Valparaiso, Chile – the old Naval AcademyIn the same museum is a pair of Cochrane’s pistols which to me appeared enormously bulky and heavy.

Chile's National Maritime Museum, Valparaiso

The National Maritime Museum at Valpariso in Chile is perched at the top of one of the many ascensors in Valparaiso. Its position offers a fantastic view over the harbour.
If you love ships and history – this is the place. I spend three hours there and could have easily spent three days. My only regret is that I couldn't speak Spanish.
Much of the museum's exhibits reach back to the days of the Spanish Conquistadors, but there are also many later artefacts e.g. a pair of pistols owned by Lord Cochrane, and models including this magnificent recreation of the 'Esmeralda'.
Lord Cochrane captured the first 'Esmeralda', a wooden frigate, in 1820 off Calleo, Peru.

Photo: Model of the ship, Esmeralda (I think this is the second 'Esmeralda' sunk in the Battle of Iquiqui in 1879, Chile, but there were eventually 6 ships which bore the same name) - Maritime Museum in Valparaiso. Please advise if I have got it wrong.)
 Note the copper bottom.

The Black Thread by Margaret Muir - sold out!

I came home from the Far South Camp to the news that after only 7 weeks, the first edition of my latest novel, The Black Thread, had sold out.
I hope that publisher, Robert Hale Limited, will consider reprinting this hardback edition.
Photo: Cover - The Black Thread