As a part of getting ready for this journey I think it's probably a good idea that I learn at least elementary levels of certain languages. Well I have started with two relatively easy ones in French and Spanish and I think I'm doing alright until I try to speak to a native speaker. They tell me I'm doing alright but they say it in the same way that someone would talk to a baby. So I suppose if worse comes to worse I'll just need a baby to translate for me...
Also, I was thinking about getting the rosetta stone packages for Spanish and French and then I realized for the $1400 (this is not an error, $1400, as in fourteen hundred) I could fly to Europe and spend some time in France and Spain and learn the language that way. How's that for total immersion.
Oh well in the meantime I'll work with the books and CD's I have and hope people I know who know a language will put up with my shenanigans. Sailing starts soon, or so they say, it's still pretty cool here but I can't wait. I'm expecting to knock off a couple of certifications this year and get a TON of experience.
As always if you have any ideas on where to go, school systems to work with, or things to do along the way please let me know.
Cheers,
Eric
Monday, March 16, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Long Time No Talky Talky - I've Settled on A Route (At Least the First Part)
Ok All,
It's been about 8 months or so since I last posted to this as I was trying to figure out exactly where I was going with work etc. I think I'll be in Toronto for at least a little while longer which means I'll be taking my scuba diving and sailing lessons up there. I'm still considering where I should do this at; read: I'm trying to find a place that will sponsor me/give me discounts, but there are a number of places in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area for you non-canucks) that offer the lessons I need.
During the winter I've been brushing up on my Latin, carpeing the diem and all that, as a means of prepping me for the languages I'm going to have to learn for this trip. I'll be starting with two I'm less intimidated by, Spanish and French, then move on to the far more intimidating like German, Japanese, and Mandarin. If anyone has any tips on good programs I can buy please let me know...
Now for the route I've decided that I will be leaving from Chicago. I plan to get an Italian meat sandwich, go to the Sears Tower, take in a ball game at Wrigley and grab a Chicago-style dog. Then it's off to the boat where I will sail North to Milwaukee (perhaps catch another ball game if anyone wants to meet me there or come with me) then head East across Lake Michigan to Detroit. While in Detroit I will explain to them the silliness for cheering for the Tigers and then head to Cleveland. I expect a number of people to come out for some bbq in Cleveland where we'll have another send off and then I'll head up the St. Lawrence (where there's supposed to be some great diving) and down the East Coast of the US collecting books along the way. These books will likely be distributed in the inner city US and then I'll look to collect Spanish language books in the SE US, Texas, and Mexico City for distribution in South America.
My request to you guys would be to subscribe to the feed for my blog. This will help me in to ways, both of them MASSIVE. First, it means I have to update people on my progress which means I can't drag my feet without everyone knowing that I am doing so. Second, when I go to look for sponsorship I can say there are x number of people that see this at least once a month.
Thanks guys, now it's time to enjoy a GCA with my old man...
HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!!
Eric
It's been about 8 months or so since I last posted to this as I was trying to figure out exactly where I was going with work etc. I think I'll be in Toronto for at least a little while longer which means I'll be taking my scuba diving and sailing lessons up there. I'm still considering where I should do this at; read: I'm trying to find a place that will sponsor me/give me discounts, but there are a number of places in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area for you non-canucks) that offer the lessons I need.
During the winter I've been brushing up on my Latin, carpeing the diem and all that, as a means of prepping me for the languages I'm going to have to learn for this trip. I'll be starting with two I'm less intimidated by, Spanish and French, then move on to the far more intimidating like German, Japanese, and Mandarin. If anyone has any tips on good programs I can buy please let me know...
