burns, the marks left behind

the sea

2011-01-01T23:46:00.000-08:00

quote from Cup Of Gold - J.Stienbeck

a sailor attempting to describe the call of the sea to his mom...

"But don’t you see that I must go, for it seems that I am cut in half and only

one part of me here. The other piece is over the sea, calling and calling me to

come and be whole."

35mm Pentax photos and somet thoughts from Steinbeck

2010-08-23T01:17:00.000-07:00

"'It has always seemed strange to me, said Doc, 'the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding, and feeling are concomitants of of future in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitness, meaness, egotism, and self-interest are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second.'" pg143 Cannery Row

Sheila in the Shipyard

2010-08-22T01:34:00.000-07:00

This are pictures from the ship I am working. We are in Jurong Shipyard in Singapore. She was built in 1980 in Japan, as a 30 year old ship, she needs a lot of work.

Boat project through and through

2010-08-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

There is nothing,
absolutely nothing,
half so much worth doing
as simply messing around in boats.
-Kenneth Graham-

Cambodia

2010-01-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

Singapore, Indonesia, Papua and Bali

2010-01-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

Some photos from China and Hong Kong

2010-01-20T12:52:00.000-08:00

Around the world part 2

2010-01-13T16:42:00.000-08:00

Around the world video compilation from the trip

2010-01-13T16:15:00.000-08:00

Going traveling

2009-08-20T00:21:00.000-07:00

I am going on a bit of trip with a good friend, we are headed to asia and europe for a few months, be back home for Christmas. To follow our journey look at http://tothefarside.blogspot.com/

To the SF sea buoy

2009-03-22T21:45:00.001-07:00

This last Saturday I met up with my school mates in the parking lot in front of the academy. It was early, early enough that the sun had not even begun to light the eastern sky. As we staggered to the grumbling vehicles we mumbled 'goodmorning, howa doing, uhhgg,....' The drive over was a mix of short sentences, and long glazed over looks, as the sun rose the sky became a portrait of clouds and color. Whites, greys, yellows, smears, dashes, flashes, the clouds absorbed the sunlight and changed to suit. Each moment the sky changed and the sun rose higher. Upon arriving in the boatyard/marina, we stumbled out of the vehicles dragging backpacks stuffed with waterproof gear, sunscreen, and various other piecies of equipment. Walking down the dock to the boat was a noisy procedure, the alumiom ramp, clanking, and thudding under our sneaker clad feet. Planks squeaky and twisting gave slightly upon our footfalls. There she stood, all 48ft of her, the schools donated OneDesign 48. A beautiful sight, her mast stabbing into the cloud flecked sky. Riplets of harbor water flashed up against her sides, standing still she looks like she is going 20 knots.
As we stowed our gear, and prep her for the days sail our minds began to wake up, eyes grew sharper as hands found purpose and procedure. Our speech sped up and full conversations began to take place. Lines found their place in blocks, hands found their jobs, feet felt the motion of the boat as the harbor set her too and frow. Soon the rumblings and grumblings of the desiel felt their way through our feet. Dock lines slipped from cleats, fenders found themselves stowed in the lockers. She slid through the water, encouraged to greater speeds by the flicking and twisting of the folding prop. Soon fleeces, and jackets were the only suitable attire as a stiff chillled breeze felt its way through our skin and into our bones. Groups formed in chatting circles on the afterdeck behind the helm, and up on the bow. Waves split assunder by the knife edge of the bow. Others blewn into spray becamse water droplets sliding down the hull. Outside the harbor several old bulkers where shouldering their way into the channel. Guided by chugging tugs these behomths lumbered past us, making wakes that spread out from their sterns to toss our boat around like a cork. On the bay we found our way to the racing grounds, we noted the wind direction and theorized about when it would shift, or if it would blow out and leave us with limp sails and poor speed. Soon the bay was filled with boats, tacking to and frow, across the broad waters the sounds of winches grinding in sheets, sails luffing, and voices shouting directions. We slid our way through the fleet, finding paths through the maze of boats. Boats of all sizes and colors and shapes. Some with red hulls and grey sails, some flying kites of red and blue. Others heeled hard over on a close halled tack, their crews leaning out over the lifelines, hiking to build speed.
The race began and we came through the wind to a close hauled starboard tack. We flew our way to the middle of the shipping channel, as we pulled ahead of the fleet our spirits lifted. Hiking out the water skipped and chopped below our feet as it skimmed by. Ahead outside the golden gate dark clouds shuttered in the horizon, rain, our fears justified.
Through the gate, the glorious iconic red gate. Swell lifted the boat, and set her back down into the trough. The seas were textured, swells large and slow. The boat held her tack well as the ocean moved us towards the sky and back down again. To the bouy we flew, our lead well opened by now, we felt the freedom of the open sea. Rain showers came and passed, a shaft of sunlight split the clouds for a time. We basked in its glow as we sat on the rail watching the deep water rush past. Speed, the sound of speed, water splased and gushed past. Occasionally a wave would overake the bow, and wash across the foredeck, shedding its foam and ending its journey. We carried on, to the sea bouy. Round the mark, eased our sheets into a broad reach, kite up, wind, gone? Where it went we didn't know, but downind suddenly felt so slow. Through the fleet we passed boats all heading for the bouy. Soon we found ourselves our of the lead, irriated with the slow patch of wind we had found. But then it came up, strong, and bitter. The rush and the sound as the sails billowed, lines loaded up. Surfing waves, the boat found its nicht between the wind and seas. Speed, we felt true speed running before the strong spring wind that came from the sea. It drove us home faster than we had dreamed. Suddenly for a moment we were on our side, pinned to the sea by our huge kite. The moment of terror, ocean hoping to get us all wet, fear, panic, we all hoped that someone new what to do. The spreaders touched the sea, we thought we were done, and then she was back on an semi even keel and we were flying again. Ah, the fear and the fun of sailing. The deep ocean has its charm even in all its passion and fury. To the finish line, second place. The sail back the marina, alongside the dock, stow the sails, stow the gear. Dream of warm food, and a comfy chair.

