Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Set the Forward Spring First!















Bob at the helm


One would think that after 7 days on board the 42 foot motor yacht Sequel, I would have learned to “set the forward spring line first,” when we came alongside a dock because, if I were not already doing it, the skipper would call out, “Jim, please set the forward spring first!” I was slow to catch on.

Bob Knight, my cousin, had sold this beautiful boat as it was too large for him and his wife Andrea to handle easily. They were downsizing to a smaller 34-foot craft and he was meeting the new owner, Don, in Rochester, New York where I would disembark. Bob and Don were to go East on the Eire Canal to Albany where Bob would turn Sequel over to Don and head home. On May 6, 2008, I boarded Sequel at the elegant Grosse Pointe Yacht Club at Grosse Pointe Shores Michigan on Lake St. Clair, to serve as Bob's crew. Bob, Andrea, and a friend. Corky Swengaard, had brought the boat from Charlevoix, Michigan to Grosse Pointe. There Andrea and Corky had to leave. I was replacing them to help Bob take the boat down Lake Erie, through the Welland Canal and east on Lake Ontario to Rochester, New York, a trip of about 400 miles. This water-loving, dry-land yachtsman was very excited.

Now about “Set the Forward Spring First!” There are six lines to choose among when tying up Sequel. Two at the bow, two at the stern and two amidships called “Spring Lines” but please don't' ask me why that is their name. Having sailed a lot over many years, I thought I knew something about small ships and about which lines to use for docking. However, to me docking conditions always seemed to be variable. I thought it was up to me to use my judgment to decide which line would be best to use first. When Bob skillfully pulled Sequel alongside a pier, I'd forget the standing order, and do what I thought most appropriate. Invariably, I'd toss the wrong line to the waiting dockhand. Then, I would hear, “Jim, please set the forward spring first!”









Even though I was a challenged line handler, this trip was a great adventure. The first day we went down stream on the Detroit River along downtown Detroit and Windsor, Canada, passing the Ford Motor Company's vast River Rouge foundry and plant, and then into the islands of western Lake Erie. We spent our first night at the charming village and marina of Put-in-Bay in the Bass Islands. As Bob brought Sequel alongside the dock the Harbor Master was standing by and called for me to pass the bow line to him. I dashed forward, responding to his order just as Bob called out, “Forward Spring First, Jim!” Darn, I should have anticipated my skipper's wish and ignored the Harbor Master's command. A bit chagrined, I managed to tie us up safely.

We were at Put-in-Bay just ahead of the yachting and tourist season and few ships and people were there. Put-in-Bay was now a lovely quiet town. It was a short walk from the dock to the village green and the Canadian - U. S. Peace Memorial commemorating the victory of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry over the British Lake Erie fleet on September 10, 1813. This was an important victory leading to the U. S. take over of Fort Detroit and helping to secure the Northwest Territories as part of the United States. I knew about this battle, but had no idea about where the engagement had taken place or the nature of the fight. So, in going to the museum and seeing the short movie, I added to my knowledge of the lore of our country. It is an exciting tale.

The next day, it was on to Mentor, Ohio, a harbor town a few miles east of Cleveland, cruising under ideal conditions with moderate waves on the port bow. The twin 450 horsepower Caterpillar engines rumbled along at 2,000 rpm for cruising at 11 knots. The automatic pilot kept us on course. We alternated watches at the helm to oversee the course, track and plot of Sequel on the computer monitor. Boring? Not at all for me. I love to be on the water! Rough water is an adventure, but smooth water is a delight and there is always something to be looked after or to observe, gulls, cormorants and a few other ships. Time was filled with wonderful, leisurely conversations with Bob about our families, our lives, successes and disappointments and just plain good story telling. Later when I headed home from Rochester I was sorry my visit with Bob was ending.

Back in December 2007 when Bob had asked if I'd like to join him for the trip, my immediate response was, after a quick calendar check with Janet, “You, bet, Bob, I'd love it!” I also said, “I do insist that I buy one load of fuel because on our last adventure, I'd bought none! Bob, said, “Oh, Jim, you don't need to do that.” When we arrived, at Mentor and as we pulled up the fuel dock, the dock hand called for the starboard stern line, as I handed him the line, too late Bob called, “Forward spring first, Jim!” I noticed a touch of exasperation in his voice. A few moments later, after we had finished tying up I handed the dock hand my credit card and said, ”Filler' up!” Well, 20 minutes, and 278 gallons of diesel fuel later, I signed a credit card bill for $1,180! Now, I understood another reason why Bob was going to a smaller boat.

Mentor had such a beautiful marina and a yacht club that served great meals, we decided to spend a lazy Friday there as the weather looked doubtful and the Saturday forecast was good. On Saturday morn under a sunny sky and on calm seas we crossed Lake Eire to Port Colborne Ontario, to spend the night at the entrance to the Welland Canal. The Canal and its 8 locks would allow us to go “down the 180 feet of Niagara Falls.

