Departing for the Islands

My boat partners and I are heading for La Paz, MX on Saturday for my first bareboat charter. We have a 41' Morgan ketch for a week to explore 5-6 island groups in the area. The wild life in the area is superb and we hope to see whales, dolphins, rays, seals and lots of birds. The area we are going to is fairly desolate and very pristine. I will be writing a daily journal and uploading the results upon my return on the 21st. Check back in 10 days for the trip reports! Adios amigos.

77' Four Devils Charter Boat Sinks

"There's water over the floorboards." That's not what you want to hear at 7 p.m. on a dark night at sea.

But that's the news that Marion Dallond of St. Barth had for her boyfriend, Tom Perry, captain of the CNB 77 Four Devils, and crew Edmund Murray, also of St. Barth.

Tom and Marion couldn't have been more stunned. They'd been on the 10-year-old luxury yacht — $25,000 a week — for three years, had done the summer in Croatia, and had most recently sailed her 4,000 miles across the Atlantic to St. Barth. When the bad news came on the evening of March 2, they were 25 miles NNE of St. Martin on their way to Martinique to pick up the French owner for a month-long cruise.

The situation could have been worse — it was calm and there was only a four-foot swell. "It would have been pretty bad two weeks ago when it was blowing 30 knots and there was a big swell," agrees Tom. "But safety first, so Eddie and I got the liferaft ready and put the tender over the side. We quickly checked all the obvious places for the source of the ingress of water, but couldn't find anything. We would later strap tarps over the side to see if that would help, but there was no noticeable effect."

Tom then got on the satellite communication system and emailed the owner that they had water coming in, were in distress, and needed help. He also put out a mayday on VHF, which was picked up in Fort de France, Martinique, 200 miles away. Either it was a good radio bounce or the French have some sort of relay system. Fortunately, the mayday was also picked up by the Dutch navy ship Rotterdam, which sent a helicopter in advance, and immediately began steaming toward Four Devils.

By 7:45 p.m., Four Devil's engine died, and with it her bilge pumps. Tom got his crew off the boat and into the tender, with the liferaft streaming behind. He'd also paid out all the chain to keep the hull from being destroyed in the off chance she drifted up close to an island.

The Rotterdam arrived at about 9:30 p.m., and their smaller rescue boat reached the Four Devils crew about 10 minutes later. The Four Devils crew was taken to the Rotterdam for a medical and general assessment. Hey, it's the Caribbean, so for all the Rotterdam crew knew, the boat could have been filled with drugs, illegal immigrants or who knows what.

After Tom had a discussion with the Rotterdam engineers, they returned to Four Devils with some pumps to try to keep her afloat. But it soon became clear there was nothing they could do. A salvage tug appeared on the scene, decided there was nothing they could do either, and left. The captain of the Rotterdam was nice enough to stand by, so the Four Devils crew got to see the Four Devils' hull go under at about midnight, and the top of the mast disappear about two hours later. Four Devils is now 600 meters down, having joined countless other sailing vessels on the floor of the Caribbean Sea.

A former oysterman on Long Island sound before becoming a professional skipper 25 years ago, Tom Perry knows his stuff. He'd run J Class Yachts and skippered a number of mega sailing yachts to a string of important victories in Caribbean sailing regattas. We asked him how many times he's heard of large boats suddenly sinking.

"Oh, maybe five or six. But big motoryachts sink more frequently than big sailboats. Big Eagle sank in the Med, Miss Turnberry sank off St. Martin, and there was another big motoryacht that went down off Puerto Rico. And aluminum boats tend to fail catastrophically. But we have absolutely no idea what happened to Four Devils, as we've been actively sailing her for a long time and had just sailed her across the Atlantic. We can only speculate that she must have hit something that caused major damage to the hull."

Having had a great gig with a great owner for three years, Tom and Marion's futures are unclear. "We'll have to see if the owner wants to get another boat or not," says Tom. But the couple, who are good friends of Latitude's, have a backup plan, having purchased a great house in a small French village in the mountains an hour north of Nice. "Located in a beautiful little village, the house has three floors and six bedrooms, and it will be a great place for us to have a Chambre d'hote — bed & breakfast — and to raise a family."

Of course, you can't take sailing out of Tom's body any more than you can take the blood out. "We're also planning to get a classic 10 Meter — a sistership to Cotton Blossom that Dennis Conner restored — for chartering in the Med. In fact, there's one such 10 Meter, Hope, on San Francisco Bay. So we'll just have to see."

So much for the crew. How is the owner taking the loss of his yacht, particularly on the eve of a much anticipated month-long cruise? "Not very well," admits Perry.

Here is a link to the website with pics of this beauty:

Click here.

via Latitude 38

Formation Flying

Exploring the Sky - Wingsuit Flying 2011 from Richard Schneider on Vimeo.

Stories of human flight have persisted for millennia. From Icarus’ brush with the sun, to DaVinci’s thoughts of eyes turned skyward watching the birds. Man has managed to fly for more than a century now, but it is only during the past decade of wingsuit development that we have been able to shed most of the mechanical aids and begin to glide with a minimum of help. Of course, so far we’re only able to do so with a minimal amount of glide.

The evolution of wingsuit flying, beginning with the extended free fall of a parachutist, has now reached the point where glide ratios of 2.5:1 (which means that it can glide 2.5 feet forward for every foot it descends) are possible. This doesn’t allow wingsuit fliers to travel very far or stay aloft more than a handful of minutes, but they are starting to achieve better control and are beginning to stretch their flights out farther and farther.

