118-647: The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual oceanic yacht racing event hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia , starting in Sydney , New South Wales , on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart , Tasmania . The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km). The race is run in conjunction with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania , and is widely considered to be one of
236-410: A halocline . If a zone undergoes a strong, vertical chemistry gradient with depth, it contains a chemocline . Temperature and salinity control ocean water density. Colder and saltier water is denser, and this density plays a crucial role in regulating the global water circulation within the ocean. The halocline often coincides with the thermocline, and the combination produces a pronounced pycnocline ,
354-493: A mid-ocean ridge , which creates a long mountain range beneath the ocean. Together they form the global mid-oceanic ridge system that features the longest mountain range in the world. The longest continuous mountain range is 65,000 km (40,000 mi). This underwater mountain range is several times longer than the longest continental mountain range – the Andes . Oceanographers state that less than 20% of
472-568: A boundary between less dense surface water and dense deep water. River Derwent (Tasmania) The River Derwent , also known as timtumili minanya in palawa kani , is a significant river and tidal estuary in Tasmania, Australia . It begins its journey as a freshwater river in the Central Highlands at Lake St Clair , descending over 700 metres (2,300 ft) across a distance of more than 200 kilometres (120 mi). At
590-537: A central role in Tasmania's economy and lifestyle. The upper part of the river was named after the River Derwent, Cumbria by British Commodore John Hayes who explored it in 1793. The name is Brythonic Celtic for "valley thick with oaks". Matthew Flinders placed the name "Derwent River" on all of the river. The name "River Derwent" was officially endorsed on 20 May 1959. The River Derwent valley
708-501: A corrected time of 3 days, 22 hours 2 minutes and 37 seconds. Love & War became only the second yacht to win the race three times (1974, 1978 and 2006). The yacht Freya won the race in three consecutive years between 1963 and 1965. Gillawa from the Australian Capital Territory , skippered by David Kent, was the sixty-ninth and last boat to complete the 2006 race, making it the third consecutive year that
826-595: A gentle breeze on a pond causes ripples to form. A stronger gust blowing over the ocean causes larger waves as the moving air pushes against the raised ridges of water. The waves reach their maximum height when the rate at which they are travelling nearly matches the speed of the wind. In open water, when the wind blows continuously as happens in the Southern Hemisphere in the Roaring Forties , long, organized masses of water called swell roll across
944-420: A mark of 27 races as the most by a yacht. On 3 November 2008 at the close of entries, 113 yachts had nominated for entry with only one other 90-foot maxi (Skandia) to challenge Wild Oats XI and stop it creating history by winning four consecutive line honours titles and becoming the only yacht to do so. Wild Oats XI achieved this and Bob Steel won his second Tattersall Cup with Quest , the second yacht with
1062-645: A record which stood until 2005 when Wild Oats XI won line and handicap honours in 1 day 18 hr 40 min 10 sec. There have been some notable achievements by yachts over the years. Sydney yacht, Morna , won the second , third and fourth races (1946–1948) and then, under new owners Frank and John Livingston from Victoria , took a further four titles as Kurrewa IV in 1954, 1956, 1957 and 1960. Other yachts to win three or more titles are Astor (1961, 1963 and 1964) and Bumblebee IV firstly in 1979 and then again in 1988 and 1990 as Ragamuffin . When Wild Oats XI won back-to-back titles in 2006, it
1180-455: A result, the photic zone is the most biodiverse and the source of the food supply which sustains most of the ocean ecosystem . Ocean photosynthesis also produces half of the oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere. Light can only penetrate a few hundred more meters; the rest of the deeper ocean is cold and dark (these zones are called mesopelagic and aphotic zones). The continental shelf is where
1298-399: A row, by completing a four-in-a-row, the first yacht to achieve that remarkable achievement. For the handicap race the highly respected Halvorsen brothers' Freya won three titles back-to-back (the only yacht in history to do so) between 1963 and 1965. Although not consecutive, Love & War equalled Freya's three titles by winning its third in 2006 to add to its 1974 and 1978 titles. In
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#17327810730321416-496: A shallow area and this, coupled with a low pressure system, can raise the surface of the ocean dramatically above a typical high tide. The average depth of the oceans is about 4 km. More precisely the average depth is 3,688 meters (12,100 ft). Nearly half of the world's marine waters are over 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) deep. "Deep ocean," which is anything below 200 meters (660 ft), covers about 66% of Earth's surface. This figure does not include seas not connected to
1534-403: A wave-cut platform develops at the foot of the cliff and this has a protective effect, reducing further wave-erosion. Material worn from the margins of the land eventually ends up in the sea. Here it is subject to attrition as currents flowing parallel to the coast scour out channels and transport sand and pebbles away from their place of origin. Sediment carried to the sea by rivers settles on
1652-406: A zone undergoes dramatic changes in temperature with depth, it contains a thermocline , a distinct boundary between warmer surface water and colder deep water. In tropical regions, the thermocline is typically deeper compared to higher latitudes. Unlike polar waters , where solar energy input is limited, temperature stratification is less pronounced, and a distinct thermocline is often absent. This
1770-439: Is a bay , a small bay with a narrow inlet is a cove and a large bay may be referred to as a gulf . Coastlines are influenced by several factors including the strength of the waves arriving on the shore, the gradient of the land margin, the composition and hardness of the coastal rock, the inclination of the off-shore slope and the changes of the level of the land due to local uplift or submergence. Normally, waves roll towards
