BIOBANK TO SAVE CORAL SEAWATER & SAWDUST
Facing diverse threats ranging from pollution through acidic oceans to global warming, the planet’s coral beds will hopefully receive a helping hand from the world’s first coral biobank, proposed for Port Douglas in Queensland, Australia. The conservation facility will house some 800 coral species from around the world. It has been described as a ‘Noah’s Ark’ for the planet’s coral, fitted with hundreds of tanks with temperature and light control.
Designed by Sydney’s Contreras Earl Architecture, the four-storey centre mimicks a mushroom coral head. Inside, facilities include an exhibition centre and auditorium – and research laboratories over four levels. The facility would also be an interactive space so visitors can view corals and learn about the reef.
The project is led by the Great Barrier Reef Legacy – a non-profit organisation seeking philanthropic backing to fund construction.
Graphics supplied by Contreras Earl Architecture.
This book details the intriguing journey of two British pensioners who designed and built from scratch a 30-foot wooden motorboat. With a combined age of more than 120 years, Tom and Lorraine Owen set about the custom build of their wooden motorboat Thea in March 2015. Seawater & Sawdust follows their journey from inception and planning to building and on to launch in December 2016, documenting their celebrations and milestones as well as their mistakes and mishaps.
The couple of 37 years were no beginners at boatbuilding; they’d built their first boat together when they were in their 30s and a second in their 40s. Even so, tackling a project of this size in retirement was ambitious, to say the least.
Suffering a subdural haematoma from an airborne scrap of timber (Tom) and undergoing a full hip replacement (Lorraine) mid-build, Team Owen was dealt its fair share of obstacles and interruptions along the way. But they exceeded all expectations with an exceptional end result.
Thea became the last boat to be built and launched at the historic Philips Shipyard in Dartmouth, England, now Noss on Dart Marina, and she’s carried Tom and Lorraine some 1,500 nautical miles in the three summers since.
About transitioning to motor from sail, Lorraine has this to say: “We had some qualms about taking the plunge over to the ‘dark side’ because there can be a divide between the owners of sailboats and the owners of motorboats.
“Perhaps because Thea is such a classic design we have not found this to be the case, much to our relief. I’m pretty sure that we’ve extended our cruising life by making the change now – before we were pushed!”
Self-published by Tom & Lorraine, Seawater & Sawdust (A$44.99 hardback, A$35.99 paperback) the book is also available as an ebook edition. It can be found at all reputable book and ebook websites worldwide.