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Celestial crowned overall winner of Sydney to Hobart yacht race

Celestial skipper and owner sam haynes said he wasn't expecting to claim the title, labelling the feat a "lifetime achievement"..

Celestial skipper Sam Haynes says he is pleasantly surprised to win the title, adding that his goal had been to be "competitive" and deliver the best result possible. Source: Getty / Brett Hemmings

• Celestial has been named the overall winner in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
• Skipper Sam Haynes says the win is particularly special after the yacht's experience last year.
• Rough seas have forced more vessels to retire.

Redemption after heartache in 2021

Rough seas force more vessels to retire

Race record in sight for leaders in Sydney to Hobart yacht race

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Duel in the dark as three-boat race for Sydney to Hobart win looms on Weds morning

There’s a tight tussle for line honours in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race as Black Jack, LawConnect and SHK Scallywag headed toward a possible “neck and neck” finish on the River Derwent.

Across Tuesday SHK Scallywag had closed the gap in third place as further retirements cut the original fleet of 88 yachts to 52, with harsh conditions forcing withdrawals due to damage or minor crew injuries - most coming on the first day.

The three super maxis were vying for the top spot heading down Tasmania’s east coast with the possibility of the duel continuing right up to Hobart.

On Tuesday morning, Black Jack had regained a six nautical mile lead on LawConnect.

“They are neck and neck at the moment,” Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore Noel Cornish told media in Hobart.

Light winds for most of Tuesday then saw the leaders slow down, often being within sight of each other. Some of the race stragglers may not finish until January 4.

A Wednesday morning finish, likely before sunset, was expected.

“We are looking forward to a good day, and to where we will end up this afternoon and evening,” said Black Jack navigator Alex Nolan.

“Everyone is very well on board. Everyone is very happy. We are pushing it very hard.” Weather is critical in the 628-nautical-mile (1,200-km) race down Australia’s east coast to Hobart, one of the world’s most challenging ocean events.

Six men died, five boats sank, and 55 sailors were rescued during the 1998 event when a deep depression exploded over the fleet in the Bass Strait.

But this year, organisers also faced the trials of a global pandemic, which already nixed last year’s edition -- cancelling the event for the first time since it began in 1945.

Before the start, four yachts were forced to retire, leaving 88 entrants at the starting line, including 17 two-handed crafts, which are allowed to take part for the first time.

It was a sharp reduction from the 157 boats that set out in 2019. Though the first yacht to reach the finishing line grabs most public attention, the main prize for sailors is regarded as the handicap honours, which take account of the size of the yachts.

RETIREMENTS (As of 7.30pm, December 27)

Alive - hull damage

Ariel - Mainsail damage

Blink - torn main sail

Chancellor - sail damage

Crystal Cutter - mainsail damage

Denali - damage to hull

Enchantress - broken forestay

Extasea - engine issues

Gweilo - Forestay damage

Huntress - mainsail damage

Kialoa II - rig damage

King Billy - rigging damage

Mako - damaged mainsail

Mille Sabords - torn mainsail

Minerva - mainsail damage

Moneypenny - broken headstay

Nautical Circle - rigging issues

No Limit - heading to Sydney

Oskana - broken forestay

Oz Design Patrice Six - engine issues

Philosopher - heading to Sydney

TSA Management - mainsail damage

URM - damaged mainsail

Wax Lyrical - equipment damage

White Noise - window damage

Zara - uknown.

Zen - injured crew

Eora - broken backstay

Hip-Nautic - damaged mainsail

Inukshuk - autopilot issues

Kayimai - engine issues

Hells Bells - engine issues

Maverick - rudder damage

Local news:

Two people killed in horrific crash on Victorian road

Rolex sydney to hobart yacht race preview: the two big dogs vying for glory.

Sydney to Hobart contender reveals secret weapon to take on skinny boats

The Seven Network’s summer sport offering is getting hotter with the 77th running of the iconic Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on Boxing Day.

