Thanksgiving 2008

Sunset in Pismo Beach

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Cal vs. USC

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Ventura Kite surfing

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A Quick Sail Before College....

Pacific Cup '08 - Coverage of Morpheus Delivery from Hawaii

As most of you know, while onboard Morpheus I can only send text based updates to the blog. Normally, I'd get home after a trip and update most of the blog postings from that trip with photo's, video, etc.

Well, this time I managed to convince Mike Wallach that we should compete to see who can update his blog with the most interesting "multi media" content. This was sort of a head fake that Mike played right into.

You see, I knew Mike would do a fantastic job on his blog.

So, now all I need to do is give you the link to his entries and I've saved myself all kinds of work!!

For details on our trip home go to ....http://eatarf242.blogspot.com/search/label/Morpheus

Enjoy!!

Pacific Cup '08 - Video Summary

Pacific Cup '08 - We made it!

Pacific Cup '08 - Cocktail Hour as we pass the Farallon's

06:30pm
Still a bit foggy, but a nice view of the Farallons. Always interesting, especially for those that have not been here before.
25 miles to go.
- JDG
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Pacific Cup '08 - 4pm Update

45 Miles to go
Boatspeed = 8 knots
You do the math....
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Pacific Cup '08 - A Bridge too Far???

1100
80 miles from GGB
Deja Vu. I think I may have used that title before???
Anyway...good morning from Morpheus. Hopefully, the last good morning of this trip.
Over the past three days, I have held out hope of a mid afternoon arrival under the Golden Gate. That would be followed by a quick right hand turn into the StFYC where we could adjourn to the Grill Room for many arrival cocktails with friends and family and perhaps a short trip into the Marina District for dinner at one of my favorite local Italian restaurants.
Nice plan.
The only problem is that last night the wind shut off. Not like in the high where it shut off and left us with 5-6 knots. No this time we are talking less than 2.5 knots of wind. Plenty of hazy fog, and water like a mirror. The engine has been on, but our speed is not what we'd hoped for and now unfortunately we are looking at (what is becoming typical) an arrival time close to 11pm or more likely midnight.
So, have a drink for us this afternoon, and we'll see how things develop. Forecasts do not include any winds that will change things for us.
Patrick - You may need to find some pizza and beer for us. I'm sure you can figure out how....
- JDG

PS. Mike says he spotted a 2ft long shark a while ago, and we just saw an otter more than 80 miles from shore?
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Pacific Cup '08 - Cocktail Hour...

On a delivery, you always need something each day to look forward to. Each day, the good crew of Morpheus has had that thing that holds us through the day, that inspires us to continue to slog through the ocean, to keep our eyes open for ships, nets in the water, and floating glass balls. That thing is... COCKTAIL HOUR!!!!!!!

Each day about 5:00, Deb starts her chant, "Jim, is it cocktail Hour? Jim is it cocktail hour? Jim, is it cocktail hour?" We wake Scott up, purely for the social aspect of cocktail hour since he doesn't drink, and we retire to various locations (How many locations are there on a 50 foot boat?) on the deck for an hour of totally random and spontaneous conversation... Today, it was mostly Star Trek and spin offs, specifically about the various female characters on the shows, and their (lack of) costumes. Oh, and of course, fish. We always talk about fish, fishing, lures, lack of heavy fishing line, hooking vrs catching, how close to the boat you need to get a fish before it constitutes a catch... OMG! In the high's where we are motoring and no bow waves, we usually have cocktail hour on the foredeck, so we can watch for nets and garbage that we need to avoid. When the weather is worse, we all crowd under the dodger. Not that it offers any protection, since Scott got a wave right down the neck, and Deb got a lap full of a really cold wave, right after taking a shower and getting into her last pair of clean, really nice warm fuzzy sweats. *&YUYH&* But I digress...
Since Morpheus has historically been a dry boat on passages, cocktail hour caught the provisioning officer off guard. But, we did scrounge enough beer so that we could each have one Coors Light each day for most of the passage. Mike and Deb relished these beers, savoring the delicious "hiss" upon opening their daily beer. But the beer ran out. Horror. But, the provisioning officer came up with the goods and broke out the left over hard stuff from Hawaii. Since mixers were scarce, we had to improvise and come up with our own boat drinks. Jim's clever way of making ice in a zip lock was critical to the success of the boat drink experiment. Mike's "Morpheus Martini" of gin and Ginger Root was pretty much a flop, especially compared to the Rum and Pepsi Jim and Deb were enjoying. Rum, Pepsi and all sodas being gone today, Deb came up with "Pink Vodkas"! Vodka, ice and pink lemonade! Actually, very good. Since we are now out of Vodka, tomorrow we will try "Pink Gins"
Spirits are good upon the good ship Morpheus. See you all late Sunday!
Deb
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Pacific Cup '08 - How to cross an ocean on Morpheus

