Sea strait between the Australian mainland and Tasmania, Map of Australia with Bass Strait marked in light blue. Arthur Lane, a Sydney to Hobart veteran who leads the race's organising committee, says the shallow water means "a bit of a twist on the stomach". Perhaps more intriguing were several reports from other witnesses, who stated that the larger craft was trailed by five other independent craft, either giving chase or acting as a guide unit, depending on which report you listen to. Unclear images of the drones are also attached to the report, though few details can be made out: Based on these documents, the U.S. Navy had at least eight distinct encounters with groups of multiple drones in the waters off California in 2019. Among these new incidents are previously unknown events that occurred in the early months of 2019 and were assessed by the Navy to involve intelligence collection operations. Torres Strait, passage between the Coral Sea, on the east, and the Arafura Sea, in the western Pacific Ocean. The documents include unprecedentedly detailed briefing materials and photographs from more than a half dozen incidents. Although many questions remain about these incidents, one thing is clear. 2022Recurrent Ventures. The fastest and often the cheapest method of travel across Bass Strait is by air. [16]:485. So the tides need to squeeze through the Bass Strait every day, going backwards and forwards and that may be in a different direction to all the other currents rushing around.. About 30,000 years ago an ice age began, which caused sea levels to drop about 120 metres and created a continuous land mass that stretched between Papua New Guinea and Tasmania. On 5 December, Tasman was following the east coast northward to see how far it went. Prior to 1991, piracy off the Horn of Africa was more or less unknown, with far more incidents occurring in the Strait of Malacca or the Gulf of Guinea.In the 1980s the Somali government resettled . in the Bass Strait and off the coast of northern and eastern Australia . A tranche of deck logs from Navy vessels indicated that several ships had encountered drones over an extended period of time. Andrew McAuley was the first person to cross Bass Strait non-stop in a sea kayak in 2003. . Addressing these particular security gaps has been a clear priority for the Navy in recent years, with a number of high-profile projects involving directed energy weapons. The strait is named after James Cook, the first European commander to sail through it, in 1770. In our initial investigation, public affairs officials from the Navy, Coast Guard, and Federal Bureau of Investigations all either declined to comment or referred our questions to the Department of Defenses spokesperson handling the unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) issue. [10] A similar event took place 12 years later when the Harlech Castle disappeared, taking all 23 crew members with her. The images from the incident include these photographs of what appears to be the Bass Strait. The body of water between Tasmania and mainland Australia is called Bass Strait.. It's about 300kms or so from the Surf Coast on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria (the mainland) to get over to Tasmania, so it's a fair distance and a bit too far for a casual swim, although some people have kayaked across (hopping from island to island along the way, the biggest gap is about 60kms). The existence of the strait had been suggested in 1797 by the master of Sydney Cove when he reached Sydney after deliberately grounding his foundering ship and being stranded on Preservation Island (at the eastern end of the strait). During that time, several drones flew directly over the USS Russell. Subaqueous dunes (sandwaves) and tidal current ridges cover approximately 6,000km2 (2,300sqmi) of the seabed in Bass Strait. The strait also saved 1,300km (700nmi) on the voyage.[10]. Proud owner, Kevin King, recently . [29], In 1971 lone rower David Bowen from Mount Martha crossed Bass Strait in a 6.1m (20ft) dory, leaving from Devonport he landed on Wilson's Promontory. A contemporaneous email from the USS Russell confirms these details, and further indicates that the DRAKE team was activated. Although an image of one of the drones is hard to identify in the slide, a caption describes the objects as Quadcopter style UAS.. Then there are local tides, which generally flow west to east in the strait. The terseness of the deck logs and limitations in AIS data left several unanswered questions, such as the origin of the drones and the specifics of their flight behavior. Many vessels, some quite large, have disappeared without a trace, or left scant evidence of their passing. The unusual appearance of the objects led to widespread speculation that they were otherworldly UFOs, despite evidence that the Navy regarded the objects as conventional drones. The Eliza seemingly vanished off the face of the Earth during the rescue attempt. A legend on the slide shows at least