Memorial Day Weekend: part III, the return

This is the route I went from Martienz to San Rafael. The GPS says it is about 25 miles.

The x's are, the start, the stuck, the end. That shadow in the middle is me taking this pix. San Francisco is at the lower left at the inlet across from Oakland lower middle

So Monday morning at the Marina is great, a bit chilly but very nice in the sun. I found the v-berth on S/V zen is not that comfortable. The Ariel, Kuan Yin was more comfortable for sleeping in the V-berth.

So I take a morning stroll around the marina, take some pictures. I find there is another I29 there. So now with mine there are three. Two are residents. The Marina is pretty active, once the lil breakfast/lunch place opens. I opt not to go there to eat and instead go to the market get some items and have breakfast on s/v zen.

The tide this morning is -1.5 so , I am going no where soon as it is only 9:00 am now. I can see the mud flats clearly marking the channel.

I hangout and read until 11:30. Then as on signal many folks start to come alive and get ready to head out. It is a great day to be out. The wind has picked up, the sun is shining. I get ready to shove off and head over to the fuel dock. I'm wondering how much gas I used running for 4 hrs yesterday. WoW! big surprise, less than 2.5 gal or the whole trip NICE!

So I fire up turn around and head out into the channel. I'm feeling more confident now, so I give her a little bit more power, yet stay in my lane. Ofcourse there are some Powerboater coming in, and they are speeding like the have a bus to catch. Yup, thats right, BIG wakes. good grief they are rude!

So I'm out of the channel now and raise the sails, there is a good wind and I head off on a broad reach. For the most part the wind holds, I make good time and have a smooth sail. Back across the frontier, the winds almost dies, so I coast for a while. Then out of the blue it picks up and at one point I am doing 10 knots, sweet!, always at the end of the trip, although I did get up to 8 once whilst in the "zone"

So I did a perfect dock and I am back home. That middle cleat I installed really is helpful for docking. I saw some guy, at the marina coming in after me. Really struggle getting docked. He could have really used a middle cleat, he was fighting the current to hold one end while the other drifted out. Finally someone one on that side of the docks helped him.

I check my travel time and I'm shocked, it took almost 5 hours under sail, just a little more than it took me to get there not including the grounding.

It was a good adventure. Met some nice folks, learned some stuff, had a nice adventure, returned safe, doesn't get any better than that. I feel at one with the Universe.

Memorial Weekend Part II



Ok where was I ...

Oh yeah,

The sky was clear, comfortably cool, a stiff breeze blew from the SW.
There I was less than 20 mintues into the "zone" my sails where full but I was not moving...


Hmmm I guess you want to know what is the "zone", Patience, let's back up again to fill this in...

Now Sun morning 5:00 am, I am up and sleepy, but getting ready for s/v zen's big adventure. Everything was prepared on Sat. morning so all I had to do was take off the covers and go. Which is what I did. Wanting to make some time and also check the engine I motor for the first leg of the trip. Down to what I call the frontier,  Cartinez bridge,








beyond that is "the zone",  "San Pablo Bay" Which is just pass Glen Cove were our last trip went as far as. Past the bridge I had yet to venture on s/v zen. On the last boat. The first time into this area, there was no wind going and way too much coming back, as in Near gale winds!!! My first mate got sick from the  2 stoke engine fumes. It was horrible! Several large tug boat with their HUGE wakes were a drag on a little boat grrrrrrrrrr!! The next time into the "zone". I was fighting the current and big head winds trying to get to Alameda before dark. With a late start already, I did not make it. I figured screw you guys I'm going home ( heheh I like south park), so turned around and went back.


So here I am again into the zone with s/v zen. It is looking good so far I raise the sails and catch a good wind, I'm off on a close haul making good time. The chart says no boats with under 2o ft draft into the channel dregged area, so I give it a wide space, too wide! Next thing I am stopped, sails full I'm not moving!! DOH!
Aground!!



I try a couple to do things to get free nothing works. I drop anchor and prepare to wait. I thinking, ok, boat named Zen, with Captn Zen, I'll just center myself, and chill, enjoy the moment, No use beating myself up about it, it could be worst.
Only a couple of hours or so the tide will come back. I prepare to wait.