As this trip winds down, I will try to provide a summary of what the standard daily routine looks like onboard.
This may seem overly simplistic, however, please understand that we have spent considerable time discussing this and we believe it to be an accurate representation.
Here we go....
1) Standard Routine
- Sleep
- Stand your watch
- Eat
- Read
2) Repeat step 1 three times
3) Throw a fishing lure overboard with a disgusted look
4) Cocktail Hour - discuss some random topic in excruciating detail
5) Repeat all above until you arrive at your destination
- JG
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Pacific Cup '08 - Happy Birthday Christopher!!

8/16/08
Sunrise
Winds dropping, seas becoming more normal, still plenty of "mini-squalls" crossing our path. Interesting.

Happy Birthday Chris! 20 years old, wow!! Your Mother and I are sorry that we didn't make it home in time to celebrate with you. More than that, we are sorry that you couldn't join us for this trip. Hopefully, things will all work out better the next time around??
Hope you have a great day. We are pretty sure you'll manage just fine!!
See you tomorrow??
- Mom & Dad
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Pacific Cup '08 - - Miscellany

MW - Fishing and Gaming Correspondent - Morpheus Bureau - About 380 miles west of San Francisco


As pointed out in prior post,s there has been little happening on board Morpheus the last few days. Consequently we have had no time to blog about what we have not been doing. I will attempt to remedy that oversight with this post.



FISHING

No fish. Hooked something big and heavy at dusk a couple days ago on the light line. Never saw it. It went deep. After playing it about 15 minutes we got it close to the surface, it swam under Morpheus dragged the line across the rudder and broke it. Another lost lure.

We had three lines in the water yesterday, one today. Nada. Nada. But on a positive note, we have lost no additional lures.



GAMING

Thursday I won the Morpheus Liars Dice Tournament. It was not close. I never lose at that game.

Wednesday we established a pool for arrival under the gate. Entries:

Scott 1:00 PM Sunday
Jim 3:00 PM Sunday
Deb 5:00 PM Sunday
Mike 7:00 PM Sunday

Closest time wins. Loser buys the first round on land. Winner picks the drink. All four passengers must still be on board as we cross under the gate for results to be certified official.


OTHER
As cocktail hour convened today, Debby - fresh from the shower - claimed the only guaranteed dry spot directly under the dodger - She explained she was wearing her last clean dry clothes. Being gentlemen, the rest of the Morpheus crew, of course, acquiesced.

Do I even have to say what happened? Freak wave smacked the dodger at an odd angle, sending a river of water surging under the dodger and along the sliding door guide, pouring a bucket of water directly into Debby's lap.

The Morpheus is not a happy boat right now.

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Pacific Cup '08 - Not such a great day

Grey Sky
Windy aprox 20 knots
Confused Seas, swells from a variety of directions
Some onboard not feeling so good
Rain
Squalls
Uncomfortable, but safe and sound!!
Tomorrow better.
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Pacific Cup '08 - Reporting from Morpheus 081308

Just wanted to report nothing happened today. A B S O L U T E L Y nothing.
Scott
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Pacific Cup '08 - Drug Transfer at Sea - A done deal

Like clockwork (an hour later than predicted) Morpheus and Recidivist sighted each other traveling in opposite directions 972 miles from San Francisco.

Recidivist tacked and took up a course towards San Francisco. Morpheus fell in behind and slightly to leeward. Seas were moderate and the wind was blowing 15 knots. Pretty perfect conditions for getting the required med's transferred between boats.
It was easy. As we pulled along side the tossed over a throw rope (those things really work!). At the end of the rope was a dry bag attached to a second rope that Recidivist controlled. Scott and Mike stuffed the drugs in the bag (well Scott did, Mike was busy taking pictures), and once closed the bag was pulled back across to Recidivist. That's it. Easy as could be and we were off again!!


Hope they work!

