The Daily Reel: June 29, 2012

• Greenpeace Locks Down Controversial Super Trawler
• Marathon Swimmer to Attempt 103-Mile Unassisted Swim to Cuba
• Kite Surfer Plays With Tropical Storm Debbie

Greenpeace Locks Down Controversial Super Trawler

Although it hasn’t yet received its operating license to fish the waters of Tasmania, the super trawler Margiris has been locked into port by conservation group Greenpeace. Divers and climbers have worked together to ensure the massive vessel doesn’t leave its Dutch harbor by wrapping a length of chain around the ship’s propeller, and a few climbers hang from cables between the ship and the quay (landing place). The Margiris is expected to meet an annual quota of 18,000 tons of mackerel and redbait, so-called “small pelagic fish,” which activists and many Australian locals believe will destroy local fish stocks. The fish will then be exported to West Africa for human consumption, where Greenpeace claims the Margiris has already destroyed local fish stocks, adding to the opposition toward the super trawler in Australia. Seafish Tasmania, the company behind the operation, expects the Margiris to begin trawling in August, which is currently undergoing the standard procedures for registering as an Australian vessel.

Marathon Swimmer to Attempt 103-Mile Unassisted Swim to Cuba

Penny Palfrey, a dual citizen of Britain and the US, is preparing to take on the 103-mile swim from Cuba through the Straits of Florida, an area known to be filled with sharks, without a shark cage or assistance of a buoyant wetsuit. The 49-year-old grandmother of two and mother of three has abundant experience to back her up; she has crossed the English Channel twice, continuously swam from Gibraltar to Morocco and back, swam 67 miles unassisted between Little Cayman and Grand Cayman, as well as a few attempts in Hawaii that were cut short due to Portuguese Man-of-War stings. Palfrey will be attended to by a catamaran crew of medical people, navigators, kayakers, and witnesses to her record-setting goal, and by use of a boat that has Shark Shields attached to its hull, a device that emits an electrical frequency that is unappealing to sharks. She will wear a Lycra bodysuit to ward against Man-of-War and other jellyfish stings, but the suit is not buoyant — in fact, Palfrey notes how it actually creates drag. She expects the swim to take 40-50 hours, and conditions are forecast to be good as Tropical Storm Debbie moves further away.

Kite Surfer Plays With Tropical Storm Debbie

Tropical Storm Debbie has caused hardship for many people dealing with the torrential rains and high winds, but there are some that can’t be bothered by a little weather. Check out this kite surfer taking advantage of the wild waves with this daring stunt: