#australian shearing equipment

[mareislandfoundation]

Murphy’s Law

There is an adage known as Murphy’s Law that states "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."  The wisdom of the adage has been proven since time immemorial, and hard experience demonstrates that its application is universal, and it certainly applies to the operation of naval warships.

Surface warships have operated in close formations since the age of sail. While those close formations have a strategic purpose, there is also a downside. Close formations introduce the prospect of collisions. Before the inventions of radio, radar and electronic navigations systems collisions were often caused by fog, bad weather, human error, incorrect communications or any of a myriad of other things. One tragic example of a collision caused by human error involved a five-year-old destroyer that was pulled out of Mare Island Naval Shipyard’s reserve fleet in September of 1950. She had been built at the end of World War II and was placed in reserve as part of the massive drawdown following that war.  When North Korea invaded South Korea the United Nations initial response was to recommend a naval blockade, but this strategy quickly morphed to active “boots on the ground” combat when President Truman was stunned to learn that demobilization had progressed to the point that the assets needed to impose a naval blockade did not exist. Recommissioning Frank E. Evans was part of a massive response to the outbreak of the Korean War.

The USS Frank E. Evans (DD 754) was equipped with all the latest communication, navigation and radar systems allowing her to serve with minimal casualties and with distinction through the Korean and Vietnam Wars until she met her fate at the hands of human error nineteen years later.  Following a deployment to the Vietnam War the Frank E. Evans was assigned to the South China Sea as part of a Southeast Asia Treaty Organization exercise. During the exercise she was to operate in formation with a multinational fleet including the light aircraft carrier Her Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Melbourne (R21) of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and four other escorts: the US destroyers; the USS Everett F. Larson (DD-830); USS James E. Kyes (DD-787) , and the frigates Her Majesty’s New Zealand Ship (HMNZS) Blackpool (F77) and Her Majesty’s Ship (HMS) Cleopatra (F28). In the dark of night on 3 June 1969, the Frank E. Evans was ordered to a new escort station from in front of the MELBOURNE to the plane guard position behind the Melbourne.

Captain John Phillip Stevenson of the Melbourne was extremely sensitive to the dangers inherent in maneuvering ships in formation as five years earlier the Melbourne rammed and sank the RAN destroyer HMAS Voyager (D04), when the latter altered course across her bow. Eighty-two of Voyager’s personnel were killed. Captain Stevenson dined with all the escort captains and emphasized the importance of turning away from Melbourne’s bow when shifting stations from ahead to astern the carrier. Despite that warning, when the Frank E. Evans was ordered to plane guard position at 3 am her bridge personal turned her to port directly into the path of the Melbourne. The Melbourne sounded collision alerts and notified the bridge of the Frank E. Evans, but it was too late. The 22,000-ton Melbourne rammed into the 2,200-ton Frank E. Evans amidships. The force of the collision rolled the Frank E. Evans 90 degrees over and sheared her in two. The bow section then rolled upside down and sank in minutes while the stern section remained afloat. Seventy-four of Frank E. Evans crew were killed. Undoubtedly, many were spared because the stern section remained afloat.

The Court of Inquiry that followed became a bit of a circus as blame for the collision was placed on both ships, but there were charges that the American Admiral chairing the inquiry steered it to that conclusion. Whatever the conclusions of the Court of Inquiry 74 men died on a calm clear night when a state-of-the-art warship equipped with every navigational system available was turned directly into the path of another.

Dennis Kelly

[benchmarkbioponics]

Propagation Supplies Australia: Cultivate Your Green Dreams with the Best Tools

In the world of gardening and horticulture, propagation is a fundamental process. Whether you're nurturing a lush backyard garden or tending to a small urban oasis, the journey often begins with propagation. To embark on this green adventure, you'll need the right tools and supplies. In Australia, where the diversity of flora is vast, finding quality propagation supplies is essential. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of propagation, the must-have supplies, and where to find them in Australia.

The Art of Propagation

Propagation is the method of growing new plants from existing ones. It's a cost-effective and sustainable way to expand your garden or replace aging plants. There are various propagation techniques, including seed propagation, cutting propagation, and division. Regardless of the method, having the right supplies is crucial to success.

Essential Propagation Supplies

Propagation Trays: These trays provide a controlled environment for seedlings and cuttings to grow. They often come with individual cells to prevent root entanglement and make transplanting easy.

Growing Medium: Quality potting mix or seed-raising mix is essential for healthy root development. It should provide good aeration and drainage.

Propagation Domes: Domes create a mini-greenhouse effect, maintaining humidity and warmth, which aids in germination and rooting.

Propagation Hormones: Rooting hormones, available in powder or gel form, encourage root growth in cuttings.

Labels and Markers: Proper labeling ensures you can identify your plants as they grow. Use waterproof markers and durable labels.

Seedling Heat Mats: These mats provide consistent bottom heat, which can significantly improve germination rates, especially for heat-loving plants.

Pruning Shears or Scissors: Clean, sharp cutting tools are crucial for taking cuttings and dividing plants.

Watering Can or Mist Spray Bottle: A gentle watering method is essential to prevent damage to delicate seedlings and cuttings.

Light Source: For successful propagation, adequate light is crucial. Consider using grow lights or placing trays in a well-lit area.

Where to Find Top-Quality Propagation Supplies in Australia

When it comes to acquiring the best propagation supplies in Australia, look no further than Benchmark Bioponics. They offer a wide range of propagation essentials to cater to the needs of every gardener, from novice to expert.

Why Choose Benchmark Bioponics for Propagation Supplies?

Quality Assurance: Benchmark Bioponics is committed to delivering top-quality products that guarantee success in propagation.

Variety: Their collection includes propagation trays, domes, growing media, and more. You'll find everything you need in one convenient place.

Expertise: With years of experience in horticulture, they understand the unique needs of Australian gardeners and offer products tailored to local conditions.

Sustainability: Many of their products are eco-friendly, aligning with the principles of sustainable gardening.

Customer Support: Benchmark Bioponics provides exceptional customer support, ensuring you have the information and guidance you need for successful propagation.

Conclusion

Successful propagation is the gateway to a flourishing garden, and having the right supplies is non-negotiable. In Australia, where gardening is a beloved pastime, quality propagation supplies are readily available. Benchmark Bioponics stands as a reliable source for all your propagation needs. With their commitment to quality, expertise, and sustainability, they empower gardeners across Australia to cultivate their green dreams. So, why wait? Equip yourself with the best propagation supplies and embark on your gardening journey today. Your thriving garden awaits!

[catchpro]

Unveiling the Secrets of a Lush Australian Garden: The Ultimate Catch Pro Equipment Review

Introduction:

If you're a gardening enthusiast in Australia, you understand the importance of having the right equipment to maintain a beautiful and healthy garden. From lawn mowers to grass catchers and various yard care equipment, having the right tools can make all the difference. In this article, we'll delve into the world of garden equipment in Australia, with a special focus on Catch Pro Australia. Let's explore the latest equipment, best practices, and expert advice to help you achieve the garden of your dreams.

Catch Pro Australia: Your One-Stop Shop for Garden Equipment:

At Catch Pro Australia, we take pride in offering a wide range of high-quality Garden Equipment designed to cater to the needs of every gardener. Whether you're a seasoned horticulturist or a beginner with a green thumb, our extensive collection of tools and accessories will assist you in nurturing and maintaining your garden with ease.

The Importance of Quality Garden Equipment Australia:

Before we dive into specific products, let's emphasize the significance of investing in quality garden equipment. From lawnmowers and grass catchers to pruning shears and watering systems, having reliable tools ensures efficiency and precision in your gardening tasks.

Lawnmowers: Keeping Your Garden Trimmed to Perfection:

A well-maintained lawn is the pride of every gardener. Choose the right lawnmower that suits the size and terrain of your garden. Push mowers are ideal for smaller yards, while ride-on mowers are more suitable for larger areas.

Grass Catchers: Tidying Up the Lawn Clippings:

Grass catchers are essential accessories for lawnmowers. These innovative attachments collect grass clippings as you mow, leaving your lawn neat and tidy without any extra effort.

Yard Care Equipment: Tools for Every Gardening Task:

From hedge trimmers to leaf blowers, yard care equipment streamlines various gardening tasks. Having the right tools on hand allows you to maintain your garden effortlessly.

The Advantages of Catch Pro Australia:

Catch Pro Australia stands out as a trusted provider of garden equipment in the country. Here are some of the key advantages of choosing Catch Pro Australia for your gardening needs:

Wide Product Range: Catch Pro Australia offers an extensive selection of garden equipment, ensuring you find the perfect tools for your unique gardening requirements.

Quality Assurance: All products at Catch Pro Australia undergo strict quality checks, ensuring that you receive top-notch equipment built to last.

Expert Guidance: With a team of gardening experts, Catch Pro Australia provides valuable advice and support, assisting you in making informed decisions.

Customer Satisfaction: Catch Pro Australia values its customers and strives for excellence in service, ensuring a seamless shopping experience.