Nice day out here. Another one. Easy downwind VMG sailing under main and jib. Home sometime late next weekend.
-Jim
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Pacific Cup '08 - Fish Story - Lessons #9 and #10

MW - Fishing Correspondent - Morpheus Bureau - Somewhere in the Pacific High
During the 2003 Tahiti to Hawaii crossing, Christopher, Patrick and I spent many hours in the cockpit under the stars discussing modern physics, particularly relativity, quantum mechanics, and the theory of parallel universes. No - really - we actually did. Sitting in a small boat between the deep blue sea below and the limitless stars above, it just seemed like the thing to do at the time. In particular I am reflecting on the discussions we had about the theories positing the existence of infinite parallel universes - many only slightly different from each other - existing only a short dimensional shift from each other. For example, in one universe you catch a fish, in the universe next door you don't - otherwise they are the same.
Somewhere in a nearby universe, there is a photograph taken on Sunday afternoon, with Jim and I standing on the stern of the Morpheus, each holding a four foot dorado/mahi-mahi that we just landed within 20 minutes of each other, one on the hand line, one on the reel. I believe that some terrible mistake has been made, and I am supposed to be living in that universe. But I don't live there, instead I am here in this universe with you, where that photo does not exist. This is what happened in this universe:
Jim called out "Look at that fish jump!" I looked in the direction of his outstretched hand and saw a big dorado crash back to the surface. Then behind it - another - and another - and another. "It's a school!" I said. The dorado/mahi-mahi is a beautiful fish. long. lean, metallic gold green, almost like the paint job on a two tone California hot rod. It was a spectacular sight as they leapt through the calm water, sparkling in the intense mid-day sun.
"I think they are heading for our lures." Jim said. They were. We were motoring through the Pacific high. As usual we had two lines in the water, a hand line with the cedar plug, and the reel with the underweight replacement line trailing a ridiculous rube-goldberg abomination I had fashioned out of pieces from the tackle box that morning. The school was moving in the opposite direction as Morpheus, quartering in toward our wake.
"Look." I said "That one is heading for your lure." Snap. He was on the hand line. I grabbed the line while Jim slowed the engine and put on gloves. I handed the line to Jim. The call of "Fish on!" brought Scott from below and Deb with my camera. It was a big fish. Four feet long. Well, to be precise, I'd put it closer to 3 ft. 11 inches.
Jim slowly and methodically brought the fish closer to the boat. I stationed my self on the swimmers platform in the stern of the boat to gaff or net the fish. Unfortunately, there is neither gaff nor net on board Morpheus. I was not sure exactly what I was going to do. I know what I should do - grab the fish under the gills. But Jim had the gloves and there were flashing teeth and a big hook, and I was not sure what I was going to do.
It is important to note at this point an obvious fact - the fisherman handling the line loses control of the fish once someone else nets or gaffs or grabs the fish or the line. Back to our story in progress.
The fish was at the boat. I grabbed a stanchion with my left hand to anchor myself to the boat, reached down with my right hand, grabbed the leader in front of the fish and heaved the gold green brute out of the water. Every bit of 3 feet 11 inches. He was over the transom now, but still flopping on the hook under my straining arm. I could not grab him with my other had without releasing my hold on the boat. What to do? I tried to lift him higher and throw him over the lifeline onto the Morpheus deck. He flopped, lost the hook, bounced off the transom, and was gone.
There was a long uncomfortable silence while we all looked at each other. I'd rather not describe the look that Jim was giving me. But before anything could be said, the drag on the reel started screaming. We had another fish on the line. I could not get out from under that gaze fast enough and scrambled behind the brass reel in the holder on the port side. Conscious of the light test line spooling out of the reel, I babied the drag, tightening ever so slowly - the fish jumped. Another dorado. Another four footer. Well, to be precise, I'd put it closer to 4 ft. 1 inch.
Long story short...er.. Long story not so long... I fought the fish for about 20 minutes, treating the line like a thread. The fish jumped at least six times bringing it in. Finally it rolled on its side and I could draw it slowly up on the stern. It was every bit of 4 ft. 1 in. Jim was already on the step in the transom wearing the gloves. Somewhere behind me I vaguely heard a small voice saying "Hey guys - I know how to do this. I snag fish in the delta all the time." I think it was Scott. Must have been. But I was focused on Jim. "Jim, the only way to bring it on board is grab it under the gills."
Jim said "I can get the wire leader."
I said "Jim, the only way to bring it on board is grab it under the gills."
Jim grabbed the leader and pulled the head of the fish over the transom. Then his hand slipped up the leader to the line. The fish flopped. The line broke. The fish was gone.
I dunno.
Both fish were caught. Both fish were brought on the boat. Both fish were "released" depending on how one interprets the "state of mind" of the fishermen and gaffers. Regardless of psychological interpretation, it was one of the most extraordinary fishing experience of my life.
Deb made a very nice Hamburger Helper plate for dinner.
RULE # 9
If your name is Jim and you have a fish on the line, have Scott and not Mike bring it on board.
RULE #10
If your name is Mike and you have a fish on the line, have Scott and not Jim bring it on board.
This is still not a bad universe to be in, but they were eating better on the Morpheus in that neighboring universe.
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Pacific Cup '08 - Happy Birthday Mom!!

Have a great day! Sorry to be away...
-Jim
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