Classic Ethereal Seaside Styled Shoot Styled Shoots / November 23, 2016 from the photographer… “Clear skies, blue waters, and a beautiful light breeze makes for a perfect day for a styled shoot along Lake Michigan at the exclusive Chicago Yacht Club!The dream team came together to take advantage of a beautiful spring day to showcase two different looks by Sweet Caroline Styles, flawless hair and make-up by Appease Inc., and elegant jewelry by Left Bank Jewelry.Grace Bower could not have a been more stunning bride wearing an ethereal, mint colored chiffon skirt with a tattoo lace, peek-a-boo top.The gown was complemented by luxe Italian silk shoes in a light blush hue and adorned with a Swarovski crystal.The lovely golden headpiece with ivory flowers set with crystals and pearls gave the bride a fairlytale finish!Her second look was a tulle pink skirt with a more structured, high-neck, flower embroidered crop-top.” “What an intimate way to invite your guests to celebrate with you on your big day with handmade invitations!

In Loft Calligraphy blew away our expectations with handmade paper with watercolored blush pink and gray floral designs and an elegant hand!The custom invitation suite included hand calligraphed name plates and an RSVP envelope embellished with a wax seal and vintage stamps.The color palate was tied together with gorgeous flower arrangements from Davenport Design.The mercury vessels, brass candleholders and beautiful blooms accented table setting and wooden chairs provided by Tablescapes.The tiered ivory Vera Wang cake provided by Toni Patisserie filled the room with the aroma of delicious goodness!These moments were captured by Bonphotage and planning services were provided by Sayira with Sky Event Consultants.” view the full gallery >VideoImageOne of the world's largest superyachts, "Sailing Yacht A", was spotted leaving its construction yard in Kiel, Germany.The 468-foot vessel was making its way to its owner, Russia billionaire Andrey Melnichenko.THERE’S no doubting it’s some boat.

At one and half times the length of a footy pitch, with an underwater viewing pod and the ability to withstand a bomb blast, the modestly named ‘Sailing Yacht A’, looks like something a villain from a James Bond movie would cruise around in.But at the moment its billionaire Russian owner won’t be sailing anywhere after the boat was impounded on its maiden voyage.The boat’s builders say they are still owed a hefty chunk of the more than $500 million price tag.Authorities in Gibraltar, a tiny British territory bordering Spain at the mouth of the Mediterranean, are refusing to let ‘Sailing Yacht A’ sail away until the dispute is resolved.The boat’s owner, Andrey Melnichenko, a Russian businessman with stakes in fertilisers and coal has played down the floating fracas and has said it’s merely “a technical problem”.Two weeks ago the vessel, that measures 143m from end to end and has all the grace and poise of a floating tank, left a shipyard in Kiel, northern Germany, and set sail for the warmer waters around Spain.The futuristic yacht, whose shape was penned by renowned French designer Phillipe Starck, also includes 100m high masts, a helipad, 40 cameras and room for 54 crew and 20 guests.The ship’s builder, German firm Nobiskrug, has claimed there is an outstanding bill for the boat of $13.5 million and a further $7.5 million owed to contractors, according to German TV station NDR.

When Mr Melnichenko’s boat reached Gibraltar on Monday, the port authorities seized it and stationed officials on deck.“The vessel is under arrest and is currently at anchor in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters,” Admiralty Marshal Liam Yeats, an official with the territory’s court said.It’s all a bit embarrassing for Mr Melnichenko who Forbes estimates is worth around $17 billion.“We are confident that the yacht will be handed over to the owner’s project team in the coming days and this unfortunate episode will be over,” a spokesman for Mr Melnichenko told the BBC.The billionaire clearly has a thing for fancy superyachts.Last year he, not inconspicuously, sailed another of his pleasure boats, ‘Motor Yacht A’, down London’s River Thames and parked it next to the world famous Tower Bridge.At a mere 119 meters long, the vessel is some way short of ‘Sailing Yacht A’.Nonetheless, gleaming white and standing tall, it all but took the spotlight away from the ship it was moored next to — a former British warship.bitcoin difficulty history table

What all sailors can learn from Cyclone Pam Cyclone Pam ripped through the islands of Vanuatu in March 2015, causing almost unprecedented devastation.bitcoin widget iosIt was classified as Category 5: with maximum mean wind speeds over 108 knots.bitcoin bear etfPort Vila recorded wind speeds of 116 knots gusting to 185 knots between 2200 on Friday 13th and 0200 on Saturday 14th as the eye passed to the east, with winds tracking from southeast to southwest.bitcoin forbes listVanuatu may be on the other side of the world, but even southern England has had winds of more than 100 knots in recent years, so there is much we can learn from the experience of those who rode out the storm, ashore or afloat.bitcoin buzz app

