Canadian Yacht leads Race 7 of Clipper 09-10

The Canadian yacht Cape Breton Island, is 405 km in the lead in Race 7 from Qindago to San Francisco of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race. Starting in September 2009, the race is expected to finish in Britain in July 2010. www.clipperroundtheworld.com

Canadian Sailors missing after Earthquake

Josée (Jade) Chabot (Montreal) was one of six aboard the training vessel SS Columbia, a 13-metre sailboat that was en route from Ecuador on Jan. 16 to Coquimbo, Chile to arrive end of February. An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile on Feb. 27, resulting in a tsunami along the coast. The boat has not been heard from since. Chabot took the journey to earn her skipper's licence. Another person on board is reported to be a woman from Nelson, B.C. [www.cbc.ca] Posted March 22, 2010.

April 12, 2010: The SS Columbia and all crew finally arrived in Chile after their families reported them missing at sea. The crew claimed the captain refused to let them use the radio to contact family when they found themselves becalmed far out to sea. [www.cbc.ca]

Canadian Students survive Ship Sinking

Sixty-four Canadian students spent nearly 40 hours in life rafts after their three-mast ship, the SV Concordia sank in stormy conditions February 18. The ship was caught in a microburst - a vertical column of air pushing downward - in the Atlantic Ocean 550 km off southeastern coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The survival of all aboard is attributed to preparation, training, equipment and communal effort. All returned safely to Canada. The class-at-sea is operated by West Island College International of Lunenburg, N.S. (www.canada.com)