I read for a while about 1 hour later, I feel the boat is shifting, I check the tiller it is free I check my position, yup I have moved. I thought the wind changed becasue the sail shifted, but no I had shifted. I bring up the anchor and fire up the motor. So I did get to practice anchoring, which was something I needed to do. I guess the Universe thought so as well. I also find, one of two batteries will not crank enough to spin the engine. I switch to both it fires up and fiddle with getting the anchor free and slowly pull out, Alright I'm on the way again!!

Now I think screw the chart I'm staying in the lanes or at least close to it. I see other boats right in the center, so I do too. Now though I'm paranoid and every wave motion that feels like I am slowing I get that feeling in my gut. Soon I talk myself through it.

Not much wind though now, the morning breeze has gone. Grrr bummer. I fire up the iron sail and make a uneventful trip to the channel marker for San Rafael. I dodge a big tanker, and see a cool sail boat in the distance












I also get a good sight of
San Francisco and Oakland along with with the Oakland Bay bridge off in the distance at the Richmond bridge.























I was concerned the motor would die, but it ran sweet all the way.  Changing the coil and stuff worked. I check VERY carfully the instructions and follow the GPS to the mark and turn off. The GPS was working great. I also keep my eyes on careful watch as well. I stay dead on course staying close to the markers. Other than a couple of the rich folks in the Gas hogs speeding by with big wakes, (what is up with them, no  manners, no consideration, good grief this is a narrow channel)


 the trip to the marina goes smooth I find my slip and dock smoothly. Yeah, Allah be praised!



Alright, thank God! Made it! I call a couple of people I know. They are suprised I made it so fast. The whole trip took 5 .5 hours including going aground.






One call is to the couple with the same boat as s/v Zen. Don comes over with his wife and we go to an early dinner. Our first time meeting, nice folks. We go to an early dinner in town next to a canal. Nice visit.










Next my longest Cal friend, adopted sister, and distance cousin and her husband. He lived in Hong Kong whilst building boats they come down to see s/v Zen the first visit. She use to have a 40 some foot Wooden Motor Yacht, but says she will never do that again. They bring goodies, three all natural custard eclairs. Another nice chat and hang out and they are off back to the brothers party and BBQ/wine & cheese, Marine style bash. I settle in for the evening and write a draft of this on the old toshiba laptop. Now for some reading and then to bed for the trip home.



Which I will finish telling tomorrow, as I have stuff to do.

to be con't...

Zen N Zen ( anyone notice how my colors match s/v Zen?)

Memorial weekend part I

The sky was clear, comfortably cool, a stiff breeze blew from the SW.
There I was less than 20 mintues into the "Zone" my sails where full but I was not moving..



However let's not get ahead things. Let's roll back to Sat. Lady Zen, my cousin and I head over to Alameda to the Encinda Yacht club. There is a Vintage Yacht race and Art show. The day is a bit cool but once at the Marina and walking around it is perfect. There are no boats from the race around turns out they are racing in the Bay then come to the club afterward. So we stroll the Marina, chat with people with dogs and check out the boat, I take pictures. My cousin says I have never seen so many boats. I remark and expensive boats!.




We stop in at broker, she says we can go down and look. Cool!

We check out some really sweet sailboats 60,000, 80,000, 139,000 Nice .. to dream about! My cousin is slowly talking herself into buy aboat. I can see it happening in the next couple of years once she get more setted into California life. She gets more hooked everytime we go out and around them.
After a bit I notice some older boats coming in.





So we head back to the yacht club. The boats are coming in now in mass, we watch as the dingies do the tug boat thing and line them up line like sqeezing cars into a parking lot, or eggs in a crate. I am only able to get a couple of photos as my battery as run down from taking so many other shots while out strolling. I do a little Zen magic an am able able to get a couple of shots out of the now defunk battery. Anyway there are some really nice older boat many with wood hulls. We go down to the dock and get a close up view. I was half expecting to get a tap on my shoulder from James of sailer blog "spindrift", this is his Yachtclub and he said he would be there. However no go. So we head on back home. As we are leaving, oh no, my keys are gone. We turn around and head back and split up to look for them. Lucky I go to where I first changed my camera lens and there they were on the beach. Someone had saw them and place them there. Thanks stranger, good Karma to you. Now we realax and head home for dinner. My little cousin is invited us for dinner. Our first dinner invite.  Lady Zen is delighted!