Complete with 120 boats, including four 100-foot Maxis, the race will host an international fleet as they sail from Sydney to Hobart for the first time since 2019.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Rolex Sydney Hobart contender reveals secret weapon to take on skinny boats .

How to watch

The Rolex Sydney Hobart will be live and free from 12:30pm AEDT on Boxing Day on 7mate and 7plus .

Sydney 12.30pm on 7mate and 7plus

Melbourne 12.30pm on 7mate and 7plus

Brisbane 11.30am on 7mate and 7plus

Adelaide 12.00pm on 7mate and 7plus

Perth 9.30am on 7mate and 7plus

Commentary team

Hosted by acclaimed sports broadcaster Mark Beretta, Seven’s commentary team will be bolstered by Peter Shipway, a veteran who boasts more than 30 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races; Jimmy Spithill, an America’s Cup and Sydney Hobart Line Honours winning skipper; and Seven’s own Emma Freedman, who will broadcast live from Super Maxi, Andoo Comanche.

The top contenders

Australian sailing great Iain Murray has predicted a classic Sydney to Hobart tussle between the two big dogs of the sailing kennel: comparing one to a great dane, the other a greyhound.

A former regatta director of the America’s Cup, Murray is preparing for his maiden voyage aboard Andoo Comanche, one of four 30-metre supermaxi yachts charting a course to Hobart from Sydney Harbour from Boxing Day.

Comanche has blitzed the pre-Hobart events - most recently taking line honours at December’s Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour - and Tuesday’s long-range weather forecast only underlines her chances.

The other boat best suited to the predicted northerly and northeasterly winds is nine-time line honours champion Hamilton Island Wild Oats - formerly Wild Oats XI - upon which Murray has sailed in 15 previous editions of the race.

“They’re completely different boats,” Murray, who is Comanche’s sailing master for the 2022 race, told AAP.

“We’ve sort of got a greyhound and a great dane.

“One of them (Comanche) is an immensely powerful, big, wide boat and the other (Wild Oats) is a sleek, skinny little sprinter that just doesn’t have the same power.

“But it doesn’t have the drag, either.

“(Comanche) is probably a harder boat to sail. It’s got to be respected because the loads are just enormous.

“The potential to damage equipment, damage people - you’ve got to be very careful and tempered.”

Wild Oats navigator Stan Honey, who sailed with Comanche on her maiden Sydney to Hobart in 2014, agreed the predicted conditions would favour the supermaxis.

By the time the wind is predicted to shift on December 28, Wild Oats, Comanche, LawConnect and Black Jack are likely to have already made their way up the Derwent River to dock at Kings Pier.

“At this point, it does look like it could be a big boat race. It looks like the big boats will be able to do most of the race in that northeasterly,” Honey said.

But despite the favourable conditions, Murray is not expecting any records to tumble this time around.

Andoo Comanche’s latest estimates have her on track to complete the race in roughly 36 hours - shy of the line honours record of 33 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds she set in 2017.

“We did some routing runs this morning and they had us finishing at two o’clock in the morning. I know Black Jack’s was similar,” Murray said.

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race competition grows.

Stream free on

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• CANBERRA, ACT
• NASA unveils plan to bring home stranded Boeing Starliner crew
• SYDNEY TO HOBART

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race, day one reports from the bluewater classic as it happened

Topic: Sport

SHK Scallywag led the fleet out of Sydney Harbour, but a problem with the sails has seen the Hong Kong entry slip back in the early going. ( Getty: Mark Evans )

One of the three main contenders for Sydney to Hobart line honours, SHK Scallywag, hits early trouble with a sail problem, but it's a close race with LawConnect ahead as the fleet heads south entering night one. Look back on all the action.

Live updates

Race tracker, a by andrew mcgarry.

Follow your favourite entry in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race tracker

Wrapping things up...

We've ticked past 6pm AEDT, and the latest positions remain the same.

LawConnect sits 13 nautical miles east of Kiama, leading by 2.9 nautical miles from Black Jack.