On Sunday, May 11, we passed through the locks during an amazing eleven hour transit. Some of the locks dropped our boat 46 feet. This required constant attention to fender location so as to protect the Sequel from the abrasive concrete walls. We also had to attend continuously to the bow and stern lines that we paid out slowly so as to keep our position among the other craft in the lock as Sequel rode the water down.

I'd been fascinated with these locks for years as they made ocean ports of Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee and Chicago and I was thrilled to be passing through them. It was very physical as fenders and lines had frequently to be reset. We started the transit with our 8:30 AM phone check in and completed it at 11:00 PM. There were extended periods of waiting for locks to clear huge 700 to 800 foot long lake freighters. At the north end of the Canal the last four locks came in quick, exhausting succession. But the passage was exhilarating,

For a stunning finish to the day, Skipper Bob, in the dark of the night, safely took us to St. Catharine's Harbor and placed us securely in a narrow dock slip. I was very impressed at his navigation and seamanship! And wonder of wonders, I set the forward spring line first. I was catching on. After a late Mother's Day phone call to Janet and one to our son Steve in California who had been born on Mothers Day in 1952, a glass of wine, and a quick snack, Bob and I both fell into a sound sleep. I was dreaming of a possible visit the next day to Niagara-on-the-Lake, a delightful resort town just a few miles East, still in Canada. However, we awoke early to a lovely day and very calm Lake Ontario, Skipper Bob said, “We are headed to Rochester, New York. We can easily get there by 5:00.”

It was a great run with a gentle “following sea.” The views along the North Shore of New York state were constantly interesting as we watched homes, towns, water towers and smoke stacks glide by. When we arrived, the harbor of the Rochester Yacht Club was busy preparing for a Red Cross fund raising fishing tournament with over twenty additional boats and 125 fishermen. They hoped to find perch, salmon, lake and rainbow trout among their catch.

We received a warm welcome from the friendly, very busy Harbor Master. As we came along side the dock, I coiled the forward spring line carefully prepared to make an artful line toss to provide a glorious finale for Bob, showing that I had learned “to do it right!” But, some of the coil caught on my fingertips and the line landed in the water. Bob, busy handling the wheel and throttles, did not see my goof. With out his ever knowing I quickly recovered the line and Bob saw me make the second toss in good seamanship fashion. Whooie, I got by.

A phone call before supper let us know the new owner would come aboard 10:00 AM the next day. So, on Wednesday morning, we arose early and set to scrubbing the decks, vacuuming the carpets, dusting the interior and washing the many dirty cabin windows. As we finished a few minutes before ten, a smiling new owner arrived, proud of his new vessel but immediately awed by its mechanical and electronic complexities. Bob would have 5 days on the Erie Canal to “show him the ropes,” though I think the ropes on a sailing vessel would be easier to learn.

We had a great dinner that night at the Genesee Club in Rochester with a sailing buddy of Bob's. So we got a look at Rochester, which I had thought was close to Lake Ontario, but rather it is on the Genesee River with access to the Eire Canal and four or five miles from the lake.

Our last trip was a short one to a neighboring marina to get fuel and re-enter the USA. As we came along side the fuel dock, with Bob and the new owner watching, I proudly threw the “Forward Spring first!” Here we checked in with US Customs by a video camera-phone and Bob handed the dock woman his credit card. I watched the fuel pump clicking away, only another $1,300! I thought, am I ever glad we bought a family farm instead of a yacht, and there are no “Spring Lines” to toss!

By: Papa Jim
May 22, 2008

Related post HERE

Sunday, May 18, 2008

HMBH Exhibition Opens at Coastal Art League
















Sarah after winning a prize for her painting 'Horses'


The Art Program at HMB High has opened a diverse exciting exhibition of the work of a very talented group of artists. The exhibition is at a local space, The Coastal Arts League Gallery and Museum on Main Street. (Behind The Zaballa House)

Sculpture, painting, drawing, photography, bookmaking multimedia and digital media were all on display. Interestingly, Kings Mountain Elementary School roots were represented far out of proportion to their numbers at HMBH. Ezra Arenson, Robert Lowman, Kristen Ivazes, Chrissy Kemling and Sarah all had multiple works chosen for the show. The creative spirit of the mountain shows through!

Chrissy won Best of Show for an amazing mask, Sarah won 1st place in the painting category and all the work was of a prize winning quality . Photos of the opening HERE

Posted by Picasa

Take It In


Take it in
Take it on in
Now is the time that will not come again.
Take it in
Take it on in
This is the day and its here for the living.
--- The Waifs

Friday, May 16, 2008

HMB Surf Club Season Finale











The Crew!


What a team. Spirit, heart, hard work and more fun than should be allowed added up to a phenomenal first year. View an Album of the team's May 11 contest with Harbor High as well as pictures from other club events.

Half Moon Bay fell to Harbor High School 54 to 71 in their last meet of the season. It was still a very successful contest with more kids advancing to the semifinals and finals than any other contest. Despite the small waves, we all had a great time!

Don’t forget the end of season party at Marty’s Saturday night starting at 5:30 PM!

May 11 Contest Results.

Team vs. Team
Half Moon Bay 54 points
Harbor 71 Points.