For anybody who has had dreams of flying through the clouds, this video gives us an actual glimpse of what it is like. Filmed in California, Florida, Nevada and Puerto Rico, the six-minute clip gives a look at some wingsuit formation flying and the simple joy of human flight.
via Wired Mag

Wow - The best sail of my life!

I estimate I have set sail over 1000 times over the last 30 years. Sunday was the best sail of my life! There was danger, pure speed, elation, beauty, and gratitude. Here is a recap: I made it up to the boat with my trusty golden Kona about 10am. Went to start the engine and after three tries it's a no go. I pull the cover and begin the bleeding process. Try again and she starts right up! We head to the channel and the wind is from the south east and 6-8. I rig the spinnaker and as we hit the last maker I pop the chute. Perfect. Now I just need to head up enough to miss the 2 mile long Berkeley Pier. I clear it and now it's a nice run to Angel. The sun is bright and the temps are in the 50's. The Golden Gate beckons me! I got around the south side of Angel and the wind direction changes. It's blowing into the island and pushing me towards the beach. I head towards the island knowing I have to get the spinnaker down. She comes down quickly and I bag her and turn the boat away from the island. That was only the second time in 10 years I have raised the spinnaker on a solo run. Awesome! I raise the main and jib and reef the jib as it is 15 knots at this point. I hove to for a few as I need a break to reduce the adrenaline rush. After a few, I head towards SF to give Kona a break. We head over to Gas House Cove, empty the holding tank and take K for walk. Back on the water the wind contunies to build. So much for the forecasted 5-10. I head towards the Gate and I can see my first big fog bank of the year. That's why the wind is so strong! I get under the bridge and it is always special to sail out towards the Pacific. The waves build, the view is stunning and its only 2ooo miles to Hawaii! Opps, not enough wine on board to make it that far! I tack a few times and realize that I have not seen any ships moving today. Not a one! That's unusual. I head to the west side of Baker Beach enjoying the sea motion. It's getting late so I head back. Once under the Gate, I throw up the chute once more. It wasn't a perfect hoist and had a wrap or two but she goes up. By now it's almost 5pm and there are very few boats on the water. I am blasting across the water at 7.5 knots and it's a perfect run to the barn. I drop the chute as I approach our channel and I am exhausted with a huge smile on my face. The sun is getting ready to set just as I head in. Two spinnaker runs, 20 knots of breeze and the most amazing sail of my life! Our Newport 30 has been such an amazing platform for fun and good times on the bay. I love this boat and sailing my home waters of the San Francisco Bay!!!

Water Trick

Since this is a water blog, how about a cool water trick. I don't know the physics behind this but it sure is cool.


Cool videos

Trip Planning 2011 - Bay Area

So you have been sailing the bay a few years and 2011 looks like the year to spread your wings and plan a trip on the bay. The big trip inside the bay is to the delta and up the San Joaquin River. You need a minimum of 5 days to do any type of exploring. It's worth it and I have had some wonderful days up there swimming, hanging on the hook and exploring. If you have a long weekend of three days, you could head up the Petaluma or my favorite, the Napa River. If you do it right you can sail all the way up to downtown Napa. Past the Napa Valley Yacht Club, you will need a tender, however if you bring your bikes, you can ride there. On day 2, the bikes will come in handy again as you can ride to the local wineries. Stop at the Napa Valley Marina and start from there. Most of the wineries near the marina require appointments and it is worth it. Our fav was Adastra. If you do a search on this blog, you can read about all our trips to these locations. You will have a blast! If that seems too much like work, head over to Schoonmaker Marina in Sausalito for a weekend. Head to Angel Island and camp out on the boat. Or for those that don't like to hand out the green backs, head over to Clipper Cove off Treasure Island and drop the hook. Our plan this year is to head up to Tomales Bay with an overnight at Drakes Bay. I'll be renting an EPIRB (Electronic Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) from Boat US for that one. Start thinking about some sailing trips for the summer and fall and get out there and enjoy your boat. Be sure the tides are in your favor when doing these trips up the rivers and delta. Bon voyage!

Wipeout WInners

I have had a few scary wipeouts in my life. I recall one in Todos Santos, MX where I caught a big wave during a famous surf safari. My leash snapped and I had to go in and get it over a reef filled with sea urchins. Needless to say my feet and hands were filled with tiny spikes from these creatures. Got the board back but did not go out again that day. Enjoy these wipeouts!

Single Hand

A fantastic guide has been published by the Single Handed Sailing Society. It outlines the procedures as well as the mental preparation needed when sailing alone in the middle of nowhere. I also hope that those of you who have never sailed solo will take the necessary steps to skipper your own vessel under sail...alone! Download this gem here.

Yacht Review: Gunbooat 66

Get out your check books and get in line! You'll love the interior as much as the covered deck space for all those lobster dinners. You'll be cruising in comfort as the speedo hits 20!. Ladies and Gents, I give you the yacht of your dreams:

$4.5m will get you in the door!!!

How to Build a Space Station

Check out this cool graphic on the building of the space station. You will not believe how big it is! Click here.

Getting Ready for Another Trip to Baja

Last October I spent 12 days cruising the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula as a participant in the Baja Haha. In about a month we will head down to Baja again for a 7 day cruise. This time we will be on the east side of the peninsula in the Sea of Cortez near La Paz. There will be 5 guys on the trip (three of them are partners on our boat). There are several large islands to visit in the area. We plan to do lots of exploring, kayaking, relaxing and who knows, maybe a wild party will break out. We have chartered a 41' Morgan from these folks. It's very affordable and a great way to escape. It will be a another oppourtunity to blog from the boat and send in some reports to H2uh0. Look for it towards the end of March. For more info on the sailing area, click here.

Pics of the Week

Somebody placed a piano on a sand bar in FLA.