Conclusion:

Investing in top-quality garden equipment is a wise decision for any gardener. Catch Pro Australia offers a comprehensive range of tools and accessories, making them the go-to destination for all your gardening needs. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, their expert guidance and quality products ensure you achieve stunning results in your garden. So, gear up with the best tools from Catch Pro Australia and unleash your gardening potential!

FAQs about Catch Pro Australia and Garden Equipment:

Q: What makes Catch Pro Australia different from other garden equipment suppliers?

Catch Pro Australia stands out for its commitment to quality, a vast product range, and personalized customer support. With years of expertise, they offer tailored solutions for every gardener.

2. Q: Does Catch Pro Australia offer warranties on their products?

Absolutely! Catch Pro Australia provides warranties on their garden equipment, offering you peace of mind and confidence in your purchases.

3. Q: Can I get assistance in selecting the right equipment for my garden?

Of course! The experts at Catch Pro Australia are more than happy to guide you in choosing the most suitable equipment based on your garden's size and specific needs.

4. Q: How often should I clean and maintain my garden equipment?

Regular maintenance is essential for the longevity and efficiency of your tools. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines and clean your equipment after every use.

5. Q: Can I order Catch Pro Australia products online?

Yes, Catch Pro Australia has a user-friendly website where you can browse their collection and place orders conveniently.

6. Q: Does Catch Pro Australia offer delivery services across Australia?

Absolutely! Catch Pro Australia delivers its products to various locations across the country, ensuring everyone can access quality garden equipment.

[shearerpost]

Ram Shearing Talk – The Juice

SHEEP BREEDS

As a professional shearer I have shorn many thousands of rams. They come in many different breed types. Merino, Dorset, Suffolk, Texel, Corriedale, Border Leicester, Composites etc etc.

BIGGER SHEEP

With the advent of advanced genetic selection some rams are getting bigger and bigger and with that size the temperament within some breeds can get aggressive. 

RAM JUICE

For many years now farmers have been using a sedative to get their rams shorn by professional shearers. 

WHAT IS IT?

The sedative is called Acetylpromazine or (ACP10). There are side effects to using ACP10. 

SIDE EFFECTS low blood pressure.

Increase in temperature, making them temporarily infertile, if given too much ACP10.    Please Drop by https://www.theshearerspost.com.au/ram-shearing-talk-the-juice/ to learn more about Ram Management and protocols to be followed.

[unitedplywoodblogs]

Enhance the Strength of Your Construction with Formwork Plywood

You will agree that in the past decade innovation and technological developments have occurred in all the industrial sectors. And the construction sector has also seen a significant surge in techniques, tools, materials, and construction strategies that ensure a strong and high-performance building structure. If you have been in the construction business as an owner or an engineer, it is your responsibility to bring the latest technology for your workers and customers.

One of the latest innovations in the construction sector is formwork plywood. This type of plywood is lightweight and is usually used to lay layers of concrete during construction. This ensures that the building has a sturdy structure. If you are sceptical about using formwork plywood in your future constructions, here are a few benefits:

Formwork plywood provides an excellent weight to strength ratio during construction.

It provides an excellent casting surface for concrete.

Since formwork plywood is inherently stiff, there is minimal deflection during construction.

This type of plywood has a cross-laminated structure. This provides double plywood shear as compared to timber plywood.

This type of plywood also has high durability.

You can reuse formwork plywood that makes it a sustainable investment.

This type of plywood can be handled easily on-site without much hassle.

You don’t need specialized equipment for fixing these panels on the site. You can use regular fixing machines for fastening it on the site.

Formwork plywood is available in different sizes and overlays.

To avail of these benefits, you have to make sure that you procure formwork plywood from a leading and authentic supplier. If you have been looking for a supplier, contact United Plywood.

United Plywood is a leading formwork plywood supplier in Australia that is known to collaborate with construction businesses in the region. The company has been in the business since 2013 and has contributed to making the Australian construction industry strong. They have always ensured to deliver the highest quality of formwork plywood and other general hardware materials to their clients. With them by your side, you don’t have to worry about anything. They will take care of all your formwork plywood needs. The company also has a global presence with international offices in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Contact them now to know more.

About United Plywood:

United Plywood is amongst the leading suppliers of high-quality bending plywood in Australia.

For more information, visit https://www.unitedplywood.com.au/

Original Reference: https://bit.ly/2P30p8w

[bomberqueen17]

fiber festiving

I posted on Instagram about my whirlwind weekend, but. I feel like talking about it in a little more length.

I checked out a tiny farmer’s market near my house, bought some smoked pork skin from the sole meat vendor there (with whom I had previously corresponded on Instagram), and got a nice scone for breakfast. Then Dude and I drove like 45 minutes down to East Aurora to see the little fiber festival that was going on there. I didn’t figure I’d buy anything, and I didn’t, though I checked out the used equipment sale. (There was a nice Ashford Traveler castle wheel for $400, which is about half what it costs new, but that’s kind of a lot of commitment and I’m not sure it came with all the parts. And another vendor had a used Saxony wheel of some kind that looked intact they wanted $300 for but IDK, it’s a big commitment. I think the lady there from the spinner’s guild was right, and I should drop in on a guild meeting and see if anyone will let me try their various wheels, because they’re all quite different and people have wildly different preferences.)

I like the idea of owning a spinning wheel, as I think I’d use it more than a drop spindle. I have spun precisely about uhh a yard of wool on a drop spindle ever in my life, from the raw fleece I found enroute to rhinebeck two or now maybe three years ago-- which i’ve washed some of, and carded slightly less of, and then I’m trying to spin from roving I processed inexpertly, so... it’s not representative, is my point. Anyhow.

I came home and cooked the rest of the vegetables in the fridge and did all of the laundry, and then got up at 5am on Sunday so that I could finish packing and arrive at the farm before noon. I got in on the dot of 11, and picked up Farmsister and Farmkid, and we went up to the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival, which was at the Washington County fairgrounds-- again, like 35-45 minutes’ drive. IDK, that’s just how far away things are, right? 

There, they do the equipment sale only in an auction, which was Saturday so I couldn’t have made it. Apparently I missed out on a bunch of spinning wheel possibilities there, but IDK. I’m not committed yet. But I do think that spinning flax (if I ever get to that point) will be difficult enough that I’ll really want a wheel, so I can have a hand free to kind of manage the distaff and such. I dunno, I really should practice a bunch more with wool first.

So I bought a couple of little bumps of nice well-prepared professionally-done roving, so I can practice. My good heavy spindle with my very first in-progress roving on it is missing somewhere in my living room, so I only have my very lightweight sort of shitty spindle with me, but I did bring it. Hopefully Farmsister can give me a refresher; she has more experience at spinning.

The highlight of that festival, I think, is that we were about to leave and then noticed they were doing a shearing demonstration, so we ran over to watch. It was an older man and a youngish woman (probably he was in his early 60s and she was in her late 30s or early 40s) who work as professional shearers, and he gave a wonderful if extremely talky lecture-- unamplified, so it was sometimes hard to follow him. But it was full of wonderful trivia about the history of wool production and Vermont’s specific role in it (largely due to a fortuitously placed ambassador to Portugal when Napoleon conquered the Spanish throne and suddenly the heretofore-heavily-protected Merino sheep were available to be exported for the first time ever, and the ambassador was a Vermonter and swooped in and took as many as he could grab and established the Vermont Merino, which revolutionized the wool industry and is the foundation stock for the Australian Merinos that currently dominate the world wool industry. to sum it up).

And then he sheared a little bit of a sheep, and then handed it over to his partner, and the woman sheared the whole rest of the sheep with such admirable facility that at one point she paused and did a crow pose (both hands over her head, one foot off the ground) to demonstrate how thoroughly well-held she had this live struggling lamb with just one foot wedged under its shoulder. And surely, she did. Apparently sheep shearers wear these traditional crudely-handmade shoes that have a gathered toe so there’s a big lump there, and you can use that big lump as a wedge to brace the sheep. Sheep have a reflex where if you tip them up onto their butts, they go limp, and they won’t struggle if they don’t think they can get up, so if you flip them onto one shoulder and then have that shoulder braced on your foot so they can’t get it onto the ground, they’ll realize they can’t get the leverage to get up, so they won’t try.

This isn’t to say they’re docile; he told a lengthy story about how he never wears pants with a front pocket because once a big old Icelandic ram with horns hooked his horns through both front pockets and tore his pants right off him. And if you don’t hold a sheep just right, it’ll be up and gone faster than you can blink, or it’ll bite the hell out of you, or kick you or cut you with its hooves, and you’ll all be sorry.

But if you know what you’re doing, you can just flip and flop a sheep all around, and the thing will just give up and let you do it, and sure enough she sheared a second one the same way-- lambs, the first one she did had never been sheared before and couldn’t possibly have known what to do, but barely wriggled at all, because she handled it so competently. They were Dorsets, too, which are pretty hefty sheep-- I’m not a pro but I’d guess the 9-month-old lambs had to be at least 85 pounds if not more. 

ah I have pictures: 

the sheep’s got red dye on her forelock, that’s not blood-- there was no blood anywhere in this demo, and the shearer said it’s pretty unusual to nick a sheep. 