One Design 48

2009-03-10T22:24:00.001-07:00

shelter from the storm

2009-03-02T09:15:00.001-08:00

3 friends and I decided to take a short backpacking trip into the lost coast. We started in shelter cove and hiked up the coast to a wonderful place, full of surprises and adventure. There are a couple of good surf spots up there, to my delight on Friday the surf was wonderful and I got to paddle out to my own private surf spot. We went out and stayed in spite of the weather reports regarding a large winter storm poised to strike the coast on Saturday and Sunday. We rode out the storm Saturday night in our lean to, and Sunday we hiked out into the storm. Great fun, beautiful place, rugged coastline, campfires, animals, stars, waves, wind, water, and friends.

Skaggs Island

2009-02-21T18:46:00.001-08:00

2009-02-21T18:37:00.001-08:00

Pictures from Fort Croncite, a surf spot just north of the Golden Gate bridge in the Marin Headlands state park. Its a great spot, but it can be very bowly and slabby. It was big on thursday and even bigger on friday. Fun waves, water up the nose.

Recent Activity

2009-02-21T17:40:00.000-08:00

I took these pictures on a short weekend surf trip up the 1 towards Fort Bragg, we stopped our travels at Point Arena. After spending the night camping for free in the campground at Gualala we headed south and surfed at this spot called Omars, shown in the pictures of the sunset and the little kids. Good trip, cold water, heavy waves.

Seaworthy

2008-06-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

So I got fed up with working on my boat for a few days, then leaving, and coming back a year later to have to work on some of the same stuff again. All the while getting no closer to launching it. So yesterday I worked on it all day and got it done enough to launch. I chucked (gently) it onto the top of my truck and toted it to port San Luis (thanks mom for the gas money). Then my dad and I picked it up and put it in the drink. Mom took pictures and offered advice. It floated, quite well. I stepped in it and felt it flex, but to my delight it held my weight, he weight of an outboard, and my dad. It it moved through the water fairly well with the little 4 horse screaming its guts out. The boat is light and tender in the water, it feels like a canoe, and I feel it would move well under oar power. Boat I will spare myself that expense for now as I will be leaving for Hawaii on monday. No name for her yet, let me know if you have any ideas for names.

Summer Cruise

2008-06-21T00:14:00.001-07:00

This is the infamous Teahupoo (broken skulls in tahitian)
we happened to be in tahiti during the window for the Billabong pro surf contest. The waves came and we got to paddle out and watch from the water. Our vantage piont wasn't good enough to get these photos, my buddy who was in a boat snatched these. This is and intense spot to surf, just to be out there was humbling.

We had several sunsets that followed the moonrise, the full moon was iridescent at night.
\

T

This is a video of a fast rescue boat ride.
we were out in the south pacific, between Tonga, and New caldedonia.

There are a couple of pictures of tahiti in here. This one with the buildings mountain, and sailboats is the quays at Papeete, Tahiti.
beautiful place.

2008-04-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

I turned to breathe the great fresh air of harbors, exulting my good luck - I pictured myself with grave face pointed seaward through the final Gate of Golden America never to return. I saw shrouds of gray sea dripping from my prow. I never dwelt on the dark farcial furious real life of this roaring working world.
Jack Kerouac
From the short story "slobs of the kitchen sink" in the book, "Lonesome Traveler"

Boat

2008-03-16T20:55:00.001-07:00

Over my short Spring Break (at the end of February) I was able to take some time and get a decent amount of work done on my little boat. I worked mostly on putting the wood trim around the gunwales (gun' ls as the are called). And on fitting out the piece for the bow sheet. Rusty as always kept me company and slept a lot.

2008-02-24T16:34:00.000-08:00

On Thursday Stephen and I Ventured to Cedar roughs to search for Pigs. Our search for pigs was fruitless but we did have a satisfactory hike. This first picture is from there.

The Rest of These Pictures are From last Weekend when stephen, collin, bruno, and i went to SLO. On Saturday Night we Stayed atop Cuesta Ridge in the National Forest, Our Lodgings Were Excellent.

Hiking Viking

2008-01-27T16:41:00.001-08:00

On a blustery Monday afternoon not to long ago, several young men set out on a bit of hike.
It was a pretty fun hike
Quickly changing clouds, a bit of rain, mud, a dead cow, and a weird tractor graveyard.
all in all a good day.

big stuff

2008-01-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

Saturday some big surf cruised through and blasted the central coast. I went south of San luis where the surf was anywere for 8 to 12 feet. As I understand it was much larger in Morrow bay, and I imagine hazards was probably big enough to tow into.

shooting at the desert

2008-01-08T19:53:00.001-08:00

Shooting at a private gun range outside LA. We destroyed a pumpkin and a few cinder blocks. Quite fun.

South

2008-01-08T19:43:00.001-08:00

the journey south to Corona, Ca
a nice fresh day, I stopped at a few spots on the way to check for surf, not much surf. But I came across this burned out area, only a few green plants dared to explore.

Boat

2007-12-03T16:37:00.000-08:00

The Boat looked like this two summers ago when I started it

Many hours of sanding, glassing, sanding, sanding, sanding, and more sanding later; I painted it with some primer, as seen here over my Thanksgiving break. I also painted it with a couple coats of top coat, which I did not photograph, but its basically white just like here.