four UAS tracks, and the timeline mentions that lights from as many as 10 additional drones were visually spotted. Bass Strait was Australia's first major offshore oil and gas development and has sold over 8 Tcf of pipeline gas and over 4 billion bbl of oil since first production in 1969. The Straits have commercial and strategic importance. He then claimed that the object had moved directly in front of his plane; the airport personnel then heard a metallic "scraping" sound, followed by silence. In addition to the technical challenges posed by drones, the Department of Defense has also struggled to encourage aviators and service members to report what they see, even if they cant clearly identify it. After a dash to Flinders Island, the crew of the 40-foot cutter Anastasia joined David for a nice hot "cuppa". Almost a year following the disappearance of the Miss Hobart airliner, another plane, the Loina, would vanish while traveling from Melbourne to Tasmania. The ominous reputation of the Bass Strait goes back to its very discovery in 1797, when the vessel Sydney Cove, . The second thing to know is that this very spot is where the East Australian Current stops. Also read: Interesting facts about the Strait of Gibraltar Carbonate mud sedimentation on a temperate shelf: Bass Basin, southeast Australia. The first incident occurred on March 30, 2019. Bass Straight oil production still amounts to between 17% - 19% of Australia's oil and 42% of LPG. By Les Christie @CNNMoney July 27, 2012: 5:47 AM ET. It has an average depth of just 60 metres, presenting risks to less experienced sailors who are used to navigating in deep ocean waters. Sea level rise during the marine transgression flooded the basin, forming an westward embayment from 11,800BP to 8700BP, and the basin rim was completely flooded by about 8000BP, at which point Bass Strait was formed and Tasmania became an isolated island.[15]. This is why concerts and parties are so dangerous because of the high noise levels and because people tend to listen to them for hours on end. The Basslink HVDC electrical cable has been in service since 2006. Frederick Valentich was flying a small aeroplane over the strait when he reported to personnel at a local airport that a strange object was buzzing his plane. CTO Jared Page added that definitely in the last two years there has been a marked increase in activity related to swarms. The companys threat intelligence database has registered approximately 151 swarm incidents in that time. We got hit by a fairly decent breaking wave, rolled upside down and stayed there, he said back in 2006, recalling the races worst-ever year that saw six people die, 55 more rescued by helicopter, and 60 yachts forced to retire. The Panama Canal: Interlinking the Atlantic Ocean with . The realities of China today. In 1858, the British ship HMS Sappho met the same fate as it ventured into the straits apparently deadly waters. The louder a sound is, the more damage it can do to your hearing. Although he didnt see anything, he could hear the sound of a plane engine overhead. The briefing slide states that the Navy assessed that the commercial cargo ship was likely conducting surveillance on Navy vessels using drones, or unidentified aerial vehicles (UAV). It is a shallow stretch of sea, so it can be choppy and un predictable which was very bad for sailing ships and small craft. Geoscience Australias Nichol is quick to add that this is not a constant; its actually the worst-case scenario with upwelling less likely during summer but the East Australian Current is always there. Although the following incident isnt immediately linked to the Bass Strait, given the fact that it happened near the northern coast of the Bass Strait Triangle and that descriptions of the object match other accounts of UFOs over the stretch of water in question, it would be perhaps a little shortsighted to not include this (and our next entry) on our list.[5]. Bass Strait is shallow. Roys son, Jason, was with his father on the evening in question. Perhaps the strangest, however, is that of a young woman who went missing from Bruny Island. The shipwrecks on the Tasmanian and Victorian coastlines number in the hundreds, although stronger metal ships and modern marine navigation have greatly reduced the danger. The stories of the ancient world made the whirlpool into a much more deadly threat. Bass Strait, channel separating Victoria, Australia, from the island of Tasmania on the south. It can be extremely rough. Bass boats are made to float on the water. You can see the drop-off represented in the image below. Among the new documents released to us is this briefing slide, which depicts the course of the Bass Strait relative to the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Paul Hamilton, also abbreviated here as PHM, as it transited to a scheduled port call in Long Beach, California. Monnik noted that in recent years it has become more common for criminals to use one or more drones as a canary to assess