Like, that’s not a little lamb! Look at that thing! Anyway. it was really cute, sometimes she’d be holding it and it’d just have its head sticking out looking around like huh i’m upside-down that’s weird, but it never seemed upset. The others were more upset when it was removed from the pen with them. Meanwhile there was a pen of collies just off to the right of the photo, and every time they got a sheep out all the collies would start barking. “Let us do it! Let us handle that for you!” The old man shearer kept laughing and telling them he had it handled, thanks. But they were So Eager. And at one point one of them got tangled in an (off, mostly-dismantled) electric fence and most of us in the demo audience leapt up out of our seats and then realized the collie’s handler was sitting right there in a car and had already noticed and was going to go help it. (The shearer guy was like ha, I see what you all are really interested in, too bad you missed the sheepdog demo.)

Anyhow. It was great because it rekindled Farmsister’s interest in having sheep, which is a thing her husband wants to do and she’s like “i mean but we have so much else to do” and she’s gradually coming around to it. Not like, a lot of sheep, but a couple-- some of it, we have a farmer friend who raises sheep and has more demand than he can possibly raise, so he might actually just sort of contract with us, and sell them for us, which would be fantastic, so we could add a couple into the meat CSA but not actually, like, have to get into the sheep business. And like, I know that’s meat animals not wool ones, but surely you could just like. Shear one or two, I don’t think I could handle much more wool than that in a year, but that’d be enough to mess around with and figure out if I actually care enough to get into it more. 

Phew, that was a longer break than I meant to take. Today I’ve really deep-cleaned the slaughterhouse and got it set up for processing tomorrow, and also have collected a whole bunch of firewood since it’s going to be rainy the rest of the week, and have done some laundry (specifically yurt bedding that got damp sometime last week, probably Thursday), and am now sort of... avoiding doing anything else but need to get off my ass. Sighhhhh make me get off my ass!

I got goulash to make, it’s Time. Go! Go! Argh, I really just want to sit and work-- on the long long drive from Buffalo through the dawn, i talked out to myself the plot of the Solarpunk Cyborgs Novel that has been eluding me, and I finally think I have the backstory squared away, and that means the plot going forward is a lot more coherent. I’d really just like to sit and work on that, but I only have an hour until Farmkid gets home and I think I need to have tomorrow’s lunch squared away by then. So. Up and at ‘em!

[k5internatioanl]

BUY ONLINE BEST HAIR THINNING SCISSORS IN AUSTRALIA

In this modern age, people are running short of time. Most of the people do not even bother to visit the market weekly or even biweekly. They follow the rapidly growing trend of online shopping. Now a day, every product is available online. You place the order you get the delivery. Same like other products K5 International is offering you the best quality hair thinning scissors. Professionally made and tested quality barber scissors are available online.

K5 International is the world-leading manufacturer and supplier of Barber Scissors, haircutting scissors, and hair thinning scissors. Not only this but also we offer hair styling scissors all over Australia. K5 International is a consumer-driven, design-oriented, and Innovative Company, aiming to deliver you premium quality products and services at affordable prices. We are committed to providing you with prompt, reliable, and competent customer satisfaction.

AUSTRALIAN BASED BARBER PRODUCTS MANUFACTURER

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Our hair thinning scissors are made from high-quality stainless steel. This is heat resistant, corrosion-resistant, rust-resistant, and colorfast. Hair thinning scissor is tempered with precise blades and hand-sharpened cutting edges to evenly trim hair with ease.

HAIR THINNING SCISSORS

K5 International hair thinning scissors are made by our professional craftsman. They care about every detail, pay their utmost attention to the hair scissors, and make sure all the K5 hair thinning scissors are the best of the best. Now we are accepting orders from all the customers online. We assure you of a safe and protected delivery of your products. You are not supposed to travel to the market to buy your desired hair thinning, hair cutting, hair styling, and hair shears. Staying at home, now you can get your favorite hair thinning scissors by placing an online order.

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[jobinterviewghost]

Course cuts to core of shearing career | Farm Weekly | Western Australia

YOUNG shearers were sweating in the heat of the Peel Feedlot shearing shed recently as they enhanced their shearing skills under the watchful eye and guidance of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) trainer Kevin Gellatly.

The mid to high 30 degree temperatures didn't help much, but as they lined up alongside career shearers, contracting on behalf of Emmanuel Exports, they got a feel for what it was like in the industry when the pressure was on.

Seven Aboriginal trainee shearers participated in the 10-day pilot training program that was the brainchild of WA Shearing Industry Association (WASIA) president Darren Spencer and Emmanuel Exports corporate governance and compliance officer Holly Ludeman.

The pair discussed the need for more training opportunities for those who had already participated in State government supported shearing courses across WA and needed further mentorship.

Some of the students from previous courses have already found full-time employment.

Mr Spencer said with the offer by Ms Ludeman to hold the training at the Peel Feedlot, they approached Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan for some funding to be able to offer the course.

WASIA was provided a grant of about $48,000 and AWI funded the trainer to complete the team.

"It's a one-week improver course," Mr Spencer said.

Student shearer Cody Simpson concentrating on removing the wool from a large ewe at the Peel Feedlot last week.

"It's a pilot shearing school and we hope to have more in the future.

"We have four students from Geraldton, two from Brookton and one from Albany."

Mr Spencer said "Peel was a good location" as it provided "a good environment for students to see a lot of different sheep going through".

The students also visited the Westcoast Wool & Livestock stores.

A couple of the students said they had enjoyed the course and learnt new techniques that could make them faster and deliver a better result.

The course concluded on Friday, December 11, with a morning session on the shears and a lunch and award ceremony at Golden Ponds, Baldivis, attended by the full team, as well as Agricultural Region MLC Darren West and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's Bruce Mullan and Ashley Talbot.

Mr West gave a short speech in which he said "in life we help people by giving them an opportunity".

Shearing in full swing at the Peel Feedlot. Students in the training course were alongside professional shearers to get a feel for the pace and environment they would be working in when they find full-time work.

He said the shearer training courses had been "a winner" and would be supported by the government next year as well (if the McGowan government was re-elected).

Dr Mullan said the sheep industry was a "really good industry" to be a part of and although a lot of sheep had been sent east this year, there was "still plenty of sheep in the system to shear and not enough shearers".

"There's plenty of opportunities ahead for those who want a career in the industry," Dr Mullan said.

Mr Gellatly said to make any money out of shearing, the participants would need to shear at least 80-100 sheep per day.

At $3 per head that would be $240-$300 per day.

Top shearers push through about 200 head a day for $600.

Each shearer needs to provide their own equipment and maintain it.

Mr Spencer said it was up to the students to put themselves out there and chase the work and not wait for contractors to call them.

He said there was still a shortage of shearers in WA and many would be working up to Christmas to keep up with the work.

Mr Spencer said he hoped more courses would be available next year and anyone interested in undertaking the training, regardless of ethnicity, should contact WASIA for information about future courses or opportunities.

[discoverafricasafaris]

Traveller Stories: Botswana and the Majestic Okavango Delta

Crossing into Botswana from Namibia at the Mahembo border post on the Okavango panhandle was easy enough (the border official girl even sang us a welcoming song!), but from there on things got slightly more difficult. After staying the first night at Drotskies Camp near Shakawe (which was quite acceptable and easy to get into), we subsequently found that due to the seasonal flooding occurring all down the Okavango that all the other camps southwards such as Sepopa Swamp and Ghoma were flooded and inaccessible. We drove down to water’s edge (sometimes 5 – 10kms down a track off the main road) to find deep water blocking the road. Most travellers book a car with Botswana car hire when exploring the Botswana continent.

The lodges were often taking guests and their gear across in boats and dugout makoros, but that didn’t help us much with or rooftop tent on top of Tin Can. A New Zealand guy in a huge 4×4 Mercedes truck managed to churn through at Ghoma, but we weren’t trying Tin Can in water up to the headlights!

So we spent two nights camping at Tsodilo Hills which is the site of 3,000-year-old San Bushmen rock paintings and has a  local Community run campsite which is pretty good and very cheap (free if you have paid a guide  P100 (USD$12) to take you on the 5km walk to see the rock art). Tsodilo Hills is well worth a visit – and the 35km dirt road to get there is reasonable, if dusty.

After Tsodilo and attempting to make it to flooded river camps, we just made a beeline for Maun 250km to the south-west and arrived at Audi Camp late in the day, but fortunately, with just enough time to drop in at the local LandRover dealer, Lesedi Motors, and book Tin Can in for a much-needed service the next morning. Audi Camp is not bad and has a nice pool and a restaurant at which we had a first restaurant meal in weeks that night, but we found Audi a bit dusty and over popular with the big overland tour groups. We spent 4 days in Maun and after 2 days at Audi Camp moved to Senia Hotel Camp down the road which we preferred as it was half the price of Audi Camp, still had a pool, restaurant and river frontage, but was much quieter and less dusty.