Scallywag is a further 0.9 nautical miles behind, with Stefan Racing in fourth, 7.9 nautical miles behind LawConnect.

However the third and fourth place boats are going faster than their rivals, with Scallywag at 14.9 knots and Stefan Racing at 15.1 knots, compared to 12.9 for LawConnect and 13.3 for Black Jack.

These are small margins, but it suggests Scallywag is back making the most of the wind. If the crew can keep that going for the rest of the evening, they might be a lot closer to the lead by the end of the night.  

Hmmm ... some weather approaching!

As we speak, LawConnect and the leading boats are just passing Kiama on the NSW Coast.

So far things have been relatively straightforward, aside from Scallywag's sail issues.

However ...

A quick scan of the BOM radar shows there is some heavy weather (well some heavy rain at least) heading the way of the fleet (see attached map):

Tracking individual boats

can you explain how on the tracker i can monitor a yacht i bet on ive got ichi ban -Scott

Scott, I have been having the odd-bit of trouble with the tracker this afternoon, trying to isolate particular boats has proved interesting.. 

However, if you go to the standings page on the website, and click the tab saying "Fully Crewed IRC", that should give you the updated placings on handicap, and the estimated finishing times.for whichever boat you want.

For example, Ichi Ban on the latest standings is 15th for line honours, 17.9 nautical miles behind LawConnect.

On IRC, Ichi Ban is 53rd - at this point the estimated race time is three days, 19 hours six minutes and 51 seconds, giving an arrival time of Dec 30 at 8:06.51am. On corrected time, (the right hand column), the overall time would be five days, seven hours, 55 minutes 27 seconds.

In comparison, the leader on IRC (for now) is LawConnect , estimated to finish at 6:51pm on Dec 28, for a time of two days, five hours, 51 minutes 46 seconds.

On corrected time, this gives LawConnect an overall time of four days, 10 hours, 38 minutes 54 seconds.

As the winds and circumstances change, so will the overall standings. But for now, Ichi Ban has a LOT of room to make up.   

So far, so good ...

At this point of the race, a quick update.

Officially we had 88 boats to start with - 71 eligible for line honours and 17 two-handed boats, allowed in the race for the first time.

As of the latest figures, all 88 are still in the race, which means no one has had a significant problem or damage to the boat. That's good to hear!

There was some talk with the forecasted southerly winds this afternoon and tonight that there might be some retirements in the fleet.

Who's to know? At this stage it may be that the winds aren't quite as strong as expected, but there is plenty of time for that to change. Also, for smaller boats particularly, it may be the accumulated wear and tear of hitting bigger waves that causes problems overnight.

We shall see.

First updated standings as of 4pm AEDT:

Here is the top 12 on line honours, with LawConnect having a DTG (distance to go) of 596.3 nautical miles, ahead of Black Jack , with a DTG of 597.8 nautical miles. So LawConnect as of 4pm AEDT had a lead of 1.5 nautical miles. That appears to have changed since, but this gives a snapshot of where the leading boats were 20-odd minutes ago:

The hours into the race, the leaders are a solid distance offshore, halfway between Helensburgh and Wollongong.

LawConnect still leads, and has extended the margin over Black Jack to 1.4 nautical miles. It's relatively middling going for the leaders, with LawConnect's speed at 13 knots, ahead of Black Jack's 12.5 knots.

Behind them, Scallywag is clear again in third, 2.6 nautical miles astern of LawConnect - it is moving at 12.3 knots but does not seem to be able to get too close to the leaders. There is no more word on the state of their sails and whether they have been able to get the main headsail going again.

Stefan Racing is in fourth, a further one nautical mile back from Scallywag.  

Coasters Retreat and the origins of the Sydney to Hobart

Michael Troy has written a great feature on the small community of Coasters Retreat, near Pittwater in Sydney.

In the 1940s Coasters was home to several sailors - some famous, some not so but all with interesting stories.

The home of Selwyn “Dicko” Dickinson was the meeting place for the sailors, and where the idea that turned into the Sydney to Hobart we know today was conceived.

