Thanks to the efforts of all of you, things are beginning to happen. After fasterbarnacle was forwarded to a friend, they forwarded it to one of their friends, who in turn forwarded to one of theirs who turned out to be a sailor. A couple of weeks ago that person contacted me and on Monday I went to see his boat, a J 35 racer named “the red dress”.

This isn’t the boat that will get me from New Zealand to Australia or Australia to Fiji, but it’s a very important first step. The owner is a great guy who began thinking outside the box the moment after we spoke on the phone; brainstorming as to what would make the vessel quad friendly and thus suitable for some blue water sails. He also offered to fix up the dreess’ remote controlso that I could work the tiller and do some sailing myself. Pretty cool and entirely unexpected.

At the very least, the boat will be suitable for some sails out on the San Francisco Bay and beyond the Golden Gate. After that, if it seems as though it would work for something longer and more adventurous then he’s offered to sail with us to Hawaii in June. Such a voyage would be a great introduction into what open ocean sailing would be all about. The experience my buddy T and I would gain would be invaluable. We’d learn not only what it would take to do this from the disability perspective (my personal needs, etc.), but how we could participate as a functioning unit in the sailing process itself.

If you asked me to script a better beginning to this whole dream of mine I don’t think I could. It’s a beautiful way to start and it’s awesome to see it taking shape. Big mahalos to all of you for your continuing support and help.

Since my days of shredding Newport as a grom, surfing has arrived in places I never would have imagined. Not only is it moving above the wave, with aerial maneuvers that are starting to rival those of snowboarding and skateboarding, but that Holy Grail of riding a 100 foot wave is fast approaching. Technological changes in board design and materials have contributed to this rapid evolution and advances in meteorology/surf forecasting are making it possible to know on a global level where the biggest waves are going to hit.

There’s no doubt above the wave surfing is mind blowing — its creativity endless — but what really sparks my imagination is big wave surfing and the tracking of behemoth waves.

Eddie wouldn’t tow… No, I think he might

Big wave surfing is divided into two camps; paddle in and tow in. In the surfing world, this is more than just a division of technique it’s a division of philosophy. Paddle in is as exactly as it sounds, you catch the wave by paddling into it. Of the two methods, paddling in is generally considered the more maverick — relying on a greater set of skills, strength and cohones.

Yet, there’s a point where waves become too big and too fast to paddle into and consequently — until relatively recently — impossible to catch. This is where tow surfing takes off. By using a PWC (personal watercraft i.e. jet ski) surfers can be whipped into waves at speeds which match, or even exceed, the waves themselves and thus allow them to be ridden. Where paddle in surfing is essentially a solo endeavor, towing is a coordinated team effort that’s as much about getting each other into waves as it is about getting them out when dangerous situations arise.

“Purists” often call this latter aspect of tow a cheat, saying if you can’t handle the waves on your own then you shouldn’t be in them in the first place. And while I can understand where this argument is coming from (a resentment against those who tow into conditions that can be paddled into), being caught inside on a 60 foot +, four wave hold down — PWC or no PWC — has got to be one of the scariest and most challenging things anyone would ever have to do in the ocean.

Below is a link to an illuminating interview with Northern California big wave surfer Mike Parsons talking about the nuances of tow surfing and his latest trip out to the Cortes Bank (an underwater mountain 100 miles off of San Diego) in January to catch some of the biggest waves ever ridden. It’s not a long interview, but it shines an interesting light on just how difficult and dangerous tow surfing can be in those type of conditions — wave heights approaching 100 feet. Timing, apparently, is everything.

If you want to know more about the history of big wave surfing — both paddle in and tow — check out Stacy Peralta’s Riding Giants. It’s an entertaining primer with some amazing footage and great interviews with both the pioneers and modern pursuers of the sport.

Click here for youtube video of Mike Parsons talking about the recent trip to Cortes Bank

As I said a couple of posts ago, I don’t do the whole New Year’s resolution thing. What I do do — and this is where the whole 365 albums came in — is make a list of things I’d like to accomplish over the coming year and knock ‘em down one by one. This is not a static list. In fact, it’s best when it’s continually being added to. Think of it kind of like the jaws of a great white shark; a tooth disappears, another replaces it.

It’s not a list specific to my life; everything on it would be beneficial for all. Also, it’s a collaborative effort. Since the end of December I’ve been asking my friends and other folks what would be some good things to accomplish/do in 2008 to better one’s life. I didn’t include everything that was suggested — editorial privileges on my part — but I think it’s a good place to start.