1888-743: Is about −2 °C (28 °F). In all parts of the ocean, deep ocean temperatures range between −2 °C (28 °F) and 5 °C (41 °F). Constant circulation of water in the ocean creates ocean currents . Those currents are caused by forces operating on the water, such as temperature and salinity differences, atmospheric circulation (wind), and the Coriolis effect . Tides create tidal currents, while wind and waves cause surface currents. The Gulf Stream , Kuroshio Current , Agulhas Current and Antarctic Circumpolar Current are all major ocean currents. Such currents transport massive amounts of water, gases, pollutants and heat to different parts of
2006-444: Is an important reference point for oceanography and geography, particularly as mean sea level . The ocean surface has globally little, but measurable topography , depending on the ocean's volumes. The ocean surface is a crucial interface for oceanic and atmospheric processes. Allowing interchange of particles, enriching the air and water, as well as grounds by some particles becoming sediments . This interchange has fertilized life in
2124-572: Is conducted under the Racing Rules of Sailing determined and published by the International Sailing Federation . For the 2005 race, the event organisers removed certain restrictions on the boats. As successful sailing is based on a good power-to-weight ratio, larger sails are expected to help break race records. 2020 saw the introduction of a two-handed division (only two crew members permitted) with its own trophy,
2242-411: Is customarily divided into five principal oceans – listed below in descending order of area and volume: The ocean fills Earth's oceanic basins . Earth's oceanic basins cover different geologic provinces of Earth's oceanic crust as well as continental crust . As such it covers mainly Earth's structural basins , but also continental shelfs . In mid-ocean, magma is constantly being thrust through
2360-399: Is due to the fact that surface waters in polar latitudes are nearly as cold as deeper waters. Below the thermocline, water everywhere in the ocean is very cold, ranging from −1 °C to 3 °C. Because this deep and cold layer contains the bulk of ocean water, the average temperature of the world ocean is 3.9 °C. If a zone undergoes dramatic changes in salinity with depth, it contains
2478-456: Is irregular, unevenly dominating the Earth's surface . This leads to the distinction of the Earth's surface into a water and land hemisphere , as well as the division of the ocean into different oceans. Seawater covers about 361,000,000 km (139,000,000 sq mi) and the ocean's furthest pole of inaccessibility , known as " Point Nemo ", in a region known as spacecraft cemetery of
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#17327810730322596-466: Is nearly 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) wide, and as such is the widest river in Tasmania. The Derwent estuary contains dozens of white sandy beaches, many of which are staples of local activity within Hobart suburbs and include Bellerive Beach , Blackmans Bay Beach , Howrah Beach , Nutgrove Beach , Lords Beach , Long Beach , Taroona Beach , Hinsby Beach , Kingston Beach and Windermere Beach. Until
2714-454: Is produced and magma is forced up creating underwater mountains, some of which may form chains of volcanic islands near to deep trenches. Near some of the boundaries between the land and sea, the slightly denser oceanic plates slide beneath the continental plates and more subduction trenches are formed. As they grate together, the continental plates are deformed and buckle causing mountain building and seismic activity. Every ocean basin has
2832-407: Is pushed across the surface of the ocean by the wind, but this represents a transfer of energy and not horizontal movement of water. As waves approach land and move into shallow water , they change their behavior. If approaching at an angle, waves may bend ( refraction ) or wrap around rocks and headlands ( diffraction ). When the wave reaches a point where its deepest oscillations of the water contact
2950-423: Is reflected back out of the water. Red light is most easily absorbed and thus does not reach great depths, usually to less than 50 meters (164 ft). Blue light, in comparison, can penetrate up to 200 meters (656 ft). Second, water molecules and very tiny particles in ocean water preferentially scatter blue light more than light of other colors. Blue light scattering by water and tiny particles happens even in
3068-480: Is sometimes referred to as the World Ocean, global ocean or the great ocean . The concept of a continuous body of water with relatively unrestricted exchange between its components is critical in oceanography . The word ocean comes from the figure in classical antiquity , Oceanus ( / oʊ ˈ s iː ə n ə s / ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ὠκεανός Ōkeanós , pronounced [ɔːkeanós] ),
3186-534: Is the first boat to have claimed the treble – race record, line honours and overall winner. The Bass Strait , and the waters of the Pacific Ocean immediately to its east are renowned for their high winds and difficult seas. Although the race mostly takes place in the Tasman Sea , the shallowness of Bass Strait and the proximity to the race course means that the fleet is very much under the influence of
3304-405: Is the primary component of Earth's hydrosphere and is thereby essential to life on Earth. The ocean influences climate and weather patterns, the carbon cycle , and the water cycle by acting as a huge heat reservoir . Ocean scientists split the ocean into vertical and horizontal zones based on physical and biological conditions. The pelagic zone is the open ocean's water column from
3422-691: The North Sea or the Red Sea . There is no sharp distinction between seas and oceans, though generally seas are smaller, and are often partly (as marginal seas ) or wholly (as inland seas ) bordered by land. The contemporary concept of the World Ocean was coined in the early 20th century by the Russian oceanographer Yuly Shokalsky to refer to the continuous ocean that covers and encircles most of Earth. The global, interconnected body of salt water
3540-481: The South Pacific Ocean , at 48°52.6′S 123°23.6′W / 48.8767°S 123.3933°W / -48.8767; -123.3933 ( Point Nemo ) . This point is roughly 2,688 km (1,670 mi) from the nearest land. There are different customs to subdivide the ocean and are adjourned by smaller bodies of water such as, seas , gulfs , bays , bights , and straits . The ocean