This group broke free of the Royal Prince Alfred Club and began sailing at Broken Bay and elsewhere as a rebel club. This turned into the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and an original nine boats who “raced” to Hobart as a cruise, with the big prize on offer of a dozen bottles of beer and a jam tin mounted on a wooden block.

You can find out more about the sailors from Coasters Retreat in Michael Troy’s feature here.

Flashback to the start...

As it stands, there are 10 boats - including race leader LawConnect - within 4.5 nautical miles or thereabouts at the front of the race.

Always happy for a shoutout

Hi Andrew 🙂 -Natty

Hello Natty, glad to see you on the blog - hope you can stick around for a while, as the further we get down the coast this afternoon, the more likely it is that we will start to sort out the relative strengths of the leading contenders.

Let's hope that the expected "bash and crash" of stronger winds that are pushing against the fleet doesn't lead to too many problems on board boats.

As we've seen already with Scallywag, problems can occur even in relatively light winds, and when the windspeed gets turned up, things can go really wrong.

A quick snapshot from the tracker shows where things stand at this point. 

You can see Scallywag two back from the leader - Stefan Racing is just to its left, although the name isn't registering.

The orange boat icon on the left is the pace for the race record of Comanche in 2017.

We've got an early challenger from outside the supermaxis!

We have focused so far mostly on the three supermaxis - with good reason, since the last time a supermaxi did not win line honours was in 2004.

But as things stand, we have another boat in the mix.

Race leader LawConnect is travelling at 17.6 knots, followed 1.8 nautical miles back by Black Jack (11.8 knots).

While Scallywag is going a little faster at 12.6 knots, it has been overtaken for third place, at least for the moment.

Stefan Racing, the Botin 80 boat skippered by Grant 'Wharo" Wharington , is going nicely at 11.5 knots, a little over 1.8 nautical miles behind the leader, Stefan Racing is - to use a racing analogy - saving ground a little closer to the coast.

The question of how the leading boats will handle the winds this afternoon and evening will tell us a lot about who is in prime position to win the race.

The small orange sail you can see in the previous pic tweet from SHK Scallywag is the storm jib.

With far less surface area on the sail to work with, it means the boat cannot take full advantage of the wind available.

This is why things are going to be difficult ...

This colour-coded map shows the wind speed and wind direction in the waters off the NSW coast right now.

The arrows show that the wind is coming from the south directly north, so the fleet is heading into the teeth of what wind there is.

The green colour marks around 15 to 20 knots (27.8 to 37 kmh).

The orange colour shows winds that are between 25 and 30 knots (46.3 to 55.5kmh).

So the area the fleet is heading into is mostly orange, which means it will be more difficult to make headway into the wind.

This map shows why there will be not the slightest chance of a race record, and indeed the likelihood is that the leaders will not reach Hobart inside two days. 

The official standings will not kick in for another couple of hours, but at this stage is appears that LawConnect is a decent way in front, travelling at a tick over 14 knots.

Most of the boats are heading out to sea to get the best of the wind, rather than hugging the coast. The only entry that is keeping closer in is No Limit in about ninth spot right now.

Black Jack is moving at 13.3 knots, with Scallywag still suffering from the lack of its preferred sail, going at 11.3 knots.

The wind is not that strong at this point - we are expecting things to shift reasonably soon, with strong southeasterlies making life tough for everyone.

• Health Problems

Disturbing cancer-linked ‘forever chemicals’ found in drinking water

A report has been quietly released online by a major water company, and it makes very worrying reading for millions of Australians.

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“Forever chemicals” linked to cancer have been detected in several drinking catchments which serve millions of Australians — at levels deemed unacceptable in other parts of the world.

Sydney Water confirmed for the first time on its website that PFAS chemicals were detected in June at low levels in key water filtration plants, including Warragamba, Prospect Reservoir and Orchard Hills.

Orchard Hills serves roughly 200,000 people in greater Penrith, including St Marys, Emu Plains and the Lower Blue Mountains.