I spoke to several people who said they were ‘scared – very scared.’ Our friend Carine Morel-Boycene described it as ‘Like a jet’s engines screaming at full throttle, for four hours.bitcoin mining on nvidiaI can’t believe we survived.I expected to find most of my friends dead.’ When news of Cyclone Pam broke, many images showed the destruction caused in Port Vila, often referred to as a ‘cyclone hole’.Shelter is good but in cyclone conditions it’s known locally as ‘the bowling alley,’ a reputation not helped by boats rushing in seeking shelter without the time to secure their mooring properly.It’s estimated that there were over 50 boats on moorings in the harbour that night.Just over 20 survived – and several of those were motorboats that had been driven onto the beach deliberately.There were 24 fatalities and it was the local Ni-Vanuatu who bore the brunt.The aftermath was shocking; entire buildings were flattened and a once lush country had been stripped of its greenery.

The Ni-Vanuatu are often described as the happiest people on earth, always laughing and smiling.They are also strikingly humble.I asked if they were OK, they replied ‘Yes, me OK.’ Your family?‘Yes, they OK.’ And your house?‘Fallen’ they reply softly, almost embarrassed.Life here is still largely self-sufficient and villagers take their produce miles to big markets to sell.Now there are no crops, no food, no money and fresh water tanks were destroyed.For now, they need our support.Yachting Community delivers emergency relief With local delivery vessels either crippled or servicing larger populations, yachts are in a position to gather donations, buy aid and deliver supplies to isolated islands.Aid organisations Sea Mercy and Oceanswatch are both sending fleets to Vanuatu, the World Cruising Club has raised funds from donors and is helping the islands of Efate and Tanna where the World ARC will visit in July.The Ocean Cruising Club has rallied its members to raise funds and sail to the islands with aid.

Private skippers are also lending their skills, whether building, electrical, medical or educational.Inspired by our time in Vanuatu, we too have raised funds, filled our forepeak with building tools and equipment, food and medical supplies to help the Ni-Vanuatu in need.Far from being put off, many sailors have changed plans to include Vanuatu.Their help will make peoples’ lives better./vanuatucyclone Regardless of how meticulous your own preparations are, your fate depends on all the boats upwind of you doing the same.Victor Nottleman, whose sailing yacht Ethereal survived on her mooring, watched from shore.‘Boats were being swept down the harbour, colliding with other boats, taking out other mooring lines, with the result that more boats were swept down.It was horrible.’ Port Vila Harbour was like ‘a bowling alley’ Cristian Juillurmé and Rosio Ríos stayed aboard their catamaran, Marmajua, a 42ft Fontaine Pajot.With a week’s notice, they began their preparations.

To keep her steady on her mooring, they secured two 38mm diameter lines from each stern to thick tree trunks onshore, spread at wide angles.They also ran a line from ashore under the boat to a shackle on their longeron (the beam that runs forward along the centreline) and then onto the mooring line to try and reduce fore-and-aft motion.Cristian dived the mooring to ensure the chain and shackles were in good condition.Finally, they minimised windage and set two anchors.They prepared a grab bag and lifejackets.If they had to abandon, they would board the tender and pull themselves along the stern lines to shore.Cristian and Rosio could only watch as other boats tore free from their moorings.First a sailing yacht hit their starboard bow and got caught on their mooring line.Cristian recalls, ‘It was stuck for about an hour, bouncing up and down as I tried to get it off.’ Next was a fishing boat that scarred their topsides.Cristian and Rosio were in VHF radio contact with a neighbouring catamaran, Sanyasin, that also had crew aboard.

They eased Sanyasin’s stern lines to escape a fishing boat that hit them.Soon Sanyasin was a metre off Marmajua’s starboard hull.Then Cristian saw the skipper cut his stern lines, launching the cat forward onto Marmajua’s bows, taking out the longeron, forward beam and forestay, before colliding with the port bow.Finally Sanyasin split in two, the father and daughter on one hull, the mother on the other.With 5m visibility they disappeared downwind.Cristian later learned that the family survived.Cristian spent almost four hours protecting his boat in 1.5m waves.No, I just wanted to protect my boat.’ Rosio confessed ‘This boat is our home and I was scared, very scared.’ Geoff Brown, a New Zealander based in Port Vila, spent two years restoring his Swan 431, Black Pearl, launching her just before the cyclone season.He kept her afloat, on a cyclone mooring with two 38mm lines shackled to the chain and chafe protected at the bow rollers, but decided he wouldn’t stay aboard.

The decision saved his life.‘My boat was hit at least once, cutting her from the moorings and damaging both the hull and deck on the port side,’ said Geoff.‘She was then trapped under other boats’ lines before rolling down, taking on water and sinking.’ Next morning, all Geoff could see of Black Pearl was her masthead, 100m from her mooring.Less than half a mile away, Port Vila Boatyard, with around 35 boats inside, was undamaged.One of the key factors in its survival was its location, sited behind a 150m hill providing protection from southeasterly and southwesterly winds.As part of our circumnavigation we wanted to experience life on a tropical island, so Susie and I decided to base our Hylas 46, Adina, in the boatyard for the cyclone season.In recent years, the tropics have become an increasingly popular choice as more is known about cyclones so forecasting is better, boats can be better protected and the facilities have been developed precisely to keep yachts safe in cyclones.

