Hurricane Season

On Assignment Central Florida
3 Days until I bug out for Grenada

While I am a rookie at cruising, especially during hurricane season, I have concluded that it remains such a crap-shoot and risky. The forecasters have many tools and work very hard at forecasting, but it seems to my eye's it is so unpredictable.

After last years experience in Puerto Rico, I simply did not want to have to worry about, not only getting whacked by a hurricane, I didn't want to deal with a "minor blow" of a tropical storm, nor the violent squalls that occur with a near by tropical system.

So this year, as some of you know I hauled Christa out of the water in Grenada and placed her in a hurricane cradle. My anti worry program has worked out swimmingly.

However, it does not escape me that I have been paying $700 a month to have Christa sit in a hurricane cradle, in a location that is officially out of the hurricane belt, in a year that has seen little hurricane activity, at least in the Atlantic. What can you do? This year has seen two hurricanes form in the Atlantic, both of which spun out to sea, deep in the Atlantic. Now compare this year to last. Below is a time lapse video of the 2008 season. Picture yourself in the bulls eye sitting in Puerto Rico. The question still remains, how is one to know?

I do recognize that we still have a month and change left in the present season and there could be a spasm of activity, but I predict not. I'll cling to that like I cling to my good looks.



Capt Chris

New York City Video

On Assignment in Central Florida
5 Days until Grenada
11 Days until Christa's re-launch

Shot with the Flip and edited with Apple iMovie09

Tell me what you think!




Capt Chris

Florida and Beyond

Summerfield Florida
7 days until Grenada

I had another successful, if not uneventful 21 hour train ride from New York's Penn Station to Deland Florida. My Dad was awaiting for further transport to Summerfield where my parents live.

I'm really excited about heading back to Christa. Awaiting me in Florida was some boat parts. As I had mentioned in my Hurricane Cradle Video I've developed some concerns about Christa's chainplates. I believe the existing chainplates may be the originals from 1975. I called Bud Taplin, the Westsail guru at Worldcruising Yachts to discuss the situation. Before I left Grenada, I polished the old suckers and checked with a magnifying glass to detect hairline cracks. I didn't see cracks, but one plate has rust on stainless steel near one of the lowest holes on the forward shroud side. Bud did indicate it is likely nothing to get to uptight about, as there are four bolts holding each chainplate to the hull. The rust that is dripping down the hull is not abnormal and derives from the bolts holding the chainplate on, and not a an indicator of the health of the actual chainplate. However it is highly recommended to change them out as they are of an unknown age.

With that knowledge I forked over the boat dollars and had six brand new shiny chainplates fabricated and shipped out to my folks house. Pictured below is the starboard side plate that connects the upper shroud. Now my program will be another accessment of the existing chainplates once I return and if I feel comfortable I will wait to replace the old with the new when I return back to Florida. Replacement of the chainplates is a fairly decent sized undertaking that I don't want to do in Grenada if I can help it. This is simply one of the many risk assessment calls sailors have to make all the time. Check out the new shiny part below and notice the jealous gecko looking on.

I am also excited to report that I spoke with the boat yard at Grenada Marine and have a scheduled launch date of November 2nd. This gives me just shy of a week to prep Christa before she is waterborne. I had the hull acid washed, compounded and then waxed. The acid wash is supposed to really strip the hull, including the lack luster painted on "Christa" and "San Francisco." I have high hopes that Christa's original shine will be shone again. So with that, I purchased new stickers for the hull pictured below. Check it out!

So, I have a fair amount of work ahead of me upon return to Christa. First of which, I can see myself returning late at night, foraging around the yard looking for a ladder to climb aboard and then getting some electricity up and running. Day two.....well I don't know. More later!

Capt Chris

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Madison Ave in Crocs

On Assignment East Village NYC
13 days until Grenada
3 days until southbound for Florida


I've tackled the urban jungle with gusto. I love coming to New York City to visit my brother and his family. Granted, NYC is not for everyone, but in small doses I simply love it. If I were on a bigger budget, a much longer stay would be more feasible. The moment I leave my brothers apartment on East 10 street the wallet hemorrhage begins.

Since I've been coming to New York now for several years I am much more adept at getting around, which has only served to make my visits more enjoyable. I tackle a day in the city much as I do an upcoming passage. I start out with advise from locals (brother, sister in-law), head to a local coffee shop, ingest maximum brew and shape a plan. We have weather and navigational issues to consider, as a subway trip and copious time on foot is required.

