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We're all in irons till we get more testing. Numbers are meaningless until we get a bigger sample.
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We're all in irons till we get more testing. Numbers are meaningless until we get a bigger sample.
Tom P.
m/v PACIFIC LOON
Wooden Boat Festival Update, April 24, 2020
“After much careful consideration, we feel we have no choice but to cancel the 2020 Wooden Boat Festival. There is great uncertainty of festivals being allowed to happen come fall, and if they are allowed, the conditions may be ones that defy the heart of our Festival—being together, boats rafted up, sharing the docks, the presentations, the food court, the dance floor. But ultimately, it is the welfare of our festival community that has pushed our decision. This will be the first year in forty-four that the wooden boat community will not come together in person to celebrate what we love. What is fall without the Festival? “
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One of my favorite memories of the 2008 SHTP--and trust me, there were many--was when Skip Allen and Wildflower escorted me into Hanalei Bay. In fact, if memory serves, he met every single finisher, even those who came in at oh-dark-thrity. Those of us who could waited for the last finisher, Ruben Gabriel on Sparky. Poor Sparky had a broken wing so Skip towed her in to anchor. One of the best things about this race is that it's a great equalizer -- rock stars to fish-crazy cruisers coming together to create a community. We may have been sailing solo, but we were never alone.
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That's the spirit. Fell through his deck, lost his "electronic" watermaker, got wet and cold, and was about to be blown past the finish line. Below thanks to the Guardian.
A 72-year-old man from Leicester has rowed solo across the Atlantic but may miss out on the record to become the oldest person to do so after he had to be towed in to port at the end of this journey.
Graham Walters was just six miles off the coast of Antigua, the end point of his journey, when his boat was blown off course by strong winds, and he would have ended up past the island and facing days more rowing if he had not accepted the assistance of the local coastguard.
He was eventually towed in on Wednesday and greeted by a crowd of cheering supporters. It was unclear whether the incident would affect his world record attempt.
Walters’ wife, Jean O’Brien, said: “He may not have arrived in Antigua under his own steam, but there was still a hero’s welcome for him as there should be.
“He seems quite relaxed about things. I just hope he doesn’t want to go back and finish the last six miles the long way round!”
It was Graham Walters’ fifth journey across the ocean – his third solo – and relatively plain sailing despite a few scary moments.
Speaking via satellite phone off the coast of Antigua, Walters said: “I fell through the deck and had to repair it all, and there were four leaks I had to contain all the way along.
“I also didn’t realize how cold it is to start with. I got drenched in the first week and was quite cold.”
Walters also nearly faced catastrophe when his electronic water maker failed; luckily he found a manual water pump buried in his supplies, which was able to produce half a litre of water when pumped for 50 minutes.
But there were also moments of joy, such as when a curious youngster from a pod of minke whales played around the boat for hours. “It was jumping, twisting and turning, it was amazing,” Walters said.
A carpenter by trade, he made the crossing in a 22-year-old row boat he built in his front garden for the first ever Atlantic rowing race in 1997 and named it the George Geary after his late grandfather, a Test cricketer for England in the 1920s and 30s.
“I worried to start with when the waves were quite big; they were over 3 metres and he was being thrown around the boat,” said Jean. “And I worried whether the boat could handle it because it is old. But Graham was very upbeat, and he’s a very determined individual.”
The boat was able to house all the supplies needed for the journey of more than 3,000 miles, including dozens of boil-in-the-bag meals, a rubber dinghy for cleaning barnacles off the boat and collecting rainwater, and solar panels to generate electricity.
He used the journey to raise money for Help for Heroes, a cause close to his heart after he came to the aid of several veterans supported by the charity who were taking part in an Atlantic rowing race a few years ago.
“While I fixed their boat, I got to know them really well, and I was amazed how well they got on with things because they were all amputees,” he said. “That’s what started it off.”
Walters’ eventual landing is long-anticipated, as he hasn’t seen another human in months, and the world is a very different place to the one he left behind in Gran Canaria on 25 January, when he set sail.
While Jean has been giving him updates on the coronavirus pandemic, Walters admits he doesn’t know what to expect. “It’s hard to comprehend for me out here what’s been happening,” he said. “Until I get back, I haven’t a clue what life is going to be like.”