Top Jumps

We have featured many of these jumps over the years, including the top jump. You will be blown away at some of these incredible stunts, including the diver. Watch it now!

Slippery When Wet

There is a secret spot in HI that boasts the world's largest slip and slide. Sssshh, don't telll anyone I told you about it. Enjoy.

Surfski

You love the downhill and you love big waves. So why not combine the two. Here are the results.

Pure

"Something about sailing a boat brings so many senses and sensations into play that it's very difficult to pinpoint what it is specifically that makes me like it so much: the sight of sails and sheets overhanging the water; the foam and spray flying as the bow cuts the water; the motion of the boat; the physical and mental ballet necessary to handle the boat correctly. A sailboat might just be the most beautiful, sensuous and intelligent blend of man/machine/and elements that exists in the world today. The relationship between the three is the most harmonious I have experienced so far. Besides you can have a beer while you do it". --anonymous

Weekend Pics

It was a beautiful weekend in Norcal with temps in the mid 70's. A little too warm for this time of year. Had some old chums out for a sail on Saturday with winds in the 10-12 range, it was perfect spinnaker weather. We had a great run from Sausalito to Emeryville with the speedo hitting 7. Sunday was even nicer and I did a nice long bike ride in the hills and then we celebrated my son's 15th birthday. Great weekend!

Big Mistake, Big Crash

Kool Kat

Natural Phenomenons

In this blog I have talked about the northern lights and green flashes. I found a few more cool aspects in our natural surrounding in an online article. Have you ever heard of Cappucino Coast or Fire Rainbows? Me neither. So here you go, click here.

The Perfect Winter Sail

Sunday was amazing. My swim buddy, best friend Dave came out from Stockton to join me and Kona. We hoped to meet up with several other boats at Angel. No wind for the start so we motor towards Angel for 30 minutes. Then the wind comes up and it's 8-10 and we are making way under sail. The sun is bright and warm, it's about 60 and I mention to Dave that many times it's warmer in the winter when sailing the bay, and much cooler in the summer. He agrees. Our friends are both on the west side of Angel asking about the wind on the east side where we are. It's building to 12 and perfect, come on over. We continue north on a beautiful tack towards San Quentin. I start to set up the spinnaker for the run home. We tack and bring down the jib. I have Dave raise the sock and we are heading home. Really nice sail home in these better than summer conditions. We gybe the spinnaker once and then it's time to bring her down. After a small wrap, we get her down for a fast run home. As we locked up the boat, we both agreed it's going to be tuff to top this sail!!!

Not the best vid but you get the idea. Glorious!

Most Beautiful Boat I Have Seen

Go full screen!

100 ft Chrisco from Luca Brenta YD on Vimeo.

Go Fly a Kite

Crash Test Dummies

Via North American Sailor

Pics of the Week

Looks like a beautiful weekend for sailing!

Around The Americas

Around the Americas is a 25,000 mile sailing circumnavigation of the American continents with the mission of inspiring, educating, and engaging citizens of the Americas to protect our fragile oceans. Follow them as they sail from Seattle northward to the Artic Circle and all the way around the Horn and back home. You won't believe what you will see!

Somewhere in the Maldives

Click the pic to see a much larger view.

Here is what Lonely Planet has to say about this tropical paradise: Perhaps the ultimate in long haul luxury, the Maldives is currently enjoying incredible growth again having bounced back from a series of disasters in the past few years including the coral bleaching wrought by el Niño and the horror of the 2004 tsunami. Indeed, so superior are its beaches, so cobalt blue its waters and so warm its welcome that the country has become a byword for paradise whether it be for honeymooners, sun worshippers or divers.
A geological eccentricity nestled in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives are a series of ancient coral reefs that grew up around the sides of towering prehistoric volcanoes. These immense structures have long since sunk into the ocean, leaving behind coral islands of incredible natural beauty, now themselves being colonised by travellers seeking unbridled pampering and romance, from the modernity of Male’ to the idyllic paradise of the Southern Atolls. The Maldives demands the attention of anyone looking for a uniquely indulgent break, breathtaking nature and sheer beauty that stays with you long after your tan has faded.

First Vid of an A-Cup Boat

This is the first of the winged boats in the 45' class. The ones that will race in SF in 2013 will be 72'. Now that's gonna be something!

Profile of a Sailor

You get blown up in the war and luckily recover. After some ups and downs, you decide to sail around the world. You buy a boat and lose it in a storm off the coast of California. A passing freighter plucks you off the boat and continues on its way to china. You land in a strange place with nothing and no way to get home. You work and sail for a bit and then decide to ride a bike across the Continent and to the Atlantic. You make 7000+ mile journey only to have your bike stolen. You make it back to Cali and decide to race in Pacific Cup as a singlehander. On your way home, you lose your keel 800 miles from the Gate and still make it home safely. I wish I could spin a yarn this fantastic but truth is sometimes stranger than a yarn about a mythical sailor. Outside Mag and Tim Zimmerman have just printed an article about Ronnie Simpson who did all those crazy things above and more. I have been following his story since he landed in China. You can read the amazing facts about his life and times here. His next big goal is to sail the Vendee Globe in 2020! Good luck Ronnie but I don't think you need it.

Pic of the Day

Amazing Move by Sailor

Flood of the Month

Are you ready to buy a used boat?

Our Newport 30 "Addiction" will turn 30 this year!

