One morning in July 2006 (after the Pacific Cup race to Hawaii), Debbie, Chris, Pat and I left the island of Kauai onboard Morpheus bound for San Francisco 2,000 nautical miles away.
Later that day, just before Sunset, we ran smack into a whale that must have been sleeping near the surface. We were lucky, there was no damage (to the boat) and we didn't stick around long to figure out just how hurt and angry that whale was.
Two evenings later, we found ourselves surrounded by an amazing number of Pilot Whales. Honestly, the pod that we sailed through had to have had at least 100 whales in it. They seemed to find us very interesting and we were all afraid that perhaps they had come to even the score!!
Check out this video, it's amazing!!
Morpheus was designed by Carl Schumacher, built by Davie Norris Boatbuilders in New Zealand and launched in 2002. She spent her first 18 months cruising the South Pacific before reaching her home port of San Francisco. Since that time, Morpheus has been raced and cruised extensively. This blog will document her ongoing adventures.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Into the lair of the Sun Devil
Jim:
So I'm watching the game and thinking that the Cal 1st Team will be needing a beer by the end of the second quarter. But no. ASU just tied Cal 14-14.
Stuart Jones
Tel: 415-290-6448
E-mail: stuart.e.jones@live.com
> Subject: Into the lair of the Sun Devil
> To: SRischman@Ropers.com; dq1978@att.com; stuart.e.jones@live.com; jgregory123.morpheus@blogger.com
> From: jim@jdgregory.com
> Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:24:11 +0000
>
> We needed a beer...
> Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Windows 7: It helps you do more. Explore Windows 7.
So I'm watching the game and thinking that the Cal 1st Team will be needing a beer by the end of the second quarter. But no. ASU just tied Cal 14-14.
Stuart Jones
Tel: 415-290-6448
E-mail: stuart.e.jones@live.com
> Subject: Into the lair of the Sun Devil
> To: SRischman@Ropers.com; dq1978@att.com; stuart.e.jones@live.com; jgregory123.morpheus@blogger.com
> From: jim@jdgregory.com
> Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:24:11 +0000
>
> We needed a beer...
> Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Windows 7: It helps you do more. Explore Windows 7.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Another windy day
Winds forecasted to moderate.
Having fun, and learning spanish!!
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Friday, September 18, 2009
Good Morning - Day 3
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Thursday, September 17, 2009
Race 4
30 degree shift to the right on first leg and we were hard left.
StFYC on the other hand was hard right. Nice going boys! Victory #1!!!
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Pretty good day so far
StFYC just got a 2nd. They look much happier now!!
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Day 2
Forecast for today is 15 to 20 and cold. Looks like a long day to make up for yesterday. Expecting four races.
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Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Siesta vs. PIMS party throw by the British
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No Mas!!
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Race #1
Good race for us. Great start, good speed, wind at 20 or so. The left paid, and we ended top half which is far better than yesterday!!
Two boats lost jib halyards, one boat lost its outhaul. Lots struggled with the conditions.
The committee has decided to move us inside the harbor for more racing. Still pretty windy in here.
More later...
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Racing starts today
I am sailing with the spanish team.
Watch the NYYC website if interested, I think they have real time graphics showing the racing!
We may not be in the front...
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Tuesday, September 15, 2009
A MAGNIFICENT SHOW ABOUT TO BEGIN
Newport, R.I., USA (Sept. 15, 2009) - Seemingly overnight, the New York Yacht
Club Harbour Court facility has transformed into an international village
teeming with hundreds of people, including sailors from 14 nations who have
arrived to compete in the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.
Newport, R.I., USA (Sept. 15, 2009) - Seemingly overnight, the New York Yacht
Club Harbour Court facility has transformed into an international village
teeming with hundreds of people, including sailors from 14 nations who have
arrived to compete in the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.