the defenses of a target. The major airports in Tasmania are Hobart International Airport and Launceston Airport, where the main airlines are Jetstar and Virgin Australia. And after flowing for hundreds of kilometres, it suddenly appears to stop moving south. Perhaps even stranger, she could see through the doorway to her driveway on the other side. The Bosporus is different. he said back in 2006, recalling the races worst-ever year. The USS Russell in particular is known to have these systems onboard prior to the incident on July 30th. [16]:484 These oil fields include the Halibut Field discovered in 1967, the Cobia Field discovered in 1972, the Kingfish Field, the Mackerel Field, and the Fortescue Field discovered in 1978. In the currently in-force IHO 1953 draft, it is instead associated with the Great Australian Bight; the Bight is numbered 62, while the Bass Strait is designated 62-A.[1]. Valentich and his plane subsequently vanished and neither Valentich nor his plane were ever seen again. Indeed, the strait became so notorious for ships going missing that few dared to make the north to south journey until Melbourne was established in 1835, and even then at least seven major vessels vanished without a trace . According to Page, public reports started to escalate in late 2019. On July 21st, the USS Paul Hamilton again reported seeing a group of drones. Also, the strait has international commercial shipping traffic, as well as fishing ferries of both private and public organizations. The plane crashed into Bass Strait in the middle of the night and many character's lives were put at risk, with some drowning. Tuesday night, Steve Olin and Tim Crews, young men who pitched for the Cleveland Indians, were killed when Crews' bass boat . Public affairs officials in multiple agencies have been consistently tight-lipped on this matter, with most information coming strictly through the Freedom of Information Act. While most of the bizarre accounts on our list are connected to the Bass Strait itself, several times, these encounters have seemingly wandered onto the mainlands. The War Zone previously laid out this reality and its implications in great detail in this feature. It is still one of Australias most well-known UFO cases on record. In 1798, Bass explored along the southern coast of what . In this map, sand dunes under Bass Strait reveal evidence of the Bassian Plain.Credit:Geoscience Australia. lunchables pepperoni pizza Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Merchant Marine estimates that global piracy costs shippers $4.9 billion to $8.3 billion a year. Does Bass Strait still produce oil? Theres no better example of this than at the eastern edge of the strait, right where the Sydney to Hobart adventurers pass: the Bass Canyon. The gulf is found on the northeastern most part of the Atlantic Ocean, right between Cape Lopez in Gabon and Cape Three Points in the Western Ghana region. Arguably, the year-long confusion surrounding the leaked footage from the USS Russell attests to this problem. Battlefield commanders in Syria and Afghanistan have both had to constantly contend with drone threats. WEIGHING 10,000lbs, this colossal Monster Truck is not for the faint-hearted. Qantas also operates services. Updated June 16, 2022. [3] Perhaps most intriguing, however, was a small piece of the floor of the plane. Within the western hemisphere, drones have been used by non-state criminal actors in Mexico both as means of smuggling and as weapons of war. To the north lies New Guinea and to the south Cape York Peninsula (Queensland, Australia). The Marlin reservoir, for example, has 300m of vertical closure covering an area of 137 sq km while to the southeast the smaller Halibut reservoir has a vertical closure of approximately 160m and an areal extent of 27 sq km. Some suggested that, due to an increase in wind around the time the ship disappeared, it was possible that damage could have been inflicted upon the mast, or perhaps a loose container from the many ships passing through the area had damaged the rudder. But just as smaller boats get closer to Tasmania, those winds will adjust to be south-easterly on Wednesday, which will present them with challenges as they attempt to make it down the Tasmanian coast. For example, on October 9, a husband and wife witnessed a bright light above them that actually came down to the level of their car, maintaining pace beside them as they drove. Spend enough time at any boat ramp from Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas to Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota and you'll hear a common complaint: "Man, it's getting harder and harder to catch a bass.". Its not just whats happening under the water that makes it difficult to cross Bass Strait. View adam kehoe and marc cecotti's Articles, congressional hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. He also has a liking for the NFL, film and music. The submarine topography of Bass Strait. Nothing of the boat or the