Now for the route I've decided that I will be leaving from Chicago. I plan to get an Italian meat sandwich, go to the Sears Tower, take in a ball game at Wrigley and grab a Chicago-style dog. Then it's off to the boat where I will sail North to Milwaukee (perhaps catch another ball game if anyone wants to meet me there or come with me) then head East across Lake Michigan to Detroit. While in Detroit I will explain to them the silliness for cheering for the Tigers and then head to Cleveland. I expect a number of people to come out for some bbq in Cleveland where we'll have another send off and then I'll head up the St. Lawrence (where there's supposed to be some great diving) and down the East Coast of the US collecting books along the way. These books will likely be distributed in the inner city US and then I'll look to collect Spanish language books in the SE US, Texas, and Mexico City for distribution in South America.
My request to you guys would be to subscribe to the feed for my blog. This will help me in to ways, both of them MASSIVE. First, it means I have to update people on my progress which means I can't drag my feet without everyone knowing that I am doing so. Second, when I go to look for sponsorship I can say there are x number of people that see this at least once a month.
Thanks guys, now it's time to enjoy a GCA with my old man...
HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!!
Eric
Friday, April 4, 2008
2008 Doublehanded Farallones Race (DHF) – or how to sail 60 miles in 30 knot winds in a 35 year old Islander 44
As the 78 entered yachts, and a few non-entrants (polar bear swimmers, two dinghies, and a skull), began their pre-race maneuvers, at least one entrant (speaking) had his mind on the events of just two weeks prior. In a warm-up race for the 2008 DHF, the Doublehanded Lightship Race (DHL), two sailors were lost when Daisy, their Cheoy Lee Offshore 31 disappeared.
Conditions for the DHL were rough, with 20-25 knot winds with gusts into the 30s, and 10-ft seas, reports indicate that although Daisy made it out to and around the Lightbucket (a marker for pilot ships approximately halfway to the Farallones), the last sighting of the ship was approximately 6 miles from the Golden Gate. It would not be until the next day when searchers came across debris resembling that ship near the last reported position, and the Coast Guard discovered the body of one of the crew far to the South in Half Moon Bay, still wearing his lifejacket. As no distress call went out by cell, radio, or distress beacon, what happened to Daisy and her unfortunate crew remains a mystery.
Having arisen at 0430, with a breakfast of Dramamine, granola bars and Propel, Tony (boat owner & freakishly talented captain) and I had ample time to enjoy the pre-dawn skyline of San Francisco light up beneath low clouds, and the eerie quiet that accompanies that hour of the day.
With the first divisions of the race getting underway at 0800, we spent the run-up to the race going over safety provisions, tactics and avoiding a Polar Bear swim from Alcatraz that had underestimated the ebb tide and as a result infiltrated the pre-start maneuver field with their safety kayaks & guide boat. At 0830, we were off to the crack of the starting gun, and though we crossed the line slightly behind the other boats in our heat, we were to weather, giving us an early advantage.
Conditions as we headed towards the Golden Gate were calm, allowing us to scope out our competition as we all tacked aggressively to stay in the flow of the channel as it shot us out of the mouth of the bay. However, this rapidly changed as we passed beneath the famous bridge and out into open waters. Though the first several miles of open ocean are somewhat sheltered by the Marin Headlands, this did very little to temper what were reported as 10-ft seas at 7-seconds.
As we passed beyond the sheltered lee of the Headlands, the wind steadily built out of the NW, eventually reaching 20+ knots with gusts well over 30 knots. As an initial attempt to reef our mainsail failed, we decided to continue with only our jib. As we were easily making 7 knots over ground in ferocious seas & biting winds, I decided that Tony had things under control, clipped in my lifeline and decided to take a series of catnaps in the cockpit. The foul weather gear makes one feel like, and resemble a Michelin Man, so this is easier than one may think, even in low interval 10-ft seas.
Although only approximately 27nm from the Golden Gate, the Farallones are quite remote, relying on sail access only for re-supply and staffing changes at the science station, and believe me, an elite group of sailors are required to access those rocks, as they must do in all weather when called upon.
Negotiating the turn is not exactly an easy proposition either; deep ocean swells come out of incredible depths to crash against the Farallones, and outside sets have caught many a skipper by surprise, turning their ships turtle and necessitating a rescue under incredibly risky conditions. With the turn downwind as you negotiate on the lee of the islands, relief comes briefly as respite from the wind allows (some) feeling back into the cheeks, and a chance to set the sails for the reach home.
