Beer Can Races on s/v Time Out

s/v Time Out on the right

A few weeks ago, Ben and I teamed up with our neighbors Ralph and Brigite, and friend Oliver, to compete in the Beer Can Races on their 26' Ranger, s/v Time Out. We came in 1st in our class that night. Ben has sailed with "Team Time Out" a few more times since and they've placed either first or second each time. Here are a few pictures of the race taken by various photographers who were out on the water at the time:

s/v Time Out rounding the buoy

s/v Time Out flying the spinnaker

s/v Time Out (in the forefront) - That's Ralph at the helm, Oliver in yellow, me in red, and Brigite  up front. Ben  must be hiding behind Ralph!

Ben and Ralph having a beer before the race begins

Sunset Row: April 17, 2010

Sunset Row: April 10, 2010

Last night we went on a sunset row... We left a little early so we didn't actually catch the sunset. I took the first leg... ALMOST made it to the end of the mooring field before I gave up. The current was a little too strong for me!

Then Ben took over...

This is Duke, the neighborhood Boxer pup

Sunset Row: April 6, 2010

Every now and again, the three of us take a row out past the mooring field to watch the sunset. I figured it might be fun to post a picture or two (or three...) from our sunset rows. After all, sunsets are like snowflakes... no two are alike.

Sailing: Take Six

Yesterday afternoon Justin took us sailing on his boat, "What, Me Worry?" Looking back through my postings, it looks like this must have been our sixth time sailing. Our progress was stunted for a few months while Ben was fixing the exhaust...but I have a feeling things are about to change. Here are a couple pics from yesterday afternoon:

Ben & Blair making faces

(Sorry, Blair. I think I took a better pic with your camera!)

Alana & Justin

Location, Location, Location

This weekend is the Red Bull Air Races here in San Diego Bay. Ben left early this morning for some business and pleasure in D.C. The sky has been overcast all day but I can see (and hear) the planes from the boat. Blair stopped by with some friends to watch the races for a couple hours. If the weather clears up tomorrow, maybe I'll snap a couple pics.

These two pics are of our new location. We're much happier in the new spot. The trip to the dock is perfectly convenient... and we are situated past the edge of the mooring field so we have an unobstructed view of the bay (and still a beautiful view of the city). We are farther from the walk/run/bike path which makes it much more peaceful.

(That's Mother Culture 3rd from the right)

Blue Wednesday

Our friend Adam took us sailing on a Catalina 22 yesterday. She was a lot more manueverable than our boat and she heeled over much further... We left the dogs at home and cruised around south of the Coronado Bridge.

Another Whale Sighting

This morning as I was taking Lola to land for a potty break, I noticed a strange and beautiful sight on the surface of the water just a couple feet from the dock. A large school of tiny fish were pecking at the surface and jumping up out of the water. I stopped and watched it for a while, wondering what predator they might be trying to escape from. I thought of the lone grey whale that's been swimming around the bay, but quickly dismissed that idea since I believed that water to be too shallow for a whale. I watched a while longer, wishing I had my camera, and then took Lola to potty.

After her break, we climbed back in the dinghy and started to make our way slowly back towards the boat. I saw Ray (a neighbor) coming up to the dock in his dinghy and all of a sudden he let out a whoop! and a holler. I watched for a minute longer and the whale surfaced just past his dinghy! The whale must have swam right underneath him! I couldn't believe my eyes. I watched him surface a couple more times before I got back to the boat and called for Ben. We watched from the cockpit and saw him surface one more time, right between the mooring field and the dinghy dock. Then Ben hopped in his own dinghy to go whale-watching before he had to leave for school.


The whale has been spotted in the mooring field by numerous neighbors. This is the first time I've seen him that close to land. He has been dubbed "Diego" by San Diego residents and he's been swimming around the bay for at least 23 days now. Such an unbelieveable sight. A lot of people go whale-watching but I'm not sure many of them get so close to a whale as those of us who have seen him from our dinghies. Truly a humbling sight.