1. Backup that computer, yo. This one I’m ready to knock down. I bought a hard drive the other day (after way too long) and I backed up everything that was important to me. If you care about what’s on your computer, back that stuff up. External hard drives are becoming very inexpensive. While doing this, you should also think about backing up your cell phone, PDA or whatever other digital gadget you store information on. Also, think about photocopying your Social Security card, birth certificate and credit cards. I’m not saying the robot wars are going to happen, but when they do (May 12, 2010) you better believe they’ll go after your personal information first.
2. Learn a new language. This requires discipline and it’s something you need to stick with every day, but if you do the rewards are massive. Being fortunate enough to be surrounded by a lot of Spanish speakers, my choice of language was an obvious one. I’ll be spending a minimum of an hour a day rolling my R’s.
3. Get a passport. I plan on leaving the country within the next 365 days, so for me this is a no-brainer. Even if I wasn’t, getting one would be suggesting that the possibility was real. I like that. If yours has expired, get it renewed. You can find more information about passports here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/
4. Do a spring cleaning. Go through your house, apartment, condo, studio, what have you, and decide what function you want each room to serve (if you have more than one) and then get rid of whatever doesn’t serve that function. For example, in my case, I have a metro rack in my kitchen that’s filled with pots and pans, books and old surfer magazines. I want my kitchen to function as a kitchen and so the books and surfer magazines must find a new home. Also, go through your clothing and give away anything that doesn’t fit or that you just don’t wear anymore. Somebody out there would love what you’re not using. In the end, this is all about simplification.
5. Set aside time to meditate or pray. 5 to 10 minutes a day is the minimum I’m setting for myself. If you’re an atheist, this isn’t about God, and if you aren’t, then, well, it can be. Try focusing on all you have to be thankful for.
6. Exercise. If you’ve been reading this site you know where I’m at on this subject. If you haven’t been doing anything then anything above that will do. Just do something. Try loosing the remote and get up to change the channels manually. If you have been exercising think about stepping things up a bit.
7. Check your credit report. Make sure there’s no fraud or mistakes. If you’re a US citizen you are entitled to a free one every year.
8. Plan a camping trip. It doesn’t have to be more than a weekend, but it’ll be well worth the effort. If you like warm weather and you’re in the Northern Hemisphere then you’ve got plenty of time to plan for a great summer outing. And if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere and you like warm weather, well, then you better get cracking. Time waits for no one.
9. Give someone you appreciate a gift just because. Sure, it can be your girlfriend, boyfriend, wife or husband, but I’m thinking more along the lines of a friend, coworker, secretary or mailman. You get the picture. Birthdays, Christmas and the major Hallmark holidays don’t count.
10. Try something new at least once a month. Type of food, music, route to work, experience, etc.. Myself; I’d like to hold a tarantula before the year is out.
11. Do something creative and artistic. Make a custom card for somebody’s birthday, make a mobile, create a T-shirt design, graffiti a subway train (if it’s your subway train), experiment with oil paints on a 20′ x 20′ canvas.
12. Seriously evaluate the footprint you’re leaving on this planet. Change your ways, little things do matter. You can start with replacing your old lightbulbs with those that are more energy-efficient. Simple.
13. Vote. Unless you’re a lobbyist with millions of dollars at your disposal don’t squander what little political power you have. If you’re a US citizen register if you haven’t already done so.
14. Floss.

And there you have it, our 2008 road map. If you have anything you’d like to add, please leave a comment. Like I said, it’s a list in perpetual motion and I like to keep those shark teeth stacked.

I recently finished the book The Proving Ground by G. Bruce Knecht and it’s a fantastic read. In the same class as Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air and Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm, it’s a harrowing retelling of the disastrous 630 mile Sydney to Hobart race of 1998, one of the most challenging yacht races in the world. Colliding with hurricane-force winds and waves upwards of 80 ft, of the 115 boats that started the race in Sydney, only 43 made it to the finish line in the Tasmanian city of Hobart. Seven boats were abandoned. Five sank. Six lives were lost.

While reading this book I couldn’t help but be in awe of the passion and determination of the yachtsmen who choose to test their mettle in such races. Like surfing, the love for the sport is propelled by the magnificence and unpredictability of the ocean. It’s a difficult passion to understand if you don’t do it and nearly impossible to explain if you do. This is especially true when one is talking about the extreme end of either sport.

But why would somebody willingly put themselves in a position where they could be hurt or even lose their lives?

The answer lies both in respect and fear. Respect for the skills you’ve attained and the understanding that the element you love so much is completely unpredictable. And fear for knowing that, despite your skills and the confidence you have in them, you’ve pushed yourself right up to the edge where things can go either way — good or bad. Of course, it’s not the bad one is seeking, but the fact that it’s out there makes everything that much more electric.

The yachtsmen who participate in the Hobart race are some of the best and most prepared athletes in their sport. Yet, the race of 1998 broke many of them. The extreme weather was literally too much for the type of vessels that were out on the water that year and so the yachtsmen’s skills were tested in ways they never had before. In the end it was those skills that saved lives. Even still, when things were all said and done many of these athletes questioned what it was about the sport they loved so much and was anything worth putting themselves in such devastating conditions. For some the answer was never again, while others were back in the race the following year. What makes the story so compelling is that neither choice seemed incorrect.

I told my friend’s brother in law — who’s a sailor — about the book and he said, though it sounds fascinating he’s unable to bring himself to read such stories as they only make trips out on the water more nerve-racking. It reminds him, and reinforces the idea, that when you’re sailing there’s a lot of stuff out of your hands.

For myself, such stories don’t bother me. Maybe it’s because I’m not a sailor and I’ve never experienced scary weather out in the open ocean, but I don’t think so. Before I got into the book I wondered whether reading about such a disastrous event in a part of the world where I want to sail would be a good idea. Or would it only serve to plant seeds of fear and doubt in what I want to do? Fortunately for me the answer was no. Despite the fact that the book largely retells what went wrong in this race, what I took away from it and what affected me most deeply were the things that were done right and the skill and passion of the sailors who both perished and came through it.

Don’t get me wrong, I hope that when this trip happens I have nothing but stellar weather and smooth sailing. I want nothing to do with any weather that even remotely approaches the type of conditions they had for that Hobart race. But I’m not going to be deterred by the possibility that things could get uncomfortable or perhaps even a little scary. As I said above, what makes the ocean so alluring is the fact that it’s unpredictable nature provides for rich, challenging experiences. This is true in surfing, as it is in sailing.

I found this book accidentally after a keyword search for “sailing” on audible.com. I wanted something that described the experience of blue water sailing warts and all. The Proving Ground delivered what I was looking for and then some. Never feeling journalistic in style or tone, the book works as a tale of survival and will completely hold your attention. But more than this, it’ll give you insight into what draws one into the ocean and keeps them there despite the risks and the potential for tragedy.