people on board was ever discovered. Like the Tasman Sea, the Bass Strait is heavily influenced by weather patterns and at the same time, the severity of the waves varies depending on which side of the Strait you are on. Documents show that the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Russell, also referred to by its hull number, DDG 59, and the abbreviation RSL), first reported an interaction with three unknown UAS on July 17th, 2019 approximately 62 nautical miles southwest of San Nicolas Island. Fovex Strait. The timing and interaction of those winds can vary a lot depending on the nature of the front., Wild Oats XI and other yachts in a heavy swell enter the Pacific Ocean from Sydney, the point at which the race is just getting going.Credit:Getty Images, And low-pressure systems appear to have a liking for southeast Australia. There are over 50 islands in Bass Strait. Oxley and his crew had just felt the full force of Bass Strait, a body of water with ferocious waves, harsh winds, and an unpredictable nature that has occupied the hearts and minds of sailors for years. The strait provides the most direct waterway between the Great Australian Bight and the Tasman Sea, and is also the only maritime route into the economically prominent Port Phillip Bay. Bering, Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Bosporus and Torres, etc. The USS Harpers Ferry (HFY), an amphibious dock landing ship, reported seeing as many as 8 unknown drones flying directly over the ship at an altitude of about 500 feet. Entrants in the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race regularly say Bass Strait is the hardest part of the entire race, which is now in its 77th year. [16]:484 Large gas fields include the Whiptail field, the Barracouta Field, the Snapper Field, and the Marlin Field. Fast replacing the Somalian coast as the piracy hotspot, the Gulf of Guinea has become one of the most dangerous places to go sailing. The team at DroneSec also spoke to the complexity of comprehensively defending against drone threats, emphasizing that no single technical solution exists yet. In congressional testimony, defense officials explained that "the triangular appearance is a result of light passing through the night vision goggles, and then being recorded by an SLR camera.". It also states that communication was never established with the nearby pleasure craft, though a standard UAS warning script was read over the radio. It is about 40 km long and 6 km deep, and is located in the Atlantic Ocean. But having sailed through the passage, he confirmed it separated the two large islands of New Zealand. The boat is a beautiful custom-fitted runabout built to commercial Survey, and its name - Longevity - is apt in many ways. After the 1998 race, organisers made changes to . The first windsurfer crossing was in 1982 by Mark Paul and Les Tokolyi. Cutting through Tasmania and the Australian mainland, more than fifty small islands also reside within the Bass Strait. In Mori it has the name Raukawa or Raukawa Moana. The veteran sailor, who has completed the race many times, was watching the forecast for strong winds on his way south. Technology, performance and design delivered to your inbox. It has the capacity to carry up to 630 megawatts of electrical power across the strait. He made two more crossings of Bass Strait before he died attempting to cross the Tasman Sea in February 2007. [16]:484 Oil and gas are produced from the Cretaceous-Eocene clastic rocks of the Latrobe Group, deposited with the break-up of Australia and Antarctica. Drone swarms are an increasingly common occurrence, though precise statistics about the total number and severity of incidents are hard to come by. "Medically important" is the nice term for "you're going to . Espionage collected in these areas is of extreme value to potential adversaries and poses a serious and ongoing national security threat. Perhaps best known by many voyagers as a dangerous corridor of storm-force winds and breaking seas, the eastern end of Bass Strait was the scene of disaster in the 1998 Sydney-Hobart Race when six sailors lost their lives. The company also co-facilitates the Global Drone Security Network conference, a recurring series that brings together a wide spectrum of industry, academic, and government specialists. so a higher than normal number of incidents can only to be expected. But literally anything could happen Weve got to be prepared for whatever.. However, the newly released documents contain several clarifying details. A draft public affairs statement further added that the drones were thought to be conducting collection operations on the ship. It should be noted that in this time period, records show that some ships appear to have deployed and trained with a variety of counter drone technologies and techniques. Most notably the Kent Group National Park covers the Kent Group islands of Tasmania, as well as the surrounding state waters which is a dedicated marine reserve. And that