3658-592: The Thames Barrier is designed to protect London from a storm surge, while the failure of the dykes and levees around New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina created a humanitarian crisis in the United States. Most of the ocean is blue in color, but in some places the ocean is blue-green, green, or even yellow to brown. Blue ocean color is a result of several factors. First, water preferentially absorbs red light, which means that blue light remains and
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3776-677: The Wayfarer crew, died in July 2019, leaving John Gordon from the Horizon crew. By the November 2007 race entry deadline, 90 yachts had nominated for entry including four 90-foot maxis, three of them wanting to prevent Wild Oats XI creating history and winning three line honours titles in a row. A little over a week prior to the race, New Zealand maxi Maximus withdrew after cracking its keel. Three-time and 2006 handicap winner, Love & War,
3894-406: The coastline and structure of the world ocean. A global ocean has existed in one form or another on Earth for eons. Since its formation the ocean has taken many conditions and shapes with many past ocean divisions and potentially at times covering the whole globe. During colder climatic periods, more ice caps and glaciers form, and enough of the global water supply accumulates as ice to lessen
4012-591: The ocean floor , they begin to slow down. This pulls the crests closer together and increases the waves' height , which is called wave shoaling . When the ratio of the wave's height to the water depth increases above a certain limit, it " breaks ", toppling over in a mass of foaming water. This rushes in a sheet up the beach before retreating into the ocean under the influence of gravity. Earthquakes , volcanic eruptions or other major geological disturbances can set off waves that can lead to tsunamis in coastal areas which can be very dangerous. The ocean's surface
4130-507: The 115 boats that started, only 44 made it to Hobart. As a result, the crew eligibility rules were tightened, requiring a higher minimum age and experience. G. Bruce Knecht wrote a book about this race, The Proving Ground . A coronial enquiry into the race was critical of both the race management at the time and the Bureau of Meteorology . In 1999 the race record was broken by Nokia , a water-ballasted Volvo Ocean 60 (VO60) yacht. She sailed
4248-440: The 1994 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the making waves foundation's crew were the first fully disabled team to compete in an ocean race and Australian Paralympic sitting volleyball player Albert Lee was a part of this team. The 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race was marred by tragedy when, during an exceptionally strong storm (which had similar strength winds to a lower-category hurricane ), five boats sank and six people died. Of
4366-474: The 2007 novel The Storm Prophet by Hector Macdonald. Ocean The ocean is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of Earth . In English , the term ocean also refers to any of the large bodies of water into which the world ocean is conventionally divided. The following names describe five different areas of the ocean: Pacific , Atlantic , Indian , Antarctic/Southern , and Arctic . The ocean contains 97% of Earth's water and
4484-523: The Derwent, preys on not only the fish eggs, but also on the sea squirts ( ascidians ) that help to form the substrate that the fish spawn on. Several bridges connect the western shore (the more heavily populated side of the river) to the eastern shore of Hobart – in the greater Hobart area, these include the five lane Tasman Bridge , near the CBD, just north of the port; the four lane Bowen Bridge ; and
4602-442: The Earth's biosphere . Oceanic evaporation , as a phase of the water cycle, is the source of most rainfall (about 90%), causing a global cloud cover of 67% and a consistent oceanic cloud cover of 72%. Ocean temperatures affect climate and wind patterns that affect life on land. One of the most dramatic forms of weather occurs over the oceans: tropical cyclones (also called "typhoons" and "hurricanes" depending upon where
4720-490: The Meadowbank, Cluny, Repulse, Catagunya, Wayatinah, Liapootah and King William lakes or lagoons. The Upper Derwent is affected by agricultural run-off, particularly from land clearing and forestry. The Lower Derwent suffers from high levels of toxic heavy metal contamination in sediments. The Tasmanian Government -backed Derwent Estuary Program has commented that the levels of mercury , lead , zinc and cadmium in
4838-456: The Moon are 20x stronger than the Moon's tidal forces on the Earth.) The primary effect of lunar tidal forces is to bulge Earth matter towards the near and far sides of the Earth, relative to the moon. The "perpendicular" sides, from which the Moon appears in line with the local horizon, experience "tidal troughs". Since it takes nearly 25 hours for the Earth to rotate under the Moon (accounting for
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-403: The Moon's 28 day orbit around Earth), tides thus cycle over a course of 12.5 hours. However, the rocky continents pose obstacles for the tidal bulges, so the timing of tidal maxima may not actually align with the Moon in most localities on Earth, as the oceans are forced to "dodge" the continents. Timing and magnitude of tides vary widely across the Earth as a result of the continents. Thus, knowing
5074-471: The Moon's gravity, oceanic tides are also substantially modulated by the Sun's tidal forces, by the rotation of the Earth, and by the shape of the rocky continents blocking oceanic water flow. (Tidal forces vary more with distance than the "base" force of gravity: the Moon's tidal forces on Earth are more than double the Sun's, despite the latter's much stronger gravitational force on Earth. Earth's tidal forces upon
5192-400: The Moon's position does not allow a local to predict tide timings, instead requiring precomputed tide tables which account for the continents and the Sun, among others. During each tidal cycle, at any given place the tidal waters rise to maximum height, high tide, before ebbing away again to the minimum level, low tide. As the water recedes, it gradually reveals the foreshore , also known as