The (complete lack of any) visible modern equipment at Maun LandRover coupled with the enthusiasm of the Batswana mechanics with spanners in hand was somewhat disconcerting – and I was a little glad that it was only a minor service and that nothing major was to be fixed as Tin can have been performing flawlessly. At least the right (synthetic 5w-30) oil went in  (I made sure of that) and they did a fine job greasing everything and blowing out filters etc and replacing some slightly loose rear shock absorber mounts. So should be good- and here’s hoping as the first 700 km from Maun through Moremi, Savuti and Chobe NP was soft sand, corrugations and water most of the way. The 4X4 light on the dash will probably burn out soon as it’s almost constantly on!  They often say in the motor advertising blurbs in Australia “made for Australian conditions”, but I tell you what- Africa is harder on a vehicle! Particularly the suspension takes a hammering and dust is in everything.

We found out in Maun that you have had to book ahead for campsites in the Moremi, Savuti and Chobe National Parks. You can’t just go and camp without booking as we are used to. (to control numbers apparently). It is  MUCH more expensive than anything we have encountered so far as each day to camp in the National Parks costs USD$50 per person plus $50 for the vehicle. (Whereas in Sth Africa and Namibia we were used to USD$25 – $30 per day all up). In fact, we have found Botswana far and away from the most expensive country we have encountered so far. They know how to milk many foreign visitors. Much is geared towards the luxury lodges and the fly in, fly out tourists. There are a huge number of tour operations in Maun.

It’s not a one-stop system. We found you have to book your campsite in the National Parks first  (at a number of quasi-private concerns like Xakanaxa, Savuti and Ihaha camps) and then go back to the Wildlife & National Parks Office and pay for a permit. They won’t give you one without proof of booking first. Nothing is too user-friendly at the National Parks office where we fronted first off. If it wasn’t for a white tour guide also at the counter and listening to us asking for direction and getting blank faces, we would probably still be there? The guy was great and took us around Maun to various booking offices.

So with permits in hand, and after 4 days mooching around Maun not doing much other than taking a scenic flight across the Delta – which was well worth the USD$250 splash out, we set off North for Moremi (Xakanaxa), Savuti and  Chobe NPs.

The Okavango Delta and Botswana’s national parks are what one would expect after all that has been written so I won’t say much more other than the wildlife was plentiful and the sunsets over the swamps impressive. We liked Ihaha Camp  GPS  S 17* 50” 383’ E 24* 52” 587’ in northern Chobe best with its views of the Chobe River but Moremi and Savuti were good as well. What probably made them all was the wild campsites where elephants roam past your tent at night like huge grey ghosts in the gloom. All you tend to see is their white tusks in the dark moving silently as you cannot see the rest. Amazing how quietly they can move? At night we lay in bed listening to lions roar in the distance and hippos grunt in the river at Xakanaxa.

The 850 km from Maun to Kasane is no easy matter. A mixture of soft and most of the way together with bad corrugations near Savuti and the odd log bridge and water crossing in Moremi. Pleased to say that we came through unscathed and even had to render assistance to a German couple in a Toyota Hilux (whose diesel engine had just stopped – I think due to injector trouble) just out of Ihaha by way of Tin Can tow the Toyota 30 km through sand to Kasane. Another Toyota has sheared off all its wheel studs the day before we heard together with a Kia breaking a half shaft so we were quite proud of Tin Can and Land Rover!

Supplies also had to last a week and after running out of bread we decided to try and buy some in a village we passed. Quite an experience! It involved first chatting to the local AIDS counsellor  (a lovely girl who we met in the general store who spoke good English and told us there was a woman who baked bread the other side of the village). Then Marianne had to stay chatting with her while I took a local guy with me to show me where the bakery was. Bread still in the oven but should be ready in 30 minutes. Back to where Marianne was waiting. Cost me a beer to the guide. Back to the bakery where the local kids set out stools to sit on while we waited. Cost us pencils, rusks and the odd apple to the kids. 1 hour later the bread was ready and hot. Only Pula 6 but all I had was a P20. Keep the change as they had none to give. Still, it was good bread!

Last night in Botswana after dropping off the Germans Hans and Elisabeth at a repair shop was spent at Chobe Safari Lodge  Kasane – which is uber-luxurious (although we camped for only P150 (USD $22) and is full of foreign tourists flying in from Victoria Falls. (It even has Wi-Fi where this is being typed, but alas, not free)! The sunsets across the Chobe River from the front of the lodge are the stuff of travel brochures. Botswana has been good, but more expensive than SA and Namibia and the deep sand roads are tough. Tomorrow we cross into Zimbabwe at Kazangula and head to the “smoke that thunders” (Victoria Falls)…

[shannrussell-blog1]

4WD’s open up a whole new world of places to explore, and that’s one of the reasons they are so popular. However, before you head off and enjoy some of these brilliant spots you need to know how to safely, correctly and easily recover a bogged 4WD.

For those of you who’ve been doing this for many years, you’ll know there are a variety of ways to get a stuck 4WD moving again, and hopefully the risks associated with each method. In this post, we are going to cover everything you need to know when recovering a bogged 4WD.

It’s essential to know how to safely recover your vehicle. 

4WD recoveries can be very high risk

Let’s start with the most important factor; safety. Yes, we live in a world where safety is continuously shoved in our faces, and it’s easy to be complacent and not heed the advice when you are out on your own time, having fun. However, I will make a statement here that will hopefully ensure you take the time to perform 4WD recoveries carefully, and safely.

Since 2003, at least 7 Australian’s have been killed in 4WD recoveries gone wrong. In several cases, it’s been innocent people who have stopped to offer assistance to someone they didn’t even know.

Please think about that for a minute. Recovering a bogged 4WD can result in some extreme forces, and if something breaks the results are catastrophic. No 4WD trip is worth your life.

The good news is with a basic understanding of the right techniques your chances of being injured or killed in a 4WD recovery are extremely low.

The right tyre pressures will ensure you don’t get bogged.

Why do you get bogged?

4WD’s get bogged for a number of reasons, but the most common one is incorrect tyre pressures. When you head off road, you should be reducing the amount of air in each tyre. This helps to cushion the ride, look after your 4WD and it increases flotation and traction.

Particularly on beaches, tyre pressures that are too high are a guaranteed recipe for a bogged 4WD. The other common reason 4WD’s get stuck is simply related to clearance – if you drive over something that is taller than the undercarriage of your 4WD, it’s going to grab and you won’t be going anywhere.

Understanding why the 4WD is stuck in the first place is the key to setting up the right 4WD recovery. If you don’t know why the 4WD is bogged in the first place, it’s hard to pick the right recovery technique.

Traction and flotation are key when 4wding.

If you are stuck, don’t make it harder

One of the worst things you can do if your 4WD comes to a grinding halt is to jump on the accelerator and hope to spin your way out. You can very slowly turn your wheels forward or reverse while turning the steering wheel back and forth, but spinning the wheels quickly makes your 4WD sink even further, and a simple recovery can turn into one that takes a long time!

Stuck on a beach using Maxtrax to recover the 4WD.

How can you recover a bogged 4WD?

There are lots of methods for recovering a 4WD. One of the most commonly used methods is the snatch strap. These are useful tools if used properly, but they are also by far the riskiest method of 4WD recovery. They also shouldn’t be the first recovery option!

Other ways to recover a 4WD include using a winch, traction aids, reducing tyre pressures, digging around the vehicle, jacking the vehicle up and putting sticks or rocks under the wheels and getting a few people to assist pushing a 4WD (where safe to do so).

A 4WD winch is a great way to recover 4WDs.

What’s the right order of recovering a bogged 4WD?

Once you understand the risks of 4WD recoveries, the order that you do each recovery in becomes fairly obvious. Start with recovery options that are safest, like reducing tyre pressures, using a shovel to clear the way and traction aids to drive out. If that doesn’t work, a winch is the next safest option, with a snatch strap being the least safe. In many cases, the fastest, easiest and safest way to recover a 4WD is using traction aids.

High force 4WD recoveries

There is a time and a place for high force recoveries, but it’s not every time. High force recoveries generally refer to the use of snatch straps, but it can include winching as well.

High force recoveries are dangerous.

Snatch straps

I mentioned above that the humble snatch strap is one of the most common ways to recover a 4WD. This is because they are cheap, lightweight, most people have them and they seem simple enough to use. A snatch strap is relatively simple in theory – it’s a special rated strap that when pulled stretches up to 30% in length.

This allows a recovery vehicle to get a bit of a run-up before the towing starts to take place. Instead of one harsh yank like chains or a normal tow rope would apply, a snatch strap stretches while building up energy and then releases it more gently.

Snatch straps should be used carefully.

However, when you are talking about recovering 4WD’s up to 3.5 tonnes in weight, the forces can be huge. If anything breaks during a snatch recovery, the object will flick through the air at speeds of up to 400km/h. A little piece of steel becomes a deadly object, as it has done several times in the past.

When using a snatch strap, make sure it is suited to the weight of your vehicle. You want a breaking strain of around 2 – 3 times the weight of the lightest vehicle in the recovery. They should also never be used in recoveries where a 4WD is very badly stuck. This mainly applies to mud, as the suction is too much to break in a quick pull; winching is a much better option.

Only use rated gear in good condition.

Imperative safety practices when winching or using a snatch strap

If you’re going with a high force 4WD recovery, there are a number of things you absolutely must do. The first is to ensure your tyre pressures are actually correct for the terrain you are driving on. Especially on beaches, you need to let a substantial amount of air out. The general rule of thumb is somewhere between 12 and 20 PSI, depending on the vehicle’s weight.