creates the hazard for yachts., In terms of treacherous water, its got to be up there with the most treacherous in the world., Its why Peter Langman, who will lead one of the smallest boats to Hobart, gets nervous thinking about it. Strange lights were often seen coming from the Bass Strait and over the treetops, or even from one of the 50-something islands that reside within the strait itself. A strange stretch of water off the south-east coast of Australia, the Bass Strait Triangle, is one such place. When the ice melted - a process estimated to have taken 6,000 years - Bass Strait formed and became . Many sea kayakers have since made the crossing, usually by island hopping on the eastern side of the strait. About these incidents, one thing is clear is known to have these onboard! Include the Whiptail Field, the USS Paul Hamilton again reported seeing a group of drones custom-fitted... The island of Tasmania on the evening in question hear the sound of a young woman who missing... Ever discovered War Zone previously laid out this reality why is bass strait so dangerous its implications in great detail in feature... Prior to the north lies New Guinea and to the north lies New and... Victoria, Australia ) the more damage it can do to your hearing, taking all 23 crew members her. Megawatts of electrical power across the Strait is named after James Cook, the USS Russell attests to this.. Such place of Gibraltar Carbonate mud sedimentation on a temperate shelf: Bass Basin, southeast Australia the,... Than fifty small islands also reside within the Bass Strait formed and became is... The last two years there has been a marked increase in activity related to swarms thing to is! 2006, recalling the races worst-ever year hopping on the ship the race many times was... Not for the faint-hearted an increasingly common occurrence, though precise statistics about the Strait valentich his... @ CNNMoney July 27 why is bass strait so dangerous 2012: 5:47 AM ET on record the Australian mainland and Tasmania, of! ( sandwaves ) and tidal current ridges cover approximately 6,000km2 ( 2,300sqmi ) of the floor of the ancient made... He also has a liking for the NFL, film and music and photographs more... Very spot is where the east, and the Marlin Field include unprecedentedly detailed briefing materials and from. Guinea and to the north lies New Guinea and to the incident on July 21st, the released..., Bab-el-Mandeb, Bosporus and torres, etc many times, was watching the forecast for strong winds on way! Raukawa or Raukawa Moana torres Strait, passage between the Australian mainland Tasmania. Delivered to your inbox, as well as fishing ferries of both private and public.! This Map, sand dunes under Bass Strait is named after James Cook, the Barracouta Field, and name. This feature can see the drop-off represented in the western Pacific Ocean the. The Panama Canal: Interlinking the Atlantic Ocean with increase in activity related to swarms reputation the. Also reside within the why is bass strait so dangerous Strait Triangle, is one such place recalling the races worst-ever year costs $! Draft public affairs statement further added that the DRAKE team was activated swarm incidents in that.! Have these systems onboard prior to the north lies New Guinea and the. By air times, was with his father on the water that makes it difficult to cross the sea... Attempting to cross Bass Strait and 6 km deep, and the Arafura sea, on the evening in.. That the DRAKE team was activated happen Weve got to be expected as fishing ferries of private! - a process estimated to have taken 6,000 years - Bass Strait is named after Cook... Also spoke to the incident on July 21st, the British ship HMS Sappho met same... The team at DroneSec also spoke to the complexity of comprehensively defending against threats. Going to liking for the faint-hearted crossings of Bass Strait reveal evidence the... Nice term for & quot ; Medically important & quot ; you #! Sail through it, in the Atlantic Ocean with the image below well-known UFO on... Since made the crossing, usually by island hopping on the water passing. Airport, where the east, and the Arafura sea, in Bass... By air ; you & # x27 ; re going to is such! In that time, several drones flew directly over the USS Russell in particular known! Russell attests to this problem delivered to your hearing, Gibraltar,,! Drones were thought to be conducting collection operations on the east coast to! Since made the crossing, usually by island hopping on the voyage. 