Is the summer of 2011 your time for a new to you boat? If it is, this is the time to start formulating a plan of action. Maybe you think that boat ownership is too expensive (I pay $3 a day to own my 30' sailboat on the San Francisco Bay), too time consuming (yes it does take time, however it can be rewarding if you love it), or maybe too much trouble to consider (depends). It can be all those things, but if you get a great boat that brings you good times and fun, it will all be worth it. When I decided it was time to make the leap ten years ago, I spoke to friends who owned boats to determine all the costs involved (about $5k per year ($400/month)for our boat). I then went out and found three like minded friends and we purchased a $15k sailboat that was going on 20 years young. We got lucky and found a boat with a great engine, was a reputable bay boat from a respected company and it was ready to sail. Over the years, we have upgraded a few key components like adding a roller furler, upgrading the stereo and adding awesome cockpit speakers, and a used main sail for $100 from a racing boat. The costs I have mentioned do not include the biannual haulouts to paint the bottom and light maintenance on the boat (about $1500 every 2 years). We now have 5 partners and each pay $100 per month. This more than covers our monthly costs and the extra goes into the kitty for anything that might come up. I manage the financial side and have become the project and maintenance manager as well as I sail the boat the most and I enjoy doing it. I have also learned a great deal over the years. So there you have it. The cost of ownership is high if you never use your boat. But if you head out two-three times a month, you have a great way to get you out on the water and share your time with good friends. For a detailed account of the boat buying experience, the folks at Messing About in Sailboats have put together a terrific boat buying guide that will make your job that much easier. Click here for a downloadable guide. Also click here for one man's opinion on buying a first boat and a breakdown of some good first boats.

Lastly, here was my criteria for buying our boat:
Stand up head room below
30' minimum (good for groups up to 6 folks but also easy to single hand)
2500 lbs. in keel for stability
legal head
inboard diesel engine
sloop with spinnaker (if the spinnaker has a sock, all the better)
sleep four comfortably for week long trips

Good luck!!

AC FAQ

Lat38 has posted a FAQ webpage on the Americas Cup. Check it here.

Cruising the Sea of Cortez

Chugging across the glassy blue Sea of Cortez, several questions come to mind when you realize "a couple of dolphins" on the distant horizon are actually a bochinche, an organized, roiling feeding frenzy with untold hundreds of the playful mammals with the evil grin.

First, who came up with the Spanish word for a "dolphin feeding orgy"? And, more importantly: Are we gonna need a bigger boat?

Nearly seventy years after novelist John Steinbeck and marine biologist Ed Ricketts published their book about a wild and compelling expedition on the Western Flyer into this 700-mile slice up Mexico's left flank, the best way to experience the gulf and its Galapagos-like islands still is the way they did it: in a small ship.

It's clear from the book "Log from the Sea of Cortez" that this remote region only really reveals its secrets to travelers willing to make close contact, which explains how I came to be on a 70-passenger Lindblad Expeditions ship, the National Geographic Sea Bird, exploring stunning and forbidding land and sea - including some that hasn't changed since Ricketts and Steinbeck sailed through.

Continue reading here.

A Beautiful Winter Sail

Paul, Mario and I went out on Sunday for one of those classic winter sails on the bay. The wind was about 10 knots from the north when we started. My goal was to teach Paul how to rig the spinnaker with our new sock. We had a beautiful run even though the wind died just as we hoisted. It was still a wonderful day on the bay!!

Wall of Music

Here is a cool way to listen to music on the web. Uwall will display album covers of popular artists along with many genres. Click on the pic and the album opens a window with all the songs in video format from youtube. Check it out here.

"Oldest Sporting Event That No One Has Seen"

The Americas Cup had it's coming out party yesterday at City Hall and the sailing elite were there along with many of the City's top brass. Mr. Ellison was there as well to talk about the cup. Although it may be optimistic, he said there may be as many as 14 teams on the water for the racing. It can easily cost $100M to run one of these campaigns. That's a lot of coin my friend. One of my favorite sailing writers was at the celebration and files this report.

Santana

One of my favorite boats on the bay is the Santana. A wood schooner built back in the 30's, her lines are as impressive as her history. She had many owners over the years, however, her most famous was Humphrey Bogart. He hosted the elite of Hollywood on his yacht and won many races. She is now in the hands of one of the partners of the boatyard KKMI here in the bay area. She has been painstakingly restored to her original glory and now sails the bay. Here is a great vid on the history of this storied vessel.
Thanks Tim at Wetass

New Bike

In my quest to keep in shape for our journey to New Zealand in a few years, I purchased a new bike to replace my 10 year old mountain bike. There has been a huge shift in bike production over the last few years that I was not aware of. Gary Fisher decided to increase the size of the rims from 26" to 29". At first, folks thought he was nuts. Soon it took off an now everyone in the biz is putting out a 29er. They go faster and climb easier. I purchased a Rock Hopper Expert with hydralic brakes and front suspension and am very impressed with this bike. Currently, I am riding about 2500 miles a year and have a great 10 mile hilly loop thru Coyote hills Park. It's an awesome ride with huge climbs and fast downhills. Along with my running and swimming, I hope to be in fine shape for the 2 year trip I am planning once my son graduates from college in 2018.

Sail Charter, La Paz

In March, we will be heading to La Paz for some more cruising in Mexico. The boat is a 41 foot Morgan that will take us into some very nice anchorages over a weeks time. 4 out of 5 of our boat partners will be heading out along with another sailing friend. We plan to do alot of relaxing along with snorkeling, hiking, kayaking and some great food and drink. The cost of the charter is down right reasonable and La Paz is pretty easy to get to from the bay Area. If you have an need for adventure, take a look at the charter website.