Port Vila Boatyard’s reputation as a cyclone hole is growing, but Vuda Marina in Fiji is renowned for its cyclone storage facilities.Adam Wade, general manager, says ‘We are fully booked by May, well ahead of the cyclone season.’ As we were researching our decision, we spoke to Justin Jenkin, owner of Port Vila Boatyard.‘We have cradles made from structural steel I-beams which have four steel hinged arms held securely against the vessel’s hull.Eight sets of chains and turnbuckles secure the hinged arms and we use Acrow props.These come up against the underwater part of the hull and are placed at right angles to the hull from the four outer corners of the cradle, then wound up tight to secure the hull.’ Crucially, we consulted with our insurer and, following due diligence on their part, they agreed to insure Adina on the hard in one of the boatyard’s secure cradles.We stripped Adina of any items that could cause windage as soon as she was out of the water so that she would be set for the cyclone season.

There were insurer requirements such as removing sails, bimini, sprayhood and ensuring these were stored inside the boat.We went further, taking off everything we could, including MOB recovery kit and halyards.We sent photos to our insurer to find out if they thought we needed to do anything more but they said they were happy.Susie and I were at a wedding in New Zealand when Pam hit.We felt helpless and feared for friends and the Ni-Vanuatu.In the week leading up to the cyclone, the Port Vila Boatyard team worked hard as more boats were brought onto the hard standing.Their final preparation was to take lines from boats to underground anchor points around the yard.Our friends, Frank and Dorte von dem Bottlenberg, had survived Fiji’s cyclone Evan aboard their Morgan 41 Elan while secured to a mooring buoy.Ashore in Port Vila, they took additional lines from the top of the mast and secured them to the ground.They had been living aboard in the boatyard but chose to seek the safety of a hotel for the night of the cyclone.

Anchoring as a last resort Only one yacht is known to have remained at anchor as Pam passed over – a 50m superyacht called Blue Gold.She was further north in the sheltered area of Havannah Harbour where she had been at anchor for over two years.The crew deployed two anchors but Blue Gold ended up ashore on a nearby island.There are lessons for all cruisers to learn from Cyclone Pam.While winds of this strength are still rare, weather patterns are becoming less stable so understanding how to prepare for these events is critical.It has been proven both through Pam in Vanuatu and Cyclone Evan in Fiji, that if yachts are properly prepared and in the right location, they can withstand winds of hugely destructive force.Vuda Marina in Fiji, with its uniquely designed marina and land-based facilities, is widely regarded as one of safest cyclone holes in the Pacific and it survived Cyclone Evan, with wind speeds of 120 knots, largely unscathed.Marina general manager Adam Wade believes that the safest option is a hole in the ground in which a yacht’s keel sits, with the hull supported by rubber tyres.

Second to that is placing the boat in a well-made, well-secured cradle on the hard.Third choice would be a sheltered marina, with a cyclone-proof mooring his fourth choice, and anchoring very much a last resort.We felt Adina was as secure as we could make her.She was tied to her bombproof cradle using ratchet straps from bow and stern, port and starboard, and two more across the decks to the legs of the cradle; each with a breaking load of 2,500kg.Deck up, she was stripped bare.In hindsight, we should have removed our vang and lowered the boom to the deck to reduce windage.It’s a big job to remove your mast and we didn’t have the facilities to do it, but if you can it is a good idea.‘All remaining moorings in Port Vila need to be inspected by qualified experts before use,’ said Peter Wederell, owner of local business Total Marine Solutions.‘Any new moorings put in to replace missing or damaged moorings must be built to a specified standard, and regular inspections by qualified experts need to be legislated and enforced.

Cristian dived to check the mooring for his Fontaine Pajot 42 catamaran Marmajua and found thick chain and solid shackles.He secured her well in every direction, tying her to shore from her leeward mooring using 38mm lines with plenty of contingency.That withstood the constant wave surges and resisted the chafing that resulted in others parting their moorings.However, her mooring at the business end of the ‘bowling alley’ meant boats were blown down onto her.Would Cristian do anything differently next time?‘I feel I protected Marmajua as best as I could,’ he said, ‘but next time I would not stay on the boat.’ Cristian is working hard to repair the damage and will sail on.On Black Pearl, Geoff used two 38mm lines with hosepipe chafe protection at the bow roller and reduced windage as much as he could, but her mooring parted and she foundered.What would he do differently?‘Possibly I would haul the boat during the cyclone season, though it can be the best time to cruise these beautiful islands,’ he said.