Yesterday, I lit out with Joyce, my sister in-law, to Times Square where she works. After Joyce cast me

adrift I meandered throughout Times Square, passing Ed Sullivan Theater, pretty much all the required sights. Not my first visit to the square, but each time I notice more or different things. My intention was to head for The Metropolitan Museum of Art on the east-side of the park at 81st. I hit my first shoal, when I happened upon police barricade's signaling something was in the offing. Turns out the Italian Parade was ramping up, set to march down the east-side of the park. I re-routed which dumped me onto Madison Ave. I'd never been on Madison before. Quite the fashion scene with chicks galore. Of course I was highly amused to be in my unfashionable, but very comfortable Crocs, dodging the fashion over function crowd. I used to be very anti-Crocs right until I actually tried a pair on. I'm a utilitarian in this regard.

The Met is just magnificent. This is one of the tastier aspects of aging. You simply start to appreciate things that were positively boring in youth. Back in the day I would have much rather slugged it out on a bar stool than skulk through a museum, even though each activity is full of pontificating. This is my second journey to The Met. The first time around the Sir Ernest Shackleton exhibit was on display. That was awesome, but I spent so much time with Ernie, I failed to leave any energy to check anything else out. Besides, who wants to look at paintings when you just checked out the actual James Caird life-boat.

And so it was, I took an artsy fartsy posture and checked out Rodin sculptures, including the famous Thinker sculpture, Roman Empire artifacts and incredible paintings. The highlight was the Robert Frank photography exibit. With Mr. Frank's photo's astern of me, I headed back down Madison, to Columbus Circle, named after our good friend and sailing mentor, to the foot of Trump Towers and hopped on the A train downtown to West 4th St and Washington Square Park. I was back in the neighborhood.

Not sure what else I'll tackle while in NYC, but word around the subway steam grate is that the Titanic Artifact exibit is in town. May have to check that out, so I can keep in touch with my nautical roots.

Capt Chris

PS: Don't forget to leave comments! Love those comments and of course I am updating my photo album all the time. Check it out!

Summer Movie

On Assignment in Williamstown MA
18 Days until Grenada
Bound for NYC tomorrow

I've been hard at work learning Apple iMovie and using my new Flip HD camera. I'm now dangerous with this equipment. It should be good fun filming sailing this year. Please stay tuned.

To watch in full screen mode just click on the button next to "HQ" on the video slide. Please don't be shy about comments or rating the post.

Thanks!

Capt Chris

Last Week in the Berkshires

On Assignment in Williamstowns MA

25 Days until Grenada

I'm now in the 9th inning of my stay here in the Berkshire of Mass. What a beautiful small-town stretch of America. But the leaves are changing and I don't want to wear out my welcome here. So yesterday my U2 partner in crime, Mary Jane and I, took a wonderful hike along a stretch of the Appalachian Trail. We paused at the above look out for a photo op. In the distance you can see the small town of Williamstown and the campus of Williams College. Early in the spring I had given deep thought and made some plans to hike for several weeks along the Appalachian trail, but found the logistics to difficult. I was disappointed I couldn't make it work without a measure of pain. So I was particularly thrilled to at least say I hit a small portion of the famous trail.

The above picture has no significance other than I like it. Something I forgot to mention a few weeks back was a lecture, held at Williams College, my buddy John and I attended. I do hesitate to mention it as it really is way off the sailing track, but has some relevance to my future in academia. In the world of philosophy this fellow is a power house. Daniel Dennet, a Professor at Tufts, lectured for an hour and half on evolution. Dennet is famous and influential, but mostly known in the academic world. He also is one of the "four horseman of Atheism."  Considering that my upcoming education is going to be centered in the humanities and philosophy, I was enthusiastic to hear the man lecture. Especially since I am not simpatico with the man. Always good to have your point of view challenged. So if your interested click on Dennet's link.

I'll be heading to NYC at the end of this week to spend time with my bro for a week and then I'll push on to Florida.

Capt Chris

Some Thoughs on Traveling

Backpacker 2
Originally uploaded by Mark Austria

On Assignment in Williamstown MA
25 days until I return to Grenada
13 days to Florida
7 days to NYC

I have been reading an excellent book called "Many Miles to Go" by Brian Tracy. The book chronicles the author's travels as a young man, in his early twenties from Vancouver Canada to South Africa and back over a period of two years. With limited research about the man, I have gleaned that Mr. Tracy has achieved  above average success in business and life. The gist is the lessons he and his mates discovered the hard way while enduring endless inconvience and trials, set the stage for success down the road of life. It seems the lessons are truly timeless, equally true for Aristotle back in the day, and for Brian and crew in the early1960's. No matter what century one travels in, the process is usually fraught with problems. While social evolution has brought us high speed rail, space travel and more capable navigation gear; frustration still thrives. With each advancement comes a new set of challenges. I'm certain a pilot sitting on the tarmac in the 1950's with his turbo prop surging had to complain about his lack of thrust as he watched a new fangled jet aircraft rock down the runway.  