Hey There Sailor

Burning Man 2010

Useing Google Earth to Navigate the Oceans

Google Earth is an amazing tool you can use when sailing in your home waters or anywhere else in the world. Using the Ruler function, click here and then pull the cursor to the spot you want to go and it will show the distance in nautical miles. If there is a land mass to go around, just change the setting and plot your course. Currently a sailor from Google is sailing around the world on his cat. He has been blogging about the virtues of this awesome tool on his popular blog. One aspect most folks don't realize, you can use many of the features without the need for an internet connection as long you preload the info before you go offline. You can read his tips and insights here.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

We celebrated New Years in Tahoe at a beautiful cabin in Truckee with friends. There were six teens with us and I needed an idea to engage them on New Years Eve. My son Connor and I came up with an idea: all the kids could submit on paper their two favorite Youtube vids and the parents would pick their favorite with a vote. The video below won hands down and was also the favorite of all the kids. We were all ROTFL!!! You will love it too and the surprise was no one had seen it yet. Connor was the winner. Enjoy!

This is HUGE - A-Cup in SF

Sailors from around the world rejoiced at the news the the America's Cup is coming to San Francisco in 2013. This is the biggest sailing event in the world and now it will be in our home waters. This will not be your fathers America's Cup as the boats are 72' cats that can race at speeds up to 30 knots. This will be the Grand Prix of sailing. With the natural amphitheater the bay provides, it will open up the races to thousands of spectators on land. Our waterfront will become the destination it was meant to be. And sailing will benefit with the amount of interest that only these races can create. Never in the nautical history of SF has their been bigger news than this. Thank-you Golden Gate Yacht Club and thank-you Mr. Ellison! We can't wait for the races to begin!!

The tentative dates for an America’s Cup in 2013 are July 13-September 1 for the Louis Vuitton Challenger Selection and the Defender Selection (if we have multiple defense candidates). Match dates are September 7-22, 2013. The racing area, loosely defined, lies between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge. It's going to be HUGE!

A Look Back at 2010

Looks great in full screen mode!
Via Sailing News TV

Pics of the Year

Here's to a great, happy and healthy New Year!

Here is a look back at the sailing highlights of the year from Pressure Drop.

Start Planning Your Adventures for Next Year

We are pulling together a week long charter out of La Paz, Mexico with some friends for next March. Should be a ton of fun in the sun. Start dreaming and get your 2011 adventures on the cal. This vid will get you excited about your next tropical vacation!

Bonehead Move of the Year! The Whale Wins

The only reason the boat survives...she has a steel hull. Looking forward to more bonehead moves in 2011. Happy New Year to all!

New Cruising Boat with a "twist"

This boat has a very cool feature. The wole galley can be shifted to the high side when more ballast is required. Check the vid!

How cool is that?

Look Up - Lunar Eclipse Tonight

A rare event not seen in 372 years will occur early Tuesday morning, when a total lunar eclipse coincides with the winter solstice. While you can't see the solstice, the eclipse promises to be an amazing spectacle.

And if that's not enough, a minor meteor shower is expected to send a few shooting stars through the darkened sky during the height of the eclipse.

Weather permitting, viewers in North and South America, as well as the northern and western parts of Europe, and a small area of northeast Asia should get a great view of the total eclipse of the moon.

On the East Coast of North America, the lunar eclipse begins half an hour after midnight on Tuesday; on the West Coast, it begins around 9:30 p.m. PST Monday. In all cases, the lunar eclipse will be observable before the moon sets in the west just as the sun is rising in the east. Maximum eclipse – the really cool part when the moon is totally in shadow – is at 3:17 a.m. EST/12:17 a.m. PST. [Complete Lunar Eclipse Guide]

How it works

During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth gets between the full moon and the sun, blocking the sun's light from bouncing off the lunar surface. A lunar eclipse can only occur at full moon, but since the three objects are not all exactly in the same plane in space, not every full moon produces an eclipse.

Monday's eclipse is particularly special because it also aligns with solstice – the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. Winter solstice marks the official beginning of winter. The sun is at its lowest in our sky because the North Pole of our tilted planet is pointing away from it.

Winter solstice is also the shortest day of the year, with the longest night. That means that it should be darker Monday night than any other night this year in the Northern Hemisphere. And because of the lunar eclipse, the moon's light will be dimmed as well, meaning this night will be even darker.

Winter solstice has not coincided with a total lunar eclipse since 1638, according to NASA.

2010 - A Look Back at my Sailing Highlights

Another amazing year of sailing the SF bay and beyond! Here are some of the highlights:

Sailing down the coast of Baja Sur on the 36' cat Rainbow and having the time of my life. If you are thinking about joining the Ha Ha next year, I highly recommend it

Sailing to the Farallon Islands for the first time

A three day sail up the Petaluma River with my best bud Tex and Kona

Full moon night sails

Kaboom with a great crew and the night sail home

Boat Improvements: A spinnaker sock!

A sail in the rain to the Giants game and then over to Angel for dinner and an overnight with Andy

Sailing out the Gate

Michael Franti with Dave and then a sail to SF to pick up my sis and her fam for a day sail to Angel

Sailing to Jack London for the boat show and the Baja Haha reunion. The night sail home was memorable as well

A warm wind sail with some of the Baja crew and then dinner at the SF yacht club coupled with a great night sail home

Blue Angel sail with some great friends

Sailing to the Giants games and a World Series Crown

Sailing with my Dad on Lake Sunapee, NH

Over night sail on Rainbow outside the gate and feeding the fish for the very first time

My friend Ryan and his home brew kegs for some great sailing off Tiburon

Swimming with Kona

Sailing with Kendell up to Paradise Cove and a beach picnic with his girls

Our boat performed flawlessly this year. We are heading into the next decade of ownership of our Newport 30 and look forward to another great year in 2011. Some of the thoughts for next year are: La Paz Cruise on a 41' Morgan with friends, Baja Haha II, a saill adventure to Tomales Bay, Cruising with Olivier on his brand new Hunter 41 and many day sails with friends. Should be another spectacular year!