Classic Jack Kerovac - Dharma Bums

2007-11-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

"Colleges being nothing but grooming schools for the middleclass non-identity which usually finds its perfect expression on the outskirts of the campus in rows of well-to-do houses with lawns and television sets in each living room with everybody looking at the same thing and thinking the same thing at the same time while the Japhies of the world go prowling in the wilderness to hear the voice crying in the wilderness, to find the ecstasy of the stars, to find the dark mysterious secret of the orgin of the faceless wonderless crapulous civilization. 'all these people,' said Japhy, "they all got white-tiled toilets and take big dirty craps like bears in the mountains, but its all washed away to convenient supervised sewers and nobody thinks of crap any more or realizes that their orgin is *%$@ and civet and scum of the sea. They spend all day washing their hands with creamy soaps they secretly wanta eat in the bathroom.' He had millions of ideas, he had 'em all."
Dharma Bums
By Jack Kerovac

blatherings

2007-11-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

So, I am afraid that my computer is dying again, everytime I load a new program it freaks out, oh something new, can't handle it, aaaaaah. And I was thinking about life, and stuff, and I though wow, sometimes we are like that too. New stuff, kills us, it freaks us out, we can't handle it. And so, frequently, we chicken out, fall back, fit in, or sit down. And let the very newest most exciting moments pass us by. Opportunities to pursue or expirence new things are infrequent, and their potentials for joy are unimaginible. If only we saw the potential in newness, the potential in inexpirence, we, I believe, would dive into everything new, as if we were diving into a cool mountain lake on a hot day.

blah blah blah.

2007-10-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

Our apartment for a month
The corner

Vallejo

The new house, empty, with my chair taking up the space.

Wake

2007-10-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

How long will our wake roll on,
And what end will it meet
What shore will it crash upon.
Ending with finality a great feat.

For it crosses wide oceans,
Passes through storms raging wild,
Unchanged by their raging notions,
Staying true to like a small child.

It flees from our stern to the horizon,
Passing the, setting sun, rising elsewhere.
Out of view now It roles and roles on.
Through kelp beds, like strands of hair.

Getting closer now, it seems to know
As it builds in height and power.
Frothy foam forming it does grow
Crash, splash, boom…..flow

On the sea

2007-09-25T16:51:00.001-07:00

These pictures were taken moments after each other. The second picture was a 3 second exposure, its kinda sweet becasue although it is the moon it looks like the sun

These pictures are from the suez canal. This was a mosque we passed as we were exiting the south end of the canal.

AK-47 barrel and Bayonet statued, sticking out of the sand on the eastern side. I took pictures of boths sides of the canal. The eastern side is barren desert, the western side is green and alive.

This is La maddelana, on the island of Sardinia which is part of Italy. We only anchored here for a few hours but it would have been awesome to get off and see the countryside.

These couple of pictures are from Souda Bay, Crete, we pulled up to the pier here for about 5 hours, another bummer, would have been a cool place to check out.

My Ship the Leroy Grumman

USNS Comfort a Naval hospital ship
A Russain ship that pulled into Norfolk as we were leaving, vicious looking ship.

My last Hamburger

I got really dirty one day

Rota, Spain

The Rock of Gibraltor

Summer Time

2007-09-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

Well its been awhile since I got on this web page, I even forgot my username and password. I have a lot of pictures from my activities and travels this summer, many of them I can't post because of OPSEC (operational security) but I can put a few up showing my ship, where we went and what we did. I also have some funny pictures of when Brandon, Andrew, and I went golfing, it was funny. One of these links is a video, its funny too.

These pictures are from the morning after our mondo lightening storm

Recent current and present day happenings

2007-05-10T11:49:00.000-07:00

yeah star fish, the only catch of the night, Ben caught a normal one, and i caught this weird one.
the carquinez straights at dawn

The boat basin at sunset

new shoes old shoes, 3 years of walking

Spring break in Baja California

2007-04-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

need a steering wheel?

The last day, after we surfed most of the day, and caught a bunch of surf perch

This picture captures our trip, boards, trucks, food, sleeping and look at that surf. 8 to 10 footers.

Punta cabras, strong surf

somebody had a bad day
First night, camp at punta san quetine.

Bus for sale? Make and offer, pick up only.
There were volcanoes all over the area near the surf spot volcanoes, and the rocks are all volcanic black. pretty crazy looking
Surf spot called volcanoes, if the swell gets right here, it could be epic

inland baja

on the sand

in mexico you can drive on beaches as fast as you want, no tickets, and nobody to pull you out if you get stuck

on the road

Ben Andros' grandparent's beautiful ranch/vineyard

2007-03-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

don't really have much to write...um it was fun, we relaxed and drove the sidekick jeep around, we dove deep into the pond and searched for fish, we shot little orange clay disks called clay pigeons, I can't find any similarity between those disks and the pigeons that go coo as they roost tiles of my house. we ate really good bbq (what bbq isn't good, well actually I take that back, because bbq can be bad if it is cooked over buffalo chips) we also slept in the middle of vineyard and got kinda wet during the night. the dogs were friendly. the grass is green. the people fun.

2007-02-21T16:34:00.000-08:00

Some funny pictures I came across

Sunol

2007-02-19T09:07:00.000-08:00

Grass and light

Strking down a trail,
passing through the land
minds bent to not fail.
Noting works of God's hand.

Green grass noted for color,
and just how it grows alone,
Makes me want to run and holler,
and foget the uses of my phone.

And how hamocks were strung,
lunches cooked stomachs full,
running in the field I stepped in dung.
at least our smell wasn't dull.

Have you seen the night sky?
Peppered with stars glinting.
felt the throb of sunrise in your eye?
Looking away-the glare, squinting.

We covered it all, laid our tracks,
we call it out of place, worse weeds.
As it pushes narrowly through cracks,
we rush to work, forgetting our needs.

It's not all gone, Hope still lingers there.
Seen by those of us who trust,
natures blind might, and beauty fair.
Away I will go, I must...

2007-02-14T21:06:00.000-08:00

What's my duty on this Valentines day
no girlfriend to kiss my dark tears away.
Should I send a note to a girl I know,
a desperate attempt of my love to show.