But that in itself is going to be a challenge. Although boats are currently banned from docking on the island, a special dispensation has been made for Walters, and he now faces a stint in quarantine and potentially a long wait before he can catch a flight home. “I’ve caused a bit of an international incident,” Walters said.
Once adjudicated by the Ocean Rowing Society, Walters was expected to claim the Guinness World Record for the oldest solo Atlantic rower, currently held by Gerard Marie of France who completed the solo challenge in 2015, aged 66.
After what Walters dubbed his “last voyage”, he plans to leave the George Geary in a museum in Antigua.
“It sounds like a sad occasion but I would say grand finale might be nearer the point, for me and for the boat,” he said. “For me it’s to show life has not passed me by.”
A 72-year-old man from Leicester has rowed solo across the Atlantic but may miss out on the record to become the oldest person to do so after he had to be towed in to port at the end of this journey.
Graham Walters was just six miles off the coast of Antigua, the end point of his journey, when his boat was blown off course by strong winds, and he would have ended up past the island and facing days more rowing if he had not accepted the assistance of the local coastguard.
He was eventually towed in on Wednesday and greeted by a crowd of cheering supporters. It was unclear whether the incident would affect his world record attempt.
Walters’ wife, Jean O’Brien, said: “He may not have arrived in Antigua under his own steam, but there was still a hero’s welcome for him as there should be.
“He seems quite relaxed about things. I just hope he doesn’t want to go back and finish the last six miles the long way round!”
It was Graham Walters’ fifth journey across the ocean – his third solo – and relatively plain sailing despite a few scary moments.
Speaking via satellite phone off the coast of Antigua, Walters said: “I fell through the deck and had to repair it all, and there were four leaks I had to contain all the way along.
“I also didn’t realize how cold it is to start with. I got drenched in the first week and was quite cold.”
Walters also nearly faced catastrophe when his electronic water maker failed; luckily he found a manual water pump buried in his supplies, which was able to produce half a litre of water when pumped for 50 minutes.
But there were also moments of joy, such as when a curious youngster from a pod of minke whales played around the boat for hours. “It was jumping, twisting and turning, it was amazing,” Walters said.
A carpenter by trade, he made the crossing in a 22-year-old row boat he built in his front garden for the first ever Atlantic rowing race in 1997 and named it the George Geary after his late grandfather, a Test cricketer for England in the 1920s and 30s.
“I worried to start with when the waves were quite big; they were over 3 metres and he was being thrown around the boat,” said Jean. “And I worried whether the boat could handle it because it is old. But Graham was very upbeat, and he’s a very determined individual.”
The boat was able to house all the supplies needed for the journey of more than 3,000 miles, including dozens of boil-in-the-bag meals, a rubber dinghy for cleaning barnacles off the boat and collecting rainwater, and solar panels to generate electricity.
He used the journey to raise money for Help for Heroes, a cause close to his heart after he came to the aid of several veterans supported by the charity who were taking part in an Atlantic rowing race a few years ago.
“While I fixed their boat, I got to know them really well, and I was amazed how well they got on with things because they were all amputees,” he said. “That’s what started it off.”
Walters’ eventual landing is long-anticipated, as he hasn’t seen another human in months, and the world is a very different place to the one he left behind in Gran Canaria on 25 January, when he set sail.
While Jean has been giving him updates on the coronavirus pandemic, Walters admits he doesn’t know what to expect. “It’s hard to comprehend for me out here what’s been happening,” he said. “Until I get back, I haven’t a clue what life is going to be like.”
But that in itself is going to be a challenge. Although boats are currently banned from docking on the island, a special dispensation has been made for Walters, and he now faces a stint in quarantine and potentially a long wait before he can catch a flight home. “I’ve caused a bit of an international incident,” Walters said.
Once adjudicated by the Ocean Rowing Society, Walters was expected to claim the Guinness World Record for the oldest solo Atlantic rower, currently held by Gerard Marie of France who completed the solo challenge in 2015, aged 66.
After what Walters dubbed his “last voyage”, he plans to leave the George Geary in a museum in Antigua.
“It sounds like a sad occasion but I would say grand finale might be nearer the point, for me and for the boat,” he said. “For me it’s to show life has not passed me by.”
