Midway Islands Current Plight

Glen Ellen, CA


 While stationed in the Hawaiian Islands aboard CGC Washington, I made two separate trips out to Midway Island in 1993 and 94. Midway is actually part of the Hawaiian Island Chain. If you look at a chart you can see the string of islands that are old volcano's. Midway being the northern most volcano that is now just a hair above sea level. The southern most volcano in the island chain is the Big Island of Hawaii. Anything but flat, with its active volcano's. 

sailing in the lagoon

Pearl Jam 20 A Documentry by Cameron Crowe

Glen Ellen, CA


 I was more than a little excited to learn about a project that has been ongoing, and now is complete. I like odd ducks so to speak. Cameron Crowe fits said description nicely. I've been an admirer of his for quite sometime, based upon his remarkable life, and the awesome films he writes and directs. I can hardly believe that Pearl Jam is now over 20 years old. PJ would also fall under the heading of odd duck. Aside from their fantastic music, and singer Eddie Vedder's distinct, almost ethereal voice, I have a bit of a connection to the Grunge scene of Seattle that they emerged from. I joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1988 and had my first duty station aboard a ship, the Polar Sea, homeported along the Seattle Waterfront. It was a crazy crazy time. Seattle seemed to be exploding with clubs and music. My mates and me were in the thick of it all. About a block from the Coast Guard Base on Alaskan Way was a neighborhood called Pioneer Square. The hood, not surprisingly, was prominently featured in Cameron Crowe's way cool 1991 movie called Singles. It was a real bohemian situation. The movie promo picture below was taken in Pioneer Square. My shipmates and I would pay a 5 dollar cover charge and have access to about 10 clubs within the square. Bands like Mother Love Bone, and the folks from Soundgarden would play along with old school jazz and blues bands. Vedder and company along with Nirvana jammed at these clubs during this stretch of time.

10 Years Seems Like Yesterday

Glen Ellen, California 

These are tough to watch. I had just woken up aboard Christa in Sausalito California on the morning of 9/11. It also was a gorgeous picture perfect day out west. I was pretty stunned. I went up to Cafe Trieste had some coffee and watched the big screen TV with the water front crowd. I was scheduled for my normal watch that evening in the command center at the Coast Guard Base on Yerba Buena Island. I knew things would be very different, and the course of my career would change. It did.

TEDS Videos and Some Musings

Glen Ellen, California


The video below is really amazing. It is short, and I encourage you to watch. I've some thoughts on the topic. But first a quick word on TEDS Video. Here is the websites motto

"Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world"

My snazzy Apple TV tracks podcasts for me that I subscribe to, TEDS videos being one of my subscriptions. Nearly each day a video is posted. Short in nature, and each fascinating. I'm hooked!

He is the description of the actual talk from the TEDS website.

General David Petraeus an Extradinary Man

Glen Ellen, California


Yesterday David Petraeus retired from the U.S. Army after 37 years of service. We, as a nation, should salute him.

Hurricane Irene

Glen Ellen, California

Here is an Image from NASA of Hurricane Irene as she exits the Bahamas and move north. Pretty crazy! So happy I don't have to worry about hurricanes anymore......for the moment anyway!

Good Luck to all hands on the east coast!

Below are two images from my first day at Infineon Raceway with my buddy Jeff and AJ Foyt Racing.

Indy® Grand Prix of Sonoma

San Rafael, California

Ahoy race fans! This is a little blog tease.

My little kingdom in Glen Ellen, California is about 10 miles to the north of Infineon Raceway. When I commute from Christa to my house 2 or 3 times per week I pass right by the race track. Plus one of my yoga teachers is also a newly minted professional motorcycle rider and is the founder of Pranaforce Racing. He races at Infineon and I like to go watch and support him. You can see my post on the last trip to Infineon by clicking here.

So, meet my buddy Jeff Britton pictured below.

Image Compliments of AJ Foyt Racing

Jeff and I grew up together in Pennsylvania, but lost touch for a number of years. Then I reunited with him again at my 20 year High School reunion, only to lose track of him again. But, I tracked him down again. I shall not lose track of him again! He is now the Chief Engineer for AJ Foyt Racing team. He is an Indy car guy, low key, mellow and calm by nature. I recon he is superior in his high pressure job. Always analytical. We were a great team. Me a spaz and Jeff at the opposite end of the spectrum. 

AJ & Sammy Hagar. The Race Team and Sammy have a relationship

Jeff was always a motor head and pretty smart to boot. He had a 1977 Camero Z-28 identical to the one pictured below. One day in his parents garage he started to re-build a GM Small Block 350 while I just looked on. I held some wrenches here and there with no desire to learn about said engine. I was more interested in chasing girls and doing burn-outs. Now Jeff simply did all of this mechanical work from the manual by trial and error. Once that Chevy Orange engine was dropped in, she was a rocket. That dude "Mayhem" from the insurance commercials had nothing on us! We were a menace to society, and labeled as trouble makers. I suppose we were, but we seemed to have turned out OK. Both of us marveled that we did not die in that vehicle. I remember getting pulled over by "Officer No Slack Ricklack"on more than one occasion.