Way too Early


After spending Sat. afternoon down at the Yacht club in Alameda checking out the classic yachts from the race and show. Which there were a couple of very nice ones by the way. However I will go into that later. It is now 5:00 am on Sunday I will be heading out short for my big sail. The plan is to catch the ebb tide out. So now to get ready, I'm out-a-here.

ciao baby

HUMP DAY



I have been on this for a couple of weeks now I think. Interesting more so than My Space, less kids, no ads and stuff is nice. Over 200 hits here on this site, but only 4 or so comments, I guess that is normal or I should be a better writer or not take it personal or all of the three. I tend to do that being an artist, we take things personal. No matter I'm learning the ropes here. Kind of like a open diary/journal to the world. I had a girl friend who use to tell me to keep a journel. The blog space on sailfar.net will be going public end of the month, maybe I'll just do that. Right now I am doing both, plus one on my website, to help with the testing there on Sailfar. Hmm we'll see, maybe I'll just do once a week or so here and more there where folks talk to me, I feel more connected, than just typing to the void...

I have been in contact with a couple of interesting people from here. All who I have contacted from surfing and found not the other way around...
Chatted a bit with half of an interracial couple who sail out of Fla. Found out there is another Blasian couple out of NY who sail. Read a very touching story shared by a sailor who lost his wife to cancer. I found out Morgan Freeman is a sailor, has owned a couple of boats. He seemed like a good actor, now I have a whole new respect for him. Not just because he is sailor but while I was doing some research on him hearing he is a sailor, I found he does good things for people and causes. He is a good man. My respects to you sir.

Holiday weekend coming up. I had thought I was going to take a 5 day holiday but since we got a BIG Deal Proposal Project at work, my plans have been cancelled for the most part. My manager wa sin a panic about having graphic support. I can still take off Sun. and Mon. maybe Sat. We'll see. I told her no way can I miss my class next weekend, even if I have to work at night on the weekend.

If I get to take off on this Sat. I will prep. s/v for Sun a.m. sail, then head over to Alameda for some kind of boat race & art show at one of the yacht clubs. Suppose to be vintage wooden boats racing I hear. Should be interesting, I'll take some pix with the serious digital Nikon. I can give the 300 lens a work out.

I have a big solo sail planned for Sunday, 6-8 hours. My first in a year, since purchasing the boat and bring it home, from Berkeley. I am nevous somewhat. Not so much about the sailing part, but if the motor is going to die on me at the wrong time. Like when going through the tricky harbor entrance. Which is the other part of being nervous making this entrance without getting stuck. I am maybe being overly paranoid, but, better that than being to cocky. Ne! The motor did run great the last couple of times I took it out. One of which though I used mostly sail that trip. ( I should not write at night when too tired I need to edit a lot the next day like I'm doing now)

I am planning on leaving Sunday about 6:00 am, that way I can ride the tide out and not worry about the low tide in my marina. This will also hopefully put me at the San Rafael harbor entrance near high tide. Good grief it is expensive there. $1.00 a ft. this will be my first and LAST time there by boat. That is off the hook expensive! Why?? It is though MARIN, Co. where the rich and famous live. jheez, and not even wireless internet though, ...please what is up with that! My low scale marina even has that!
I will test out the voyage planner on the GPS. Also get to put the new Nikon Coolpix travel camera through some paces and listen to my Japanese tape whilst on passage. The weather is suppose to be good. I will meet up with a few folks while there. A couple of old friends who I have not seen in a couple of years and a guy who has the same boat, Islander 29 as me. I was almost going to buy it but got this instead, it had more features. Happy Holidays folks and
Let's be Careful out there...

Puffy clouds filled with shades of gray
shed heavens tears...















The river like a sponge
welcomes it's own...











Riding the gentle waves
Zen does not care...
















She understands the ducks



























... Zen
:-)

Feng Shui, Tai Chi, Sailing & Zen







It came to me whilst returning from Tai Chi practice today that the four are very similar. According to the Tao Te Ching and the teachings of Lao Tzu they are most likely the same or at least brothers/sisters of the same mother. I had the revelation before about Feng Shui and sailing but today came the Tai Chi awareness and it all clicked. Like when I became a vegetarian while walking through a supermarket in the meat section seeing all the dead animals, but that is another story I digress. I saw the Zen tie-in earlier also while thinking about this sailing instructor in Japan that is a "Zen" master he teaches his advance students sailing with some aspects of Zen philosophy. I thought, yeah, I can see that!

