04/18/2009, Gig HARBOR, WASHINGTON
I'm back in Gig Harbor after a week of family morning... my Grandmother passed away lastweek...She was like a second mother to me. We will all miss her very much!
I'm now in the process of getting JUNESSA seaworthy for the trip North! I had planned on hauling her out and doing bottom job, but the Gig Harbor Boat Yard is booked thru May.... :(
More to follow! The dog wants to go for a walk....
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Comments [3]
Here's a shot of where I'll be spending alot of time, once I cut those pesky docklines.
My tour is coming to an end here in the Philippines!!! I've been flying helicopters, working-out, reading and dreaming of the day I go cruising.
I ordered some wall maps to Plot a Course to Adventure... hey that sounds like a good title for my videos... what do you thing? I ordered a new Canon VIXIA HF20 HD Dual Flash Memory camchorder and will soon have the dive housing to get those nasty weather shots and beautiful under the sea shots! Stay tuned! I also ordered a waterproof digital still camera (Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 12 MP Digital Camera) for the same reasons... I plan on combining two of my three favorite things... Photography and Sailing!!! ;)
Speaking of videos... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND both of Alex Dorsey's ProjectBlueSphere.com DVD's!!! (click his link on the right) He did an outstanding job taking us from Mystic CT USA to Panama, thru the Panama Canal and on to the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific. If you do order his DVD's for yourself or someone that loves the idea of cruising... tell Alex 'Rick Sent ya!' :)
I will be updating my site as often as I can... the prep work, the cutting of the dock lines, and of course the mishaps.. I mean the adventures along the way!!!
Cheers from Zamboanga, Mindanao, Philippines
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03/31/2009, ANAN BAY, Alaska Inside Passage
This was the first time I used the new outboard motor!!! I put the oil and gas in it, pulled the chord three times and she started right up!!!
I really had to go SLOW and METHODICAL about getting the outboard motor down to the dingy without dropping it overboard! I almost lost it a couple times as I tried different ways of getting it down to a moving dingy.
I wasn't impressed with the dingy/motor combo that Westmarine sold me!!! I would get it up on a plane and then 10 seconds later the motor would cavitate and loose all power.... I'm not sure what's up with that, but going at 1/2 speed just isn't the same as FULL THROTTLE BABY!!! HEEEE HAAAAAA! oh!... I mean.... slow and relaxing.... :)
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03/29/2009, Gig HARBOR, WA., USA
I've been asked many times now... "where do you plan on cruising?"... Well, I decided to get out a sharpie pen and mark out a rough route on the Alaska, US West Coast, Central America and South Pacific Ocean part of my wall map...
I should have used a erasable marker to make the route, since plans have a way of changing by the week... more like by the day... haha
But I'm "planning" on casting off on EARTH DAY April 22nd, which just happens to be my daughters 27th Birthday! Wow! Now I feel older!
I'm cramped for time because I still need to do a shake down cruise and fix a couple of engine issues before casting off.. plus i'm trying to work and cruise at the same time... I'm breaking a cruisers rule here, but as long as I can have 6 weeks off at a wack for cruising and the other 6 weeks for work... heck why not!
The hard part so far??? Setting a launch date!!!! I think I read someplace that once you set a date, everything will gravitate to making it a reality!!! The goal--- casting off the lines and pointing the bow.... out that way-->> or was it that way??? Oh great! I haven't even left the docks and I'm already lost! hahah
Here's to Erasable Markers and GPS's!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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03/26/2009, Mindanao, Philippines
This is just one of the spectacular views from my office window... onboard our Bell 412EP helicopter!!!!
It took just over an hour to fly past this awesome double water fall in Central Mindanao. It was on our flight path, so we had to photograph it!!! If you click the map labeled 'CURRENT POSITION' over there on the right-side of the page you can see where this awesome place is....
It's too bad this part of the country wasn't safer... they could really have a tourist mecca here!!! Diving, hiking, eco-tours, etc... I suppose it's not much fun to run around in bulletproof vests and have armed security escort you everywhere... someday these people will get the hint that peace and stability is a better way of life! 11420
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This is a neat video clip of a ray that came 'flying' by us...
Enjoy!