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Recently published, Randall Reeves elegant photo documentary The Figure 8 Voyage is now available. It is 100 pages, soft bound, and gives, in words and charts, an overview of his recently completed endeavor.
Most interesting to me are the many exquisite photos and their details, many showing how MOLI was set up and the hazards encountered. The photo of the breaking wave on page 39 makes one wonder what the result would have been had MOLI been several lengths to port and astern. There is also a nice shot of Cape Horn abeam to port, taken from close proximity, about a mile off. Not your usual distant glimpse.
One picture is worth a thousand words. Congrats to the author for publishing a book worthy of his epic voyage that, unlike many similar encounters, tells his story in photographs. $29.95 plus free domestic shipping available at Randall's website.
Most interesting to me are the many exquisite photos and their details, many showing how MOLI was set up and the hazards encountered. The photo of the breaking wave on page 39 makes one wonder what the result would have been had MOLI been several lengths to port and astern. There is also a nice shot of Cape Horn abeam to port, taken from close proximity, about a mile off. Not your usual distant glimpse.
One picture is worth a thousand words. Congrats to the author for publishing a book worthy of his epic voyage that, unlike many similar encounters, tells his story in photographs. $29.95 plus free domestic shipping available at Randall's website.
IMO, Singlehanded Transpac being moved to odd years is an excellent decision. It will then not conflict with the Pac Cup and may draw greater interest from the short handed crowd. In addition, SHTP will not be crossing wakes with dozens of naval ships from 26 countries during RIMPAC, the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise scheduled for even numbered years. Amen.
Yes.
I had a chance to sit down and have a long talk with Ruben one evening at the Berkeley Marine Center, when I was hauled out there, this winter. It was nice...wow. Twelve years ago.
First to correctly answer all the below within one week in one post wins an autographed copy of Randall Reeves cool new book, The Figure 8 Voyage. Multiple submissions allowed, but please wait 24 hours between posts. Max guesses = 3
What boat holds the Singlehanded Transpac elapsed time record?
a. PEN DUICK IV b. MASERATI c. ILLUSION d. PRIMA e. WILDTHING f. TRUTH g. LAKOTA h. DOGBARK i. MONGOOSE
What mast can a schooner fly her spinnaker from? 1) Foremast 2) Mainmast 3) Either Foremast or Mainmast
What famous actor/actress has competed in the Singlehanded Transpac?
Can one build a wood Express 27?
Is it all mixed together, or does the Pacific Gyre separate its trash into distinct areas?
What is alive, lives in the Pacific Gyre, does not live in the water. Nor flys in the air. And never touches land?
Ready, Set, Go.
What boat holds the Singlehanded Transpac elapsed time record?
a. PEN DUICK IV b. MASERATI c. ILLUSION d. PRIMA e. WILDTHING f. TRUTH g. LAKOTA h. DOGBARK i. MONGOOSE
What mast can a schooner fly her spinnaker from? 1) Foremast 2) Mainmast 3) Either Foremast or Mainmast
What famous actor/actress has competed in the Singlehanded Transpac?
Can one build a wood Express 27?
Is it all mixed together, or does the Pacific Gyre separate its trash into distinct areas?
What is alive, lives in the Pacific Gyre, does not live in the water. Nor flys in the air. And never touches land?
Ready, Set, Go.
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tiger beetle
N/M 45 Tiger Beetle
Lakota
Foremast and mainmast, depending upon height of mainmast and whether or not the gollywobbler is set.
Hal Holbrook
Yes. Could also build one in ferrocement, but it would be slower!
Yes, two parts - east and west (I've seen a lot of interesting things in the eastern side).
Probably some interesting bacteria. I had to go look this one up: there are Bacillus bacteria living on the plastic found in the gyre.
- rob/beetle
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Good, Mr.Beetle. You got all but the last one correct. Although the explanations aren't quite what I had in mind...if someone doesn't get the last question correct, they can try again in 24 hours. Hint: these "alive" things in the Gyre are not microscopic like bacteria. They are very much visible, and I've spent many hours watching their antics.
The trimaran LAKOTA holds the course record for the SHTP at 7 days, 22 hours.
Here's a pic of a spinnaker being flown from a schooner's mainmast:
One of our Forum stalwarts actively races his wood (balsa strip planked with diagonal red cedar external skin) Express-27.
