A Sad Day in Sailing

Better Late Than Never

Look out San Diego Derby Dolls, here comes Linda

Angerica and I roller skated along the Charles River yesterday. It would have been a good idea to google "how to stop on roller skates" beforehand. But all went well, at least until we were on our way back to where the car was parked, and were passing by Fenway Park, which was in between games and there were hundreds of fans wandering around and sitting at sidewalk tables drinking beers. OK you know what comes next. Yes the sidewalk began a slight downward slope and I wiped out right into a bouncer who was standing at the entrance to one of the establishments, landing on my butt, while my sunglasses, hat & the soda I was carrying also went flying. Literally hundreds of people were staring at me. Angerica said "it could have been worse, there could have been tv cameras around". Fortunately I was wearing a red sox t-shirt so there were no hard feelings.

R U Smarter Then a Fith Greater ?

Finally somebody is. Click the title to find out.

Robin to the Rescue

Who's there for ya baby, the US Coast Guard or Robin?

why two times

Today we thought we had a window of opportunity - there was no rain, lightning or thunder in the immediate future, so Dave, Ross and Graham went out on various sunfishes, Linda and Stuart on the Vanguard 15. After straightening out some technical difficulties with the main halyard, Stu and Linda made slow progress paddling down the lagoon toward the bay. When they finally made it to the bay, a storm was visible. They managed to capsize twice before turning around to return to the dock and not before it began to pour. Now Lauren had made us promise before we left that we would tell her if we capsized, which we did. Why twice? a her question. "Because we weren't out very long."

Fun with playdoh

We almost missed Carousel because we were having too much fun with Play-Doh!

Three on a sunfish

Saturday, my "little sister" and I went to day camp on cape cod, where we played kickball, made tie-dye t-shirts, practiced archery and swam in the pool, but of course the most fun was sailing on a sunfish. Angerica didn't want to go out on a boat, so I took another "big" and her "little". Three on a sunfish, what fun!!! Meanwhile, after a bit more gentle persuasion by the camp counselors, Angerica decided to give boating a try.

The Graduate & Friend

Up, Up & Away

Perhaps a bowline would have worked better?


NORTH BATTLEFORD, Saskatchewan (AP) -- A skydiver's hope to set a new free-fall record might have come to an end Tuesday when his ride to the sky left without him.

The helium balloon Michel Fournier was going to use to soar to the stratosphere detached from the capsule he was going to use to jump from 130,000 feet (40,000 meters).

It happened after the balloon was inflated on the ground at the airport in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. The balloon drifted away into the sky without the capsule.

Ocean Sunfish

The Ocean Sunfish, otherwise known as Mola Mola.

I went on a long distance (2 days & 2 nights) ocean bird watching trip a couple of weekends ago and at about 100 miles offshore we came across a couple dozen of these guys. Weird looking fish they are. They were eating the large jellyfish that were also out in this area known as Tanner's Bank. A good fish to name a sailboat after.

Today's NY Times Xword Puzzle (for Stu)

see 27 down.

Opening Day Regatta

We led the fleet for the first 2 1/2 hours but we lost the lead and finished in second place. A good race and a fine party afterwards.

Tribute to Sox Hitters Past & Present

Click on the title to watch the video

End of Big Papi's Batting Slump?

Perhaps this was the cause?

Click here.

Spring Arrives

Approaching the Mark

A Day at the Races

There we were, on the first leg of the first race, close hauled on port tack, among the leaders after a nice start, Dave at the tiller, Ross sitting on the cabin top to hike moderately hard. In response to nothing in particular (the wind was steady, the water flat) Ross adjusted his position — only slightly, but enough to lose his balance, fall backwards through the companionway, strike the back of his head on the coaming, and fall to the bottom of the boat, knocked unconscious for just a few seconds.

Ai yi yi! Yet he came to almost right away and answered repeated insistence that we should return to the dock with repeated refusal. He lay there a while and, after we were both satisfied that he had recovered, we went on to…win the race. We were third around the first mark (after our little "moment" led us to overstand it), but passed both boats ahead of us on the downwind leg, and stayed ahead on the second upwind and downwind legs.

Naturally, in the second race I asked Ross whether he would be willing to knock himself unconscious again, since it seemed to work so well for us, and would you believe it? He said no! Whatever happened to taking one for the team? This race, the most he was willing to do was whack his arm hard enough against a bulkhead to raise a lump and, predictably enough, we only came in third. That result had nothing to do, of course, with the helmsman making bizarre decisions on downwind legs.

And so it went. Our worst finishes came when Ross merely cracked a fingernail or almost (but not quite) fell overboard (a fifth, out of ten, in both cases). Once again, of course, the helmsman's tactical decisions and performance could not be faulted.

In the fifth and final race, Ross was kind enough to wrench his knee, and so our performance improved — we finished third once more. And so, a third place finish over all, with no one (permanently) hurt and nothing damaged (except for the other boat in the collision I didn't tell you about, in which of course we were blameless.)

Ah racing!

Tea Party - Raven Riddle

`You should learn not to make personal remarks,' Alice said with some severity; `it's very rude.'

The Hatter opened his eyes very wide on hearing this; but all he said was, `Why is a raven like a writing-desk?'

`Come, we shall have some fun now!' thought Alice. `I'm glad they've begun asking riddles.--I believe I can guess that,' she added aloud.

`Do you mean that you think you can find out the answer to it?' said the March Hare.

`Exactly so,' said Alice.

`Then you should say what you mean,' the March Hare went on.

Wetsuits are for Wimps

Went for my first ocean swim/bodysurfing of 2008 yesterday. Waves were great. Water was a chilly 59. It took me about 10 minutes to get "all in' but it was worth it!