The Prospect Reservoir is used as one of three main supplies for Prospect Water Filtration Plant, supplying 80 per cent of Greater Sydney’s drinking water to four million people .

Concerningly, PFAS chemicals were also detected in higher levels at the Cascade Dam in the Blue Mountains and North Richmond, 70km northwest of the CBD.

Sydney Water’s monitoring in the catchment found no detectable levels of PFAS in water filtration plants in Macarthur, Nepean, the Illawarra or the Woronora River.

The chemicals were detected at a level that meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) but are over what the United States now deems safe to drink.

Analysis by The Sydney Morning Herald showed the chemicals were found in the drinking water of up to 1.8 million Australians since 2010, including in Canberra, Queensland, parts of Sydney, Newcastle and Victoria.

Know more? Email [email protected]

Those particular chemicals are “forever chemical” pollutants; perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which have been linked to cancers in young people and firefighters.

The chemicals became ubiquitous since development in the 1940s, making jackets waterproof, carpets stain-resistant, frying pans non-stick and were used in firefighting foam.

Ian Wright, a water pollution expert at the University of Western Sydney, told the Herald : “I expect that these results will be quite confronting to many people.“This also contradicts statements made by the authorities that there is no PFAS risk in the catchment. Without any doubt, further regular testing is needed and needs to be publicly reported.”

In 2023, manufacturing multinational 3M reached a $10.3bn settlement with US public water bodies in the face of more than 4000 lawsuits filed against 3M and other chemical companies.

They are forever chemicals because in effect they do not break down and accumulate in the human body.

The World Health Organisation deems PFOA as carcinogenic to humans and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans and connected the forever chemicals to increased cholesterol, immune system suppression, hormone interference and developmental issues in children.

A Sydney Morning Herald report in June exposed a gap in Australia-wide testing for these chemicals, as the last widespread study came in 2011.

University of Queensland research found the chemicals in about half of its samples taken from cities and regions.

This year the US government slashed its maximum limits of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water to four parts per trillion.

Australia’s bar is set at 560 parts per trillion for PFOA and 70 parts per trillion for PFOS.

Publicly available data shows since 2010 drinking water in the Sydney suburbs of Blacktown, Campbeltown, Emu Plains, Liverpool, North Richmond and Quakers Hill have had the chemicals, the Herald reports.

The chemicals were also found in tap water in Canberra, Footscray in Melbourne, Adelaide, the regional Queensland cities of Cairns and Gladstone, Kingborough in Hobart, and Darwin.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the US had changed its water tolerance, and his state was examining those changes.

“I just want to make the point, particularly for Sydney metropolitan area, we’ve got a defined area in terms of our catchment for Sydney’s water, and as a result it’s generally regarded as very good when it comes to contaminants and the drinkability,” he said.

“I wouldn’t jump the gun, obviously we’re examining those US studies and want to apply the best practice … but the latest advice I have is Sydney’s water is good.”

Sydney Water spokeswoman told news.com.au: “Sydney Water is required to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG), and all samples tested are well below these guidelines.

More Coverage

“Monitoring of drinking water uses a risk-based approach, and Sydney Water regularly tests for PFAS, including monthly monitoring, in potentially impacted areas.

“There is regular consultation between Sydney Water, WaterNSW and NSW Health to assess any potential risk of PFAS or any other contaminant to Sydney’s drinking supply.”

— with NCA NewsWire

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race | Entries Open

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is pleased to invite eligible boats to enter 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The 79th edition of the historic 628-nautical mile blue water classic will start on Sydney Harbour at 1300 hrs AEDT on Thursday 26 December 2024.

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Winners Announced for the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

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URM Group claims Line Honours of the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Race

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Start of the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

A gentle start was delivered to those competing in the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. Fifty-one yachts assembled on the start line before the yachts crawled across Sydney Harbour and north up the Tasman Sea.

• 14 Jun, 2024 02:15:00 PM

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is pleased to invite eligible boats to enter 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Congratulations to all the divisional winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

PHOTOS | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

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PHOTOS | Day 5 and Day 6 finishers

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AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 6

Official rolex sydney hobart merchandise.

