Cathy PP

@xtwitabout.bsky.social

295 Followers 439 Following

Gadfly, aspiring polymath & jaded Polyanna. Believer in human rights, climate change, science, medical things & angry at the stupidity, self-centredness & myopia of most politicians. Unapologetic animal lover (anything that looks back at me). Love ⛵️ & ✈️

A view of the total desecration of the northern section of Gaza by the IDF, which Israel is busily turning into a massive security buffer & storage area for its de-construction equipment required for flattening the next 3rd of Gaza May-2025
Brainstorm, a book by Prof Richard Scolyer (co-authored by Gary Maddox). Revealing his fight against a diagnosis of 'incurable' brain cancer, this is the remarkable story of 2024 co–Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer.
My pup & and her new friend doing yacht inspections
Nicolas Lunven heading home to Lorient barely 5 hours after crossing the #VendeeGlobe race finishing line in 6th place. Thomas Ruyant, who held 4th place for so long, set to arrive about 4 hours later in 7th, followed by Swiss sailor Justine Mettraux a few hours later in 8th place. Sam Goodchild, who led the race and was in the top 3 for so long, has done well to repair the massive tear in his mainsail a week ago and will cross the line in 9th place. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024
#VendeeGlobe map showing Oliver Heer, in 30th place, in the middle of a high pressure system with light winds and going backwards. #VG2024
The respective positions of Yoann Richomme & Charlie Dalin 2 his ago, recorded by satellite AIS, shown on the MarineTraffic app. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024
Yannick Bestaven, in 8th place on day 42 of the race is ahead of his position on Day 50 in the 2020/2021 race, which he won. However he's >1500nm behind leaders Dalin & Richomme, who are set to pass Cape Horn within half a day. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024
The #VendeeGlobe race map viewed from the south, with Antarctica at the centre. Leader Yoann Richomme is almost half a world away from the last in the race (~175°). Tail-ender Denis van Weynbergh loses about 200-250nm a day compared to the daily miles covered by Richomme & Charlie Dalin in 2nd. #VG2024
16-Dec-2024 2100 CET Richomme about to sale yo Dalin & take the lead. Simon in 3rd, not losing too much distance even whilst on port tack & his broken foil. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024
At the last #VendeeGlobe update, Charlie Dalin now a little over 5nm & 2nd behind Yoann Richomme, who's been stalking him for days, . Seb Simon sailed many more miles than both of them over the last 24 hours and, being closer to the rhum line, is reported to be only 30nm behind the leader. #VG2024
#VendeeGlobe tracking map showing Richomme only 25nm behind Dalin at 21:00 CET 16-Dec-2024, and Seb Simon, who's got a damaged foil but is still managing to keep up, and is 117nm behind Dalin. #VG2024
Blue moon? Blue sky
Szabi Weöres is 10,950km behind leader Charlie Dalin, which is almost 1/4 of the entire length of the course! He's completed ~77% of the course, whereas Dalin has done over half of the lap of the world!
#VendeeGlobe skipper Jingkun Xu showing the broken cordage that controls the sails connected to the end of the outriggers. #VG2024
How typically Chinese 😄 Jingkun Xu, the one-handed competitor, cooked & ate (with soy sauce) the squid which the sea tossed up onto his boat. He still manages to make up ground on the 3 boats directly ahead of him. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024 #sailing
Chinese skipper Xu Jingkun, in his first #VendeeGlobe, getting excited about soon passing the Cape of Good Hope
Burton being met outside the Port of Cape Town by yacht Tigger 2 Royale
Louis Burton on Bureau Vallée is only about 10nm from docking into Cape Town. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024
Louis Burton va arriver à Cape Town cet aprem, un peu tard pour le déjeuner peut-être. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024 #sailing
No 1 in the Vendée Globe, Charlie Dalin, skirting the Antarctic Exclusion Zone. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024
Louis Burton on a broken Bureau Vallée heading to Cape Town after having to abandon the race. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024 #sailing
Violette Dorange is now in 22nd place, one behind Jean Le Cam (the previous owner of her boat) #VendeeGlobe #VG2024 #sailing
#sailing & even the #VendeeGlobe is a family sport! #VG2024
#VendeeGlobe #VG2024 Leaders Dalin & Simon already being slammed.
#VendeeGlobe #VG2024 Louis Burton on Bureau Vallée forced to abandon the race, due to rigging issues that he can't fix in the go, and sail to Cape Town
Former Chinese paralympic sailor, Jingkun Xu, about to change the rope in the portside foil. #VendeeGlobe #VG2024
#VendeeGlobe Fab4 placings 03-Dec-2024 11:00 CET
#VendeeGlobe top placings 03-Dec-2024 11:00 CET
#VendeeGlobe top 4 at 12-Dec 0700 CET #sailing
BlueSky
One of the very rare times I've ever done a tourist shot. Cape Town region
#VendeeGlobe tail-ender Szabolcs Weöres. If he gets to the finish, how many weeks behind the winner & the penultimate boat will he be?
#VendeeGlobe leading 4 boats, not long till they pass the Cake of Good Hope ... but which will be first to do it? #VG2024 #sailing
Sunset view from the Darwin Sailing Club
Marine Traffic in & around the Vendée Globe fleet won't be so problematic once they get a little bit more south.
The Vendée Globe 2024 fleet, as seen through the app
#VendeeGlobe, status update at 07h00 FR 2024/11/27
Vendée Globe status at the last update. Charlie Dalin still leading the fleet
Underwater evacuation training facility in a fantastic swimming pool, SAA, Singapore (quite a few years ago). Not many get access for a relaxing evening swim.
#VendeeGlobe Snapshot at 11h00 FR
Race status 19/11 at 07h00 FR time, naturally For you Yanks, that's 11/19/2024
Le Cam still in 1st, Sam Goodchild living up to his surname