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NORTHLAND TALL SHIP AGES GRACEFULLY |
This month sees Northland flagship R. Tucker Thompson celebrate 20 years of service to a worldwide crew of adventurous passengers. Her story began in Mangawhai where she was finally put to sea on 12th October 1985 and began day sails in the Bay of Islands on 10th November 1985. Since then, the ship has travelled 145,000 nautical miles, taken 67,500 passengers on day sails, carried 797 sail trainees, had 125 crew, visited 61 ports, there have been 14 ship's masters, she has crossed 7 oceans - all on 1 Ship.
After taking part in the First Fleet re-enactment, a voyage that took her to the UK and then back out to Australia, she settled into her role of delighting visitors to Northland with her own special magic. But her role in sail training has always been a key part of the ship's purpose and in winter months has taken part in two ASTA (American Sail Training Association) events, taking the ship and her unique Kiwi style of sail training to Canada and the USA, as well as providing several Youth at Risk sail training voyages locally each year.
Commented Russell Harris, ship's builder, owner and master "She was built to sail, and many of those who join us, particularly on longer voyages, become part of the Tucker family. We often hear from people all around the world who have not only sailed with us, but others who sailed with Tucker (Robert Tucker Thompson) himself. It's wonderful that his legacy in building this ship has been so fulfilled." Her future will see many more adventurers joining the Tucker Crew. Her majestic beauty under full sail is unsurpassed. For more information please contact Russell Harris on 0274 976 844 or Kylie Rogers on 09 402 8430. The Bay Chronicle
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Our dolphins stand out in study
| A researcher at The University of Auckland has found that the Northland dolphins have the highest genetic variability in New Zealand and when compared with other coastal bottlenose dolphin populations around the world.
Gabriela de Tezanos Pinto, a PhD student based at the Faculty of Science's School of Biological Sciences, is studying the population structure and relationship between NZ bottlenose dolphins.
She said, "We had not expected this high level of genetic diversity in Northland. This could be reflecting connectivity with other populations in the Pacific Ocean."
In the third year of her research, Gabriela is analysing the DNA dolphins inherit from their mothers to see if there are connections between different populations in NZ and around the Pacific Ocean.
Bottlenose dolphins are highly mobile and some individuals are capable of long-range dispersal for over a thousand kilometres. But long-range movement doesn't seem to be the common rule for New Zealand coastal bottlenose dolphins. Preliminary analysis of data in New Zealand showed that movements of individuals among populations is very low, perhaps less than one female per generation.
"So, if the variability of the Northland population is not a result of movements of individuals from other populations, you have to wonder where it comes from," says Gabriela.
To answer this question, she requested scientists from around the world for samples of bottlenose dolphins and also reconstructed DNA sequences from published surveys.
Gabriela spends time collecting samples in the Bay of Islands and Hauraki Gulf and analysing them at the University's Molecular Ecology Laboratory. Her focus is on the application of genetic techniques to provide information for the long-term management of the species.
She says New Zealand's bottlenose dolphins have certain special characteristics and they need to be protected. The Bay Chronicle
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