From there, you need to reduce the force required on the recovery. This means spending 5 minutes on a shovel digging around the tyres, and under the chassis if it’s belied out.

Letting air out of tyres.

After that, you need to grab rated equipment, in good condition. This means it has a tag, or stamp with a safe working load (SWL) or MBS (Minimum breaking strength). Never, ever attach a snatch strap or winch to a point on a vehicle that is not stamped and rated. Everything from the recovery point, to the shackles used, to the strap or cable need to be rated, and in good working order.

The next step is to use recovery dampeners over the snatch strap or winch cable. These are dampeners that sit over the strap (preferably in two places!) and are filled with sand. If something does break, they stop the strap or cable from flicking through the air at huge speeds.

Yellow-rated recovery points on a Ford Ranger.

When you are ready for the recovery, everyone except the two drivers needs to be at least 1.5 times the length of the strap/cable away from both vehicles, in case something breaks. Communicate between the two drivers and proceed with the recovery. If using a snatch strap, use the right gears (normally 2nd low for the vehicle recovering, and 1st low for the one being recovered) and start with a gentle pull first.

Pay careful attention to the amount of effort you are having to apply to get the vehicle moving; if it’s significant you may need to come up with a new recovery method.

Never recover from a tow ball.

Never use a tow ball for a 4WD recovery

Tow balls are designed for towing, not for being shock loaded in a 4WD recovery. They have a nasty habit of shearing off, and a shiny ball of steel is a very, very scary object to have hurling through the air.

Work as a team to set up a 4WD recovery.

Other things to know about 4WD recoveries

4WD recoveries can be high-stress situations. The reality is, unless you have the tide rolling in on your 4WD there’s no need to move quickly. Don’t rush around, as mistakes are commonly made. Work as a team; talk to each other, and make sure you are all on the same page with what is going on.

Don’t add any further objects into a 4WD recovery than needed. Snatch straps should never be joined together with shackles, and if you can get away without having a shackle in the recovery, do so. If something does break, it means there are fewer missiles involved that could hurt or kill someone.

Lastly, a quality 4WD course is worth its weight in gold. You will be physically shown how to drive a 4WD, what to do when you get stuck, how to recover a 4WD safely and you’ll go home with the right techniques.

Prevention is better than cure.

Avoid getting bogged in the first place

For those who have been driving 4WD’s for a long time, you’ll know that prevention is better than cure. Adjust your tyre pressures, drive where your vehicle is suited for any avoid getting bogged in the first place. It might be a bit of fun the first few times, but after that, it gets old really quickly.

There’s nothing new, or wrong with getting bogged in a 4WD. It happens hundreds of times every week. However, please take the time to recover 4WD’s safely; we’ve had enough accidents and deaths already.

  Has your 4WD ever been bogged? 

The post Recovering a Bogged 4WD – What You Need to Know appeared first on Snowys Blog.

[jacewilliams1]

Flight of a lifetime—my 8,000-mile trip around Australia

To fly around Australia was not an idea that happened upon me overnight. It was an idea hatched in childhood, and ultimately flown solo decades later. Eight months in planning and eighteen days in execution, I suspect the planning would have been somewhat quicker if it had not grown into such a public exercise with such a genuine, interested following.

The Australian centenary of flight was an appropriate milestone to commemorate, but it also provided an excellent baseline to highlight just how far aviation had come in one hundred years. True, I covered around 13,000 kilometres across both remote and overwater segments, but the task was nothing beyond the level of an appropriately licensed and experienced private pilot. With all of the modern infrastructure, technology and support at our fingertips, what would have been a major undertaking even fifty years ago, is now relatively straightforward.

That Jabiru would take the author all around Australia, including Canberra. (Photo: Paul Sadler)

With planning complete and the all-Australian Jabiru J230D aircraft assembled and decked out in her “There and Back” scheme, the planets aligned to promise an on-schedule departure on May 5. In the days preceding, there were numerous media commitments to attend to, but more importantly, technical matters to become familiar with, from spark plugs to changing a wheel. There is no substitute for “hands-on” time with your aeroplane and fortunately, I was never called upon to repeat the tasks in the field as the Jabiru happily hummed its way around the country.

The day before departure saw low, grey, and wet skies over Bundaberg. However, the synoptic weather chart suggested that the trough may move out to sea and a big, happy high pressure system would dominate at least the first few days of my flight. The chart was right, and May 5 dawned without a cloud in the sky and my departure from Bert Hinkler’s hometown was set for 10am.

After a few final formalities, I departed Bundaberg right on time and watched the country town fall away to my left as I initially set course to dawdle along the picturesque coastline. It was only when the aircraft was established in level flight and the “housekeeping” had been attended to that I actually realised that the “There and Back” journey was finally underway. It was a great sense of elation with a twinge of, “Wow, it’s a long way to go!,: when I thought of my wife and kids. Yet as I scanned the crystal skies above, I just knew that this would be a flight to remember.

The route was loosely based upon points of Australian aviation significance: from Longreach, the home of QANTAS, to Minlaton, home to the oft overlooked pioneer, Harry Butler. Yet there were places of personal significance too. From Kununurra and the Kimberleys, where I had flown as a young charter pilot, to Toowoomba, where my father was laid to rest twenty years ago. The selection of these waypoints made each leg interesting and offered a carrot at the end of each day’s flying. Rather than being merely a long-distance flight, it was more akin to unravelling a scroll, with each new page introducing fascinating words, images and people.

Dawn over Western Australia, just one of dozens of memorable views.

In fact, it was in this way that the flight most readily exceeded expectations. After such thorough planning, there were very few surprises in terms of aircraft performance, airspace or procedures. However, no matter how imaginative I may have been, I could never have grasped the intangible beauty of the land and the warmth of people that I encountered. For this reason alone, I would encourage pilots, one and all, to set course far beyond their regular boundaries at least once.

Along the way I transited most forms of airspace, varying from civil to military and strictly controlled to the wide-open spaces. Occasionally an air traffic controller would hesitate in response to the RA-Aus call-sign, but even so there is an ease about traversing this great country by air that is joyful. And at the end of the sector, the little Jabiru could be found parked beside a towering Boeing 747 or an air force F/A-18 Hornet fighter. The company it kept was as wide-ranging as the country over which it flew.

Over the course of such a flight, it is the diversity of the scenery that can leave an overwhelming impression. That is not to say that there are not individual sights that take the breath away. The majestic Lake Argyle in the Kimberley region or the serene endlessness of the Nullarbor Plain are both very moving in their own special way. However, when you can depart the coastal port of Broome over pristine aqua waters and track along pure white beaches before striking the rustic reds of the Pilbara within an hour, it is nothing short of inspiring. This diversity of colour, wildlife, and inhabitation essentially captures both ends of the Australian scenic spectrum.

To take in such a view from between 500 and 5,000 feet enables one to really embrace the richness of the terrain. The land below has real detail and the passage of the shadows as the day develops provides yet another perspective on the rich canvas below. There are long abandoned ruins of long forgotten towns and flocks of birds that give the impression of a vast blanket skimming from paddock to paddock.

Some towns almost seemed to be vanishing into the outback.

The ruins of towns would pique my interest and I would wheel the Jabiru around and look down along the line of the wing which seemed to point at the structures below me. I would ponder how it was once a thriving community of miners or farmers, now long gone. The buildings remain, blending back into the outback sands out of which they grew. Corrugated tin roofing flapped in the breeze and empty door frames, open to the drifting sands. Only the stone walls seemed to offer any resistance to the onslaught of time and nature.

From above they stood so alone and yet undoubtedly once played host to hilarity, hope, and heartache in grander times. All around the eye can see nothing but the horizon; still these pioneers staked their claim in this very spot. Now many undoubtedly lay in tiny graves on the small ridge a few miles up the road. I could not help but wonder what stories these walls once told, now fallen silent and their words lost in time.

Yet even the so-called “remote” regions stimulate the senses with their jagged, jutting ridges and gun-barrel roads between distant settlements. And within these towns are people so unaffected by the frantic pace of urban reality. Calm and content, inhabiting settlements that have changed little over recent times, yet generous beyond compare. At Murchison Station near Kalbarri in Western Australia I had one such experience.

Over 150 years old, the station had once played host to the famed aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, while I spent the night in shearing sheds of convict vintage. It was a small room with a tiny single window and locks on the outside of the door to contain the convicts who had constructed the dwelling. Nearby, two fallen aviators from 90 years ago are buried and the experience of visiting their graves will not soon be forgotten. My hosts were more like old friends, free of false pretension but long on sincerity and warmth. Their manner reflected the very honest nature of the land on which they dwell.

The next morning too was special. Woken in the pre-dawn hours by the wind rattling the tin roof, the world was still asleep as we came to a halt at the tiny country airport. The night was moonless, and the only illumination was the receding red taillights of the departing truck back to Murchison and the torch in my right hand. The aircraft was still at rest, its wings tethered against the wind and its tail jutting into the undergrowth. And then the wind stopped.

The colors of Australia never disappoint.