(Note: The pictures above are actually from our previous sighting, courtesy of Ben. We weren't quick enough with the cameras this time.)

Bringing New Meaning To The Word DINGHY

OK. So we were coming down the dock after a walk with Lola and some people were looking across the bay with binoculars. They said they could see the whale, just beyond the mooring field. (I should mention we walked Lola to Happy Hour... we like to kill two birds with one stone, as they say.) So we bravely decided to dinghy out and see for ourselves. Our mission was a success. This was my first "up-close" experience with a whale, so I wasn't sure I believed Ben when he said the whale wouldn't surface beneath our boat and capsize us. (As it turns out, he was correct. Whales are apparently very aware of their surroundings and don't bump into boats. Boats bump into them. But I am a hard sell when it comes to giant sea creatures swimming in the vast world beneath me.)

So here they are: pictures and a short video of the whale... S/he surfaced within about 10 feet of our dinghy. I was never quick enough to catch the spray. Just some shots of her/him coming up and going back under. I only wish I could have paid the Coast Guard helicopter to get some aerial shots of the two fools whale watching from their 8-foot dinghy. (Keep in mind the whale is about 30 feet long.)

(Note: For those of you lacking imagination, the whale is depicted by a black hump above the water or a blurry spot on the water's surface.)

Weekend Update

There is a gray whale cruising around the Big Bay... s/he has been here for the past 5 days. S/he's about 30 feet long, between 1 and 2 years old. Gray whales migrate from Alaska to Mexico and back every year so marine biologists figure s/he got a little sidetracked and decided to hang out in the bay for a while. Ben & I haven't actually spotted her/him yet. To be honest, I haven't even looked. Sometimes when the boat is rocking uncontrollably, I imagine her/him under there just toying with me. (Note: That is not my pic. I snagged it from msnbc.com. I'd add the link but for some reason I can never get that function to work properly on here).

Urban Trees

Some local artists created "Urban Trees" that are displayed along the Embarcadero at San Diego Bay, not far from where our boat is moored. We walk by them almost every day so I thought I'd share some of them with you.














I also wanted to thank to everyone who keeps up with our (my) blog and, please, feel free to share the link with friends and family. Thanks again!

Row My Boat

This picture is a few months old. That's me, pumping the water out of my dinghy after a rainy night. (Thank goodness for rubber boots!)

This week, Ben is up north attending a work conference. It's just me and Lo on the boat. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, that's true. But it seems to also make my muscles grow stronger. I never realized before how many times I have to row back and forth to shore. I suppose that's partly because when Ben is here, he shares the duty of taking Lola to shore for potty breaks. But in addition to that, Ben often rows all three of us when we are together (and we're almost always together). I guess I never realized til now just how much rowing Ben actually does! *Thanks, Ben!*

A friend told me that she didn't think she could row that much. But I think she could. I think anyone could if they didn't have a choice. If I don't row, I am stuck on the boat 24/7 and that would be even harder than rowing. Even after 8 months living on the boat, there are times when I just NEED to be on solid ground.

The hardest part for me is rowing against a strong current. I must look pretty silly to the people on land, as I struggle to row against the current, each stroke appearing to take me just a little bit further from my destination. As I move at a snail's pace, I can't help but imagine how handsome my back and upper arms must look after months of rowing! ;) And eventually I get where I'm going.


Ben has an inflatable dinghy with a motor. You might be wondering why I don't retire the oars and use the motor. There are a few reasons for that:
A) I don't know how to use it.
B) It has some quirks that I'd rather not deal with.
C) With mechanical things, there is always that worry that it will break. With rowing, there is never that worry. (Except that time when those crappy oars broke while Ben was rowing, but I've since purchased some nice solid ones!)
D) Rowing is Zen-like. It forces me to slow down and reflect.

Have you ever seen a person in a wheelchair cruising around like it's nobody's business? As if the wheelchair is an extension of their body? I'm beginning to feel the same way about rowing. It's as if the oars are extensions of my arms. It's fun to turn on a dime and slide sideways right up to the dock. I haven't perfected my skills, but I'm a work in progress.