But what girl, who, why?
would she know of these tears I cry,
when i think of so many of them,
sweet and pure, and without good men,
to chase after their hearts of sugar so sweet,
and of mind so quick and neat.

Oh but how many men of like mind as I,
flirt, joke, laugh and pretend to fly,
as we wonder "does she like me"
"is her smile one of delight to see,
or is she secretly laughing at this act of me"

It's not me I want to say,
but the act must continue today.
For she thinks I am this good fellow.
But if she only knew my heart has turned to jello.
...Ahh I am but a man all drive and hope
not much of a Romeo, mostly just a dope.
I try and try to act like I am,
a strong sturdy and stout man.

But all you women should know,
that a man is much more than what is down below;
although yes we are driven by such.
We desire you to smile, laugh, and be happy, much,
but we really can't say it aloud,
see, it is because we are too proud.

But if you can look into our eyes and see,
you will note, that we would be happy,
if you would come and stand by our side
and help us along on this ride.
For its ups and downs can take a toll,
on our hearts and into our soul.

I swear now before all you who read,
that I will pursue a woman as she does need.
And I will never fail, although when I fall,
The only God above is the one I will call,
He will be by my side,
as I will be by hers on this long ride

sailboat

2007-01-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

My friends and I recently acquired a sailboat. It is a 22 foot Catalina. It Cost 100 dollars, and zero cents. We are stoked. I took a picture of a cleat.

Look closely at this picture, I know it is off center and stuff, but notice how the bow pulpit is very clear and crisp in the foreground, and everything else is out of focus. I didn't mean to do that, but it is kinda cool.
An asthetic place, lots of sounds, mumbles and groans from worn dock boards, chirps and twitters from pooping birds, grumbling motors, and distance cries from the seagulls.

Montana de Oro and other places

2007-01-20T20:41:00.000-08:00

These pipes were about a foot too small in radius to be skate-able. But it was worth a try and a picture.
Rosy red bricks from sunset on the upper residence hall

more from cuesta

2007-01-20T17:31:00.000-08:00

This picture with the tower is one of the coolest pictures I have seen for awhile, the way it is set up with the tower in the foreground and SLO in the background is really cool. Too bad I can't take credit for it, I think Andy Boutte took it.
The Panorama picture was my attempt at a stich assist photo, you take a series of pictures and then your computer stitches them together for you.
Oh... and that picture were I am clinging to that tree, did no harm to the tree, and in fact I survived too, tree topping, it should be in the olympics.

2007-01-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose
-Jim Elliot

backpacking East Cuesta ridge

2007-01-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

These are various pictures from our overnighter out in the new growth evergreen forest of east Cuesta ridge. It was a very beautiful trip. The views from the top of the ridge before you get into the tree line are absolutely amazing on a clear day. You can see the entire stretch of the pismo dunes, the pier at Port San Luis, the sand spit and Moro Bay.

I had hair.

2006-12-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

I had some hair. I decieded to cut it off. and this is my story.

Attempted bull cut, 5 minutes (it's harder too do than you think and you look like a moron if you do it yourself)

Mohawk 4 minutes...well, I tried to have a mohawk, I even thought of going to school with it still attached to my head, but I realized that a mohoawk is not exactly a miltary haircut even if it is less than four inches long.

Final product: sink full of hair, bald head, 20 minutes.
Taking pictures in a poorly lit room, into a mirror, timeless.

shooting lotsa guns

2006-11-29T22:12:00.000-08:00

On Saturday morning a group of about 20 fellas, caravaned out deep into pozo to shoot guns. This picture illustrates the emotions of men when they are expecting to do something incredibly fufilling, like shooting tons of rounds of ammo into a hillside.

shooting skeet, or clay pigeons or whatever other random objects made available that we threw into the air.

Although my school is kinda a bummer a lot of the time, the sunsets are consistently epic.

Awe

2006-11-26T21:17:00.000-08:00

Hollister Ranch just above Gaviota, private land, excellent surf, some say the best in California, and of course beautiful countryside. I was in awe of my cirmcutances when I was surfing the ranch. Great friends, fun surf, beautiful water and surrounding conditions, and all of it a gift from a creator who knows exactly what to give and take away.

Big Sur, NorCal, the surf was pounding, I thought I was in some big fella's washing machine, I guess I was.

Hume Lake is scchwweeet

2006-10-30T21:54:00.000-08:00

By scchwweeet I mean

shweet is not a color
nor a word to be mentioned
by lips or tongue
nor a particular song to be sung.

rather than all these things
a feeling of true bliss
a moment of true ness
a day whenyou must grow older
and may
if you choose
turn your eyes up
and in doing so
loose your worries
and give thanks
and your heart will leap
and you will breathe deep

On the road
colors of fall

2006-10-29T23:18:00.000-08:00

I bought this moped about at month ago and I didn't like the paint job so I tore it completly apart in my room and just last week I re-assembled it in my door room, the same place I took it apart. And suprise suprise it started right up.

San luis for a day

2006-10-29T23:02:00.000-08:00

I went home, we went for a hike, found a railroad, I threw a spike, we walked in a creek, and I am going back next week.
This of course was several weeks ago, but seeing as how my machine is back up and running again I can blog

2006-09-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

I hate my computer. This is becoming a repetive theme in my life. Perhaps I should seek counceling before I destroy it. It seems to give me the blue screen of death at least once a day.

Anywho, I haven't actually blogged for awhile, so maybe I will write a few words about my life at school.

Well I still have not found the cure, the cure for the friday night at CMA. But I am trying, I sure am.

I really enjoy navigation, that is one of my main classes this year. As well as radar. Both are very practical and interesting. It's great when you can go to school and learn about stuff that you are actually going to use day upon day in your life. Isn't that how it always should be? What about high school, oh yeah high school. What did I learn, except for that I wasn't cool. Woodshop that was the only place I actually learned about things that I could use in my life. I will get off my soap box after I say one more thing. The school system should be reformed so that it is similar to the one at my school, more hands on less classroom. This way you actually learn how to do things, instead of having someone talk to you about how you are supposed to do it for hours on end. Some instruction is of value, but in the field books and talk are left behind, and you just have to get 'er done.

