Another January Day on The Bay

Heading to Charter: Belize!

Last year I tried to get a group together to head to a week long charter in Belize.  Time was short and it did not come together.  This year, I got a little earlier start and used the Meet Up Group "Got Wind and Water" to help me fill in the crew of six.  It worked!  In mid April we will head to the small town of Placencia and take off on a 38' cat for a week of diving and fun.  Belize is in the heart of the second largest reef in the world.  The fish life and beauty is unmatched.  Check back for a blow by blow of the trip when April rolls around.  This is my third charter (BVI in 2008 and La Paz in 2010).  Sunsail has a base there and we will sail a bare boat charter out into the turquoise waters of the Caribbean.  Can't wait!

Tour of the San Francisco Bay

We recently added some new partners to our sailing partnership and hopefully this chart will open some new spots to explore.  Over the last 12 years of extensive cruising on the bay, I have discovered some very cool spots to head to for day sails and overnights.  None of these spots are new, it can just take years to find them all.  Here is a brief overview of some of my favs.  Be sure to click on the pic for a full view.  Now get out there and enjoy this beautiful water world!

In Case You Missed It: Led Zep Honored in DC

From the Kennedy Center In DC, the Prez honors one of rock and rolls greatest.  Definitely watch the intro by Jack Black and then watch "Stairway to Heaven" in vid #2.  Enjoy.

Two New Water Products

Call now!  Operators are standing by!

Men Who Ride Mountains - This Sunday

Surf’s up this weekend off the coast of Half Moon Bay, as officials Wednesday declared Sunday game day for the Mavericks Invitational, a world-renowned big-wave surf contest.
This is a big deal for the coast, as it has not held a Mavericks contest since 2010 because Mother Nature failed to produce ideal conditions.
“We’re really excited that we actually have a swell,” contest co-founder Jeff Clark said. “This is the biggest swell we’ve had for a couple years.”
This weekend’s event will bring to coastal shores 24 expert surfers and a ton of fanfare.
The two-dozen chosen surfers are those deemed most skilled from around the world. The contest is held a half-mile off the coast of Half Moon Bay at the Mavericks break.
Contest conditions are extreme, with waves in past years as high as 50 feet, strong currents, frigid water and jagged rocks. Clark said the conditions are extremely dangerous, and the surfers put to good use their year-round training regimens.
When asked how high the waves from this swell will be, Clark immediately responded “big.”
“We’re hoping for at least 30-foot range, but the ocean does what it wants and it’s not going to give you that perfect storm every year,” he said.

If you would like to watch the contest, the best place is right on your computer.  Contest starts 8am Pacific.  You can watch it here.

Bonehead Moves of the Year!

Got lucky the last few years in coming up with the top bonehead move.  This year I could not find the one that really stuck out.  Here is last years winner, hands down.



That was an easy one to pick.  What was the skipper thinking???

 Let's be careful out on the water in 2013!

I selected this post to be featured on my blog’s page at Blog Nation.

Blue Water Boats

When thinking about my sail to New Zealand and Australia in a few years, one of the biggest decisions I will make is the boat.  What makes for a solid blue water cruiser?  There are many factors to consider:

Length: 36-42'
Reliable self steering
Emergency equipment (life raft, epirb, hand held VHF, etc.)
Communication devices (HF radio, VHF, SAT phone)
Radar
Chartplotter
Good sleeping accomodations and lee cloths
Spinnaker
Bimini
Lots of storage
The list goes on and on

When the time comes, I plan to be open minded and to look at many boats.  My budget is in $100k range so there are lots of possibilities.  Check out this site for considerations for your next big cruise.  It shows a list and reviews on capable blue water boats.

Ladies & Gentlemen, 10@10 Radio Show

For the last 30 years, our local rock station, KFOG, has hosted the 10@10 Radio Show.  Each weekday, a random year is selected, followed by “ten great songs from one great year”, in addition to classic commercials, news broadcasts and clips from popular TV programs.  If you love rock music from the 60's thru the 90's and beyond, you will love this program.  I have been a big radio listener all my life, so this show can strike up nostalgia for me pretty often.  10@10 is my all time favorite radio program and I have been listening since the 80's!!  One of the cool things KFOG does is post a weeks worth of the recorded shows on their website. Here you can listen to the show, see the playlists and harken back to maybe a highlight year in your life and relive it musically.  To listen to last weeks shows, click here.  
Here is last weeks most popular playlist.  Have Fun!!

Friday December 28, 2012   -  1975

1.       ZZ Top – Tush

2.       Jigsaw – Sky High

3.       Little Feat – All That You Dream

4.       Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing

5.       Crosby-Nash – To The Last Whale (a fav of mine!)

6.       Paul Simon – Gone At Last

7.       War – Why Can’t We Be Friends?

8.       Paul McCartney – Venus and Mars/Rock Show

9.       Leon Russell – Back to the Island (another fav here and a sailing theme: islands)

10.   John Lennon – Stand By Me

Google Year in Review

Enjoy!