It all makes sense. I named my boat "Zen" which is "Chan" in Chinese by the way. Chan Buddhism ( Zen in Japanese ) was developed in the Shaolin Temple which is where my Kung Fu roots are. I am something like a 10th or 11th generation Sifu/Shrfu/Sensei in direct linage I forget which, it is just for reference. Anyway in Chinese the last boat was named Kuan Yin. Kuan Yin is the Chinese Deity who achieved enlightenment. However instead of going to the next "level" plane of being let's say, she chose to stay behind and help lead/direct people to receive enlightenment. She is often shown as riding a Sea Dragon. Since my first boat was more of my learning venture, I felt "Zen" was a good name for this one, having achieved some further "enlightenment" about sailing. It will also take me to "Nirvana" in this case meaning "Blue Water" kind of deep thoughts ne?!

Anyway, Feng Shui is the Chinese study of balancing energy in your environment ( which I am certified by the way to do if you need a reading ). Feng Shui means wind and water. So obviously right, wind /water = sailing. Sailing is finding that balance between wind energy and water and the effect it has on your boat equals = sailing. The better balance there is, the faster and more efficient you sail. You, the boat, the wind and the water are in harmony, you have good "Feng Shui"

Now this also translates to Tai Chi. Tai Chi is the balancing of yin and yang, wind/water, positive/negative. I'm not speaking just of Tai Chi Chuan, which is translated out loosly to Grand Balanced/Harmonious Fist. I'm speaking of just Tai Chi the essence. The Yin /Yang symbol you see with the black and white. Hmm I just thought of some racial signification , but I'll go into that later perhaps. So referring back to balancing of the elements we can see how Tai Chi, Feng Shui and Sailing are related. Sailing balancing the effect of wind power/energy on your sail causing a Yin reaction on your boat eg: moving. That in turn translates into a yang energy on the water which in turn turns Yin as the boat passes through the water. Tai Chi, the better you're in balance with yourself and your opponent the better fighter or healthier ( from a non-violent spiritual perspective ) you are.

In Tai Chi Chuan it is us who are the Yang energy moving through air, which turns into Yin when doing the solo form. On the other side when doing push hands with a partner or combat, we change from Yin to Yang energy depending on what we need to accomplish or avoid, as in pain. In sailing we need to be aware of the changes in the wind in order to remain in harmony with the elements and move forward. With Tai Chi Chuan the Yang energy coming at us may be very violent eg: punches and kicks. We need to adjust our energy to be more Yin to absorb/redirect this violence back into our attacker or ground this energy so as we are not hurt. In the Sailing world sailing this would be gales, high winds, storms, etc. That energy needs to be absorbed/redirected into the sails, grounded into the water so that we are not hurt or stopped and continue to move forward or at the least in the case of heaving-to be at peace/centered in the storm.

All take understanding of changes in energy flow, "feeling" the environment. Letting go of forcing an achievement, letting it happen through you. Balancing the energy of the environment, being one with the flow ( or the force and they said in Star Wars) , maintaining your center in the moment to archive Harmony/ Peace/ a state of Zen / a great sail

S/V ZEN




A shot of s/v Zen up close fairly anyway...
Here she is. 1967 Islander 29 .
Full Keel, heavy boat. Her sisters have been around the world including Cape Horn. I have big plans for her. Including seeing Japan with Kobe as her home port.

This is my retirement project. I still have a way to go, not only on the projects but before retirement as well. So in the mean time. I fix, have fun and learn.










A nite shot, hanging out one evening after doing chores

These shots now posted look a bit funky, I guess I made the resolution too small got some weirdness happening, oh well.
It could be this PC screen. I'll check the MAC ( Mac's Rock )at home. But I most likely will not change them, no one will care :-)


These shots were taken with my now dead compact digital 2.1 camera. It was good for a while, took decent pictures. I have a D70 Nikon which I love , but do not like taking it on the boat. So I just picked up a used Nikon CoolPix 3.5. Seems pretty cool. I like the size, handy to carry aboard so I can grap some snaps. I'll try it out this weekend whilst down at the marina. Prepping for my cruise next week and first overnight stay.

ZEN in Nippon







Now I see some folks really do stop in here, I feel inspired to keep this up.

This year was my 3 time to Japan. I have yet to sail whilst there. However I am getting close we have been on two different yachts.
The first time we met a couple, well half of a couple the wife had a hangover so did not met with us :-)
They are from the Netherlands and sailed there on their 40 some fter. They spent some time in New Zeland and Hong Kong. Nice boat, too big for me, perfect for them. They had been in Nippon for some 15 yrs. We visited them in Fukuoka. They spoke of leaving but had no real plans to go.