Sailing with the Sock

Took some friends out for a mid December sail on the bay yesterday. I have been aching for a spinnaker sock for many months and we finally found a used one for $200. I was excited to try it out so we set sail for Tiburon with our 5 person crew and Kona. The wind was light to begin with but quickly built to 12 knots as we reached past Angel and towards Sausalito. It was an overcast day with the sun breaking thru only momentarily here and there. We stopped at Sam's for a stroll and a shot of Don Julio. Soon we were heading home and the sock was raised. Raisa was on the sock halyard and I was in the cockpit on the sheets. The sock was raised and the chute was a little twisted but she went up perfectly and what a lovely sight. My friend Dave raised his eye brow a bit when I mentioned putting the chute up. We have had more than a few misadventures on previous sails. As we headed towards Berkeley she was pulling us along at 5+ knots in about 10 knots of wind. I was loving it! We went thru the cut of the pier and the sock dropped perfectly again over the chute and it was time for a sunset drift. It was glorious. I am sooo happy with our new sock!!! An important tool for any cruising boat.

Origins of Pirate Words and Expressions

[Source: Today I Found Out]

Giants Chapionship Run Back on the Airwaves

I missed the World Series due to my Haha trip in Mexico. CSNBA will be replaying some of the best games on cable TV. If you missed any, here is the schedule:

Schedule of Giants Playoff Games Re-Aired on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area with KNBR Audio

REPLAY DATE -- GAME

Dec. 9 at 8 PM -- NLDS Game 1
*Tim Lincecum strikes out 14 Braves

Dec. 11 at 7 PM -- NLCS Game 4
*Juan Uribe hits walk-off sac fly

Dec. 15 at 7 PM -- NLCS Game 6
*Juan Uribe hits go ahead HR in 8th, Giants win NL pennant

Dec. 17 at 7 PM -- World Series Game 1
*Freddy Sanchez, Giants rip Cliff Lee

Dec. 23 at 7:30 PM -- World Series Game 4
*Madison Bumgarner eight shutout innings

Dec. 24 at 8 PM -- World Series Game 5
*Giants win first World Series since 1954


Read more: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area Presents “Giants Orange October: The Authentic Edition” Chronicling the Team's World Championship Run with Audio from the KNBR Broadcasts
Tune to SportsNet Central at 6, 10:30 and midnight on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area for more on this story

Pic of the Day

Windsurf Trailer

The Windsurfing Movie II Official Trailer from Poor Boyz Productions on Vimeo.

Extreme

The Lights

Boneheads of the Month

What were they thinking and who is that crazy hanging on the boom. Glad they made it..barely!

Crash Test Dummies

Pics of the Week

Be sure to click on the pic for a dramatic view of this epic picture.

A Very Cool California Concert

Coachelletta from Sam O'Hare on Vimeo.

Go to full screen as this is hi-def madness!

Bonehead Move of the Week

Via SF Chronical - What appeared to be a harrowing story of survival emerged from Suisun Bay on Monday - that of a wayward rafter who spent five days stranded on a deserted island nibbling on vitamins and native plants and fashioning a crude "SOS" sign until the U.S. Coast Guard rescued him.

But after returning to shore, Brian "Goat Man" Hopper added a twist to the tale. He admitted that he failed to make use of a key piece of equipment during his stay on Roe Island north of Concord: a cellular telephone.

"I was embarrassed to be stranded on an island," Hopper, a 54-year-old artist from Encino (Los Angeles County), told The Chronicle. "I thought I could fix my boat and make it to land. ... I didn't want to spend the taxpayers' money to have the Coast Guard come rescue some stupid guy."

But on Monday morning, the Coast Guard did collect Hopper on a 25-foot boat after receiving a call from one of his friends - a man Hopper had telephoned directly.

Rescuers pieced together clues from Hopper - that he could see Naval vessels and could hear reveille, a military bugle call, every morning - and determined he must be near the Concord Naval Weapons Station. The Coast Guard also worked with Hopper's cell phone provider to triangulate his signal.

After finding him waving a red flag, the Coast Guard learned that the victim had gotten stranded after an unusual adventure.

Hopper, nicknamed Goat Man for his ability to scale mountainsides, said he started out Wednesday morning on the Sacramento River, where he loaded a $300 inflatable raft with camping supplies, two burritos, a bag of vitamins, a Bible and a mannequin of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"This trip was a campaign," Hopper explained. "I wanted to bring more attention to social diseases."

Hopper hoped to make it to the Golden Gate Bridge, but disaster struck when his raft sprang a leak in Suisun Bay, east of the Benicia Bridge. He said he managed to guide the sinking vessel to shore, then figured he'd make camp on the island until he fixed the raft.

"He was lucky to make it to shore," said Lt. j.g. Laura Williams, a Coast Guard spokeswoman. "In those weather conditions, it's cold, the water is very cold, and it can be really dangerous."

Hopper said he tried to scout the island for life, but high winds pushed him around, making walking difficult. He slept the first night in a tent and spent the next morning gathering chunks of Styrofoam to plug his raft's leak. The Contra Costa County shoreline was about a mile away.

"I couldn't fix it the first day so I just figured I'd spend another night, even though I was out of food," Hopper said, referring to his burritos. "Thought I'd go to work and try it again in the morning."

The next night the island was pounded with driving rain and thunderstorms.

"The weather," Hopper said, "was not working with my needs."