5310-648: The Okeanos is represented with a dragon-tail on some early Greek vases. Scientists believe that a sizable quantity of water would have been in the material that formed Earth. Water molecules would have escaped Earth's gravity more easily when it was less massive during its formation. This is called atmospheric escape . During planetary formation , Earth possibly had magma oceans . Subsequently, outgassing , volcanic activity and meteorite impacts , produced an early atmosphere of carbon dioxide , nitrogen and water vapor , according to current theories. The gases and
5428-661: The Strait as they transit from the mainland to Flinders Island . Even though the race is held in the Australian summer, southerly buster storms often make the Sydney–Hobart race cold, bumpy, and very challenging for the crew. It is typical for a considerable number of yachts to retire, often at Eden on the New South Wales south coast, the last sheltered harbour before Flinders Island. The first Sydney to Hobart race
5546-611: The Tattersall Cup was awarded only to the Overall IOR winner during this period. Since 1994 there has been only one Overall winner, from 1994 to 2003 being decided using IMS, but from the 2004 onwards the Overall winner of the Tattersall Cup has been decided using IRC, with IMS dropped altogether as a handicap system. In theory, this should make for an even competition between yachts of all sizes, however in practice often only
5664-491: The Two-Handed IRC Trophy. Due to the race being cancelled in 2020, the first two-handed entrants competed in the 2021 race, which attracted 18 entrants. Two-handed yachts were not included in the Tattersall Cup because organisers could not establish an equitable handicap due to two-handed yachts’ use of autopilots. In 2021 rough conditions meant that just seven two handers made it through the first night, with
5782-741: The World Ocean, such as the Caspian Sea . The deepest region of the ocean is at the Mariana Trench , located in the Pacific Ocean near the Northern Mariana Islands . The maximum depth has been estimated to be 10,971 meters (35,994 ft). The British naval vessel Challenger II surveyed the trench in 1951 and named the deepest part of the trench the " Challenger Deep ". In 1960, the Trieste successfully reached
5900-421: The amounts in other parts of the water cycle. The reverse is true during warm periods. During the last ice age, glaciers covered almost one-third of Earth's land mass with the result being that the oceans were about 122 m (400 ft) lower than today. During the last global "warm spell," about 125,000 years ago, the seas were about 5.5 m (18 ft) higher than they are now. About three million years ago
6018-479: The atmosphere are thought to have accumulated over millions of years. After Earth's surface had significantly cooled, the water vapor over time would have condensed, forming Earth's first oceans. The early oceans might have been significantly hotter than today and appeared green due to high iron content. Geological evidence helps constrain the time frame for liquid water existing on Earth. A sample of pillow basalt (a type of rock formed during an underwater eruption)
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#17327810730326136-407: The bottom of the trench, manned by a crew of two men. Oceanographers classify the ocean into vertical and horizontal zones based on physical and biological conditions. The pelagic zone consists of the water column of the open ocean, and can be divided into further regions categorized by light abundance and by depth. The ocean zones can be grouped by light penetration into (from top to bottom):
6254-545: The construction of dams for hydro-electricity generation during the 20th century. Today, the Derwent's catchment area is characterised by agriculture , forestry , and hydropower generation. It serves as a vital source of water for irrigation and urban supply, notably providing a significant portion of Hobart's water needs. The river is also crucial for recreation, supporting activities such as boating, fishing, and leisure along its banks. Additionally, it facilitates marine transportation and various industrial activities, playing
6372-535: The construction of several hydro-electric dams between 1934 and 1968, the river was prone to flooding. Now there are more than twenty dams and reservoirs used for the generation of hydro-electricity on the Derwent and its tributaries, including the Clyde , Dee , Jordan , Nive , Ouse , Plenty and Styx rivers. Seven lakes have been formed by damming the Derwent and the Nive rivers for hydroelectric purposes and include
6490-401: The course in 1 day, 19 hours, 48 minutes and 2 seconds. Brindabella reached Hobart just under one hour later (1 day, 20 hours, 46 minutes, 33 seconds) and Wild Thing was a close third (1 day, 21 hours, 13 minutes, 37 seconds). The previous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race record had been set by Morning Glory (2 days, 14 hours, 7 minutes, 10 seconds) in 1996. In 2004 only 59 yachts completed
6608-541: The course of the 116 who set out from Sydney. Storms hit the race. The super maxi Skandia capsized after losing her keel. In 2005, Wild Oats XI became the first boat since Rani to win the "treble", taking Line Honours, winning the Corrected Handicap (IRC), and breaking the course record. (1d 18h 40 m 10s, over 1hr off of Nokia's record.) In 1982 Condor of Burmuda won the Sydney to Hobart (1981) which
6726-430: The decades to become one of the top three offshore yacht races in the world, and it now attracts maxi yachts from all around the globe. The 2019 race was the 75th edition. Australia's foremost offshore sailing prize is The George Adams Tattersall Cup , awarded to the ultimate winner of the handicap competition based on the length, shape, weight and sail dimensions of the yacht. Much public attention however, focuses on
6844-509: The elder of the Titans in classical Greek mythology . Oceanus was believed by the ancient Greeks and Romans to be the divine personification of an enormous river encircling the world. The concept of Ōkeanós has an Indo-European connection. Greek Ōkeanós has been compared to the Vedic epithet ā-śáyāna-, predicated of the dragon Vṛtra-, who captured the cows/rivers. Related to this notion,
6962-645: The estuary portion extends a further 52 kilometres (32 mi) out to the Tasman Sea. Flows average in range from 50 to 140 cubic metres per second (1,800 to 4,900 cu ft/s) and the mean annual flow is 90 cubic metres per second (3,200 cu ft/s). The large estuary forms the Port of the City of Hobart – the deepest sheltered harbour in the Southern Hemisphere . Some past guests of