The next time we went visited Bill in Kobe. I really liked Kobe, we plan on moving there in the future. I spoke with Bill, like the couple on the internet on Sail Japan. B is from Cal also. He lives there with his wife. He teaches sailing to Westerns, because he speaks no Japanese. Strange for someone living in Japan with a born in Japan wife. Nice guy gave me a lot of helpful information. He just purchased his boat and was fixing it up while we there.

This is Bill-san and my way cute sister and sweet wife.





















This is my brother in Law. his first time on a sail boat he looks happy ne!















The girls playing with the dock cat












Someone doing bottom cleaning

















A boat coming in



A Japanese Yamaha 24 sailing yacht. You need a license if you sail a Japanese reguestered boat other than a dingy in Japan. Unlike here where any "baka" (clown) with money can buy a boat and go cause heck. There you have to prove you know what you are doing. Bill also teachs and trains folks, English speakers how to pass the tests

A whale of a story...

True story - http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/whalethanks.asp


The Whale

Since this is about the ocean I think it fits here

If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle,
you would have read about a female humpback whale
who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps
and lines.

She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused
her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of
line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line
tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the FarraloneIslands
(outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help.

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was
so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her ...
a very dangerous proposition.


One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.


They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.

When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles.
She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them,
pushed gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was
following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

-------
Interesting I should get this article today. Shows life matters to others even though the world is full of those who do not care...

I was riding my bike to work today. Zipping along a bike trail. The "zen sense" ( like spider sense but for me ;-) ) I looked down there was a lizard sunny him/herself on the trail, right in front of my tire path! I quickly ( those kung fu reflexes ) cut around it. It would have bummed me out to crush that little fella! Yeah I'm a little weird. I fussed at some kids the other day harrssing some baby Canadian Goose in the park with a tree branch, grrrrrrr. However reading this article about the whale, give me faith there are other weirdos out there who think any life has a value...

A sail day

I went out today, first time single handed in awhile, first time ever under the new name. Launching always makes me uncomfortable, today it was PERFECT! I was off to a good start.

Tried out the GPS as planned. I did get a late start as I had to go into the office, then I had to go back because I forgot to spell check something that was going out, my bad. That what happens when you rush! anyway...

Why is it the wind is always good when you first start and when you are coming back near to the marina. In between it is iffy.

Why do tug boat drivers, who are supposed to be Professionals, not even back down 1 bloody knot as they go by with their big AS$ wakes, grrrrrr

THe over all sail was good. I learned a couple of things today. one by accident. I can brace the tiller extension on the side of the cockpit seat and do not need to use the tiller tamer to hold course for a few moments.

I did my first wing on wing today. Crap made me so paranoid about an unplanned ghib(sp), which ended up happening. Good thing I was somewhat prepared. Happened whilst I was taking pictures of some seal.

Top speed upwind (beating) 4.5k Top speed on a run 5.5k sweet! Four hour sail. I'm pleased I did not use the motor ( I was close though ) after I set the sails, until I drop the sails at the marina entrance.

Dock was also perfect, however I really need to get a midship cleat, that would be way helpful.

The webbing around the cockpit, sucks, that has got to go. The winch handles get caught in it. Need to have some weather cloth instead.

Oh, My marina, now has wireless Internet. However I could not connect without an account :-(
30.00 per mo or 8.00 a day. poo I was hoping to slip in there free! get it "slip" in ... hahaha, ok fine :-(

Ok let see if ths works:

Glen Cove marina




A local Dude... sorry guy just passing through



wow, a zen moment... how lucky



two bridges, that look like one



home again



ah, days' end

Eurika!!

I last said something about people of color and sailing. I spoke briefly of woman who sailed with her husband. Well she is from Cal. Sausalito, a writer and photographer. I think I came across her. She is Habor Manager in Sausalito. She went to the south seas on a Catamaran with her husband and 2 kids. Good writer did a lot of articles for Sailnet.

I'm off to the marina today, it is most and off day from work. After spending the last couple of nights figuring out my new Hand held GPS legend I am going out on s/v Zen to play and practice some sail trim.

I got my ASA workbook the other day. I have my keelboat class coming up in June! I'm Jazzed!

No people of color...