"It's obvious that a lot of work has gone into this," said Craig Healy, a Soling
world champion who will skipper the St. Francis Yacht Club's team. "It's very
well organized." With a Wednesday (Sept. 16) through Saturday (Sept. 19) racing
schedule, most of the 19 teams - all of which represent yacht clubs and have
adhered to strict guidelines for crew composition -- checked in this past
weekend, attended a Swan 42 Performance Symposium, and began practicing on
Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound on the course once used for America's
Cup races when the New York Yacht Club last hosted that contest here in 1983.
By Monday, a 7900 sq. ft. tent and another at least half its size had been
erected on the lower half of the yacht club's sprawling lawn, famous for its
gloriously steep sweep down to the Newport harbor front. In the smaller of the
tents, where post-racing hospitality had already started, sponsor Sperry
Top-Sider, known for inventing the world's first boat shoe, was busy outfitting
every sailor with a new pair of its "Ventus" model shoes and happily servicing a
steady stream of visitors who were checking out the merchandise at Sperry's
"Beach Cottage."
"Every rig has been tuned exactly the same," said Paul Zabetakis, president of
the Swan 42 class and chair of the impressive Technical Committee that has been
formed to oversee every aspect of boat detail, "and with the sails absolutely
matched, these boats will be more level than they ever have been since the
fleet's formation." Event Chair John Mendez added that the sailors also have
access to PredictWind, which enables every sailor to have equal wind and marine
forecast information. "I don't know how much more equal we can get," said
Mendez.
Since the NYYC owns the suits of sails and plans to use them again in two years
for the second running of this event, it took the liberty of emblazing them with
the event's logo and clear identification of each team so spectators can root
for their favorite entries. And spectators don't even have to be in Newport to
follow the action. At 11 a.m. on each racing day, they can log on to Kattack for
"Live Race Tracking" (http://tinyurl.com/oyue8a), which according to Kattack
representative Mark Fortin is not only entertainment for those who can't be on
the race course watching but also a performance report for the sailors, who will
be able to view the day's happenings on a big screen under the hospitality tent.
- Nightly reports, blogs, daily video and results will be available at:
http://www.nyyc.org/eventnews
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Sunday, September 13, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
History of Morpheus' Travels
During our cruise and occasionally on long distance races, we have sent in position and weather reports to an offshore tracking service --- http://www.pangolin.co.nz/yotreps/index.php
This service shares the weather info we submit with offshore weather forecasters allowing them to compare their forecast data with near real time data that they would have no way of collecting otherwise. Occasionally, when we download a weather fax we can see our report reflected on the weather map.
The service also shares position info with Search and Rescue services in the event that they are trying to locate you.
And, I've just found that it keeps a historical database of positions that can be displayed on google earth charts!!
Now, I wish I used the service more often!!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Another race week in the books!!!
The boats were that close!!
Classic photo on last night, mudslides calling!!
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So..yesterdays race
Humm....well it started in 4 to 5 knots of wind and we had an awful start. Stalled the boat to hold a lane to weather then changed our mind and tried to drive thru to leeward of two boats and were left sitting under two boats with no speed at the gun.
No surprise we rounded the top mark last and enjoyed plenty of clear air on the next leg. We gained plenty, rounded ahead of one boat and then went back upwind. Played the left (towards the island) for pressure and better current and passed two or three more.
On the final leg we played the right downwind (towards the island) and perhaps we did not have as much current but as we came into the line we enjoyed a ten degree shift in our direction and some good pressure. Passed another group and celebrated our seventh!!!
Some better wind forecast for today, let's hope for two good races and a jump up the standings....
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Thursday, June 25, 2009
Ballards - Thursday Night & Not a Customer in Sight??
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Island Tour - Paynes Dock
Chris is out fishing with skipper now, and they will be picking Deb up later to watch the racing (if there is any)
BTW - I hope its the economy, but this place feels very very empty this year. Champlins for example has empty spots at the dock. I feer that there may be something else at work here. So many boats are mass produced one designs that we see everywhere we sail. The boat show aspect is almost totally lacking, and that makes the event seem less special than it has in the past. I suspect that STC needs to come up with some new ideas in order to make this a "must do" event for some of the custom boat programs.
More later from the boat!
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009
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