There I stood, alone and miles from anywhere as the first tinges of dawn teased at the horizon. I lowered down and sat on my canvas kitbag, a lone audience to the greatest show on earth. Gradually the shards of light became a glowing arc, silhouetting the Jabiru, sparse vegetation and occasional grazing kangaroo against the backdrop. Void of sound, my senses were overwhelmed by the developing canvas in front of me.

Yet beyond the beauty, I always maintained the aviator’s sense of respect. The terrain below can at any time become a landing field for the pilot of a single-engined aeroplane. To this end, the land and the nearest water were endlessly assessed in case the untoward occur. Conversely, flying over Bass Strait or the Spencer Gulf, I was continually aware of the distance to my next landfall. While hypothermia was the greatest threat over the Strait, it was the mammoth sharks that provided the challenge if I ditched in the Gulf.

As part of my preparation, the Jabiru was stocked with supplies to cater for these contingencies. From emergency rations and fresh water, to space blankets, waterproof matches and life jackets. Survival gear was packed for minimum weight, but maximum effect. Certain essential items were also very close at hand in a bright red “grab bag” should egress from the aircraft be particularly rapid for some reason. Furthermore, the aircraft was equipped with a satellite tracking system with an alert mode, dual VHF radios, transponder, and an emergency beacon. In conjunction with the submission of detailed flight plans, I was always confident that I would not perish under the wing like so many pioneer aviators had done decades before. And yet, it is sound airmanship to cater for the worst and be thankful for the best.

Along the way I was struck by the warmth of the people everywhere that I landed. They were interested in where I had been and where I was going and extended a generous hand in friendship to often help me on the way in the form of a meal or a bed for the night. Many lived far from the cities and relied on a weekly delivery of stores for their supplies and yet they still welcomed a stranger like me at their table. And everywhere the work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service was spoken of with the highest praise, always providing a common thread between me and my hosts.

Some airports were large and modern; some were not.

The weather was one variable beyond my control and planning, other than the month of May historically providing fine weather and favourable winds. However, in this area I was absolutely blessed. The high-pressure system loitered over the inland for so long, I thought it had been tethered there and not only provided fair weather, but tailwinds across the Top End of the country. From the flight’s mid-point at Perth in Western Australia, I always seemed to be a couple of days ahead of troughs, fronts and poor weather.

There was a little weather to dodge over the stretch of water between the mainland and Tasmania, but nothing significant. Low cloud near the nation’s capital, Canberra, and storms near Gunnedah provided the only real hindrance, but otherwise it was stress-free visual flying. I’d like to take credit for those clear, blue skies, but that area is well beyond my expertise.

The other variable that lay beyond my scope of influence was aircraft reliability. Like the weather, the Jabiru J230 did not miss a beat and performed at better than book figures for the entire trip. Sipping around 23 litres per hour to achieve nearly two miles per minute, the Jabiru made an efficient vehicle in which to circumnavigate the nation. Its high wing both afforded shade and an ideal view of the grand display below. With two seats, the space to the rear provided ample room for all of my equipment and never presented a weight issue that allowed for anything less than full tanks for every departure. It was like a well finished utility vehicle that never had to deal with the bumps in the road when venturing cross country.

Aside from an oil change, filters, and the tyre pressures being topped up in Perth, there was no need for additional maintenance for the entire flight. Each day I would remove the cowls for a closer look and each day I found an incredibly clean engine ready for another day’s work. From icy frosts to sweltering heat, the little machine kept on performing and I played my part by always treating the aircraft and its engine with due respect.

What a welcoming committee.

When Runway 14 loomed large in the windscreen at Bundaberg for the final landing, I reminded myself that the flight wasn’t over yet. However, when the aircraft was parked and the propeller stopped, I allowed myself a sigh of mixed relief and reflection. Beyond that there were family and friends there to greet me and media to speak with. A reception was held at the Hinkler Hall of Aviation and in the shadow of my hero’s memorabilia I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of catching up with one and all. Along the way the flight had reached its target of $10,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and for me that was a personal goal that meant so much.

Once the dust had settled and I had retired to a house on the coast with my family, I had the first real chance to absorb what had transpired over the preceding weeks. I seemed to have endless tales and humorous anecdotes of the people and places I had encountered. My family listened intently and ultimately, they drew the same conclusions as the media and enquired, “Where are you off to next?” With all honesty, I replied that I really couldn’t say, although I would dearly enjoy stretching the borders once again.

The freedom of flight is something that is so accessible to us in this modern day. To take the road less travelled amongst the cumulus and share the experience with those along the way is something I cannot recommend highly enough. It is an experience that I would dearly love to pursue again. Yet, whatever future flights and adventures may rise above the horizon and wherever those journeys may subsequently take me, I will never forget the month of May when I decided to simply fly “There and Back.”

The post Flight of a lifetime—my 8,000-mile trip around Australia appeared first on Air Facts Journal.

from Engineering Blog https://airfactsjournal.com/2020/07/flight-of-a-lifetime-my-8000-mile-trip-around-australia/

[yesinflatablepackers]

Inflatable Casing Packers | Frac Equipment Manufacturers - AcimInFlatablePackers

Inflatable Casing Packer (ICP)

The IPI Inflatable Casing Packer (ICP) gives a dependable powerful seal, builds up zonal disconnection, and improves wellbore respectability while advancing great development costs, and operational proficiency. IPI inflatable packers depend on an Australian created innovation that has been being used since the mid-1980s. 

Its wire strengthening is not quite the same as an increasingly customary link, interlaced wire or support fortification and offers particularly unrivaled multi set execution. IPI has taken the fundamental plan and improved both the quality and temperature attributes to offer market-driving execution in the water, mining, oil and gas applications.

Creation Injection Packer (PIP)

Consolidates the equivalent valving utilized on ICP and PIBP related to IPI's inflatable packer components, understood for their capacity to recoup to the uninflated distance across, which is basic to operational achievement while recovering.

Weatherford offers a total line of inflatable items utilized in open or packaging gap applications. Inflatable instruments are accessible for penetrating and culmination applications, just as medicinal applications. The total product offering incorporates:

Annulus Casing Packers

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Most packers are "lasting" and require processing so as to expel them from the packaging. The principle focal points of changeless packers are lower cost and more noteworthy fixing and grasping capacities.

In circumstances where a packer must be effectively expelled from the well, for example, optional recuperations, re-fulfillments, or to change out the creation tubing, a retrievable packer must be utilized. To unset the instrument, either a metal ring is sheared or a sleeve is moved to separate associating parts. 

Retrievable packers have an increasingly confused plan and by and large lower fixing and holding abilities, however, after the evacuation and resulting overhauling, they can be reused. Visit more

There are events in which running a packer may not be attractive. For instance, high volume wells that are delivered both up the tubing and annulus exclude a packer. Pole siphoned wells are not typically run with packers on the grounds that the related gas is delivered up the annulus. As a rule, well culminations may not join a packer when the annular space is utilized as a creation conductor.

A generation packer is a standard segment of the total equipment of oil or gas wells used to give a seal between the outside of the creation tubing and within the packaging, liner, or wellbore divider. In view of their essential use, packers can be isolated into two fundamental classifications: creation packers and administration packers. 

Creation packers are those that stay in the well during a great generation. Administration packers are utilized incidentally during admirably administration exercises, for example, concrete crushing, acidizing, cracking and well testing.

A creation packer is intended to grasp and seal against the packaging ID. Holding is practiced with metal wedges called "slips." These parts have honed, carburized teeth that delve into the metal of the packaging. Fixing is practiced with enormous, round and hollow elastic components. In circumstances where the fixed weight is extremely high (over 5,000 psi), metal rings are utilized on either side of the components to keep the elastic from expelling.

A packer is run in the packaging on generation tubing or wireline. When the ideal profundity is come to, the slips and components must be extended out to contact the packaging. Hub loads are applied to push the goofs a slope and to pack the component, making it extend outward. The hub loads are applied either using pressurized water, precisely, or with a moderate consuming synthetic charge.

[angrycollectordaze-me-blog]

Paper代写：Rural tourism in Australia

本篇paper代写- Rural tourism in Australia讨论了澳洲乡村旅游。澳大利亚乡村旅游产业发展有着悠久的历史，整个行业体系更为健全。政府的支持和引导是乡村旅游健康发展的重要保障。政府部门建立了一个针对乡村旅游的健全而相对完善的法律监管框架，在乡村旅游开发中，政府对开发乡村旅游地的经营者们进行统一的规范化培训，加强经营者们的环境生态意识，保护和发扬当地的文化特色，同时要采取措施尽量避免乡村旅游开发所带来的种种负面影响，促进乡村旅游良好而快速地发展。本篇paper代写由51due代写平台整理，供大家参考阅读。

Rural tourism is to promote the new rural construction in our country and a key support to rural revitalization, and is an important component of China's tourism and leisure economy, on the cultural and recreational life of the people rich, the development of new rural construction and rural revitalization, agricultural industrial structure adjustment and perfect as well as to our country urban and rural harmonious development has an irreplaceable role. At present, most rural tourism in China is still in the primary stage of development. Learning from the successful experience of rural tourism development in Australia and other developed countries will help promote the prosperity and development of rural tourism in China.

