To:
Tom Weaver
Subject: VLC RACING AREA -- Water Quality
VLC 1030 Thursday
TO:
Challenger Commission
I
write to bring this matter to the urgent attention of all Challengers,
whether or not you are now training here.
In
the past week I have heard from two teams expressing very serious concerns
about the quality of the water in the racing area here in VLC in which
they are training. I immediately contacted the Regatta Director, who
advises that he has taken the matter up with ACM leadership.
Am
told that the two teams have taken immediate steps with their team doctors
to protect the health of their personnel.
During
the Acts here in 2004 I was not aware of any water quality concerns,
so this may only be seasonal, or temporary related to rainfall.
Regardless,
it is an important issue, and I have asked incoming CC Chairman George
Clyde to put it on the agenda for the May CC meeting; and, by copy of
this to ACM, urge ACM to immediately take it up with VO7, and to make
it a matter of the highest priority.
Sincerely,
Tom
T F Ehman Jr
Chairman
AC 32 Challenger Commission
www.challengercommission.com
_________________________________
From:
Regina Serra
Sent: Monday, April 18, 2005 19:07
To: Tom Weaver; Bjorn.ohde; b.finzi; James Farmer; jcutler; Paul Henderson;
Russell Green; Tom Ehman; Salvatore Sarno; George Clyde; tfe
Cc: dyer.jones; michel.bonnefous; michel.hodara; Hamish Ross; brad.butterworth;
Ross Blackman; Alessandra Pandarese; azulueta; Cesare Pasott'; Dawn
Riley; Geoff Meek; Laurent Esquier; Melinda Erkelens; Luis Saenz; cdickson
Subject: VLC RACING AREA -- Water Quality
Dear Mr Ehman,
We
have been informed by ACM of your correspondence informing about a serious
problem with the quality of the water in the race area.
We
take this issue very seriously due to the impact that this could have
on public health, tourism and the relevant authorities in charge of
monitoring the quality of the Spanish sea water.
Due
to the importance of this issue and the scope given to this information
(all people copied on your e-mail), we urge you to provide us with detailed
information that can take us to the end of this issue: date of contamination,
people concerned, disease contracted, water contact way, detail of area,
samples of water (if available), etc.
Be assured that we will act immediately in order to protect the health
of all concerned individuals, as well as the reputation of our historically
clean waters of which we have ever heard about any dangerous warning.
In fact, correct results have always been obtained on our monthly tests
(last sample test was taken on second term of March, 2005).
I await to hear from you due the worry for the alarm arisen at this
regard.
Yours
sincerely,
Fernando
Huet
CEO
_________________________________
From:
T F Ehman Jr
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2005 09:46
To: Regina Serra; michel.bonnefous
Cc: 'michel.hodara@americascup.com'; 'dyer.jones@americascup.com'
Subject: VLC RACING AREA -- Water Quality (DRAFT)
VLC 0930 Tuesday
TO: Michel Bonnefous (ACM)
Fernando Huet (VO7)
Greetings,
Further to my email last evening to Sr Huet (and please do call me as
I do not have your phone number), here are some specifics that I have
been able to observe and/or gather from others:
+ The major problem is an upwelling of "brown water" (smelly
effluent of human and/or animal waste, feminine hygiene products, etc.,
and what looks like industrial gels among other things) in the area
between the wave buoy and the new breakwater construction, at approx
39 deg 27.5 min North and 000 deg 18.0 min West. It is most observable
on calm days, before the seabreeze fills. There is normally a large
flock of birds above it. The upwelling is then spread by currents and/or
the wind in and around the "north course" area depending on
the conditions on any given day.
+ On some days areas of similar "brown water" (contents similar
to the above) just outside the harbor entrance have been observed. Whether
it is from the upwelling above caught in a current eddy, or from a ship
pumping out, or other, is not known .
+ On certain days similar "brown water" has been observed
off the mouth of the river to the south of the RCNV, and the brown water
has even been observed to have circulated into into the RCNV basin.
This "brown water" is not to be confused with the smell in
that area, on days of offshore wind, which is assumed to be from the
sewage treatment plant just up the river.
+ There are many, many plastic bags and much paper floating or submerged
just below the water surface in the racing area that catch on rudders,
support boat engines, anchor lines, etc, and which not only is a distraction
or more (when it hangs up on a rudder or keel), but looks bad in video
or still photography shot on calm days from helicopters.
The upwelling and plastic bags are a daily occurrence. The other examples
have been infrequent or intermittent.
Sincerely,
Tom Ehman
T
F Ehman Jr
Chairman
AC 32 Challenger Commission
www.challengercommission.com
_________________________________
From:
T F Ehman Jr
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2005 09:50
To: Tom Weaver ; Bjorn Ohde ; Bruno Finzi ; James Farmer ; jcutler;
Paul Henderson; Russell Green ; Tom Ehman; Salvatore Sarno; 'George
Clyde'
Cc: Hamish Ross; Ross Blackman ; Alessandra Pandarese ; azulueta; Cesare
Pasotti ; Dawn Riley ; Geoff Meek ; Laurent Esquier ; Melinda Erkelens;
Luis Saenz
Subject: FW: VLC RACING AREA -- Water Quality
FYI... ACM should be dealing with VO7 on this, not me or the CC. But
it does not seem wise to sit around while they dither -- this needs
action.
Tom
