REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE '23 SEASON RENEW WITH A $ 25 DISCOUNT EXTEND YOUR PANAMA POSSE SEASON WITH A 50 % DISCOUNT
Tracking moves to next season (SPP 3) and all perks start including discounts access to Good Nautical and the SPP 3 line group gets activated
Feb 1, 2023 Burgees arrive in NUKU HIVA & SHELTER BAY PANAMA
Feb 3 2023 SHELTER BAY PANAMA PANAMA POSSE SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE MASHUP PARTY
SEMINARS
MON FEB 6 '23 20:30 - 22:30 UTC SAFETY, SECURITY, CLEARING IN AND OUT, COMMUNICATIONS & TRACKING
TUES FEB 7 '23 20:30 - 22:30 UTC WEATHER and HEAVY WIND SQUALLS AND ELEVATED SEA STATE STRATEGIES
WED FEB 8 '23 20:30 - 22:30 UTC PROVISIONING AND MUST SEE AND DO'S
THU FEB 9 '23 20:30 - 22:30 UTC OPEN CPN INSTALLATION , USING OPEN CPN SAT CHARTS CREATING
FRI Mar 10 '23 20:30 - 22:30 UTC LOGISTICS, REPAIRS, CYLCONE SEASON STRATEGIES
3) AWARD WINNERS
WINNER OF THE BIGGEST FISH CAUGHT AWARD
TECOLOTE
CONGRATULATIONS !!!
AND WINNER OF THE SPEEDY AWARD
TECOLOTE
CONGRATULATIONS !!!
SY TECOLOTE 🇺🇸 Michael, Sydney, Lorna - Lagoon ‘450 s
WINNER OF THE GALLEY GOD(ESS) AWARD
SKYPOND
CONGRATULATIONS !!!
SY SKY POND 🇨🇰 Carl & Roxy - Seawind 1160 38′
PICTURE OF THE YEAR AWARD
SEAGLUB
CONGRATULATIONS !!!
AND WINNER OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
SEAGLUB
CONGRATULATIONS Chris Thank you for sharing the Safe tracks in Fiji in Good Nautical
SY SEAGLUB 🇺🇸 Chris - Hylas 46′
WINNER OF THE SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION AWARD
DREAMER
CONGRATULATIONS !!! David for outstanding reporting on your dives in Taveuni, Fiji
SY DREAMER 🇺🇸 David & Gerne - Caliber 40lrv’
WINNER OF THE THE CAPTAIN RON AWARD a.k.a . if it's gonna happen it can happen out there award !
KISMET
"CONGRATULATIONS" on the loss of of forestay en route between Fiji and Vanautu - BRAVO ZULU for overcoming this obstacle - not loosing your rig ... if it's gonna happen it can happen out there award !
SY KISMET 🇺🇸 Kevin - Passport 41′
WINNER OF THE BOAT YOGA POSE OF THE YEAR AWARD
RHAPSODY
"CONGRATULATIONS !!! "
SY RHAPSODY 🇺🇸 Sarah & Bob - Jeanneau 49′
WINNER OF THE COURAGE AWARD
INDIGO MOON
"CONGRATULATIONS on the crew's courage to touch life sharks and for suggesting this award category !!! "
SY INDIGO MOON 🇩🇪 Kay, Beata & Crew
WINNER OF THE HIGHEST WIND RECORDED
IBEX
"CONGRATULATIONS on 53.6 knot"
SY IBEX 🇦🇹 Florian & Vicky- Sunbeam 42′
EACH WINNER WILL RECEIVE A ONE FIFTH GALLON OF RUM RATION OR EQUIVALENT IN US FUNDS
Post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin prior to becoming the iconic artist lived in Isla Taboga in Panama. Virtually penniless, as he had left his wife and five children in Paris to try and make a name for himself as an artist. He stopped off at the Isthmus of Panama in 1887. While there he worked as forced laborer on the early, disastrous, French attempt to build the Panama Canal.
Paul Gauguin (1848–1903) is one of the true larger-than-life figures in art history. The key feature in his personal mythology is the constant yearning for an exotic paradise. He sought it in the bohemian arts community at Pont-Aven on the coast of Brittany and later on the South Seas island of Tahiti
In his final years in the Marquesas, Gauguin grew increasingly critical of the colonial society. In particular, he believed that missionary work had disrupted the indigenous culture. He argued in his writings for the separation of the French state from the official French religion..
Gauguin undoubtedly exploited his position as a privileged Westerner to make the most of the sexual freedoms available to him. The artist “repeatedly entered into sexual relations with young girls, 'marrying' two of them and fathering children “
In early May, 1903, morally skittish, and weakened by drug-addiction and regular bouts with illness, Gauguin succumbed and died at the age of 54, on Atuona in the Marquesas, where he was subsequently buried.