Rural tourism is usually defined as a form of tourism vacation in which tourists rely on the rural spatial environment, take the unique natural scenery and cultural characteristics of the countryside as the object, sightseeing, entertainment and leisure shopping. In the past, people focused on the changes of rural themes and characteristics, but paid little attention to the internal relations between rural tourism and rural social culture and economic elements. However, after World War II, the relationship between rural communities and rural tourism has changed greatly.

At the beginning of the 19th century, rural tourism emerged in many European countries, and in its early years, it was only the patent of a few rich people. After the World War II, the industrialization of cities in developed countries accelerated rapidly, resulting in the rapid deterioration of the natural environment and the desire of urban residents to leave the city. In this context, Spain first tried to transform the castle into a hotel or hotel, transform the farm and manor into a rural holiday farm, and provide a variety of leisure and entertainment activities, which declared the official opening of rural tourism. Then, Australia, the United States, Japan, Singapore and other developed countries also actively develop rural tourism, promoting rural tourism from the initial single agricultural industrial park tourism, to the integration of tourism, leisure and tourism vacation in one of the comprehensive vacation mode, the connotation of rural tourism has been greatly expanded.

In the 1980s, rural tourism in China began to rise and developed vigorously in the middle and late 1990s. After the reform and opening to the outside world, great changes have taken place in our social economy, people's income increase bring great changes of people's life concept and way of life and at the same time, have appeared in the urban population, many problems such as environmental degradation, mental pressure, city residents look forward to travel to travel to the beautiful and leisurely countryside, thus temporarily put down the work of troubles in life, relaxed, happily into the arms of mother nature. And in 1995 the country implemented the "weekend" and "golden week" holiday system. All these provide favorable conditions for the development of rural tourism.

Australia has superior natural conditions, sparsely populated and vast territory. Except the coastal areas, which are large cities with relatively concentrated population, the vast inland areas are mostly small towns and villages. The smooth development of rural roads and excellent traffic conditions provide sufficient conditions for the development of rural tourism in Australia. Meanwhile, Australia pays great attention to the promotion of rural tourism destinations. The map and traffic map all have the mark of tourist attractions, and the highway side has also set up obvious and characteristic signs of tourist attractions. Tourist information centers have also been set up by local government tourism administrations at some entrances and road interchanges near tourist destinations. The tourist information center shows all kinds of information about local tourist spots to tourists by means of sound, pictures and videos. Meanwhile, it also provides tourists with various tourist maps and descriptions of scenic spots. The staff in the center also enthusiastically provides related consulting services to tourists. Meanwhile, the Australian government attaches great importance to environmental protection in the process of rural tourism. Through the promulgation of a series of policies and regulations, it ensures that tourists practice green tourism and green travel, laying a foundation for the sustainable development of rural tourism.

Australia attaches great importance to the development of rural tourism resources, through top-level design, to increase investment, to create tourism quality projects combined with local resources. Such as Australia to develop the most distinctive - royal agricultural rural tourism activities, the royal agricultural fair is unique to Australia a large traditional national agriculture exhibition, the traditional, specialty, amusement, special effects, a combination of entertainment, in early April every year, a total of 2 weeks and activities. Royal of passage is given priority to with entertainment, in addition to promote the traditional crops, farm animals, local products, art and so on, also will be related to the performance of traditional agricultural technology, such as shearing, automation of milk production, technical performance, the pig, dog, stunts and other farm animals, at the same time, the agricultural also equipped with all kinds of large-scale amusement facilities and various amusement activities for your entertainment. Meanwhile, the Australian government provides tax and credit support to enterprises engaged in rural tourism development, which greatly promotes the opening and development of local rural tourism resources.

Under the scientific guidance of local governments, Australia has enhanced the brand value of local tourism destinations through marketing, and vigorously cultivated unique tourism projects such as wine tourism and ranch tourism. Almost all Australian states produce wine, so vineyard tourism is very popular and has developed a unique brand value. Visitors can take part in wine Tours at local wineries, enjoy the vineyards, visit the wineries and underground cellars. Each tourist spot has the special personnel to do the introduction for the visitor, leads the visitor to taste the luscious wine freely, and may choose to buy each kind of unique wine. Australia's specific and unique pasture culture, through the local marketing to build brand value, has become widely recommended by travel agencies at home and abroad tourism products. Visitors can live in herdsmen's homes, watch modern milking up close, help herdsmen to do farm work, taste various delicious cheeses, and participate in sheep shearing, milking, picking nuts, oyster picking and other interesting pasture activities. Some of the ranches are specially designed to house Australia's distinctive animals: kangaroos and koalas, allowing visitors to interact and take photos with the animals up close. Australia combines culture with tourism products to enhance the regional brand value and gradually expand and strengthen rural tourism.

The development of rural tourism industry in Australia has a long history, the whole industry system is more sound, there are many places worthy of our country's reference. Learning from the successful experience of rural tourism development in Australia will help promote the vigorous development of rural tourism in China.

The government's support and guidance is an important guarantee for the healthy development of rural tourism. First of all, government departments should establish a sound and relatively perfect legal supervision framework for rural tourism. By referring to the successful experience of rural tourism development in Australia and other developed countries, and taking China's actual problems into consideration, the rural tourism development laws and regulations suitable for China's national conditions are tailored. At the same time, the government needs to guide the early development of rural tourism in a timely manner, and with the constant changes in the development of rural tourism, revise and improve various laws and regulations in a timely manner to ensure the sustainable development of rural tourism. Secondly, the government should grasp the overall situation, macro-control, and establish a long-term rural tourism policy support mechanism. Government tourism authorities should cooperate with other relevant departments to give more preferential treatment to rural tourism projects in various links such as investment, examination and approval, tax, land, loan and financing, so as to create a policy environment to encourage the development of rural tourism. Finally, in the rural tourism development, the government should also be carried out on the development of rural tourism destination managers were unified standardization training, strengthen the environmental consciousness of operators, protect and develop local culture characteristic, at the same time take measures to avoid the negative effects of rural tourism development, and promote good and fast development of rural tourism.

Standardized planning and management is the foundation of sustainable and long-term development of rural tourism. Our government should make the rural tourism development plan in line with local characteristics according to local conditions, and guide the development of rural tourism industry reasonably from the government level. To put it simply, we should do the following three aspects well: first, we should solve the problem of planning and construction and establish a relatively perfect development mechanism. The government, villagers and enterprises should do their respective duties and cooperate with each other to create a virtuous cycle of rural tourism development. The second is to solve the problem of messy main body and chaotic management. All regions consciously abide by the regulations of rural tourism development formulated by the government, and towns and villages at all levels strengthen their self-management ability by setting up autonomous organizations or establishing joint management organizations with investment companies. Third, we should solve the problem of multiple interest subjects. In the pursuit of social benefits, the government should pay special attention to the protection of the interests of rural residents in tourist towns, and establish a comprehensive and good benefit distribution mechanism.

It is the secret of maintaining the market vitality of rural tourism to excavate the connotation of rural culture and create unique innovative products. First of all, we should take into account the local characteristic resources and tourists' needs, vigorously develop characteristic rural tourism products, constantly dig into the cultural connotation of each village, design unique rural tourism products, and enhance tourists' experience of rural tourism. Secondly, based on the existing characteristic products of rural tourism in various regions, we should constantly carry out comprehensive innovation and improvement in terms of product form, product type and product function. The innovation of product form can mainly beautify and decorate the tourist environment, and make full use of various high-tech means to package and decorate the products. The innovation of product type is mainly to develop unique rural tourism products on the basis of fully considering the characteristics of rural tourism resources and responding to the different changes of tourism market demand. The innovation of product functions is to explore the functions of rural tourism products in other aspects purposefully according to different levels of tourists' needs, so as to fully meet the increasingly diversified needs of tourists.

Multi-channel and multi-channel marketing publicity to create a good and well-known brand image is the driving force for the vigorous development of rural tourism. The brand image of rural tourism is the sum of tangible objects and intangible services. Good brand marketing plays a positive role in promoting the publicity of local rural tourism. After tailor-made rural tourism brands with local characteristics, we must pay attention to the protection of existing brands, and further expand and expand its connotation. After each new brand is created, should apply for registration and protection in time, should extend the brand culture to all fields, in order to create a brand system with huge development potential, with high quality brand to ensure quality, with intention and professional brand to improve the level, with unique brand to attract the market.

In addition, more diversified marketing publicity should be carried out to expand the rural tourism market. Firstly, it is necessary to make full use of the traditional marketing methods to improve the market popularity of rural tourism destinations. For example, intensive tourism publicity is carried out in traditional media such as TV, radio, tourism magazines and outdoor advertisements in the main tourist source areas of rural tourism, and the market of rural tourism is developed through high-density, all-round and multi-level marketing publicity. Moreover, we should make more use of innovative network marketing, such as weibo marketing, WeChat marketing and other new marketing methods, especially to strengthen the construction of theme websites for rural tourism. In addition, you can target festival camps

Rural tourism destinations can dig deeper into the cultural connotations of natural resources, traditional culture and folk customs, and carry out the planning of special theme festival marketing activities in a specific period to attract more tourists to participate in activities and explore.

