Onne van der Wal / Miami Acura Grand Prix, Key West, Florida. 2009.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Gas flare at a Gazprom oil production facility near Noviy Urengoy. Yamal, Western Siberia, Russia.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Man on mast at 32nd America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 12), Valencia, Spain (June 2006).

Merryn Thomas / Close up of mast of 'Salcombe fruiter' schooner "Brizo" model made by Malcolm Darch, against old photograph of the ship, in Malcolm's workshop. Salcombe, Devon, UK. January 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Two people in Honda marine inflatable approaching yacht, with man standing on mast, 2004

Benoit Stichelbaut / Fireworks at Brest Festival, 2004

Benoit Stichelbaut / ITA 85 demasted at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Merryn Thomas / Floating harbour frozen over in January 2009. Bristol, UK.

Benoit Stichelbaut / ITA 85 demasted at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Person climbing Tall ship rigging during Brest International Maritime Festival, July 2004

Benoit Stichelbaut / ITA 85 demasted at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Merryn Thomas / View of hatch and mast from cabin of Bristol Pilot Cutter "Morwenna", Bristol Floating Harbour, UK. April 2009.

Merryn Thomas / Wooden blocks aboard Bristol Pilot Cutter "Morwenna", Bristol Floating Harbour, UK. April 2009.

Onne van der Wal / Looking down the mast and spreaders of J-Class yacht "Hanuman" during her premier, Newport Bucket Regatta, July 2009, Rhode Island, USA.

Billy Black / Kayak, open kayak, RIB and man sunbathing viewed from the masthead of Moorings charter catamaran "Pitch Pin", British Virgin Islands. January 2004. Model and property released.

Billy Black / Kayak, snorkeler and open kayak viewed from the masthead of Moorings charter catamaran "Pitch Pin", British Virgin Islands. January 2004. Model and property released.

Billy Black / Gooseneck aboard Hunter 216 dinghy. Mystic, Connecticut.

Onne van der Wal / Crewman up the mast of yacht at the 12 Metre World Championships, Newport, Rhode Island, USA. September 2009.

Onne van der Wal / Woman sitting on the stern of a catamaran, cruising in the Grenadines, Caribbean. February 2010. Model released.

Onne van der Wal / Man gathering up sheet, sailing in the Grenadines, Caribbean. February 2010. Model released.

Onne van der Wal / Saint Barths Bucket Super Yacht Regatta, Caribbean, March 2009.

Onne van der Wal / SY "Maltese Falcon" with sails furled, Saint Barths Bucket Super Yacht Regatta, Caribbean, March 2009. Property Released.

Onne van der Wal / Crewman up mast, Saint Barths Bucket Super Yacht Regatta, Caribbean, March 2009.

Onne van der Wal / SY "Maltese Falcon" with sails furled, Saint Barths Bucket Super Yacht Regatta, Caribbean, March 2009. Property released.

Onne van der Wal / Saint Barths Bucket Super Yacht Regatta, Caribbean, March 2009.

Onne van der Wal / SY "Maltese Falcon", Saint Barths Bucket Super Yacht Regatta, Caribbean, March 2009. Property Released.

Onne van der Wal / Yacht viewed from underwater, Saint Barths Bucket Super Yacht Regatta, Caribbean, March 2009.

Rick Tomlinson / "Ericsson" crew members meet the King of Spain before they leave the Race Village dock in Alicante, Spain, for leg one of the 10th Volvo Ocean Race, October 2008. For EDITORIAL USE only.

Rick Tomlinson / Ericsson Racing Team lifting the masts in during boat preparation in the wet area of the Race Village, Alicante, Spain. Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009. For EDITORIAL USE only.

Rick Tomlinson / Crew members climbing the rigging of "Mariquita" during the Solent Race, The British Classic Yacht Club Regatta, Cowes Classic Week, July 2008

Rick Tomlinson / Crew members climbing the rigging of "Mariquita" during the Solent Race, The British Classic Yacht Club Regatta, Cowes Classic Week, July 2008

Rob Cousins / Nautical signal flags flying on sailing boat on Bristol Floating Harbour at the 2008 Harbour Festival, August

Rob Cousins / Crew of the "Earl of Pembroke" tall ship working in rigging during Bristol Harbour Festival on Bristol's floating harbour, August 2008

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, exploring a tabular iceberg in the Bransfield Strait, 17 January 2007 Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele"'s main mast and rigging, 2006. Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / Close up of SY "Adele"'s mast and rigging Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / Aerial view from the mast of SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, docked in English Harbour, Antigua, January 2006.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, moored at Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua, January 2006. Masts visible above vegetation

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, anchored off the coast in French Polynesia Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, moored at dusk in Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua, January 2006. Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, exploring a tabular iceberg in rough sea, Bransfield Strait, 17 January 2007 Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, moored at Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua, January 2006.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, anchored off the coast of St Barts. Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Rick Tomlinson / Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, April 2008.

Rick Tomlinson / Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, April 2008.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Crew member walking up mast on Team Alinghi yacht, America's Cup Louis Vuitton Act 1, Marseille, France 2004

Benoit Stichelbaut / Looking down upon "Moonbeam", Douarnenez Maritime Festival, France, July 2008

Rick Tomlinson / Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, April 2008.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, approaching a volcanic island in French Polynesia Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Benoit Stichelbaut / ITA 85 demasted at America's Cup (Louis Vuitton Act 13), Valencia, Spain. May 2007.