This is where the venerable Kuewa truly shone. With more combined years of surfing (boat,
board, and body) experience than I am sure either Tony or I want to admit, and our mainsail back up along with the jib, we shot back towards the Golden Gate, often surpassing 11 knots over ground, and leaving quite a few of our competitors in our wake. Dodging crab pot buoys as we went, Tony still managed to capture a few shots to provide some context on the conditions. Notice the height of the seas behind our competitors, their reefed sails, and their vain attempt to surf with the likes of the Kuewa.
As the clock approached 1800, we crossed the finish in front of the SF Yacht Club to Kuewa's first gun, indicating that we were the first boat in Division 7 to cross the line, a satisfying finish to an
incredible day of racing.
Conditions for the DHL were rough, with 20-25 knot winds with gusts into the 30s, and 10-ft seas, reports indicate that although Daisy made it out to and around the Lightbucket (a marker for pilot ships approximately halfway to the Farallones), the last sighting of the ship was approximately 6 miles from the Golden Gate. It would not be until the next day when searchers came across debris resembling that ship near the last reported position, and the Coast Guard discovered the body of one of the crew far to the South in Half Moon Bay, still wearing his lifejacket. As no distress call went out by cell, radio, or distress beacon, what happened to Daisy and her unfortunate crew remains a mystery.
Having arisen at 0430, with a breakfast of Dramamine, granola bars and Propel, Tony (boat owner & freakishly talented captain) and I had ample time to enjoy the pre-dawn skyline of San Francisco light up beneath low clouds, and the eerie quiet that accompanies that hour of the day.
With the first divisions of the race getting underway at 0800, we spent the run-up to the race going over safety provisions, tactics and avoiding a Polar Bear swim from Alcatraz that had underestimated the ebb tide and as a result infiltrated the pre-start maneuver field with their safety kayaks & guide boat. At 0830, we were off to the crack of the starting gun, and though we crossed the line slightly behind the other boats in our heat, we were to weather, giving us an early advantage.Conditions as we headed towards the Golden Gate were calm, allowing us to scope out our competition as we all tacked aggressively to stay in the flow of the channel as it shot us out of the mouth of the bay. However, this rapidly changed as we passed beneath the famous bridge and out into open waters. Though the first several miles of open ocean are somewhat sheltered by the Marin Headlands, this did very little to temper what were reported as 10-ft seas at 7-seconds.
As we passed beyond the sheltered lee of the Headlands, the wind steadily built out of the NW, eventually reaching 20+ knots with gusts well over 30 knots. As an initial attempt to reef our mainsail failed, we decided to continue with only our jib. As we were easily making 7 knots over ground in ferocious seas & biting winds, I decided that Tony had things under control, clipped in my lifeline and decided to take a series of catnaps in the cockpit. The foul weather gear makes one feel like, and resemble a Michelin Man, so this is easier than one may think, even in low interval 10-ft seas.
Although only approximately 27nm from the Golden Gate, the Farallones are quite remote, relying on sail access only for re-supply and staffing changes at the science station, and believe me, an elite group of sailors are required to access those rocks, as they must do in all weather when called upon.