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I've been debating on what sail plan to set up before I depart on my Northern Adventure into the Canadian and Alaskan Inside Passage.... The bowsprit is no place to be away from the docks... and for me even the dockside is dangerous out on the bowsprit! haha
I can go with the above set up... Large Genoa on the headsail roller or go with the bellow set up with a high cut clew Jib.
I've had a couple people respond with some good insight into sail plans, so I'm leaning toward the below set up..
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I'm sure everyone's Father has removed the noise makers from toys to keep the peace and quite in the home... Well, a previous owner of JUNESSA did just that.... removed the BELL!!!!!
I think one of the coolest noises onboard ship is the clock when it chimes! DING-DING DING-DING DING-DING....
Does anyone know where I can find the parts to this wonderful clock? or know where I can have it overhauled??? Just leave a comment below or send me an email... thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's to Noise Makers! :)
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This short video clip was shot while underway on my first over-nighter cruise. I headed South out of Gig Harbor towards Eagle Island.
It was really neat to go under the huge twin spans of the Tacoma Narrows Bridges!
Enjoy the clip!
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03/02/2009, GiG HARBOR, WA.
Here's a short clip of the Fatty Knees dingy that came with JUNESSA...
I DID NOT PICK OUT THE SAIL PATTERN!!! (It looks like a Green Peace throw back!!!) I was getting all kinds of propositions when I was sailing this 'cute' little dingy around the harbor.... I felt violated.... hahah
The little boat is just too small for me... I have a hard time rowing her and even harder time sailing her. It looks great on the Pardey's videos, but someone told me that both Lynn and Larry Pardey are smaller than the average couple.
So, my plan now is to sell this hard dingy and purchase the RIB pictured below...
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02/24/2009, GiG HARBOR, WA.
I've decided that the small Fatty Knees dingy that came with JUNESSA just isn't to my liking. It's very unstable, small and just doesn't fit anywhere on deck. So, I've tired three different Inflatable boats...
The one in the photos seems to work out the best!!! It fits on the couch roof nicely, leaving 360 degree visibility from the cockpit, unlike the Fatty Knees which blocked forward visibility.
This 9' RIB fits perfect with the bow facing aft and deflated front tube. The sides can stay inflated or deflated! So, it's nice addition to the survival gear on the boat! I can flip it off the boat in a hurry, and inflate just the front bow tube in short order and off I go! It's a great dive boat, since it's easy to get in and out of. The Fatty Knees was a challenge to get back in!!!!
The only disadvantage of trading dinks is now I'll have to have an outboard motor and fuel for it... :( The Fatty Knees has a sailing rig and is fairly easy to row. Everything in life is a compromise!
Any ideas out there as to the 'perfect' cruising dink? Please leave a comment below.... Thanks!
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02/24/2009, GIG HARBOR, WA.
This was shot with a FLIP VIDEO CAM while climbing up the 45 foot mast! What a view from up there!
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02/23/2009, GiG HARBOR, WA.
I shot this with the my new Fiip Video Camera... The video will get better over time. I"m still experimenting with it and the software. So please bear with me......
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02/12/2009, Gig Harbor, WA 9480
I made it back to Gig Harbor for a QUICK look-see to make sure she was still floating... sure enough, not a drop of water down below!!!
The number 2 battery was low for some reason (I do have the bilge pump wired into that battery) but the solar panels should have kept it topped off. I attached all the wires on the shore power charger and ran it for about 4 hours and brought the voltage back up to a respectable number before heading out to Seattle.
I spend around 600 bucks on two engine parts!!!!! OH that hurt! I needed a freshwater pump rebuild kit and a exhaust riser.... Those riser bolts better come out EASY!!!!! OR I'LL BREAK OUT THE ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT TOOL! hammer time!!!! :)
The covers are doing a POOR JOB at keeping the boat dry! I'll have to re-think the covers... Either have someone else make new covers, have the original maker fix these or buy a sewing machine and sew my own covers (hey! I took home-ec in high school! Wait a sec....I think I got a D in that class....hummm)
I put two humidity sucking buckets in the boat to keep her dry (I forgot what they are really called.... work with me here...) so, I hope it keeps the mold and mildew from taking over the boat!