2006-09-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

Last bit

2006-09-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

So this is it, finally I posted all of the pictures that document my travels this summer. The sunsets were amazing to say the least of least. Dolphins nearly everyday it seemed. They followed us and jumped and swam, and glorfied God in their own beautiful way. If I could be an animal I would certainly be a dolphin. They get to swim around and jump and be stoked for their whole life. Wow! The foggy pictures are from the few days we spent circling Catalina. That island is huge, it would be a real joy to explore, but we will save that for another day. For now it's back to school and beans, beats and little bit of greyish gruel.

Costa Rica Surf trip

2006-09-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

So we went on a little adventure to the surf spot Pevones in Costa Rica. It is said to be one of the longest breaking lefts in the world. But when we were there it was less than perfect, but still very fun surf. The view from in the water was remarkable. You see this little kid working the chain falls, he was tough. Look at his muscles, the sad part is that he will probably being doing this the rest of his life. That makes me see how ungrateful I am for the envirement I was born into.

Costa Rica

2006-09-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

This is Golfito, Costa Rica, it is a small port, mostly only one ship docks on the pier there, and it isn't pictured here. They sometimes get cruise ships. It is a very small town, only one main street. Me and a new friend of mine, went for a hike to some waterfalls (cascadas) and it was pooring rain and thunder was booming. It was so amazying, and awe inspiring. Cool place..

Cocos Island

2006-09-13T20:27:00.001-07:00

Cocos Island was my favorite stop because it was so serene and untouched. Pure jungle, mist, drops of water, bird calls, and green greener than the all greens. I felt bad taking pictures in the jungle, because it was so full of life, and without humanities interruptions. I hiked straight up a ridge on the beach side of the island, it was a hands and knees hike for awhile, then the slope leveled out and I began to see the undisturbed beauty around me. I reached the top of the ridge and dropped down into the valley, and all noises from the ship and humanity dissappeared into the drip drip of the leaves, and call of the birds. I saw some wild boar and that made me pretty nervous, so I bailed out and went back down. But I want to go back to that place of peace, and expirence unblemished nature again.

These birds flew around my head the entire time I was hiking, making weird bird calls. It was kinda eery.

This picture is at the top of the ridge looking across the island from the direction I came, It was a lot farther than I thought. Shortly after this I saw some boar.

Chilean Graffiti

2006-09-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

All these pictures are of stenciled graffiti that I saw in numerous places on the buildings in Chile. A lot of handwritten graffiti said stuff about education and other things that needed to be reformed. What it said I don't know because I don't speak spanish well, but it said stuff. The most interesting one is the one with the girl reading the book, and written in front of her head is a LOCE, part of the word is the handle of a pistol, and a bullet has gone through her head, now I don't understand it, but it is curious graffiti. It makes me wonder what loce means.

One Chilean street

2006-09-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I walked for hours throughout town, looking searching, for what I don't know. But I found peace and quite in some of the back streets. And a small town atmosphere, the silence, or mere mumble of the back streets in Valpariso was very comforting to me. I found one street in particular which I picked to walk. And I walked up this street for about an hour. It was very steep in parts, which you can see in the pictures, so steep the sidewalk is stairs. The picture of the door is probably one of my favorite pictures from the trip, this door has so much charcter. I have a whole bunch of door pictures but I don't want to blog them.

This is as far as I got, I turned around at this fork and went back down.

Chile

2006-09-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

Upon our arrival in Chile I saw a sunrise that blew my mind. Down there the Andes mountians are so tall that as the sun rose it generated a shadow in the sky of one of the taller peaks. It was like a dark cone in the sky which by the way was sorounded by a so much color and light, I cannot fit it into simple words. The first picture was before the sun came up I put my camera away so it would not get broken during linehandling as we layed up alongside the pier. But I watched the full sunrise, and I realized how few I have seen all the way through, I have seen the sun come up, and see it rise in the sky, and I have seen the light growing in the deep east as the sun starts to climb. But very few times have I been able to see it all the way from the pale beggining to... well... to where it continues it's journey through the sky.
The port city we went to was one of much hussel and bustle, but there were quieter parts, and older parts, which is what interested me and my camera. Unfourtunately there was no surf to catch here, but I had fun walking around and exploring a place like none I had ever been to before. The people in Chile are very european and there was a lot of emo kids too. I was darker than a lot of the natives which tells you something about the climate down there. It was actually very similar to San Luis.

mas Peru

2006-09-11T22:51:00.000-07:00

This is the peruvian maritime academy's band. They played for at least an hour upon our arrival and departure. And they gave us and incredible reception at their academy. It was amazing to see the cultural differences between us and them.

We went to these catcombs underneath the yellow colored cathedral. This well was not supposed to be photographed but I snagged a picture anyways. it is 30m deep and half of it is filled with bones.

Peru

2006-09-08T19:37:00.000-07:00

Peru is a different sort of country, the people are extremely kind and genial, but not all of them, there are terroists and of course petty theives. But theives aside, the archecture is remarkable, the woodworking is tip top quality, and the mosaics are like all mosaics amazing. I got many pictures of cathedrals in and out. Some places in lima, peru remind me of tiuana mexico, and some places seem to come straight from Spain. The plazas, statues, and streets are straight up old, and you can feel it.
I didn't do much in Peru other than walk around and take pictures, and that was cool, but I wish I could have gotten out of the city.
The port itself is very busy and not very modern, so I got many pictures of ships and such nautical things.