Negotiating the turn is not exactly an easy proposition either; deep ocean swells come out of incredible depths to crash against the Farallones, and outside sets have caught many a skipper by surprise, turning their ships turtle and necessitating a rescue under incredibly risky conditions. With the turn downwind as you negotiate on the lee of the islands, relief comes briefly as respite from the wind allows (some) feeling back into the cheeks, and a chance to set the sails for the reach home.This is where the venerable Kuewa truly shone. With more combined years of surfing (boat,
board, and body) experience than I am sure either Tony or I want to admit, and our mainsail back up along with the jib, we shot back towards the Golden Gate, often surpassing 11 knots over ground, and leaving quite a few of our competitors in our wake. Dodging crab pot buoys as we went, Tony still managed to capture a few shots to provide some context on the conditions. Notice the height of the seas behind our competitors, their reefed sails, and their vain attempt to surf with the likes of the Kuewa.As the clock approached 1800, we crossed the finish in front of the SF Yacht Club to Kuewa's first gun, indicating that we were the first boat in Division 7 to cross the line, a satisfying finish to an
incredible day of racing.Thursday, March 13, 2008
Big Thanks to Todd Holman
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I wanted to use this forum to thank Todd Holman for the selfless act he is about to contribute to the cause of circumnavigating the globe. He is going to scout out the San Francisco - Farallon Islands area under the clever guise of participating in a regatta. I know what you're thinking this is just a small part of the trip, whell it may be so geographically but in terms of hazards this may be are most difficult stretch. For instance, there are nuclear waste sites, great white sharks, large waves know to take lives, as well as humpback whales (more vicious than the commercials would have you believe). Not to mention the possibility of tsunamis due to earthquakes, I think we can all say that Todd is being extremely selfless in this adventure of his.
The Threats:
Bravery Personified:
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Phenomenal News
We had two shipments to Iraq this week which brings the number of children we have been able to help to about 200 in Iraq. I am very excited by all the good we've been able to do through Boundless Books (www.boundlessbooks.org), but I am even more excited by our prospects for the future. I plan to keep people posted through the newsletter, facebook group, and this blog so please keep coming back to see what we are up to.
Cheers,
Eric
Cheers,
Eric
Friday, March 7, 2008
Open Request to Everyone
All,
First off, let me say thanks to everyone who has joined the group; thanks for your support. Now to the news, as I believe most of you know I run (loosely) a non-profit with the mission of making education accessible to children in developing countries.
Well, while rehydrating with some co-workers after work we decided why not combine Boundless Books with the trip and so it was created. Part of the trip will now be delivering school supplies to children in the developing world.
Right now you're saying to yourself why is this guy writing the long-winded e-mail to me about this. Well, I'd like to request your help. What I'm hoping for is that when we are in developed parts of the world we can collect donations and then deliver them to developing areas. For instance, if we are in Europe we would be collecting and then delivering in Africa. Or if we were in Australia we would be collecting and then delivering to South America. If you know someone that would be interested in helping please let me know (ericholland6@gmail.com).
Also, please keep checking out the blog (circumwhat.blogspot.com) as that's where most updates will be going in the future and we would also like to build some buzz through that so we can get the word out to more people.
Cheers,
Eric
First off, let me say thanks to everyone who has joined the group; thanks for your support. Now to the news, as I believe most of you know I run (loosely) a non-profit with the mission of making education accessible to children in developing countries.
Well, while rehydrating with some co-workers after work we decided why not combine Boundless Books with the trip and so it was created. Part of the trip will now be delivering school supplies to children in the developing world.
Right now you're saying to yourself why is this guy writing the long-winded e-mail to me about this. Well, I'd like to request your help. What I'm hoping for is that when we are in developed parts of the world we can collect donations and then deliver them to developing areas. For instance, if we are in Europe we would be collecting and then delivering in Africa. Or if we were in Australia we would be collecting and then delivering to South America. If you know someone that would be interested in helping please let me know (ericholland6@gmail.com).
Also, please keep checking out the blog (circumwhat.blogspot.com) as that's where most updates will be going in the future and we would also like to build some buzz through that so we can get the word out to more people.
Cheers,
Eric
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Welcoming Jay to the Trip
Jay Holliday has agreed to come along on the trip. This means that not only will he be the most honourable pledge of our pledge class but he will also get circumnavigate the globe (I'm not sure which achievement deserves more praise).
In case you're wondering if two people can survive on a boat together for such a long period of time I would like to point out that we puked on each other's belongings throughout college and that didn't seem to harm anything so I think we'll be good. Plus, I assume gorgeous women will want to join us for various legs of the journey. Jay is certified in various levels of sailing and as you can see below does an excellent job of using the Irish Car Bomb (yes it is a proper noun) as an in with females.
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