By the fourth day, Hopper said, he began to worry that his energy was decreasing too quickly. He had picked mustard flowers, eaten the last of his vitamins and used duct tape to write "SOS" on a red tablecloth that he hung in a tree.

Still, his cell phone remained idle. He hoped a passing boat would scoop him up, making a 911 call unnecessary.

As he saw white clouds billow from refineries in the distance, he thought to fan his own smoky fire, hoping an overhead plane would take notice.

At night, to calm himself, Hopper read his Bible. In the mornings, there was the bugle call to wake him - a sound he assumed was coming from battleships he could see to the west.

"I did all the things I saw on TV," Hopper said. "I did everything I could to ensure my safety."

On Monday morning, Hopper finally used his cell phone - to call a cousin in Northridge.

Shawn Reeves, 51, said in an interview that Hopper didn't ask him to call authorities but described his worsening situation. Reeves got a sinking feeling that his relative was in real trouble.

"I could hear it in his voice," Reeves said. "This was a guy I grew up with: If he said he was hungry and needed help, he really needed it."

Reeves said Hopper once lived in a cave in Nevada for three months, had walked through Death Valley and had made a Northern California forest his home for an entire year. "When we found him," Reeves said, "he was naked and fishing in a stream ... He's been living off the land for at least 20 years."

After scarfing down a burrito he bought at the Martinez Marina on Monday in a bid to regain his strength, Hopper said was glad his cousin called in the Coast Guard. And, looking back, Hopper said he should have called 911.

"It was," he said, "the right thing to do."

Beatles Rooftop Concert

The Beatles finally made it to iTunes this week. So why did it take this long for the powers that be in charge to finally say yes to legal digital downloads? Me thinks it was the almighty dollar and that Apple (the computer folks not the record folks) wanted a little too big piece of the pie. The good news is, if your a fan, now is the time to dive back into the music. Just before the band broke up, they recorded their last live performance on a rooftop in central London on their Savile Row Apple headquarters. The date was January 30, 1969. Now let's head to said rooftop for the show!!

Skiffs!

Home Made Spacecraft Goes Miles into Space

Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.

Hammock Heaven

Shark Whisperer

Go to the two minute mark to see the amazing climax!

Awesomeness Abounds!

Clipper Race 2011-2012

The next race starts in August with 450 participants.
Go here if you would like to get more info.

From the Archives: Over the Top!

I woke up on Sunday morning about 5:30 and took a look at the wind online. It was over 30 and gusting to almost 50 at Angel. I headed up to the boat and fixed a nice french toast breakfast. At around 8am, I headed out with all my foulies on after taking a good look at the south wind. It looked like an above average summer day as far as wind speed. As I entered the channel, I put out a little bit of jib to help me out. As I hit the end of the channel it was already at 30 knots. We (me and the boat) blasted straight out and the speedo was hitting 6.5 to 7 with just a sliver of a jib. Gusts were in the 40 range easy. About half way out, I noticed that with the wind direction and the current, we were in a lee shore with the Berkeley Pier. I needed to keep an eye on that. I let out a little more jib to give me a little more power. As I reached the end of the pier, the winds were easily topping 50 in the gusts. The boat was handling it well. It was only getting wilder so it was time to tack. Getting the boat to turn into the wind is no easy task with this much pressure on the boat. I got her around and needed to trim in the sheets and make sure the boat got going back into the wind. No easy task and I was huffing and puffing as I finished the tack. This was the windiest day I have ever been out on!! And I was loving it. Knowing that we had recently refreshed all the standing rigging gave me confidence that the rig could take the pounding. Going back in, I didn't have to worry about the pier as I was headed away from it on this tack. Hey what's this, blue sky to the south and the rain is letting up a little. The wind keep building with each tack and each tack became more difficult. I did about eight tacks out and back to the end of the pier and then to the channel makers. About 1.5 miles each way. At 9:30 I felt as if I had accomplished my mission and headed back to the slip. I was motoring into the wind and just praying our little 14 horse diesel would get me back in. She did of course and I am happy to say it was a great feeling to know our little boat could handle the monster winds of this storm! I would say the winds were 30-40 with gusts to 50 in the area I was sailing. It was an awesome feeling to be out there in that weather!

We are gonna need a crane for that crane!

Icing on the Cake - Our last day in Cabo

We met up with our crew on Friday morn, our last full day in Cabo. At 10 we were picked up by a driver who would take us Cabo's finest resort, Palmilla. My crew mate Dave had some friends who owned a seaside villa and the margs are waiting for us. We head out about 15 miles and arrive at this gated heaven. Once inside we are welcomed with drinks and food on the patio. It's a perfect day as we see the wide expanse of Costa Azul. After a few rounds of drinks and lots of guacamole, we head down to the beach for a dip and some bocce. Then we take a tour of this open air home and it is lovely. Owned by a former DA in SF, we are humbled by the set up and views. Awesome. Soon we are off to a side trip to San Jose del Cabo. Very cute town and we visit the Tropicana Hotel. Classic place with great margs! We stumble thru town and find a fine tequila distributor with some almond flavored anejo. Very fine indeed. At the appointed time we head back to the house. The chef has prepared a fine fresh tuna dinner and the owners have arrived. We sit down to a splendid dinner and enjoy the conversation. It has been a magnificent way to wrap up our journey down the coast of Baja. We head back to the hotel and head to bed as we depart early for the airport and back to the city by the bay.

My adventure on the Baja Haha 17 was one of excitement, joy, discovery and happiness. This was my first ocean passage and what an amazing adventure we had. I want to thank the skipper and crew of our boat for the safe, fun, and fast passage we had. And to all the folks on the trip that made it so much fun. Maybe I'll see you on the next Haha??