I notice that there are no people of color on 99% of these sailing sites/mags/etc. I say 99% because the very few I see are usally 1 crew member, or some local native on some island and they have him/her in the shot. Whats up with that? I remember seeing some write up on the old Sailnet site some of the articules were written by a woman of color who traveled around the South Pacific with her Cacausian (sp) hubby and kids. Cute family. Do not know what happened to them. I think he or they were from France. Before I started sailing there was a big time brain surgen here in the states I saw on some documentary who was Black and was a sailor. They had some shots of him on his boat. Then there is the mixed guy from South Africa, who did a around the world race, built his own boat and wrote a book, which was given some award. Oh Circumnavigator Neal Petersen that is is name. If any one cares his website is http://www.no-barriers.com/

I chatted with him a bit on http://sailfar.net once. Seems like a nice guy.

Anyway I'm not really into the "race" thing, but I thought I'd just drop that in here, in case some who is interested happens by one day. It is though a reality in this world and more so here in the states! Saddly we all can not be just people. WTF?

Everyone that I have met who is into sailing has been nice, open and helpful to me. I have even picked up an unexpected mentor. Someone I met on line, we have the same boat and a made in Japan wife. I have gotten alot of helpful info from him out of the kindness of his heart. Maybe if I was dealing more with the money bag folks I would notice more "racial" distance, but for the most part sailors I met are good folks. Maybe the boats and the water put us all on the same spiritual level.

How do you make a title ?

Hmmm well anyway. I have spent most of the evening entering way points into my Legend GPS.
I bid on a CD for water ways but... grrrrr someone beat me out even at the last moment. I guess it is payback for those times I did it to someone else. oh well, C'est la vie de ebay.

Whooo hoo I got my first visiter today on the site.! oops two visitors, one did not leave anything, it's cool. I did the same to some while looking around.

I got my Gramin GPS legend today from ebay. Nice!! I foundout the ride to work on a bike I thought wa s3.5 miles is really 7.5!! wow. I maped a couple of way points for my trip to San Rafael on the 25th of this month. I will be out on the water this friday just sailing around Benica this friday since I am off. I'll get to run some test on it. I can test my speed, matybe I'll head over to Glen Cove.

My "sailing Sensei" (mentor) sent me a long email today telling about anchors and what he uses. Good info. His main one is a Bruce. Now I know what to look for to augment mine. I have not done any anchoring yet. I need to give that some test runs as well. That is after I full check out my anchoring system and mark the line. Doyou call that a line? hmm I do not think so...

Ok, I think I'm getting the hang of this now.

Another blog test run...

Two weeks ago, we had our first spring sail. I called it our cherry blossom spring aniversary sail.
Lady Zen and I were married on Easter Sunday april 11th. Since we could not get out that day , the 11th. and that easter Sunday things were not quite ready to sail , we did have our official boat naming ceremony that day.

Our sail day turned out to be april 29th. we went over to Glen Cove Marina. Nice little sail but not much wind so motrorsailed most of the way. We did get a nice wind on the trip back and really got to fly for about 15 min. not much but better than nothing :-)



this is Zen in Glen Cove

I'm new here! I just found this place by chance. Seems interesting enough. I have a page on MySpace, but did not blog anything as I have my own website with my sailing blog on it. Maybe I'll give this a shot as well. Seems like less kids on here than my space.

I would not mind meeting a few local folks from the area that sail, maybe a couple our age. Just normal folks or some old hippies would be cool.

We are just back from Japan a few weeks ago. I am so please the weather finally got good enough to sail. We went out this weekend past for a couple of hours. I thought it would be no wind, but I was able to get a 25 degree heel just running the jib. My first time doing that interesting learning something new.


I have been sailing for about 5 years now. My first boat was an Pearson Ariel. Nice old boat very forgiving of a newbie of which I was very glad after coming back from S.F. in near gale conditions, with no idea about reefing. It was touch and go but we made it!

My current boat is a 1967 Islander 29. I really like having the extra weight and room. More like a floating condo. Sometimes we just hang out on her at the marina. I plan on one day taking her to Japan via Hawaii/Marshall islands/Guam with maybe another stop in between.



Interesting enough i have picked up a mentor. An older gent has befriended me. He has the same boat which he has sailed to Hawaii and a Japanese wife and knows about the places I want to go having spent time there during WWII. amazing!



It will be interesting to see if anyone shows up here...

Hmmm already I am having problems posting this grrrrrr