The Gyre, it is being discovered by satellite and first hand observations by the plastic trash collecting sailing ship KWAI, does indeed sort much of its trash. Rope islands float to certain rendezvous latitudes, as do thousands of clorox bottles, and left footed Nike sneakers...a new science in itself.
This summer, KWAI will again be back in the EPAC Gyre with a goal of retrieving 100 tons of plastic trash, double what they pulled aboard last year. Good on them.
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tiger beetle
N/M 45 Tiger Beetle
Hi, Skip - if you don't like the bacteria (which *are* there but not visible to the naked eye), I'll vote for dancing stars reflecting in the smooth water of the High as the answer to you last question. I've seen some incredible star-shows on flat black still water, it's as if you're suspended in a bowl of stars with stars below and stars above and all around, just incredible.
- rob
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That's an impressive and depressing photograph.
If something doesn't live "in" the water, but doesn't fly in the air, then I'd assume in lives in the microlayer between. In fact there's quite the assortment of bacteria and algae, there. Are you talking about dinoflagellates?
tiger beetle
N/M 45 Tiger Beetle
The trouble with dinoflagellates is they are a plankton and plankton live in the water. So do pelagic crabs (they have gills). That's why I'm suspecting Skip is aiming at something metaphoric here as regards "living in" water.
The Kwai is an interesting 140' sailing cargo boat that does the circuit from Hawaii to various Pacific Islands - I crossed paths with them in Oahu, they were headed in when I was headed out. They are currently coming back to Hawaii from Kiribati and the Cooks, then out to the Pacific Gyre on a charter to go look for more plastic: http://svkwai.com/
- rob/beetle
Rob,
"Dancing stars reflecting in smooth water." and "sailing in a bowl stars" is just about the nicest visual of crossing the Pacific High at night I can think of. Thanks for that.
However, question 6 remains unanswered. "What is alive, lives in the Pacific Gyre, does not live in the water. Nor flys in the air. And never touches land?" The answer is not bacteria, algae, dinoflagellates, plankton, velella, crabs, barnacles, flying fish, nor metaphoric.
Although 300 million years old, these amazing oceanic creatures were not discovered until the early 19th century, probably because of their ability to quickly become invisible. Curiously, they benefit from the increase in ocean discarded plastic refuse, but probably not for food or shelter.
How widespread are they? Let's just say that during 4 days of crossing the Pacific High on WILDFLOWER they were never not in view except when I tried to catch one.
"Dancing stars reflecting in smooth water." and "sailing in a bowl stars" is just about the nicest visual of crossing the Pacific High at night I can think of. Thanks for that.
However, question 6 remains unanswered. "What is alive, lives in the Pacific Gyre, does not live in the water. Nor flys in the air. And never touches land?" The answer is not bacteria, algae, dinoflagellates, plankton, velella, crabs, barnacles, flying fish, nor metaphoric.
Although 300 million years old, these amazing oceanic creatures were not discovered until the early 19th century, probably because of their ability to quickly become invisible. Curiously, they benefit from the increase in ocean discarded plastic refuse, but probably not for food or shelter.
How widespread are they? Let's just say that during 4 days of crossing the Pacific High on WILDFLOWER they were never not in view except when I tried to catch one.
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Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
However, question 6 remains unanswered. "What is alive, lives in the Pacific Gyre, does not live in the water. Nor flys in the air. And never touches land?" The answer is not bacteria, alga, dinoflagellates, plankton, velella, crabs, barnacles, flying fish, nor metaphoric.
Although 300 million years old, these amazing oceanic creatures were not discovered until the early 19th century, probably because of their ability to quickly become invisible. Curiously, they benefit from the increase in ocean discarded plastic refuse, but probably not for food or shelter.
How widespread are they? Let's just say that during 4 days of crossing the Pacific High on WILDFLOWER they were never not in view except when I tried to catch one.
This is so metaphysical. Were they hallucinations? Or were you Pacific High?
Daydreamer
SAILOR
#6 Though I haven't found it specifically I believe a type of mite could make a home upon the plastic.
#4 There is a particular cold molded Express 27 that is the original mold for subsequent hulls. Dianne
#4 There is a particular cold molded Express 27 that is the original mold for subsequent hulls. Dianne