I was looking at my first blogs and noticed the DATE!!! TWO YEARS AGO! I CAN'T BELIVE JUNESSA HAS BEEN TIED UP FOR TWO YEARS ALREADY!
KEEP IT SIMPLE, KEEP IT SAFE, GO NOW!!! (or something like that!) I didn't follow the advice and 2 years later I'm still tied to the doc...... I'm of the INSTANT GRATIFICATION GENERATION... I need to get off my arrrsssss and cut those doc lines as soon as I can!
Here's to strong batteries, solar energy and warm cabins!
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02/02/2009, dumaguete, Philippines
Here's a couple more shots of Dumaguete, Philippines.
Damen (dive buddy) introduced me to this local soybean drink... very strange taste... after the third taste, it wasn't too bad!
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02/01/2009, Dumaguete, Philippines
Hello from Dumaguete, Philippines!!!
I also stepped out of my comfort zone and rented a motorbike for the entire stay. (200 pesos/day or $4.25 USD!!!!) Oh My God (OMG) do they drive crazy over here!!!!!! Next time you walk in a crowded mall or store, pretend you're on a motorbike or in a taxi... there are basically no rules! you can pass on either side, cut people off, do a u-turn from the far right across traffic without signaling! drive thru an intersection with no stop lights or signs... just GO FOR IT! This will give you a limited idea of what it's like to be part of this 'traffic system'... I scared the bee-jezzus outta myself on the first day! i had guys cutting me off, pulling up on both sides of me, riding my back tire, all the while trying to avoid huge pot holes!!! On coming traffic can be one lane then in a split second, it turns into three lanes (they're in MY LANE!!!YICKS!!)
Something I've noticed more and more lately is we (Americans) love 'OUR PERSONAL SPACE'! Our own little bubble that we'll defended at all cost (road rage, parking spots, yards etc....) over here in the Pi... Your space overlaps the four or five people around you and no one flips the bird, yells out the colorful works we like to use in the US and guns never enter the picture. THE PHILIPPINE SYSTEM JUST WORKS.... CRAZY! YES! BUT WORKS..
WARNING!! SOCCER MOM'S OUT THERE, DON'T TRY THIS IN AMERICA!! These are Highly trained professionals.... A Family of FIVE riding a motorbike is totally NORMAL here!!!!! There are small kids in each parents arms!!!! No helmets or car seats over here!!!
I was living on Mango Shakes, Red Snapper and garlic rice! life was good!
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01/20/2009, Jolo, Philippines
Here's a short video of some really neat plants that will fold up when you touch them or if it starts to rain...
Thanks for the comments!!! I'm still working on the sound... It appears my old Sony camera might be culprit... It recorded in .MPG format and when I try to convert over to .MOV for this site, Quicktime Pro won't give me the audio option. hummmmm I'll test my Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ5 camera's video and try another post......
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Aloha!
Here's a video from a dive trip on the West side of O'ahu, in the Makaha Caverns.
It's pretty neat to see a huge turtle swim right thru the pack of divers... notice his back flipper... a fish hook is stuck in him. :(
Enjoy!
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01/13/2009, Hawaii
Aloha!
I took this video last summer when I was working on the Big Island of Hawaii. It's a 360 degree panorama of the lava field around the 6,000 foot elevation... it felt like I was on another planet!
I'm standing on Saddle Road (Route 200) which is between both of the massive volcanos of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, roughly right smack in the middle of the island. The road connects the cities of Hilo and Kona. I also drove up to the top of Mauna Kea at 13,780 feet!!! What a view! I'll try to find those photos and post a couple....
The Big Island has so much to offer... every climate from desert, rainforest, snow, oceans and beaches! It's simple AWESOME!
Enjoy!
Rick
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01/13/2009, Big Island of Hawaii
You will need Apple's Quicktime player plug-in to view...
Here's my first video that worked on this site!!! Yaaaa!!! So, now I know how to upload the correct file format and file size, so I'll start uploading videos from the past year of fun in the sun!
Stay tuned!
I'm off to work... flying around the Southern Philippines in bad weather! Oh Joy! I'd rather be sailing around the ISLANDS in nice weather, but I do have to restock the sailing kitty.
Cheers!
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