Jeff is going to be racing this weekend at Infineon and yours truly has a pit pass. That's right baby, I'm going to be in Pitts with Jeff and my Canon G11 blazing away. So excited to see Jeff and an Indy Car race up front and personal. Here are a couple of pics from the race team website.

Stay tuned!


Capt Chris

Fall Semester at Dominican University

Glen Ellen, California

This summer I completed a 6 semester hour Finite Math class and an internship at Mill Valley library. My 3 week break is coming to a close, and this coming Monday I report back to school to start my senior year. Here is a quick run down of what's on tap for the Fall 2011 semester. 

East side of Guzman Hall

Digital Media Convergence (Monday and Weds)

1.              Course Description:

Facebook and Fox News, Tivo and TV, YouTube and Yahoo, books and blogs, ipods, iphones, itunes, ieverything – we are pretty much swimming in information. How do we navigate through it all? How do we find the good stuff? Which kinds of information should we use for which kinds of research and creative projects?

Through readings, lectures, tutorial demonstrations and hands-on exercises in multimedia technologies, students will explore the convergent forms of digital media, including production for audio, video, and web, as well as interactive communications. Students will be encouraged to articulate the stories they wish to tell and to develop the skills to communicate their messages. Students will develop a critical awareness of their own work and be able to place it in a broader social and cultural context.  

Linguistics ( Monday and Weds)


1.               Course Description


Introduction to linguistics: the scientific inquiry into human language, its structures and uses and the relationship between them, as well as into the development and acquisition of language. 

Classical Arts: Greek & Roman (Weds)

1.               Course Description

Architecture, sculpture, painting, and minor arts of ancient Greece and Rome from the early Minoan-Mycenaean period through the late Roman Empire. The development of the Greek temple and the Roman city and the influence of classical culture on the development of Western civilization. 

Special Project Cap/1 - Senior Project

1.                Course Description

Specific work on the senior project with the student’s primary reader. Requirements depend upon the student’s Concentration Track  

Senior Project Workshop 

1.                Course Description

A two semester practical workshop with other students working on their senior project. The workshop orients students to thesis or project options, choice of primary reader and the process and requirements of the senior project. 

So grateful I am able to attend school full-time, and dedicate my life to the aquistion of knowledge.

Capt Chris 

Gardening So Appealing

Glen Ellen, California


 My little house here in the Valley of the Moon in the Sonoma wine country is a small plot of land no doubt. But, I do have space to grow organic veggies and what not. I have been really surprised at how I've been sweeped up into gardening. I've positively gotten in touch with my inner farmer. I've never grown anything in my life. When I moved into the house in June I planted a sunflower seed. You can see the results in the picture below. When that little plant popped its head from the soil in a week, sadly perhaps, it was one of the most satisfying things I've ever done! It was truly gratifying.

My First Flower

Since, I've planted tomatoes, strawberries, cantaloupe, and melon. Just recently I built two raised garden beds, both 2 feet by 8 feet. I've now planted an assortment of lettuce and kale. Within the week I've sow some carrots and celery. These are all my fall garden plantings. You see, I'm already conversant with terms such as "fall garden plantings." Living in the wine country it should be obvious that its prime growing territory. With my PVC hoop design I should be able to grow year round. Man, am I into it!

What's really wild about this new interest of mine is that many many retired sailors move inland and become farmers or ranchers. Just take Robin Lee Graham, who in the 1960's was the youngest circumnavigator at 16 years old. He moved to Montana with his wife and lived off the land. The whale industry in New England is another example. Most sea captains owned working farms. Also, my friends from SV Someday Came, the Tillman's, post circumnavigation bought and now operate a Lavender farm in Virginia. For some crazy reason there are strong commonalities.


With all my veggies I will defiantly be slurping on a lot of green smoothies.


Capt Chris

Adventure in California Wine Country

Glen Ellen, California


This Sunday past I lit out on a fun filled day with my pal Lena, and couple of her friends to Healdsberg California. Of course, I don't consume libations, but my entourage surely does. We hit some wineries for heavy duty tasting while I safely piloted transport between destinations. By late afternoon, we picked up some steaks, culled fresh veggies from the organic garden in the backyard, and had a fantastic home cooked meal. It was a great August summer day in northern California with sunny blue skies and temps in the high 80's. I have to say the highlight was a visit to Francis Ford Cooppla' s winery. Click here if your not familiar with who Francis is. The place was amazing with bars, restaurants, movie memorabilia, and a huge pool with cabana's. For $15 bucks you can lounge at the pool all day. The place was mobbed. So I leave you with so photographs that I shot with my Canon G11 and edited in Apple's Aperture 3.

You Gotta Respect Old Glory

I hope you enjoy! Please don't forget to subscribe! Capt Chris