John Martin principal of Ocean Tactics has been assisting skippers with weather and passage planning in the Pacific for many years is now an official sponsor of the South Pacific Posse.
6) LICENSE TO KILL 🏴☠️ CROWN OF THORNS
The crown-of-thorns COTS is a large starfish that preys upon hard, or stony, coral polyp. The crown-of-thorns starfish receives its name from venomous thorn-like spines that cover its upper surface, resembling the biblical crown of thorns. It is one of the largest starfish in the world.
It is perhaps most common around Australia, but is a nuisance and reef danger across the Pacific Ocean to the west coast of Central America. It occurs where coral reefs or hard coral communities occur in the region.
The first recorded outbreak of COTS was in the Ryukyu Islands off Japan in the 1950s
The first COTS outbreak in Australia was recorded in 1962 at Green Island. There has now been between 3-4 recorded outbreaks in Australia.
The Crown of Thorns has only a few predators, which include
triton’s trumpet, the white spotted puffer fish
the lined worm
the harlequin shrimp
two species of triggerfish (yellowmargin triggerfish and titan triggerfish)
The red emperor, spangled emperor and parrotfish are also known to eat juvenile COTS before the starfish grow their spikes.
COTS spawn on the Great Barrier Reef between October-March when water temperatures are at their highest. Female COTS release eggs into the water and nearby males release sperm, which then fertilise the eggs. Large female COTS can produce up to 65 million eggs per season.
COTS start off as larval and drift along on top of the water for weeks before settling at the bottom of the ocean floor. They are most vulnerable to predators as juveniles before their spiky spines have grown. At about one year of age they develop spines and begin to feed on coral.
Adult COTS can grow up to a 1 meter ( 3 feet ) in diameter and have up to 21 arms. If they shed an arm due to stress or injury they regrow within six months.
COTS spines are long and sharp and covered with an epidermis containing the venom ‘plancitoxin’. They are toxic to both marine life and humans.
COTS eat by everything their stomach through their mouth and then spreading it out over the surface of the coral using their tube feet. They then digest their food externally.
Adult COTS almost exclusively eat scleractinian. They can survive without feeding for up to nine months.
Predator removal: In the pelagic stage any filter feeder, including hard corals, will eat the starfish larvae. After reaching juvenile stage, fishes such as wrasse, damsels, and snappers will eat the starfishes. But once they become adults very few predators will eat be able to eat the toxic starfishes (except some triggerfish, pufferfish, and large snails like the triton trumpet.) Unfortunately all of theses species are targeted or removed as by-catch in the fishing industry.
HOW TO FIGHT AN INVADING FORCE OF COTS ?
Physical Removal
Experienced divers can use a wooden stick, PVC pipe, metal spear, boat hook or some other easily manipulated rod to remove the starfish off the reef. COTS have the ability to hide in small holes or crevices by using their tubefeet to suction onto the reef. This can make collecting COTS challenging, that is why using a rod or stick to pry the starfish off the reef is the best tool. The collected starfish can be placed in large canvas bags, rice/flour bags or mesh bags and brought to the boat or shore. The sharp poisonous spines of the starfish can penetrate the bag so please use caution. The process can be facilitated by locating a small boat near the divers, with bags of starfish sent to the surface using ropes or lift bags. In shallow water, starfish can be removed by snorkeling, but SCUBA is more effective.
Chemical Injection
Citric Acid Injections: An Accessible and Efficient Method for Controlling Outbreaks of the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
The most common and environmentally safe chemical used currently is oxgall and Bile Salts No.3, as well as vinegar. However more toxic chemicals such as bleach, copper sulphate, sodium bisulphate have been used in the past. Chemicals are held in a sealed container connected to an injection gun with a high pressured hose. The poison is injected with a needle or a continuous injection system at the base of the starfish arms.
This method is more efficient than manual collection of starfish, however; some chemicals are toxic to the environment and other organisms.
7) MARINA SPONSORS
🇺🇸 Safe Harbor South Bay – Chula Vista - USA
🇲🇽 Marina Chiapas – Mexico
🇨🇷 Marina Papagayo – Costa Rica
🇵🇦 Shelter Bay Marina – Panama
🇪🇨 Marina Puerto Amistad – Ecuador
🇫🇯 Vuda Point Marina - Fiji
🇻🇺 Yachting World Marina - Port Vila - Vanuatu
🇳🇿 Marsden Cove Marina - New Zealand
🇦🇺 Rivergate Marina - Brisbane - Australia
🇫🇯 Denarau Marina - Fiji
🇫🇯 Royal Suva Yacht Club - Fiji
🇫🇯 Copra Shed Marina - Fiji
🇳🇿 Gulf Harbour Marina - New Zealand
🇫🇯 Sau Bay Resort, Spa, Dive Center and Moorings - Fiji
