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TODAY IN HISTORY

    ROCKET REACHES 100 MI ALTITUDE
    July 30, 1946 - White Sands, NM, USA

    For the first time an altitude of 100 mi (167 km) was reached by a test rocket. It was a V-2 rocket (No. 9), fueled with alcohol and liquid oxygen launched at White Sands, NM. This test had the first separation of nose cone. During World War II, the nose cone held a German warhead containing almost a ton of explosives. At White Sands, the Army invited government agencies and universities to use the nose cone's 20 cubic feet of space for scientific research, up to 2,000 pounds of scientific equipment, such as cameras, sensors, and on-board experiments, were carried aloft on each flight.

    MAHLON LOOMIS RECEIVED A PATENT
    July 30, 1872

    For a new and Improved Mode of Telegraphing and of Generating Light, Heat, and Motive Power' (U.S.No. 129,971). In 1865, Loomis had transmitted wireless signals between two mountains in Virginia using two kites flown 18 miles apart, each carrying a 600 foot wire from the ground. When he interrupted the flow of electricity from the atmosphere, through the wire, to an earth ground, a galvonometer on the other kite's wire measured a current change. He also noted dark clouds passing over his apparatus causing too much electricity to be collected by the aerials...causing him to shut down operations. This wireless communication took place many years before Marconi's experiments.

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Five Places to Snorkel on Your Cruise Va :

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The Caribbean is one of the most popular destinations for cruise vacations, and its waters are home diverse, beautiful ocean life that beckons a closer look.

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The Caribbean is one of the most popular destinations for cruise vacations, and its waters are home diverse, beautiful ocean life that beckons a closer look. With few pre-requisite skills besides swimming, snorkeling is a fun, safe way to get a close-up look at the underwater world of the Caribbean. Here are five popular ports-of-call where you can enjoy some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean on your next cruise vacation:

1. Barbados
Barbados is a popular stop for Caribbean cruise vacations, and the western part of the island (sometimes called the "Platinum Coast") is prime territory for snorkeling, with gentle waters, a variety of underwater sights (including close-to-the surface shipwrecks), and diverse ocean life such as brain coral, sea fans, sponges, plenty of varieties of fish and sea turtles. There are plenty of group tours available that will take you from the cruise port to several spots around the island for swimming and snorkeling. If you want to head out on your own, visit Mullins Beach or Heywoods Beach -- both offer coral formations worth exploring.

2. Grand Turk
Though it still has the feel of an off-the-beaten-path destination in the Caribbean, Grand Turk boasts one of the best cruise ports in the Caribbean, with its own beach a swimming pool, cabanas for rent and even a surfing simulator. It also offers incredible opportunities for snorkeling, with spots like Governor's Beach, White Sands Beach and Pillory Beach. You can rent gear (or bring your own of course) and snorkel right off the beach at all three. Highly popular (and highly recommended) are day excursions to Gibbs Cay, an uninhabited offshore island that is just a short boat ride away. The untouched beaches on the island are perfect for sunbathing, barbecuing, picnics and general lazing, while translucent blue waters and pristine coral reefs provide the perfect backdrop for snorkeling. The island is particularly noted for the docile stingrays that dwell there, which you can feed and pet.

3. St. Martin/St. Marteen
The crystal-clear blue waters that surround this island shared by the French and Dutch offer some of the Caribbean's best underwater visibility, making this a perfect port-of-call if you want to snorkel during your cruise vacation. The government has taken great measures to protect the shallow coral reefs that surround the island, as well as the large numbers of fish and sea turtles that call the reefs home. While there are many snorkeling spots, Dawn Beach on the eastern side of the island is considered by many to be the best, but the surf and amount of swimming required can be challenging, so it caters better to experienced swimmers. Tiki Hut Snorkel Park in Philipsburg is a viable alternative, and caters to all ages and experience levels.

4. St. Thomas
Part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas is a port-of-call for many cruises throughout the Eastern Caribbean. Coki Point is among the most popular beaches on the island, and boasts a reef area close to shore and a dive shop on site where you can rent snorkeling gear as well as other water sports equipment. Sapphire Beach is another option, with its own shallow reefs to explore while you're in the water, and a beach bar that sometimes features live music. Both these beaches are ideally suited for days in port where you want to enjoy a combination of sunning, swimming, snorkeling and socializing.

5. Cozumel
Part of Mexico, this small, idyllic gem off the coast of the Yucatan is a popular stop for cruise vacations in the Western Caribbean. When your cruise ship docks in Cozumel, you will enjoy a classic Caribbean setting with a distinct Mexico flavor, as well as miles of protected reefs that provide world-class snorkeling and scuba-diving. Natural currents keep the water clean and the coral supplied with nutrients, providing an unparalleled underwater environment and superb visibility while submerged (some actually rate the diving experience here above that in Australia's famous Great Barrier Reef).

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  • June 24, 2010Date Added :
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