 Onward.  It's a book about "The Call of the Open Road" and it got me to thinking about sailing compared to the backpacker type wanderlust or even RV'ing. After some more thought, I've decided it is a complicated topic and a very personal one. Can it really be compared? What is true traveling? Can a "traveling nurse" really be considered a "traveler" for example? Is there an objective definition? And why do people love to tell people they are in fact traveling or have traveled? Well John Steinbeck described a true traveler as someone who has the "urge to be someplace else." Well I find this unsatisfying, sorry John. But Steinbeck does have a point. And it is, a true traveler is one who wakes more mornings than not with a desire to set eye's upon a different mountain range, explore another cities attractions, or as I have written about, test a new countries public transportation system. As one ages, the mode of transportation or travel style surely will evolve. The picture I attached was taken in Thailand of a typical twenty something skulking around SE Asia. During my time in Thailand with the Coast Guard, I noticed a huge number of low budget travelers just like the girl pictured. The younger have a much higher tolerance for the rigors of hostel living, or just plume pitching a tent along the side of the road after a long days trek. But I would submit that later on in life, when the tolerance for what was endured in youth has diminished, it (the tolerance) is surely higher than one who decides late in life to head out on the road, without first testing the waters in youth. In other words, if you traveled as a minimalist while young, as an older goat, you'll fair better than one who never did travel.

So the reason why, in my humble opinion, that to get the definition of what traveling is, is important, because the following quote which I hold as a truism. It struck me and here it is:

The traveling life, though costly, is so enriching emotionally and intellectually that it does not, and cannot, last for long periods. A period of traveling usually leaves the traveler spent and fulfilled, quite prepared to accept the regularity of a quiet life in exchange for the demanding and exhausting uncertainty of the road.

I find this statement to be absolutely true. Last July, after not being in the US for over a year, I was ready for the "regularity of a quiet life." So does this make me a true traveler or just homesick? Who knows, all I know is I needed a break. And the fact that when cruising on a sailboat, your technically always home, because "home is where the boat is" makes things a little confusing. I think if I traveled outside the country for a full year without the boat, constantly living out of a suitcase, cut off from my stuff, I would have fatigued quickly.

It has come as a bit of a surprise, my enthusiasm, dare I say exuberance, at the thought of returning to Christa to sail again. I simply miss the boat. I'm bolstered by the notion that my trek back to the States should be one of the classic trade wind broad reaching runs. I look forward to the clear blue waters rushing past the rail. So I'm persuaded Steinbeck's axiom holds, even though it still is unsatisfying.


Capt Chris

Volcanic Hiking in Dominica

On Assignment in Williamstown Ma
Returning to Grenada In: 32 days

One of my ongoing projects while ashore, has been to organize all my photo's and video's. I shot a fair amount of footage, downloaded it into my MacBook and pushed on. I've now started to get a better handle on how to assemble and present material. Certainly one of the benefits of retirement is the time to dig into the software and play around with it. While compiling video it became obvious my Fuji Finepix digital cam takes great pics at 8.3 megapix, but the video quality leaves much to be desired. Not to mention my camera skill is not so good.

I always endeavor to improve. With this in mind, I bought a Flip Ultra HD Camcorder. You can see my test video below. The Flip is really cool and shoots great video and is smaller than my Fuji dig cam. So I am jazzed about gathering up some good video for my fast approaching winter sailing season.




You may also have noticed I bought the domain, www.christianallaire.com. So no matter what I do in the future, which blog/website format I use, you can always surf on over to christianallaire.com and find out what is what. My own domain will eventually help with google searches. Even today, you can easily track me down with a google search.

So, please surf on over to My Youtube Channel and check out the videos, and don't forget to tell your friends!

Capt Chris

Testing the Flip Ultra HD Camcorder

U2 SHOW FOXBOROUGH MASS

On Assignment Williamstown MA

Certainly one of my highlights since my arrival back to the states this summer, is last nights show. U2 has been around for a very long time and still puts on an energetic display. The stage itself should be featured on Modern Marvels. It's transport is 40 semi's and requires 3 days to set up. Apparently the band has two identical stages in order to prevent the tour from getting gummed up. A really wonderful time was had by all.

Capt Chris

PS: You can click the link and check out the 30 plus pics I took at the show. Two videos even!
http://picasaweb.google.com/christian.allaire/U2?feat=directlink