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

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Overnight News Digest August 22, 2024

Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, and JeremyBloom. Alumni editors include (but not limited to) Interceptor 7, Man Oh Man, wader, Neon Vincent, palantir, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (RIP), ek hornbeck (RIP), rfall, ScottyUrb, Doctor RJ, BentLiberal, Oke (RIP) and jlms qkw. OND is a regular community feature on Daily Kos since 2007, consisting of news stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary. Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing each day near 12:00 AM Eastern Time.  Please feel free to share your articles and stories in the comments.

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Venezuela’s Supreme Court certifies Maduro’s claims that he won presidential election

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s Supreme Court has backed President Nicolás Maduro’s claims that he won last month’s presidential election and said voting tallies published online showing he lost by a landslide were forged. The ruling is the latest attempt by Maduro to blunt protests and international criticism that erupted after the contested July 28 vote in which the self-proclaimed socialist leader was seeking a third, six-year term. The high court is packed with Maduro loyalists and has almost never ruled against the government. Its decision, read Thursday in an event attended by senior officials and foreign diplomats, came in response to a request by Maduro to review vote totals showing he had won by more than 1 million votes.

Fed minutes: Most officials favored a rate cut in September if inflation continued to cool

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Federal Reserve officials agreed last month that they would likely cut their benchmark interest rate at their next meeting in September as long as inflation continued to cool. The minutes of the Fed’s July 30-31 meeting, released Wednesday, said the “vast majority” of policymakers “observed that, if the data continued to come in about as expected, it would likely be appropriate to ease policy at the next meeting.” In July, the policymakers kept their benchmark rate at 5.3%, a near-quarter-century high, where it’s stood for more than a year. Wall Street traders had already considered it a certainty that the Fed will announce its first interest rate cut in four years when it meets in mid-September, according to futures prices . A lower Fed benchmark rate would lead eventually to lower rates for auto loans, mortgages and other forms of consumer borrowing and could also boost stock prices.

The Guardian

US military announces $20m grant to build cobalt refinery in Canada

The US military has made its largest investment in Canada ’s mining sector in decades, spending millions amid a looming battle among nations to control the supply of cobalt. On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced a $20m grant to help build a cobalt refinery in the province of Ontario, saying the investment will “create a more robust industrial base capable of meeting growing demand across both the defense and commercial sectors”. In recent years, cobalt has emerged as a “key precursor material” in the race to build the batteries that power electric vehicles, electronics and military hardware batteries. With China controlling nearly 80% of the global cobalt market, the United States has looked for novel ways to diversify its supply chain among allied nations. The multi-million dollar grant was made by the US Department of Defense through the Defense Production Act, a statute meant to expand domestic production capability, and will aid in the construction of the facility in northern Ontario.

Humpback whale freed in Sydney Harbour after rescue mission

A humpback whale has been freed after being entangled in ropes in Sydney Harbour. Jessica Fox, the second vice-president of volunteer organisation Orrca, confirmed the rescue late on Friday morning. The whale was spotted about 1pm on Thursday by a tour group, who alerted Orrca. At 9.30am on Friday, the mammal was between Middle Head and North Head, according to a video posted to Orrca’s Facebook page . “The entanglement is ropes and buoys attached to the tail of the whale,” the group said at the time. Large orange buoys were attached to the entanglement to slow the whale and to make sighting the animal easier, according to the Orrca video, which noted the animal had been “going in circles in Sydney Harbour this morning making some erratic directional changes”.

