Baja California in 1949

This is an interesting old movie of what Baja California looked like in 1949. It was made by Silas Johnson, who was a sailing mentor to our good friends in San Diego. It is a gem both because of the rare footage and the post-war style. The introduction at the film archive says:

Johnson is another "lost filmmaker", who worked out of Coronado, California. This film boasts beautiful color footage of old Baja, before Pemex stations lined the Cuota and Libre. Hunt travels from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas, enchantingly stopping at the waterless village of Magdalena Bay, Tortuga Bay, and the vineyards at Santo Tomás.
 
These spots are familiar to cruisers and Baja HaHa participants.  A larger version can be found here at the Academic Film Archive of North America.

Toucan Circles the Farallones

One plucky sailor from Berkeley, Bobby Arthurs, sailed his intrepid Albin Vega, Toucan, in the Single Handed Farallones Race last weekend. It took him  over 15 hours to complete the 52 odd miles and then a couple more to get back to his slip.  Below is a video he made.  Great job, Bobby.


farallones race sss video (better quality)
Uploaded by bobbyarthurs.

Wrecked Oceans

This is a TED talk by Jeremy Jackson on the state of the oceans.  It may scare you.

Jester Challenge Preview

70.8% has a nice post on the Jester Challenge.  This is an Atlantic, single handed race for small boats.

Lift

QUEST on KQED Public Media.

A nice explanation of the physics of sailing. Found on H2uhO.com

More on Plastic Gyre

QUEST on KQED Public Media.

The Crew in Training

New photos have just been unearthed.  Sail training in Alsmeer, The Netherlands. Oh Lekker!

Never Ending Winter

It is raining again today in the Bay Area after two day of fresh SW winds.  On the long range weather picture, there is a significant low approaching from the North next Sunday and Monday.  Prior to that there may only be five knot winds outside the Gate.  I am looking for a window to get in the qualifying cruise.  I believe that AJ on Second Verse went out this week, which is beginning to look like a good move.

Provisioning Tip: Bacon Latte

This is for racers that cannot live without their espresso machine.... The bacon latte.

Provisioning Tip: Octopus

Swallow fast...

Harmonica Man of Jefferson County

Here is a story from our new home in Jefferson County, Washington. Check out the Andy Mackie Music Foundation.

Men Who Stare at SSBs

I found a nice writeup dating back to the 2006 race today.  It is titled Singlehanded TransPac and the Art of Psychological Warfare written by Rob of Tiger Beetle.  It makes it clear that we heavy cruising boats have a major advantage - luxury.  Some of us can have steaks, showers, and standing head room.  Better yet, we can talk about it during radio checks.  Of course, payback comes when the fast guys get to lie on the beach and whine about how long it is taking us to finish.

Progress?

I am getting near the end of the work.  Down to niggling details such as tightening and lubricating things, trying to find the last ten pairs of my wife's shoes and throw them overboard.  Stuff like that.

A bunch of the racers still need to do their qualifying cruise.  Rob Tryon will lead us out of the Bay on the 15th for a four or five day jaunt.  This will be two hundred miles out and back.  This will tell me what was not tightened and lubricated properly.  I will have about a month to make amends and batten down the hatches.

Do you know how many packages of ramen you can put in place of a pair of shoes?  Imelda Marcos could have fed the nation.  You don't have to boil them as long either.

Still Voting for the Boat?

The contest where Adventuress could win $100000 and maybe spend it in Port Townsend is still running. Your vote can help.  She is only 2% ahead of the next competitor. Go to VoteForTheBoat.com or check this prior post for details.

Bernard Moitessier

H2uhO has a nice post today on Bernard Moitessier.

SHTP Weather and Tactics

Skip Allan, the winner of the 2008 Single Handed Transpac, is leading a discussion of weather and tactics for Hawaiian races.  The thread of the discussion can be found here.

Garbage Island

Toxic Garbage Island Episode 1 from VBS.TV on Vimeo.

Video from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  The full show can be found here.

Safety Inspection

Maitreya had her safety inspection yesterday.  She is still missing a few minor items - a couple charts, a compass deviation card and some belt and suspenders tie downs for the companion way and  drop boards.

Thanks to Rob Tryon for coming over and spending the time doing this.  Thanks to the race committee in general for being there to answer questions and keep moving everything forward.  I believe that Bob, Rob and others have taken on pretty much a full time job to get this done.