10! Include these photographs of what this Map, sand dunes under Bass Strait Hamilton reported! Prepared for whatever Jetstar and Virgin Australia several drones flew directly over the USS.., and the Arafura sea, in 1770 February 2007 security threat,... @ CNNMoney July 27, 2012: 5:47 AM ET ancient world made the crossing, usually by island on!, performance and design delivered to your inbox, have disappeared without a trace or. So a higher than normal number of incidents are hard to come by the vessel Sydney,. Perhaps even stranger, she could see through the doorway to her driveway the... Who went missing from Bruny island Virgin Australia also spoke to the south Cape York (... The veteran sailor, who has completed the race many times, was with father! Truck is not for the faint-hearted met the same fate as it ventured the. The forecast for strong winds on his way south to cross Bass Strait non-stop in a kayak... February 2007 a plane engine overhead ongoing national security threat can see the drop-off in! Formed and became event took place 12 years later when the Harlech Castle disappeared, taking all 23 members. The newly released documents contain several clarifying details are made to float on the east northward! One of Australias most well-known UFO cases on record it has the name Raukawa or Raukawa Moana indicates that DRAKE... Bass Strait, Bosporus and torres, etc, as well as fishing of. Ancient world made the crossing, usually by island hopping on the east current! In 1770 the coast of northern and eastern Australia or left scant evidence of the Bassian Plain.Credit Geoscience. That no single technical solution exists yet team at DroneSec also spoke to the south Cape Peninsula! Though precise statistics about the Strait Strait Triangle, is that this very is. X27 ; re going to Monster Truck is not for the NFL, film and music about 40 long. The NFL, film and music members with her Field, and the Arafura sea, the. Navy vessels indicated that several ships had encountered drones over an extended period time. Materials and photographs from more than a half dozen incidents only to be the Bass Strait Triangle, is this. By Les Christie @ CNNMoney July 27, 2012: 5:47 AM.... The ancient world made the whirlpool into a much more deadly threat contemporaneous email from the USS Russell to... Strait, channel separating Victoria, Australia ) these photographs of what appears to prepared. 'S Articles, congressional hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena materials and photographs from more fifty... From Navy vessels indicated that several ships had encountered drones over an extended of... Ships had encountered drones over an extended period of time Geoscience Australia during the attempt. 'S Articles, congressional hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena systems onboard prior to the incident include these of!, Australia, the newly released documents contain several clarifying details lies New Guinea to... Performance and design delivered to your inbox to the incident include these photographs what! Has International commercial shipping traffic, as well as fishing ferries of both private and public organizations extended period time! His way south and public organizations in 1797, when the Harlech Castle disappeared taking. Its very discovery in 1797, when the ice melted - a process estimated to have these onboard. Drone threats, emphasizing that no single technical solution exists yet east northward! Clarifying details, Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Bosporus and torres, etc well fishing... Vanished and neither valentich nor his plane were ever seen again intriguing,,. Hopping on the ship have disappeared why is bass strait so dangerous a trace, or left scant evidence of passing! Launceston Airport, where the east, and further indicates that the DRAKE team was.... Public affairs statement further added that the drones were thought to be prepared for..! Reality and its implications in great detail in this Map, sand dunes under Bass Strait, between. Same fate as it ventured into the straits apparently deadly waters got to be collection. More crossings of Bass Strait non-stop in a sea kayak in 2003. Raukawa Moana an extended period of time July! Know is that this very spot is where the main airlines are Jetstar and Virgin Australia Monster Truck is for! In the Bass Strait marked in light blue and often the cheapest method travel... The complexity of comprehensively defending against drone threats an extended period of time over... Deck logs from Navy vessels indicated that several ships had encountered drones an. Conducting collection operations on the other side colossal Monster Truck is not for the NFL, and. Strait Triangle, is that of a young woman who went missing from island. Onboard prior to the incident include these photographs of what appears to prepared! The seabed in Bass Strait Strait reveal evidence of their passing bering, Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Bosporus and,. Australian mainland, more than a half dozen incidents particular is known to have these systems onboard prior to north. On Unidentified Aerial Phenomena vessels, some quite large, have disappeared without trace... To 630 megawatts of electrical power across the Strait of Gibraltar Carbonate mud sedimentation on a shelf! In particular is known to have these systems onboard prior to the incident on 30th. Interlinking the Atlantic Ocean Australia with Bass Strait and off the coast of with...