'Indescribable' crew errors led to Sicily shipwreck, yacht maker says

MILAN, Aug 22 (Reuters) - A series of "indescribable, unreasonable errors" by the crew led to the shipwreck in which British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and six others died earlier this week, the yacht manufacturer's CEO told Reuters on Thursday. The British-flagged Bayesian, a 56-metre-long (184-foot) superyacht with 22 people aboard - 12 passengers and 10 crew - capsized and sank on Monday within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm while anchored off the coast of northern Sicily. "The boat suffered a series of indescribable, unreasonable errors, the impossible happened on that boat ... but it went down because it took on water. From where, the investigators will tell," Giovanni Costantino said in an interview. He blamed the Bayesian's crew for the "incredible mistake" of not being prepared for the storm, which had been announced in shipping forecasts.

F*cking DeJoy!

Washington Post

Postal Service considers rural mail slowdown after election

Top U.S. Postal Service officials are considering plans to allow slower mail delivery in the coming months for long-distance and rural service to cut costs at the financially troubled agency — but not until after the election. The changes would give customers within 50 miles of the Postal Service’s largest processing facilities faster delivery service, which accounts for the vast majority of mail and packages, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told The Washington Post. But the agency cannot afford to maintain the same model for deliveries into far-flung areas, he said. That could add an additional day to current delivery timetables, though mail would still be delivered in five days or less across the country. “At the end of the day, I think some portion of the mail showing up 12 hours later, I think it’s a price that had to be paid for letting this place be neglected,” DeJoy said.

New York Times

How Did the First Cells Arise? With a Little Rain, Study Finds.

Shared link   www.nytimes.com/…

Rain may have been an essential ingredient for the origin of life, according to a study published on Wednesday. Life today exists as cells, which are sacs packed with DNA, RNA, proteins and other molecules. But when life arose roughly four billion years ago, cells were far simpler. Some scientists have investigated how so-called protocells first came about by trying to recreate them in labs. Many researchers suspect that protocells contained only RNA , a single-stranded version of DNA. Both RNA and DNA store genetic information in their long sequences of molecular “letters.” But RNA can also bend into intricate shapes, turning itself into a tool for cutting or joining other molecules together. Protocells might have reproduced if their RNA molecules grabbed genetic building blocks to assemble copies of themselves.

August 23, 2024

Why Sydney's Darling Point is a magnet for the rich and famous

From prime ministers to pop icons and actors to aviators, Darling Point has long been a magnet for the rich and the famous, and it’s little wonder.

With magnificent views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge to the west, views over Double Bay to the east and an outlook to the Heads facing north, it’s easy to see the appeal of this exclusive neighbourhood.

Four kilometres east of the CBD and tucked between the cosmopolitan hubs of Double Bay and Potts Point, Darling Point is a mostly residential enclave.

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More than 87 per cent of its dwellings are apartments, with studios available for under $1 million.

Its larger apartments attract downsizers and the free-standing homes command some of Sydney’s highest prices.

Richardson & Wrench Double Bay agent Marion Badenoch is a long-term resident who is raising a family in the suburb and loves the peace and quiet.

“It’s a no-through peninsula position where there are plenty of young families and the kids can safely ride around the block,” she says.

“We will quite often walk to the dog park and ride the kids’ bikes down at Rushcutters Park. We’ll walk up to Potts Point, have dinner and then get an Uber home. Or we’ll run down to Double Bay’s Bakery Bleu for our bread on the weekend and walk home.”

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Is this 'burb 'the next one to really go through the roof with pricing'?

The ferry runs into the city every half hour in peak time and Edgecliff Station is positioned on the suburb’s southern border.

Eat & drink

Exchange local news with your neighbours at Richie’s Cafe, where you can tuck into sweet treats with your coffee or get supplies for dinner.

There are sparkling water views and all your favourite breakfast and lunch classics at Navy Bear, set within the Royal Australian Navy Sailing Association Club, while Bei Amici offers relaxed service and dog-friendly pavement tables alongside inventive Swiss-Italian dishes each night from from Wednesday to Saturday.

Head to neighbouring Double Bay for many more bars and eateries.

See & do

It’s well worth strolling through the suburb’s leafy streets to fully appreciate the eclectic architecture, beautiful convict-built sandstone walls and hidden grottoes.

McKell Park offers a great vantage point for harbour activities and has manicured gardens popular with picnickers, while Rushcutters Bay Park is a shady oasis for families and fitness.

