sailing simulator

if you find you can't sleep at night, here's something fun to keep you occupied:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/volvooceanrace/interactives/sailing/index.html

Close Encounters

Isn't this the summer of close encounters with ocean wildlife? On Sunday last I went swimming (yes, I'm back in the water) off La Jolla and saw a dorsal fin only about 40 feet away and coming in my direction. Fortunately it had the friendly curve that identifies the Pacific White-sided Dolphin and I was of course immediately relieved that it was not a shark. Soon more joined the first dolphin and some came as close as 15 - 20 feet.


Ross

Reach Out Reach Out and Touch Something

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Rosemary and I went for a sail this afternoon at the tip of Cape Cod, starting near the coast guard station in Provincetown harbor, continuing around Long Point (which we renamed Cape Horn) to Herring Cove. It started out innocently enough, until we started to make our way back. The wind picked up, making the waves quite large, compounded by the passing of numerous whale watching boats which produced big enough wake to surf. Ok so that was fun, navigating the waves without capsizing, until I noticed a RATHER LARGE dorsal fin right next to us. Connected to an equally large shark body. Oh and did I mention that we were in Cher. Very close. Too close. Well, let me say that I was happy enough to reach shore and we will not be venturing out into the ocean in such a small craft anytime soon. It turns out that it was probably a Basking Shark, which is harmless and feeds on plankton, but it was scary enough for us.
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Here's an idea for a new race for 2005... Start at the Coast Guard Station, sail to Herring Cove, buy a hot dog at the snack bar (be sure to ask for a receipt) and sail back. First one to return alive with an intact hot dog receipt wins.

Womens Beach Volleyball

I hope all of you are enjoying the 2004 Athens Olympics as much as I am. My favorite event so far has been Womens Beach Volleyball with Kerri Walsh and Misty May. I only wish that I had taped their Gold Medal championship game and all the games leading to the championship. I could watch these two athletes forever. I'm ready for the pro beach volleyball tour. USA! USA!

Ross

Blau Painting Wins Contract

The west coast affiliate of Blau Painting has been granted the coveted contract to paint and restore the Casa Christie in La Costa. A classic example of California tract housing, the residence would no doubt be granted landmark status if all the other buildings in the state were suddenly to fall down.

A spokesman for a noted landmarks protection group, California Restorative Architectural Planners, noted, "We were initially worried that the contract was granted to a company with its roots on the east coast, because we thought the firm might be inappropriately concerned with quality. We learned, however, that the company has retained the services of a craftsman whose only qualifications are that he didn't happen to be doing anything else and he did happen to own the house. So we're confident that any impulse toward quality work will be sacrificed to cost-control and expediency, which is, of course, in keeping with the highest tradition of California tract house construction."

Indeed, after spending the better part of an afternoon on the initial wall-scraping phase of the project, the craftsman demonstrated his affinity for the California lifestyle by calling in sick to go body surfing for the next two days. He is reported to have explained, "I saw a TV commercial for spray-painting equipment, where this guy does his own house in about ten minutes and has so much fun that he runs off, does the rest of the neighborhood, and still gets home in time to have a beer before dinner. That was kind of my motivation to take this project, except of course that the neighbors can fend for themselves. I'd forgotten that painting involves actual physical labor."

Rosemary, how did you do this for a living?!! AAhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Blog censorship

I'm afraid I must, as administrator of this blog, censor your post before Rosemary reads it or else she may never set "foot" in the ocean again. And that would be a shame as we made such progress this year in that direction. p.s. maybe you should have tried urinating on your xxxx. It works with snakebites I've heard (or is that sea urchins? even better!). Ouch!

The wind has returned to Quannapowitt! Thank you Charley!!!

Boogie Boarding and More

Went to the beach on Monday for a nice afternoon of wave riding. The were small but the water was warm. Maybe one out of every thirty waves was large enough to catch and that was just fine. Kyle and I were out there together (South Carlsbad State Beach, but we know it as "Rocky Beach") usually riding the same wave because they were so infrequent. The pair of fins that I bought fit o.k. in the store but in the surf world they are too tight. So, I gave them to Kyle and they fit 'little big foot' just fine. I went finless. Small waves are hard to catch without fins but if you stand just where they are about to break you can jump on the board and catch most . We were out there for about half an hour having a good time. We rode a wave nice in, hopped off our boards and started out again when I got xxxx. In a way I can't believe that I've never xxxxxxxxx considering the uncountable number of hours that I've been in the surf. But, now I have. At first it just feels like xxxxxxx into your xxxxx. Then, about five minutes later xxxxx. Let me tell you about the xxxxxxx. Fortunately Vanessa was with us, sitting in a beach chair, xxxxxxxxxx. There was no way that I could have driven home. Hot water, really, really hot water xxxxxxxxxxx. Drive faster Vanessa!!! Screw the red lights!!! Just keep driving!!! Faster!!! Meanwhile the xxxxxxx. Finally we got home and I got my xxxxx into xxxxxxxxxx. Wsheewww. A bottle of beer and a couple of shots of rum helped for a little while until the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Well, me and my xxxxxxxxxxxx stayed home from work the next day. The thing is fins would have xxxxxx if I was wearing them. I'll have to get a pair that fits next time.

Ross

Maris Stella Regatta 2004

July 29, 2004
Loveladies Harbor, Barnegat Bay, N.J.

We have two new boats and three new sailors!!!