The mighty sea

2006-09-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

The sea is a marvelous place, but at the same time it is terrible and full of empty rage. Storms and squalls are raised up out of nothing. I saw more lightning in one week out at sea coming north from chile, than i had seen in my entire life. And that was only one week. The beauty and clarity of the stars is unsurpassable. Sunsets and sunrise blend together with the day in their own splendor of light. And on an occasional day the sea and the sky become one great depth of blue light.

Departure and Mexico

2006-09-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

The first few pictures were all taken upon our departure from San Fransico bay. The rest of the pictures are all from various places in Zihuatinhow (i don't know how to spell it) mexico. There are several from the surf spot me and my friends searched for, it is called el ranchos and it was awesome. The town is very small and old, with some huge mansions on the outskirts.

home and school and life and sheesh

2006-09-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

wow life is a crazy thing sometimes, or all the time, or something. I got back from cruise a week ago and I ran around town for awhile, went to Santa Barbara and got jealous of my friends there, and then i came home and thought classes started wednesday, but really they started on tuesday, unfourntunately I found that out on monday at 1200 so I drove home and packed all my stuff in my truck and drove to school...whew take a breath. So now I am here and I am trying desperately to regain my balance and footing, and hoping that I will stop wanting to go back home or to sea, and start wanting to study. But all that aside, I have a lot of pictures for viewing from some wonderful places in the world.

Pictures Finally

2006-07-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

This is in mexico, where the water was hot and the weather was too

This black and white was taken very near the spot I surfed in mexico.
I am having a really hard time getting pictures to load up and my battery is almost dead, so I am just putting up a few pictures of here in Chile, these ones down below was out at sea though. Chile in terms of climate is very similar to SLO, and I am darker than many of the people.

This is all i can do now, I'll have to post them all at home. take care folks, and in case I don't see you goodafternoon goodevening and goodnight.

peru and chile

2006-07-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

i attempted to blog in peru, but the blog broke the computer, so i was unable to tell the world that lima, peru is fun, dangerous, and very old. i was also in miraflores, peru which is much like san fransico and very westernized. unfourtunatly i didn´t surf, but i will probably surf tomorrow here in chile. The climate here is almost excactly the same as san luis, and some of the plants are the same too. i miss everyone and home and my dog. i love you mom and dad, and karah and jamie. good luck to anyone trying something new or going on an adventure, and to anyone who is not, well you ought too. hello to kayla and andrew and brandon and ashely and acacia and anyone else who checks this boring thing. i might be able to get some pictures on it soon. blessing and love, psalm 107

Mexico

2006-07-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

Well hello everyone, i have been out to sea for the last two weeks. Wow time flies, being out at sea in some ways is like a dream come true, and in other ways I just want to come home. I was just getting my sea legs, then I started walking on the ground and it doesnt move at all but It feels like it does, wow weird. Mexico is hot and humid, but I like it. the people are nice enough, and the streets are old and cobble stone. Unfourtuatley this internet cafe has no connection for my camera so I cant upload any pictures. But I will tell you I have seen some sunsets that have been remarkable. And so many stars. We went through a small squall the other day and it was fun. Hello Jamie and Karah, and Grandma and mom and Dad. Love you guys. Oh and if Andrew is reading this, dude go comb your face.

Hello Vallejo

2006-06-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, change is different
For those of you who don't know what my school or "my" ship looks like, here are some interesting pictures, I was in a creative mood when I took them so I had some fun.

Bridges over the Carquinez straights which runs parallel to my school. 3$ to drive a across it, what fun. What year was this picture taken in? I'll give you a hint it is still that year.

These are various places on campus, the red buildings in the far back are the upper residence hall where I lived this year, the fire alarm seemed to go off frequently there. the other buildings are cool and indisdinguisble so it would be too hard to explain to you what they are.
In the second picture you see somemooring lines, polypropelyne

Here you can see the bulwark by the transom of the ship, the boathouse, the oldest building on campus is in the background.

Here you see the carquinez straights and the high winds that make it popular for sailing and golfing, are evident by the white caps on the water.

These are palm trees

This is a watertight doorframe (the door is latched open) , on the maindeck facing aft, it is good to pick you feet up a little more than normal when you choose to exit through one of these, if you don't you might exit on your face.

The flag on the fantial, with Mayor Island in the background.

Fire hose

Bye bye SLO

2006-06-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

Goodbye SlO
This summer has been a wonderful time, thanks for you beauty and fun.
Thank to all the people who I was blessed to be with here in SLO.
Thanks to my church family I look forward to eternity with eager expectation and hope.

Bye bye grafitti dude on the wall

Bye Bye pappas girl

Bye bear

Bye bye streets and your echoing clang, and empty roar.

Bye bye beatiful valleys and hills and goodbye friends and buddies see you soon and see you forever

Fun with pictures

2006-06-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

I never have used photo editing programs because I never really use digital cameras, but anyways the programs are fun. Although they help you fix your mistakes so much It's kinda cheating.

This picture is crazy cool, I used some weird affect and it just did this, it's kinda rad. look at Andrews freckles.

This one is just a black and white with a lot of contrast

I seemed to have gained some wieght in this picture. Shucks that isn't ten pounds, thats gotta be more.

Once upon a time some dude went camping and this is what happened

2006-06-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is pozo, every morning this valley filled up with fog, it was awesome, it looked like a lake, kinda.

So me and my fellow cohorts in christianity, Andrew, Brandon, and Ben Collins, went camping this weekend. We went to Pozo which is outside of the lopez lake area and it extends up towards north county, you can drive thorough it into Santa Margarita. The roads are awesome fun for driving on, and their are exactly ten creek crossings on the way in. We left on thursday afternoon after Brandon and I got off work and then we came back on saturday morning after a breakfast of honey nut cheiros (how do you spell that) and beef jerky. Friday we went to big falls which is a happening place because it has a pool that is at least 15 ft deep that you can jump off of cliffs into. For Nathan i will use the word totaly radical when speaking of this killer drainage ditch that we skated, mostly me though cause my other friends are so into it as me. It was rad, i want to go skate it again but it is too far away. oh and Andrew shot a rat, I did to, but it was the same one, see we hung it from a tree and shot it to pieces with .22's for about 2 hrs.