7080-400: The finish line at 21:52 on 28 December 2006 to take line honours with an elapsed time of 2 days, 8 hours, 52 minutes and 33 seconds. Wild Oats XI became the first yacht to win the race in consecutive years since 1964 and only the sixth yacht to achieve this since the race's inception. Love & War , owned by Peter Kurts and skippered by Lindsay May , won the race overall (IRC Handicap) in
7198-534: The first fully professional all women's crew to compete in the Sydney Hobart. In 2022, Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham, whom had met on Kerry Goudge's Nadia IV in 1993, raced Currawong to the finish line, becoming the first all women's crew to complete the race in the Two-Handed division. In total, over a thousand women have taken part in the race. The exact rules for the Tattersall Cup have changed over
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#17327810730327316-412: The formation of unusually high rogue waves . Most waves are less than 3 m (10 ft) high and it is not unusual for strong storms to double or triple that height. Rogue waves, however, have been documented at heights above 25 meters (82 ft). The top of a wave is known as the crest, the lowest point between waves is the trough and the distance between the crests is the wavelength. The wave
7434-486: The honour of the title. The overall (handicap) winner on corrected time is awarded The George Adams Tattersall Cup, first awarded to the winner of the 1946 race (and retrospectively to the 1945 winner). Among the other trophies awarded during the race are the J H Illingworth Challenge Cup for the line honours boat and the Jane Tate Memorial Trophy for the first female skipper. The race features in
7552-421: The interface between water and air is called swell – a term used in sailing , surfing and navigation . These motions profoundly affect ships on the surface of the ocean and the well-being of people on those ships who might suffer from sea sickness . Wind blowing over the surface of a body of water forms waves that are perpendicular to the direction of the wind. The friction between air and water caused by
7670-482: The intertidal zone. The difference in height between the high tide and low tide is known as the tidal range or tidal amplitude. When the sun and moon are aligned (full moon or new moon), the combined effect results in the higher "spring tides", while the sun and moon misaligning (half moons) result in lesser tidal ranges. In the open ocean tidal ranges are less than 1 meter, but in coastal areas these tidal ranges increase to more than 10 meters in some areas. Some of
7788-739: The largest tidal ranges in the world occur in the Bay of Fundy and Ungava Bay in Canada, reaching up to 16 meters. Other locations with record high tidal ranges include the Bristol Channel between England and Wales, Cook Inlet in Alaska, and the Río Gallegos in Argentina. Tides are not to be confused with storm surges , which can occur when high winds pile water up against the coast in
7906-564: The lower parts of the valley were clad in thick she-oak forests, remnants of which remain in various parts of the lower foreshore. There was a thriving whaling industry until the 1840s when the industry rapidly declined due to over-exploitation. Formed by the confluence of the Narcissus and Cuvier rivers within Lake St Clair , the Derwent flows generally southeast over a distance of 187 kilometres (116 mi) to New Norfolk and
8024-471: The majority of Earth's surface. It includes the Pacific , Atlantic , Indian , Southern/Antarctic , and Arctic oceans. As a general term, "the ocean" and "the sea" are often interchangeable. Strictly speaking, a "sea" is a body of water (generally a division of the world ocean) partly or fully enclosed by land. The word "sea" can also be used for many specific, much smaller bodies of seawater, such as
8142-480: The most difficult yacht races in the world. The race was initially planned to be a cruise by Peter Luke and some friends who had formed a club for those who enjoyed cruising as opposed to racing; however, when a visiting British Royal Navy Officer, Captain John Illingworth , suggested it be made a race, the event was born. Since the inaugural race in 1945, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race has grown over
8260-626: The most northerly crossing is at Derwent Bridge , before the river reaches its source of Lake St Clair . At the Derwent Bridge crossing, the flow of the river is generally narrow enough to be stepped across. The river is the subject of the multimedia performance "Falling Mountain" (2005 Mountain Festival), a reference to the mountain in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park from which
8378-546: The naming rights sponsor of the race since 2002, and since then the race has been known as the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race . Traditionally, crews of yachts celebrate on New Year's Eve at Constitution Dock in Hobart, with the Customs House Hotel a favourite venue for Sydney–Hobart yachtsmen. The 2020 race was cancelled due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in Sydney's north . The Cruising Yacht Club said it
8496-420: The naming rights sponsor of the race since 2002. Other sponsors of the race include Appliances Online , Nortel Networks and TasPorts . It generally costs each of the major contenders for line honors millions of dollars to equip themselves for the race, however there is no prize money. The only award is a Rolex watch from the race sponsor for the fastest and handicap winning yacht captains. Entrants compete for
8614-405: The newest and most advanced boats (regardless of size) can sail fast relative to their rating. In addition, in a race of the length of the Sydney–Hobart weather conditions after the maxi yachts have finished can often determine whether they will win on handicap – if the winds become more favourable after they finish, they will lose on handicap, if they become less favourable they will win. The race
8732-408: The ocean faces many environmental threats, such as marine pollution , overfishing , and the effects of climate change . Those effects include ocean warming , ocean acidification and sea level rise . The continental shelf and coastal waters are most affected by human activity. The terms "the ocean" or "the sea" used without specification refer to the interconnected body of salt water covering
8850-423: The ocean meets dry land. It is more shallow, with a depth of a few hundred meters or less. Human activity often has negative impacts on marine life within the continental shelf. Ocean temperatures depend on the amount of solar radiation reaching the ocean surface. In the tropics, surface temperatures can rise to over 30 °C (86 °F). Near the poles where sea ice forms, the temperature in equilibrium