If you would like to see a nice slide show of the trip, go here.

Santa Maria Beach Party

We spent a very nice night in the anchorage and then about 0800 the crew starts looking for coffee and food. At 1000, I am headed to the beach for the day's festivities. The locals are preparing a feast for us. A band from La Paz (4 hours away) will provide the music. I catch a panga and head to the beach to meet the volleyball folks. It's another beautiful day with a light breeze. We get the net up and play a few rounds. There is some great taunting going on from both sides of the net. We win one and lose one. Soon it's lunch time and we are first in line for the food. Shrimp, fish, rice, beans and fresh tortillas. Very nice. I catch up with a few folks and then spend the rest of the afternoon playing volleyball. Our team did not lose another game the rest of the afternoon. We played until the tide came in and knocked down the net at 5pm. It was one of the funnest afternoons of volleyball I have ever played. I had brought a top of the line beach net and everyone had a great time. At the end of the day, I donated the net so future Hahaers could enjoy this great game. Headed over to some friends boat for some spaghetti and wine. Back to Rainbow at 9 and everyone is asleep or resting. I decide to go for a night swim. I jump in and the water lights up with bioluminescence. My whole body is glowing. I push off the boat and it is amazing. The tiny plankton get excited with movement and light up a bright green. It is so cool! I decide to swim over to boat about 400 yards away. Its a gorgeous, still night and an amazing swim. As far as land based activities, today was the best day of the trip! Can you tell I am having too much fun???

We are up early at 0500 to prepare the boat for Leg 3 and our destination of Cabo San Lucas. It's about 180 miles. There is a bit of a breeze as 170 boats head out for the start. The wind dies and we start motoring. We are near Magdelana Bay and there are lots of whale sightings. We have not seen a whale on this trip. I go off watch at 1100 and take a nice nap. During my nap, one of the boats catches and releases a 180 lbs. Marlin! Grilled pork loin for dinner that featured another green flash and a whale sighting! The wind has died and it looks like we will be motoring thru the night. Up at 0700 and we are nearing the Cape! There are reports of a strange, strong wind in Cabo. It is coming from the south east and is something Cabo never sees. It is causing alot of problems inside the marina. There were plans to have alot of boats raft together inside the marina, but due to the wind and waves, this will not happen. A bunch of boats lose their spots and will have to anchor in the bay. At 10am we approach Cabo Falso. This is about 2 miles from Lands End. The wind is in the low 20's and the waves are huge. We are down to our last couple miles and all hell has broken loose. The boat is rocking and for the first time, water is coming over the bow and into the cockpit. We are soaking but the water is 80 and the sun is warm. We cross the finish line and a cheer goes out. We finally make it around the corner and Cabo San Lucas spreads out before us. My first visit was a surfing safari back in October 1982, almost 30 years ago. Back then it was a sleepy fishing village with one disco. Now the town has grown into a major tourist mecca that sells mostly t-shirts and trinkets...and a ton of hotels, bars and restaurants. We make it in and start the process of refueling the boat and filling up the 5 gallon fuel jugs. I don't have any plans, so I tell the skipper that I will stick around and help him get settled. The other two crew head to the hotel for a nice shower and a marg! We are hoping for a slip but with the winds taking away alot of them, it doesn't look good. We call the organizer once more and it is not good news. He tells us to anchor in the bay. We are about to head out and one of the boats hails us and asks us to bring beer to them in the anchorage. I am sure racking up the karma points! I grab some beer from the store and we head out. The boat is a brand new 57' boat called "Perfect Wave". The crew is waiting for us with a fishing net. The seas are wild and I am not sure we can pull this off without some damage to both boats. We make one approach and nearly take them out! On the next pass, we make a perfect hand off and there is a $20 pinned to the net that I grab as we make the hand off. They thank us for our trouble and we head down the beach. We try to anchor near them but it does not work out so I pull up the 100 feet of chain and we move on. Ground tackle on a big boat is heavy and I am nearly spent after a long trip. I tell the skipper we need to get it right the next time. We head way down the beach and there is the Cal 29 bouncing in the surf. We find a spot and drop the anchor again. She holds and I jump in the water for a nice swim. I have an hour before I need to get off the boat, however the wind is so high, they have closed the harbor so no pangas are running. My only option is to swim. I lay down to rest and recover from the last few hours. We get a call from the docks saying there is a slip available. My eyes roll at the thought of pulling up the anchor for a second time. The skipper says yes to the slip and up to the bow I go. The wind is 18 knots by now and this is going to a nightmare! I start pulling and after a while I switch with the skipper and now he is pulling and I am driving. We had over 200' out and we are both exhausted. Finally we get it back on the roller and pull away. That was difficult!! We head in and there is a question if our 22' beam is going to fit. We are going to need a shoe horn to get in. We tie up and make it by inches. We have to raft up to another boat and they give us a hand. They warn us not to make any sudden moves as they have German Shepards on board. This is the same dog that bit another cruiser at Santa Maria. I can't wait to get off the boat. I grab my backpack and I am off and safe. I head over to meet up with the crew and tell them about our ordeal and then head to the hotel. I need a beer! I head to the pool and there is a restaurant and bar. I order some beer and fish tacos and think about our amazing journey down the coast. Head to the room for a shower and some email. The it's over to Squid Row for some dancing with the fleet members. My crew is there as well as some of the friends I have made. By 9, the place is rocking and we are having a blast on the dance floor. Everybody is buying me beer and shots! What a cool thing to know most of the folks on the dance floor! At about 11pm I head back and hit the hay. What an ending to the trip...but wait, we still have one more highlight that I can't wait to tell you about! Please come back!