HMNZS NGAPONA ASSN
18 January 19 – Ngapona Assn Lunch at Swanson RSA
19 – 20 January 19 – Ngapona Assn Boating Weekend
28 January 19 – Auckland Anniversary Day
6 February 19 – Waitangi Day
8 February 19 – Navy Club Lunch, Remuera Club
15 February 19 – Ngapona Assn Lunch at Titirangi RSA
8 March 19 – Navy Club Lunch, Remuera Club
15 March 19 – Ngapona Assn Lunch at Waiheke RSA
MONTHLY LUNCH
Our first lunch for 2019 will be held at the Swanson RSA this Friday, 18 January. Swanson always has an excellent meal, so mark it in your diary. Look forward to seeing you there.
NGAPONA ASSOCIATION BOATING WEEKEND
The Association Boating Weekend will be held this coming weekend 19 – 20 January. Anyone with a boat is welcome to join us. We plan to meet at Waikalabubu Bay, at the northern end of Motutapu Island on Saturday afternoon and enjoy some relaxing time. Sunday a bit of fishing before departing around lunchtime. More boats the better, totally informal. Skippers should ring round and organise a crew. It will be weather dependant of course. Please advise by return email if you are planning to have your boat there or if you require a berth.
The following boats are confirmed
Scott Perry – HDML Kuparu
Wayne Smith
Terry Creagh
Bruce Lineham
Peter Goodwin
INTERESTING FACT
Due to an unusually low amount of rain in December, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced Monday that the maximum draft for a ship transiting the Neopanamax locks will be restricted to 49 feet, or 14.94 meters, as of February 11. The new restriction will decrease the maximum allowed draft in the Gatun Lake by 1 foot, or by 0.3 meter from the last maximum restriction, which was implemented June 26, 2018m at 50 feet, or 15.24 meters. The decrease in the maximum allowable draft is based on the projected water level of Gatun Lake. The ACP announced that the precipitation during December was around 90% below the historic average in the Panama Canal watershed, which caused water levels at the Gatun and Madden Lakes to drop lower than expected for the season. As a result, the ACP will implement water conservation measures to minimize the effects of the lower water levels and to delay any further seasonal draft adjustments.
Vessels with drafts exceeding 49 feet may be allowed to steam on the Gatun Lake, depending on the level of the lake at the time, according to the ACP. If water levels are too low, vessels exceeding the 49-foot draft restriction will have to trim or off-load cargo to pass. At a 49-foot draft, a Suezmax cannot transit the canal fully laden, as such dirty tankers typically require a 50-foot draft for a full 1 million barrel cargo of 43 API crude.
DID YOU KNOW?
On 15th January 1942, the first class of four RNZN Cadets joined Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. Of the four cadets, two, Ted Thorne and John McKenzie, would both rise to be Rear Admiral and Chief of Naval Staff.
RA EC Thorne CB CBE, CNS 1972 – 1975.
RA JF McKenzie CB CBE, CNS 1975 – 1977