the bridge to nowhere?

This is the lastest report from New Jersey Audubon...


The Barnegat Light BLACK GUILLEMOT is no longer reliable, but was
rediscovered Jan. 4 and seen again Jan. 12 at the inlet. It
apparently is wandering further south down the bay with unconfirmed
reports from 15th and 18th Streets in the marinas there in Barnegat
Light during the last week. Barnegat Light State Park is hosting a
state record number of Common Eiders with as many as 138 reported
there along with one female King Eider Jan. 6 and 7. Harlequin Ducks
at Barnegat Light State Park total 33, along with 50 Snow Buntings
Jan. 8, several Purple Sandpipers and one Red Knot Jan. 5 to 8.

A DICKCISSEL was discovered in Manahawkin on Jan. 8 at the
intersection of Bay Avenue and Rt. 9 and three ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS
were noted at the bridge to nowhere at the end of Stafford Avenue.

I sure hope these nice birds decide to stay until July 8. See you all then.

And the winner is ...

New Jersey: Come see [the strippers] for yourself!

Goin' Fast

I just read about a boat in the Volvo Ocean Challenge Race that set a new world monohull distance record of 563 nautical miles for 24 hours. That is an average speed of 23.4 knots! Holy Sunfish. The Southern Ocean between Cape Horn and Sydney is howling. I think that Dave is the only one among us to have experienced serious speed in a large sailboat during a race in gnarly weather and his boat was quite a few notches below 23.4 knots. When he returned from that race he looked like he was returning from a war. How do these guys manage to race under these insane conditions? Go faster boat, hold on everybody.

A new era begins for our beloved blog

Happy New Year 2006

How I spent my New Years morning (not hung over)...somewhere between yachting and crabbing: pelagic birding on a fishing boat for four hours with the San Diego Field Ornithologists. Short-tailed Shearwater to port!