Boys Short Board Quarter Finals
Michael – 2nd Place
Bryce – 3rd place

Boys Short Board Semi Finals #1
Bryce 4th place

Boys Short Board Semi Finals #2
Michael – 4th place

Boys Long Board Semi Finals
Michael – 3rd Place

Boys Long Board Finals
Michael – 6th place

Girls Short Board Semi Finals
Sam – 2nd Place

Girls Short Board Finals
Sam 4th Place

Girls Long Semi Finals
Rachel 2nd Place
Sam 3rd Place

Girls Long Board Finals
Rachel 3rd Place
Sam 5th Place

Coed Body Board
Rachel 5th place.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
--MARTY

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

This Is Really Pretty Cool!


This one caught my eye. An animation artist who uses buildings as his surface! This project is called MUTO. The combination of wall art, time lapse photography and movement through the landscape creates the feeling that his visions are actually crawling up and down the buildings and exist in the three dimensional space of a city. An unusual effect you might enjoy. Blu is an interesting Italian street artist with a number of projects and sketch books that you can view on his site HERE. Read a blog article on monumental street art (including Blu) at the Tate HERE.
Is it garbage? Art? Just fun? All three?

Monday, May 12, 2008

In The Canal Zone














Last night I had a birthday call from Papa Jim, around midnight Eastern time. He had just completed a challenging passage in his voyage helping Uncle Bob to complete the sale of his yacht. Bob had already sailed upper lake Michigan from Charlevoix, through the Straits of Mackinac down Lake Huron, and along the St. Clair River to meet Papa Jim in Detroit at the West end the Lake Erie. Papa Jim came aboard to assist with the Lake Erie/ Lake Ontario leg of the trip. When he called, they had just found a berth for Bob's boat and were cooking dinner after a 12 hour plus passage through the Welland Canal, which bypasses Niagara Falls to connect Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The canal is a key portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway. They had been prepared to launch into the canal by 8:30 AM, but didn't get the a 'go' from the Canal Authority until about noon to begin navigating the series of 8 locks for the 327 foot drop between the lakes.

It took this intrepid crew of two old salts almost twelve hours of exacting maneuvering and fending off in tight places over a passage of almost 30 miles. What a long day it must have been! Supposedly the work requires a crew of three, but this crack team of two sailors managed with style, occasionally relying on the kind offices of nearby boats to lend a hand when needed. Papa Jim said everything was handled by the canal employees and assorted helpers in the most friendly fashion in the finest Canadian tradition. He sounded tired but excited by the challenges of the day and his male bonding 'aquacentric' time with Bob. They are planning a day of R&R at Niagara on the Lake before proceeding on to Rochester where Papa Jim will depart and Bob will be accompanied by the new owner for the remainder of the voyage

We hope for a more detailed account of the voyage by Papa Jim soon!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Whitewater in the Desert!










A few more photos HERE


A Report from the family vacation front by Sarah J.---


"First time rafters, David, John and Thomas enjoyed riding the Blue Whale through the Class II rapids of the freezing Colorado. Our guide made sure that everyone was hit by a big wave. I was left wondering why I didn't pursue a career as a raft guide --- hee ha! My only disappointment was that I lost a bet with David that we would hear the "gnarly" before the day was over. What's happened to the lingo, dude???

The Red Rocks were amazing. The desert was a green as it gets, with lots of wildflowers. The kids loved the crust fungus, lizards, snake, birds and all the animal tracks. What a great place for a wedding. There was even a circle around the sun during the ceremony."
________
Wow pretty cool - I know I'm jealous...

Monday, May 5, 2008

HMB Surf Club Luau







More Luau Pictures HERE

Last Saturday night was the occasion of an amazing event in Half Moon Bay. One year ago a Surf Club for Half Moon Bay High School was only an idea. A year later 200 supporters paid 50 each to attend a fundraiser/celebration luau with the team at the end of an amazing 1st year. The kids entered the league like a tsunami, winning 3 of their first 4 meets. Currently in 2nd place, they are meeting the 1st place team, Harbor High in Santa Cruz, on Sunday. When they knock off Harbor (at Harbor's home break 'The Hook' in S.C. ) they will have dominated the league in their very first year. What is especially cool is the spirit of the team and how hard the kids worked to succeed in the league and to make the fundraiser a success.

(Pictures from an early season Surf Club meet HERE )

After Marty and Doug Acton introduced the team, Jeff Clark took the stage to let everyone know how charged up he was to (at last) have his home town high school embrace the sport that he has helped make famous. Putting his money where is mouth is, Jeff contributed a beautiful Clark Boards original long board to crown the raffle excitement.

The real unsung heroes of the evening were Tracy Halbersleben who shouldered lead organizational responsibility as well as stalwarts Paula Bell and Betsy del Fierro. Hats off to these and all the volunteers for their tremendous effort that resulted in such a delightful and successful evening. The room was beautiful and the Hawaiian feast was delicious with some of HMB's finest eateries providing everything from sushi to poi and a whole slow roasted pig . Without doubt a tradition has been born!

After everyone was sated, 'Blame It On The Dog' revved up some tasty surf sounds, and the hula hoops came out. Great party, Marty!