I am not a mexican revolutionary, i am not a mexican revolutionary, i am not a mexican revolutionary, nope, but i kinda look like one

This is a waterfall near big falls, I was trying to catch some of the water droplets in my picture. I got some of them, but taking pictures into the sun is hard

This is the cliff we jumped off into this incredibly deep pool at big falls. This pool is nearly 20 feet deep. It was a good little jump. In this picture I am saying to Brandon "you shall surely perish if you shoot me with that paintball gun" no actually I didn't say that but oh well. It looks like i am in a jungle, pozo is like the rainforest of SLO town, very dense foilage. Good for adventures too.

This ditch was awesome and totally radical, I never have had so much fun skateboarding, I had to stop within five minutes so I would not skate it all afternoon. It felt just like a wave. I love skateboarding because it feels like surfing, and I love surfing because it feels natural and makes me forget all of life and live in the few moments that I am riding the wave.

This is our friday night fire at it's greatest height.

Overall a wonderful camping trip, full of boyish dreams and adventures. We a great time and we were safe thanks to God. There are not many critters up there, we left our trash out and open ant night and nobody bothered it. Although here is Andrews rat. He was a dirty little bugger. But made a great target.

Boat building and a b-e-a-u-tiful day

2006-06-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

These are some pictures of the plywood boat I have been building this summer. It is a 15ft plywood dinghy. Mostly only for rowing and also probably a small outboard for scaring fish. right now it is at the resin and fiberglass stage, here you see me and my coworker Andrew Smith filling the cracks with resin.

And the beatiful day

I went up on Islay hill this afternoonish evenish, for short walk. I thouroughly enjoyed it, because it was still warm but the wind was cool, and the lighting was perfect for fooling around with some picture taking. A solitary walk was just the thing I needed to do, to have a word with my creator alone in a such a quiet and beautiful place as San Luis. We are blessed to live here in this wonderful place.

Testing versus Tempting

2006-06-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

I was reading The Good Book the other day, in fact it was tuesday I believe, just after my softball game. I deicided to take a look a the orginal straight shooter James. The book of James is one of the most dead on all truth no mercy books in the bible. I came across this passage

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will recieve the crown of life, which God has promised those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, an he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has fully concieved gives birth to sin, and sin fully grown brings forth death." James 1:12-15

And later on in chapter two we come across this passage in verse 21 "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Issac upon the altar?"

For some reason I had this inspiration to go and cross reference this passage back to Gensis where Abraham lays his one and only son upon an altar and is about to kill him because God told him to.

"After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." He said, "Take your son, your only son Issac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountians of which I shall tell you."

Genesis 22:1-2

There are several reactions i have after reading this passage. WHAT?!!!! WHY!!!? and blantly NO!! I could not do what Abraham does as he willingly with a true servants attitude travels to a distant land and nearly kills his son to prove that he would obey God. This shows his ultimate devotion to God because Issac was his inheritance which was promised to Abraham by God. God said to him that his decsendants would he numerous like the stars of the sky or the sand of the beach. And all of this was to be through his one and only son Issac, whom God gave to him after he and his wife were way past age. Whom now God was telling him to kill. Abraham could have easily said no God, this is murder, or what about my inheritance. But rather he chose to have faith, awesome faith. Wow I wish I could be like him, and trust God this much when my circumstances are foul, hardly foul compared to this though. But known of this was my piont.

My point is that in James he says that God does not tempt us but in Gensis it says God tested... so are tempted and tested two different things. I think that they might be, but to me they seem the same. A decision to make, right or wrong, but in one situation it is God setting up this circumstances and in the other it is merely the result of our human nature, both what it is now and what it was with Adam and Eve. So my question still is what is the difference between tempted and tested. I have been thinking about it for several days and I have yet to figure it out. I am in no way questioning God or the validity of his word, i am merely trying to understand it.

Oh and just to make this post longer Jame chapter 3 is a good chapter to read and very difficult to do

Update and rough copy of metaphor

2006-05-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

For all you who don't know or are curious, I will be departing for beatiful San Luis Obispo on June 28th. To return to Vallejo. Although I am not looking forward to going back to Vallejo because of obivous reasons. I am only be there for three days as we load stores onto the ship. Then we will depart from there and be on our way to Mexcio, and that I am thoroughly looking forward to. I will return in two months August 29th and have a few days to a week back at home, and then school will start for me around the 7th of september.
Right now I am working for a local contractor Dave McCoy, we are finishing up a huge remodel on a house that is on phillip street. That is up behind Franks, two streets up from Islay. I am also trying to build a 15ft plywood boat, that I desperately want to have done before I have to return to school in septmeber. We will see...the best laid plans of mice and men ( great book by the way). I am going to go on the Mexico Missions trip with my church the week before I go to sea, and i am really looking forward to that. Popeye is my hero that explains the picture.
This is a metaphor I have been working on