8968-508: The ocean, on land and air. All these processes and components together make up ocean surface ecosystems . Tides are the regular rise and fall in water level experienced by oceans, primarily driven by the Moon 's gravitational tidal forces upon the Earth. Tidal forces affect all matter on Earth, but only fluids like the ocean demonstrate the effects on human timescales. (For example, tidal forces acting on rock may produce tidal locking between two planetary bodies.) Though primarily driven by
9086-469: The ocean. If the wind dies down, the wave formation is reduced, but already-formed waves continue to travel in their original direction until they meet land. The size of the waves depends on the fetch , the distance that the wind has blown over the water and the strength and duration of that wind. When waves meet others coming from different directions, interference between the two can produce broken, irregular seas. Constructive interference can lead to
9204-419: The oceans absorb CO 2 from the atmosphere , a higher concentration leads to ocean acidification (a drop in pH value ). The ocean provides many benefits to humans such as ecosystem services , access to seafood and other marine resources , and a means of transport . The ocean is known to be the habitat of over 230,000 species , but may hold considerably more – perhaps over two million species. Yet,
9322-425: The oceans could have been up to 50 m (165 ft) higher. The entire ocean, containing 97% of Earth's water, spans 70.8% of Earth 's surface, making it Earth's global ocean or world ocean . This makes Earth, along with its vibrant hydrosphere a "water world" or " ocean world ", particularly in Earth's early history when the ocean is thought to have possibly covered Earth completely. The ocean's shape
9440-434: The oceans have been mapped. The zone where land meets sea is known as the coast , and the part between the lowest spring tides and the upper limit reached by splashing waves is the shore . A beach is the accumulation of sand or shingle on the shore. A headland is a point of land jutting out into the sea and a larger promontory is known as a cape . The indentation of a coastline, especially between two headlands,
9558-537: The oceans may have always been on the Earth since the beginning of the planet's formation. In this model, atmospheric greenhouse gases kept the oceans from freezing when the newly forming Sun had only 70% of its current luminosity . The origin of Earth's oceans is unknown. Oceans are thought to have formed in the Hadean eon and may have been the cause for the emergence of life . Plate tectonics , post-glacial rebound , and sea level rise continually change
9676-481: The others retiring at port. The first two-handed category was won by Disko Trooper-Contender Sailcloth, a J/99. In 2022, two-handed yachts were allowed to contend for the Tattersalls Cup. There were 22 entries making it the fastest growing section of the race. The 2022 2-handed IRC was won by 'Mistral', a Lombard 34. 'Mistral' finished 29th in the Tattersalls Cup. By 2023, two-handed entries comprised 17.5% of
9794-451: The photic zone, the mesopelagic zone and the aphotic deep ocean zone: The pelagic part of the aphotic zone can be further divided into vertical regions according to depth and temperature: Distinct boundaries between ocean surface waters and deep waters can be drawn based on the properties of the water. These boundaries are called thermoclines (temperature), haloclines (salinity), chemoclines (chemistry), and pycnoclines (density). If
9912-570: The port include HMS Beagle in February 1836, carrying Charles Darwin ; the USS ; Enterprise ; USS John C. Stennis and USS Missouri . The largest vessel to ever travel the Derwent is the 113,000-tonne (111,000-long-ton), 61-metre (200 ft) high, ocean liner Diamond Princess , which made her first visit in January 2006. At points in its lower reaches the river
10030-418: The power of a storm wave impacting on the foot of a cliff has a shattering effect as air in cracks and crevices is compressed and then expands rapidly with release of pressure. At the same time, sand and pebbles have an erosive effect as they are thrown against the rocks. This tends to undercut the cliff, and normal weathering processes such as the action of frost follows, causing further destruction. Gradually,
10148-446: The previous year. Wild Oats XI , who crossed the line first, received a 1-hour penalty for her role in a near-miss collision at the beginning of the race and disregard of the starboard rule, handing LDV Comanche line honours. Wild Oats XI completed the course in an unofficial record time of 1 day, 08 hours, 48 minutes and 50 seconds. Wild Oats XI has won line honours on 9 separate occasions (2005–2008, 2010, 2012–2014, 2018) and
10266-446: The race are represented most of all by John Bennetto (dec), Lou Abrahams and Tony Cable who, after the 2007 race, had each sailed 44 races. Skippers Frank and John Livingston won four line honours titles while Claude Plowman, Peter Warner , S.A "Huey" Long, Jim Kilroy and Bob Bell have each won three. Trygve and Magnus Halvorsen have won four handicap honours titles while a number of skippers have won two handicap titles. Rolex has been
10384-460: The race being cancelled in 2020, the first two-handed entrants competed in the 2021 race. With the smashing of the Sydney–Hobart Race record in 1999 by Nokia—and a host of other super-fast boats that completed the course in less than two days for the first time—the "Holy Grail" of the Sydney–Hobart race, a completion of the course in a time under the 40-hour mark, became a possibility. Many of
10502-657: The race for "line honours" – the first boat across the finishing line, typically the newest and largest Maxi yacht in the fleet. Along with the Newport-Bermuda Race and the Fastnet Race , it is considered one of the classic big offshore races with each distance approximately 625 nautical miles (719 mi; 1,158 km). In 2017, LDV Comanche set a new race record finishing in 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds, beating Perpetual Loyal's record of 1 day, 13 hours, 31 minutes and 20 seconds, set
10620-436: The river during months in winter and spring when their migration takes place. Some females even started using calm waters of the river as a safe ground for giving birth to their calves and would stay over following weeks after disappearance of almost 200 years due to being wiped out by intense whaling activities. In the winter months of 2014, humpback whales and a minke whale (being the first confirmed record of this species in