Onne van der Wal / Crewman sitting on cross-tree, Saint Barths Bucket Super Yacht Regatta, Caribbean, March 2009.

Merryn Thomas / View of hatch and mast from cabin of Bristol Pilot Cutter "Morwenna", Bristol Floating Harbour, UK. April 2009.

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, anchored off the coast in French Polynesia, 2006. Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Kathryn Jeffs / US research base at Palmer station, Ambers island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, February 2009, Taken on location for BBC Frozen Planet series

Steven Kazlowski / Fish eye view of a steel hull sailboat from the crow's nest, Spitsbergen, Svalbard Archipelago, Norway, July 2011

Jeff Wilson / Field Assistant, Jason Roberts, on top of mast looking out for submerged ice, Svalbard, Spitzbergen, Norway, July 2009. Taken on location for the BBC series, Frozen Planet.

Jeff Wilson / Director, Jeff Wilson, on look out for submerged ice in front of yacht, Svalbard, Spitzbergen, Norway, July 2009, Taken on location for the BBC series, Frozen Planet.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Rainbow over the dock buildings and mining hardware. Longyearbyen. Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway, June 2006.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Rainbow over Taubanesentralen, the funicular centre for coal, Skjaeringa, Longyearbyen. Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway, June 2006.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Houses and industrial archaeology in valley between the mountains. Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway, June 2008.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Mammatus cloud formation at sunset over Gardemoen Airport, Oslo, Norway, June 2008.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Gas flare at a Gazprom oil production facility near Noviy Urengoy. Yamal, Western Siberia, Russia.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Derrick at the Yorharovo Neftgaz production facility north of Noviy Urengoi. Yamal, Western Siberia, Russia.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Yorharovo Neftgaz production facility north of Noviy Urengoi. Yamal, Western Siberia, Russia.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Man looking at radio mast, Patriot Hills, Antarctica, January 2006.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Radio tent in a ground storm. Patriot Hills, Antarctica, January 2006.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Man outside the Radio tent in a storm. Patriot Hills, Antarctica, January 2006.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Radio tent with aircraft taking-off in background, Patriot Hills camp, Antarctica, January 2006.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Maintenance on the Radio Mast on a day with little wind. Patriot Hills, Antarctica, January 2006.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Weather Station by the side of the Blue Ice Runway at Patriot Hills. Antarctica, January 2006.

Toby Roxburgh / Electricity pylons crossing farmland, England, May 2010.

Toby Roxburgh / Electricity pylons crossing farmland, England, May 2010.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Street scene in Verkhoyansk, the coldest town in the Northern Hemisphere. Yakutia, Siberia, Russia, 1999.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / The Meteorological Station at Verkhoyansk where the record low temperature of -67.8 degrees celsius was recorded in 1885. Siberia, Russia, 1999.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Gas drilling platform on the tundra in Gazprom's Bovanenkovo field. Yamal, Western Siberia, Russia, 1993.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Winter street scene in Verkhoyansk, the coldest town in the Northern Hemisphere. Yakutia, Siberia, Russia, 1999.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Electricity poles in the gas fields, which can obstruct Reindeer herds. Yamal Peninsula, Siberia, Russia, 1993.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Gas drilling platform on the tundra in Gazprom's Bovanenkovo field. Yamal, Western Siberia, Russia, 1993.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Wintery street in the village of Kusur. Bulunsky Region, North Yakutia, Siberia, Russia, 2001.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Remains of tree in the 'dead zone' where virtually nothing grows, around the town of Monchegorsk. Kola Peninsula, Northwest Russia, 2005.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Remains of tree in 'dead zone' where virtually nothing grows, around the town of Monchegorsk. Kola Peninsula, Northwest Russia, 2005.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Villagers walking along Uelen's only street after winter storm. Chukotka, Siberia, Russia.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Gold mine near the town of Bilibino. Chukotka, Siberia, Russia, 1994.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander / Child in street in the residential area of Inuit settlement Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada, 1982.

Michael Pitts / Diver with step (part of the ship's mast, where one section is joined to the next) of an unknown wreck discovered off the south coast, UK.. September 2009.

Michael Pitts / Step (part of the ship's mast, where one section is joined to the next) of an unknown wreck off the south coast, UK. September 2009.

Rick Tomlinson / Viewing a tabular iceberg from the crow's nest of SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, in Bransfield Strait, 17 January 2007. Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Onne van der Wal / Two sailboats moored in Southwest Harbour with their masts reflected in the water, Maine, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Smaller gaffers, "Charm III" and the tan sail Whitstable Oyster Smack "Ibis", appearing between the masts of the three-masted schooner "Fleurtje", Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta 2005, Caribbean.

Onne van der Wal / Smaller gaffers, "Charm III" and the tan sail Whitstable Oyster Smack "Ibis", appearing between the masts of the three-masted schooner "Fleurtje", Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta 2005, Caribbean.

Onne van der Wal / Moored fishing boats and sailboats with their masts reflected in the still waters of Southwest Harbour, Maine, USA.

Onne van der Wal / "Kiwi Magic" sails during the 12 Metre World Competition 2005, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / J124 mast and sails, Naraggansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / The small tan-sail Whitstable Oyster Smack "Ibis", appearing between the masts of the three-masted schooner "Fleurtje", Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta 2005, Caribbean.

Onne van der Wal / Yachts racing at Key West Race Week, Florida, 2005.

Onne van der Wal / Boom and mast detail on a wooden sailing boat at the Newport Wooden Boat Show, Rhode Island.