In general, rural tourism in China is facing many problems due to its late start, but it has a good development momentum and great potential. Based on the actual situation of the rural tourism development in our country draw lessons from the developed countries such as Australia's successful experience of the development of rural tourism, targeted to improve and perfect the rural tourism industry in China, can we achieve the vigorous development of the rural tourism industry in China, in order to further promote the new rural construction in our country and make contribution to the development of rural revitalization.

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Essential Tools for New Kitchens Perth

Cooking is simpler and quicker when the right equipment is stocked on kitchens. Perth is one of the most populous cities in Australia with more than 26.7 percent of the population opting to eat for breakfast diners. So whether you own a restaurant or simply wants to improve the overall outlook of your kitchen, it is relatively imperative to have these essential utensils to make the kitchen fully-functional.  

Ovens

Along with range hoods, refrigerators, dishwashers, and microwave ovens are among the most popular utensils that improve kitchen designs. Perth has three common types of ovens specifically the fan-forced ovens, the gas ovens, and steam ovens which are primarily used in enhancing the flavor of the dish while retaining its nutrients as well as cooking the food faster. Gas ovens, on the other hand, are excellent for moist cooking such as roasting food or baking cakes while fan-forced ovens have the capability of heating food without the need to rotate dishes.

Slicing Tools

Another popular kitchen essential is slicing tools. Slicing utensils come in different shapes and sizes but among the most popular cutting utensil is the chef’s knife which is considered by most homeowners as the single most important tool in new kitchens. Perth cooking professionals normally utilise the chef’s knife in mincing fine herbs and garlic since it’s less slippery and produces more consistent slices. Other than the highly-regarded kitchen knife, other slicing tools that are a must in every kitchen include the Y-shaped vegetable peeler, potato masher, serrated bread knife, paring knife, lemon press, kitchen shears, garlic press, and the versatile box grater which is divided into six different grate types.

Dishwashers

Apart from ovens and slicing tools, dishwashers are other essentials that dramatically increase the value of everyone’s kitchen designs. Perth dishwashers provide convenience to most Australians as they longer have to be anxious about damaging their hands or doing the dishes. Normally, dishwashers are classified into multiple units depending on its make and model but among the most common types of dishwashers are semi-integrated and fully-integrated units as well as small and free-standing models.

Refrigerators

The refrigerator is a staple for most kitchens Perth provides everyone with a wide range of selection of refrigerators that include side-by-side fridges, top-mount fridges, small fridges, and French door fridges. In most cases, the refrigerator is used to store goods such as butter, milk, meat, eggs, and other groceries.

Benefits of Tools for New Kitchens (Perth)

Ensures The Right Taste Of Food

It is without question that unique dishes have unique tastes. Having a unique set of tools to cook is not only a great way to relieve stress but can also ensure that one can achieve the right presentation of ingredients.

Makes Cooking Faster

Cooking is fun but without the essential kitchen utensils, it can be frustrating. With the right tools, homeowners are able to efficiently use heat in cooking and quickly cook dishes, thus, saving a considerable amount of time.

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Agricultural Robots Market 2017 to 2023 : Growth Analysis, Size, Industry Share And Forecast Report

28 November 2018: Agriculture is the second greatest source of employment worldwide, and the least automated of all industries. Agriculture is the largest remaining opportunity for automation. Agriculture has become more mechanized so that many crops are harvested using machinery worldwide. Agricultural continues its declining employment trend as robotics are adopted.

Request A Sample Copy of This Report at: https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/agricultural-robots-market-shares/request-sample

Lely robotic cow milking systems target large dairy farms implement innovation in agriculture. Successful robotic milking on farms with more than 500 cows is supported. Agriculture faces enormous challenges over the coming decades. Agricultural entrepreneurs have to keep pace with rapid population growth and the need to deliver food at progressively more competitive prices.

Lely supports technical revolutions that help evolve automated process, ranging from forage harvesting machines to milking, feeding and barn equipment. Lely equipment allows successfully increasing the scale of operations.

Safeguarding optimum animal welfare and return on investment is the aim. By partnering with Lely on the milking automation journey, creates benefit from a unique set of management instruments to monitor milk quality, feed/milk conversion ratio for the individual cow or the complete herd. Lely continues to develop knowledge and products for the future. A basic requirement for profitable robotic milking includes attention to feed/milk efficiency.

Browse Full Research Report with TOC on https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/agricultural-robots-market-shares

Freedoms include permitting cows to achieve well-being by achieving more freedom, making it so that the farmers get the most out of their herd. Lely discovered that farmers who use free cow traffic are more successful with robotic milking.

According to Susan Eustis, principal author of the study, “Using cow milking systems, ore milk per cow and more milk per robot is being achieved. Systems work with less difficulty and with the possibility of working more sociable hours. Many farmers who used to use forced systems have changed over to free cow traffic flow in order to benefit from the advantages of robotic milking.”

Robots are used for harvesting. High value crops are a target of agricultural robotic development. What could be tastier than a strawberry, perfectly formed, and perfectly ripened? New agricultural robots are able to improve the delivery of consistent quality food, and to implement efficiency in managing food production. Strawberries are a high profit crop.

A new generation of machines has just been born. Strawberry harvesters with the world's most advanced technology to give maximum performance to a farm. Harvesting robots can optimize the productivity of the farming business. Growers can get the best results in a berry farm using automated process. Automated picking collection systems improve labor productivity, give speed and agility to harvest operations.

Employment opportunity will come from human implementation of digitation, building APIs that make digital connections and building algorithms that make sense of digital data collected. There is plenty of work for humans to figure out how to react to alerts generated by digital algorithms.

The market for agricultural robots at $1.7 billion in 2016 is expected to grow to $27.1 billion by 2023. Agricultural Robots: users harness robots to plow, plant, spray, prune, milk, pick, shear, and harvest. As economies of scale are achieved, markets will grow rapidly.

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The increasingly global nature of science, technology and engineering is a reflection of the implementation of the globally integrated enterprise. Customers trust wintergreen research to work alongside them to ensure the success of the participation in a particular market segment.

WinterGreen Research supports various market segment programs; provides trusted technical services to the marketing departments. It carries out accurate market share and forecast analysis services for a range of commercial and government customers globally. These are all vital market research support solutions requiring trust and integrity.

Companies Profiled

Market Leaders

•               Lely

•               Tetrelaval / DeLaval

•               Yaskawa / Motoman

•               Yamaha

•               Kuka

Market Participants

•               8Villages

•               ABB Robotics

•               Adigo

•               AeroVironment

•               Agile Planet

•               AgRA: RAS Agricultural Robotics and Automation (AgRA

•               Agribotix

•               Agrobot

•               AquaSpy

•               Australian Centre for Field Robotics

•               Autonomous Tractor Corp. (ATC)

•               Avular B.V

•               Blue River Technology

•               Bosch Deepfield Robotics

•               Clearpath Robotics

•               Rowbot

•               CNH Industrial / Fiat / Case IH

•               cRops

•               Cyphy Works

•               Digital Harvest

•               DJI Innovations

•               ecoRobotix

•               Fanuc

•               FarmBot

•               Frank Poulsen Engineering

•               Georgia Tech Agricultural Robots

•               Google

•               Harvard Robobee

•               Harvest Automation

•               HoneyComb

•               IBM

•               iRobot

•               Jaybridge Robotics

•               John Deere

•               Kinze Manufacturing

•               Kuka

•               KumoTek

•               Kyoto University

•               Lely

•               LemnaTec Phenomics

•               Millennial Net

•               Japan: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization

•               Ossian Agro Automation / Nano Ganesh

•               Parrot/senseFly

•               Precise Path Robotics

•               Robotic Harvesting

•               SAGA – Swarm Robotics for Agricultural Applications

•               Sentera

•               Sicily Tractor Harvesting

•               Shibuya Seiki

•               Spread

•               Sustainable Harvest

•               Tetrelaval

•               DeLaval Sustainable Dairy Farming

•               Trimble

•               Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

•               University of California, Davis

•               Vision Robotics

•               Wall-Ye V.I.N. Robot

•               Yamaha

•               Yaskawa

Key Topics

•               Agricultural Robots

•               Automated harvesting systems

•               Autonomous navigation in the fields

•               Robotics to automate agricultural

•               Robot operations

•               Robot mowing

•               Robot pruning

•               Robot seeding

•               Robot spraying

•               Robot thinning

•               Impact of robots in the fields

•               Innovative HMI for agricultural robotics

•               Robots in forestry

•               New standards for agricultural robotics

•               UAV and Rpas for agricultural applications

•               Cooperative robots in agriculture

•               Methods for agricultural robots management

•               Autonomous Plowing

•               Automatic Harvesting

•               Adaptive Robots

•               Reinforcement Learning

•               Evolution Robotics

•               Multiple Agents

•               Robotic Agriculture

•               Artichoke harvesting

•               Agricultural robotics

•               Artificial vision

•               Outdoor autonomous robot

•               Energy Harvesting

•               Wireless Nodes

•               Microcontroller

•               Robotic Harvesters

•               Economies of Scale

•               Powering Robotic Tractors

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