Sailors are spoilt for choice, including the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia – the home of the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race and many more through the year – and there are two more clubs and multiple marinas.

Homes for sale in Darling Point

Price guide : $8.5 million

Auction : 1.30pm, August 31

Agent : The Agency Eastern Suburbs, Bethwyn Richards 0410 322 333

This three-storey penthouse atop Serene Cove is one of just eight apartments in a tightly held waterfront block with lush gardens, a heated, harbourfront pool and a private jetty. Recently renovated, the property provides tranquil views over Double Bay.

Price guide : $6.75 million

Auction : 6pm, September 10

Agent : Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty, Daphne Sauvage 0415 479 151

An amalgamation of two apartments on the fourth floor of the coveted Retford Hall building, this bright apartment captures iconic views of the Harbour Bridge and city skyline. There are marble finishes in the kitchen and bathrooms, ducted air-conditioning and a concierge service.

Dream Homes

Cremorne Point NSW

• 3 bathrooms

Things you should know

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Thursday briefing: Tim Walz and Bill Clinton at the DNC; RFK Jr. announcement; Iran threat; Mike Lynch; gay penguins; and more

Catch up in minutes with these 7 stories..

Tim Walz accepted the vice-presidential nomination at the Democratic convention.

• Last night: Minnesota’s governor projected a regular-guy persona and focused on freedom . Former president Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey had memorable lines — fact-checked here .
• Tonight: Vice President Kamala Harris will try to stick the landing with her speech in Chicago. But pro-Palestinian delegates will not get a chance to speak . Follow live updates here .

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is moving closer to endorsing Donald Trump .

• The latest: The independent presidential candidate announced that he’ll address the state of his campaign tomorrow. He has discussed his departure from the race with Trump.
• Zooming out: Kennedy’s poll numbers have dropped since Harris replaced President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket, and he has struggled to get on every state’s ballot .

Iran signaled that a promised strike on Israel may not be imminent.

• What happened? Iranian officials said yesterday a response to the killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran last month “ must be carefully calibrated ” to avoid damaging Gaza cease-fire talks.
• Where things stand: The U.S. had hoped to conclude negotiations this week, but they hit another roadblock Tuesday . Several Israeli hostages were laid to rest yesterday .

British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch was found dead in a shipwreck.

• What happened? A 183-foot-long superyacht had 22 people onboard when it sank in a violent storm Monday in Italy. The body of its chef was found in the initial recovery.
• The latest: Divers have now recovered six bodies , an official said today. Lynch’s daughter is still missing. Fifteen survivors including a 1-year-old were rescued.

New Orleans was ordered to pay $1 million to a teenager.

• Why? A police officer sexually assaulted her in 2020 when she was 15. He had spent months grooming her after responding to her home for a sexual assault investigation.
• The verdict: A federal jury found the city responsible yesterday for the officer’s conduct in a civil rights trial . The officer died in prison this year.

Fresh data from the moon supports the hottest theory about its history.

• ​​ What’s new? An Indian rover, launched last year , is the first to explore the lunar south pole. It analyzed soil that matched what had been found elsewhere.
• What it means: It’s more evidence to support the Lunar Magma Ocean hypothesis — which says the moon’s crust formed as magma cooled roughly 4.4 billion years ago .

One half of an Australian gay penguin power couple has died.

• Who you’re looking at: Sphen and Magic, a same-sex penguin pair who were together for six years, raised two penguin chicks and became international celebrities .
• The sad update: Sphen passed away at nearly 12 — old for a Gentoo penguin in captivity — Sea Life Sydney Aquarium said yesterday. Magic sang a mournful song of tribute.

And now … on the move? Here’s how to sleep better while traveling . Plus: How the world’s oldest woman lived to 117 .

Want to catch up quickly with “The 7” every morning? Download The Post’s app and turn on alert notifications for The 7 or sign up for the newsletter . British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch was found dead in a shipwreck.