Life is like a game of solitare

Sometimes you have a place for your cards and sometimes you get a bum game. You are the dealer but you don’t get to choose what cards will be displayed to you when you flop. Is it fate or some greater will power that puts these things in place. You don’t always win in solitare. In fact you loose more times than you win. How is that simlar to life you may ask? It seems more people loose in this life rather than gaining in this life. People choose to live for the wrong things and this results in a loss of joy. In solitare one most constanly be on the lookout for oppurtunites, for correct card placement. Some opportunities only show themselves once and then they are forever gone. If you miss one chance it can cost you your game. So you must be always on the lookout for chances to change the fate of your game. Sometimes you can look so long at the cards and an opportunity will be right in front of you and yet you will not see it. And when you see it you will act on it quickly, but wonder why you did not see it before, sometimes these opportunities will lead to a quick change in action and you will feel the game is about to be won. Sometime it will only be one move and then you game will end, just as your hopes are raised they are also crushed. The pace of the game has little to do with your chances in winning. At some points you will feel that you are about to win as cards are flying down and the lines get longer. And then will come a standstill with no moves available and you will loose. But sometime the action will move slowly for the whole game and you might just win even though it required a great portion of patience. So all in all it is not the speed at which you play nor the number of opportunities you see but really only the number of opportunities you see and are able to make good on.
Simiarly in life we are given a limited number of opportunities to improve ourselves and to advance in society. Some people have less chances than others only because of the place or culture they are born into. If we do not act on the opportunities we are given, whether they be great or small, our lives will become stagnant and somewhat dead. Whereaes even if we act on every chance we are given sometimes this does very little good, our fate never changes and we are stuck. Bad luck, poor charma, fate, the very hand of God. No matter what attitude dictates contentment and contentment is the overlord of our joy. Sometimes it will appear there are no opportunities to change our situations, we have sought every end we can, and yet no chance seems available. Then out of nowhere a door will be opened, but it required waiting, patience, in order to receive what was bound to come.
And finally solitare is a game that you play alone only you know what move you will make next. In the same way in life no one can know what you are thinking or planning on doing until you do it. And I have found that although it is hard to let people help you in solitare, two heads are much better than one. In the same way in life we must let other people into our stories to help us through our tough times, and hopefully they will do the same so we can help them through their valleys.

C.S. Lewis

2006-05-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

Quote for C.S. Lewis book The Silver Chair

“suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things-trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that’s a pretty funny thing, when you come to think of it. We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That’s why I am going to stand by the play world. I’m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as a like Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia.”

Even if Christainity is not real it is far preferred to believe in something that will bring you joy in a dark place rather than to have no hope at all. And if we stand by our beliefs in the hardest of times we learn that it is not the strength of our faith but the strength of that which our faith is in.

This quote is from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

“’If I were addressing peasants or slaves,’ he said, ‘I might suppose that this suggestion procceded from cowardice. But I hope it will never be told in Narnia that a company of noble and royal persons in the flower of their age turned tail because they were afraid of the dark.’
‘But what manner of use would it be ploughing through that blackness?’ asked Drinian.
‘Use?’ replied reepicheep. ‘Use, Captian? If by use you mean filling our bellies or our purses, I confess it will be no use to you at all. So far as I know we did not sail to look for things useful but to seek honour and adventures. And here is as great of adventure as ever I heard of, and her if we turn back, no little impeachement of all our honours.’”

Reepicheep chooses to live a life of risk and adventure rather than a life of usefulness and routine. I hope to be the same.

The cure for friday night at CMA

2006-05-24T16:59:00.000-07:00

This is a journal entry from a month ago when I was up at school. And this picture is not the answer but it is still pretty funny

Friday April 7, 2006 A.D.

I still have not found it, the cure for the Friday night at the California Maritime Academy. The norm is for it to be a night of drinking and revelry, partying, stupidity, drunkness, blowing chunks, beer pong, wiskey, hanging out with the captain, and maybe a few fellows will get ‘lucky’ and meet up with a poor young lady. Yes Friday is my least favorite day because I am left stranded in my dorm room, with very little to do, seeking something other than homework, or the computer, or even reading to help me unwind. Now I know I could go drink and be and idiot, but that is not how I choose to have my fun. That is never how I have had fun, nor do I ever want to become dependent (dependency is a form of addiction, nicer word). But I still haven’t found a way to have much fun on Friday nights. The closest to fun I have had on a Friday night was going to a local rock climbing gym, but it is too expensive to go every week. We once went to mayor island and fooled around a little, but again that is not an every week thing. At home we can always find something positive to do, but here my friends have much different agendas, and everyone, including the Christians seems to rely somewhat upon the amber colored liquid. It’s very frustrating, watching all these people waste their money and time on something that they do not remember. So I brainstorm every Friday and search for something to do that we can all have fun at. But Vallejo is a crappy area for college kids. You have to go pretty far out of the area to find good stuff to do. Maybe when I am old enough I will go to the bars and people watch for awhile. Who know, but I just wish there was something I could do about this party crap.
This week was fairly good, busy, played computer games way too much. I hate them. Sometimes I don’t play at all other times I play a lot. They like T.V. are a waste of time. This book by Jack Kerovac is excellent On the Road. It is so funny and entertaining. Very fast paced. The narrative moves from one situation without breaks in action. I mean to say that it moves along like life, there really are no breaks, maybe for a moment, but then it’s right back at it. If you are on a break you are thinking about how it is going to end and you will have to go back to what ever it is you find yourself doing. It is about life on the road, beatnicks, hobos, hippies of the 50’s. It is very entertaining, and the main character dean, is genius. He talks in his own English language, has his own way of communicating his intellectual thoughts. I don’t know what I am talking about, but I do like the book.

Ecclesiates

2006-05-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

This is the begining and already I ask myself is it over yet, oh... well i am talking about the blog not about my life in case you were confused.
Today was a day in which i felt the verses of ecclesiates (which by the way is a very difficult word to spill and I haven't the slightest what it means) ringing through my life. There is nothing new under the sun wrote Solomn.
"So I hated life, because the work that is done under the siun was grevious to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who come after me" Ecclesiates 2:17-18
That was how it started, I had a rough somewhat depressing monday, but it cleared up much like the weather, and I had fun working with the guys on my jobsite, and we made jokes about stuff. Making fun of each others work, calling the house the hackhouse, and the jobs we had each done hack jobs, and each other hacks, which in all seriousness none of this is true. The house is very nice and we all do as good of work as we can.
This picture was taken on a washed up dock near my school in Vallejo, Ca. P.S. don't go there unless you have to. It just isn't a tip top place. San luis licks it hollow.