Brand new Kaigan (coast + enlightenment) and Sunny II (Son of Sunny) are Champagne Christened and added to the fleet. We are five boats strong now including the virtually brand new Cher and the seasoned Red Weather. Maris Sella Yacht #1 Sunny stayed home this year. So, we have four racing yachts in this year's regatta.

Team sailing is a new concept for us this year as Kyle and Graham join forces as a race entry and Caroline joins Ross for another team entry. Veterans David, Linda and Stuart sail solo.

Five teams, four boats = five races.

Also new this year, we have an official race committee in an official committee boat!! Cathie and Rosemary expertly manage the races from the kayak. A thousand thanks.

After ten days of recreational sailing and tuneups we are ready for the Regatta. The wind is 6-8 knots out of the southeast. The Barnegat Lighthouse is clearly in view just northeast of the racecourse. It's a beautiful day for racing.

They're off! Dave, Linda and Kyle/Graham hit the starting line while Stu attempts a pin side port tack start and reaches the line a little behind the others. O.K., way behind. Dave/Kaigan gets to the upwind mark first closely pursued by Linda/Cher and the Boys in Red Weather a length back. Stu/Sunny II is boatlengths behind. The west coast sailing legend Dave can't hold his lead downwind and is no match for 2003 champion Linda as she blows by for a very impressive race #1 victory. The Kyle/Graham team finishes respectably in third. The committee and the bye team are in awe of Linda's speed downwind and one of us is clearly recalling her amazing downwind passing of Stuart in '03, the leg that modernized the club fleet.

Race #2. Kyle/Graham sit. Ross/Caroline race with Linda, Dave and Stu. Ross/Caroline get a pretty good start in Red Weather but carrying about 260 lbs. of personnel I'm expecting the other three boats to go right by me. It turns out that Caroline is helping a lot to balance the boat and report the status of the other boats going upwind while I concentrate on sail trim. Red Weather is actually holding its own in boatspeed. We make a couple of reasonably smooth tacks and amazingly find ourselves first at the upwind mark. We are going downwind about five lengths in front of Linda but she is definitely going faster than we are. She is closing fast and on starboard. We are in trouble. I can hear her saying, "go Cher, go Cher, go Cher." Caroline is doing a great job of both holding up the daggerboard up and steadying the boom as she warns, "Linda is getting close." We jibe and reach a little bit and pick up some speed. As leeward boat we hold Linda off a little on a northerly course and then bee-line back to the pin end finish line. We just barely beat Linda with Dave and Stu finishing 3 and 4. I think that everyone is surprised that Red Weather could sail with the new boats.

Race # 3. Linda sits out and the boys race in Cher. All I remember about this one is that when we were just about to the upwind mark I asked Caroline where the other racers were and she replied that "Kyle and Graham are pretty close, my dad is right next to them and Uncle Dave is in the water." And that's how race #3 finished with Red Weather in first, the amazing boys in second, Stu third and Dave last.

Race # 4. Stu rests this one. Red Weather gets another good start. At about a minute Dave and Kyle/Graham tack to port while Ross/Caroline and Linda continue on starboard. Linda tacks as does Red Weather. RW reaches the lay line ahead of Linda and K/G & Dave who are coming up on starboard. Another downwind screamer with Linda again closing the gap between second and first. Red Weather holds its lead to finish first, Linda/Cher second, the boys/Sunny II third and Dave/Kaigan last.

Race # 5. Dave sits out and the boys race in Kaigan. Stuart gets a great start and takes command. The boys just edge Red Weather at the top mark with Linda a few lengths behind. Stu stretches his lead downwind and runs away with at least a 15 boatlength victory. The boys lead most of the way downwind but Red Weather edges them at the finish line. Linda finishes in last.

It's all over. The team of Ross and Caroline win the Barnegat Light Trophy for 2004. Last year's champion Linda comes in second. The new generation team of Kyle and Graham come in third. Stuart is fourth. Dave is last.

We follow up racing day with fun sailing on the bay in strong winds and big waves. We certainly had some awesome and unforgettable sailing this summer. Just putting the boats in, taking them out and cleaning them up every day was fun. Using the hoist, tying the bridle knot, jumping off the dock, drinking beer, kayaking, catching crabs....Loveladies 2004 was great.

I can't wait until next year.....more sailors, more boats.

I Miss Barnegat Bay

While we wait for this year's winner to compose his sure to be thrilling post-regatta analysis, let me just say that sailing at Lake Quannapowitt was such a let-down after Barnegat Bay. Murky fresh water (ick) practically wave-less, dirty messy sand-like substance, hardly enough wind to lift my pink feather, no davit (no tying cool rope harness), no after sailing cleanup ritual. It was kindof like riding my bike in the backyard. Two lost seagulls offering a faint reminder of the good times left behind.


Who wants to meet me in Hyannis to watch the World Sunfish Championship? Sept 18-24.

Perhaps compete in the Central South American & Caribbean Championship – Salinas YC; Salinas, Ecuador? (November)


Here's a good tip I picked up on the Sunfish message board (posted by someone who calls himself "Old Geezer, Grand Master Sailor"):

Re: Connecting to Upper Boom
Put duct tape on the boom. Then tie a Clove Hitch over a Snuggle Hitch underneath a Ring Hitch on top of a Prusik Knot and finish it off with a Boom Hitch. Put duct tape over the knots. Paint it all with superglue. Then discover that you tied it in the wrong place and you are doomed to sail the boat forever looking like some recreational sailor who has rigged the sail high enough so he can tack standing up.

2004 Winners