10738-439: The river exceed national guidelines. In 2015 the program recommended against consuming shellfish and cautioned against consuming fish in general. Nutrient levels in the Derwent between 2010 and 2015 increased in the upper estuary (between Bridgewater and New Norfolk) where there had been algal blooms . A large proportion of toxic heavy metal contamination stems from legacy pollution caused by major industries that discharge into
10856-639: The river including Nyrstar Hobart , a historic smelter establish at Lutana in 1916, and the Norske Skog Boyer paper mill at Boyer which opened in 1941. The Derwent adjoins or flows through the Pittwater–Orielton Lagoon , Interlaken Lakeside Reserve and Goulds Lagoon, all wetlands of significance protected under the Ramsar Convention . In recent years, southern right whales finally started making appearance in
10974-710: The river) have been recorded feeding in the River Derwent for the first time since the whaling days of the 1800s. The rare spotted handfish ( Brachionichthys hirsutus ), whose only habitat is in the Derwent estuary and surrounds, was the first marine fish to be listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List , in 1996. The fish is threatened by the Northern Pacific seastar's invasion into southern Australian waters . The Northern Pacific seastar ( Asterias amurensis ), now firmly established in
11092-676: The same name to win the handicap title. The 2009 fleet comprised 99 starters. In the 2008 race, Wild Oats XI had equalled Morna / Kurrewa IV ' s record of three consecutive line honours victories, which Morna achieved in 1946, 1947 and 1948, and was attempting to pass the record in its own right in 2009. In the event however, Neville Crichton 's New Zealand entry Alpha Romeo II passed Wild Oats XI early on and never relinquished her lead, finishing in an elapsed time of 2 days, 9 hours, 2 minutes and 10 seconds. Wild Oats XI came in second and United Kingdom-based ICAP Leopard came in third. Sailors who have achieved outstanding commitment to
11210-455: The seabed between adjoining plates to form mid-oceanic ridges and here convection currents within the mantle tend to drive the two plates apart. Parallel to these ridges and nearer the coasts, one oceanic plate may slide beneath another oceanic plate in a process known as subduction . Deep trenches are formed here and the process is accompanied by friction as the plates grind together. The movement proceeds in jerks which cause earthquakes, heat
11328-407: The seabed causing deltas to form in estuaries. All these materials move back and forth under the influence of waves, tides and currents. Dredging removes material and deepens channels but may have unexpected effects elsewhere on the coastline. Governments make efforts to prevent flooding of the land by the building of breakwaters , seawalls , dykes and levees and other sea defences. For instance,
11446-474: The settlement of New Norfolk in the Derwent Valley its waters become brackish , flowing through Hobart , the capital city of Tasmania, its seawater estuary eventually empties into Storm Bay and the Tasman Sea . Historically, the banks of the Derwent were covered by forests and frequented by Aboriginal Tasmanians . With the arrival of European settlers, the area saw agricultural development and
11564-401: The shore at the rate of six to eight per minute and these are known as constructive waves as they tend to move material up the beach and have little erosive effect. Storm waves arrive on shore in rapid succession and are known as destructive waves as the swash moves beach material seawards. Under their influence, the sand and shingle on the beach is ground together and abraded. Around high tide,
11682-408: The skippers competing in the Sydney–Hobart race in the 21st century have expressed a desire to be the first to record a time under the once thought of as impossible mark of 40 hours. In 2017, this goal was met when the race record was set by LDV Comanche to 33 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds. Women first participated in the race in 1946. The first woman to take part was Jane Tate , whose boat Active
11800-512: The surface to the ocean floor. The water column is further divided into zones based on depth and the amount of light present. The photic zone starts at the surface and is defined to be "the depth at which light intensity is only 1% of the surface value" (approximately 200 m in the open ocean). This is the zone where photosynthesis can occur. In this process plants and microscopic algae (free floating phytoplankton ) use light, water, carbon dioxide, and nutrients to produce organic matter. As
11918-456: The system forms). As the world's ocean is the principal component of Earth's hydrosphere , it is integral to life on Earth, forms part of the carbon cycle and water cycle , and – as a huge heat reservoir – influences climate and weather patterns. The motions of the ocean surface, known as undulations or wind waves , are the partial and alternate rising and falling of the ocean surface. The series of mechanical waves that propagate along
12036-503: The total fleet. The fleet comprises mostly sloops ; that is, yachts with a single mast on which is hoisted a fore-and-aft rigged mainsail and a single jib or Genoa , plus extras such as a spinnaker . The race has encouraged innovation in yacht design. Between 1945 and 2005, the most successful yacht designer has been the New Zealand designer Bruce Farr , who has designed 15 overall winners. Notes: Rolex has been
12154-684: The two lane Bridgewater Bridge and Causeway . Until 1964 the Derwent was crossed by the unique Hobart Bridge , a floating concrete structure just upstream from where the Tasman Bridge now stands. Travelling further north from the Bridgewater crossing, the next crossing point is the Blair Street Bridge at New Norfolk , slightly north of the point where the Derwent reverts from seawater to fresh water , Bushy Park , Upper Meadowbank Lake , Lake Repulse Road, Wayatinah , and
12272-434: The very clearest ocean water, and is similar to blue light scattering in the sky . Ocean water represents the largest body of water within the global water cycle (oceans contain 97% of Earth's water ). Evaporation from the ocean moves water into the atmosphere to later rain back down onto land and the ocean. Oceans have a significant effect on the biosphere . The ocean as a whole is thought to cover approximately 90% of
12390-476: The world, and from the surface into the deep ocean. All this has impacts on the global climate system . Ocean water contains dissolved gases, including oxygen , carbon dioxide and nitrogen . An exchange of these gases occurs at the ocean's surface. The solubility of these gases depends on the temperature and salinity of the water. The carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere is rising due to CO 2 emissions , mainly from fossil fuel combustion. As
12508-421: The yacht was last in the fleet. The longest surviving skipper from the inaugural race, Peter Luke, who contributed to the formation of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and the establishment of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, died on 23 September 2007 aged 92. His yacht, Wayfarer , still holds the record for the slowest elapsed time. One of two surviving sailors from the original race – Geoffrey Ruggles from
12626-588: The years. In general, each boat's time is adjusted on the expected speed of the boat based on its size and other characteristics. The International Offshore Rules were superseded by the International Measurement System (IMS), and the IRC . For 1991, 1992 & 1993 races, the winners of the IOR and IMS categories were both declared Overall winners during the transition from IOR to IMS. However,
12744-468: Was "unrealistic" to proceed with the race after the Tasmanian government declared Greater Sydney a "medium risk" zone, requiring all participants to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Tasmania. It was the first time the race was not conducted in its 76-year history. 2020 saw the introduction of a two-handed division (only two crew members permitted) with its own trophy, the Two-Handed IRC Trophy. Due to
12862-604: Was held in 1945 . The race was initially planned to be a cruise by Peter Luke and some friends who had formed a club for those who enjoyed cruising as opposed to racing; however, when a visiting British Royal Navy Officer, Captain John Illingworth , suggested it be made a race, the event was born. The inaugural race had nine starters, including the Kathleen Gillett, captained by renowned marine artist Jack Earl . John Illingworth's Rani , built at Speers Point
12980-596: Was inhabited by the Mouheneener people for at least 8,000 years before British settlement. Evidence of their occupation is found in many middens along the banks of the river. The first European to chart the river was Bruni d'Entrecasteaux , who named it the Rivière du Nord in 1793. Later that same year, John Hayes explored the river and named it after the River Derwent , which runs past his birthplace of Bridekirk , Cumberland . When first explored by Europeans,
13098-433: Was not one of the applications for entry and may have raced her last Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in 2006. Wild Oats XI went on to create history by winning its third consecutive line honours title and becoming only the second yacht to do so. Rosebud (USA) won the race on corrected time. John Walker became the oldest skipper in the history of the race at age 85 and Phillip's Foote Witchdoctor bettered its own record and set
13216-424: Was part of the crew for the winning Wild Oats . In 2011, Jessica Watson , known for her solo unassisted sail around the world at age 16, skippered the Sydney Hobart yacht race with a crew of six other young Australians and three Britons all aged 21 or under, making them some of the youngest ever to compete in the blue water classic. In 2018, skippered by Stacey Jackson, Ocean Respect Racing (on Wild Oats X) became
13334-775: Was recovered from the Isua Greenstone Belt and provides evidence that water existed on Earth 3.8 billion years ago. In the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt , Quebec , Canada, rocks dated at 3.8 billion years old by one study and 4.28 billion years old by another show evidence of the presence of water at these ages. If oceans existed earlier than this, any geological evidence either has yet to be discovered, or has since been destroyed by geological processes like crustal recycling . However, in August 2020, researchers reported that sufficient water to fill
13452-606: Was the closest ever finish, winning by just seven seconds against Apollo III during a gruelling match race up the River Derwent. In 2006, 78 boats started the race, including entrants from the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, New Zealand, every Australian state and the Australian Capital Territory . The race started on schedule at 13:00 Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time . Wild Oats XI , owned by Bob Oatley and skippered by Mark Richards , crossed
13570-461: Was the first Indigenous woman to take part in the race. Since then up to 2021, there have been another 12. The following is the list of all female crews to compete: In 2005, 24 women took part, including Adrienne Cahalan , who is famed for her around-the-world sailing, has been nominated several times for World Yachtswoman of the Year and was Australian Yachtswoman of the Year for 2004–05. In 2005 she
13688-483: Was the first yacht to do so since Astor in the 1960s. Wild Oats XI claimed its third consecutive line honours title in the 2007 race , re-writing history by being only the second yacht after Rani in the inaugural 1945 race to win line and handicap honours and break the race record in the same year (2005) and then only the second yacht after Morna to win three line honours titles in a row. In 2008 , Wild Oats XI broke Morna' s long-standing record of three titles in
13806-424: Was the only one to reach Hobart in 1946. Dagmar O'Brien, with boat Connella , also took part in that year but retired from the race before finishing. Thus, the Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the first female skipper to complete the race. In 1975, the first all-women crew sailed was the boat Barbarian , skippered by Vicki Willman. In 1996, Kathy Collingridge crewed on One Time Sidewinder . She
13924-500: Was the winner, taking six days, 14 hours and 22 minutes. Race records for the fastest (elapsed) time dropped rapidly. However, it took 21 years for the 1975 record by Kialoa from the United States to be broken by the German yacht Morning Glory in 1996, and then only by a dramatic 29 minutes, as she tacked up the River Derwent against the clock. In 1999 Denmark's Nokia sailed the course in one day, 19 hours, 48 minutes and two seconds,
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