Currently in central america, the boat will now continue boating using bio-diesel.  This is an amazing boat.

read more about Earthrace

The City of Lake Havasu  sits on the east shore of awesome Lake Havasu . The main focal points of Lake Havasu City are the English Village and the London Bridge .  Both are the main site of a multi-million dollar resort made up of lodging, restaurants and shops.  Over 1 million visitors come to Lake Havasu City annually. 

The City sees beautiful weather year round with the most spectacular sunsets ever seen.  

Lake Havasu is a water lover’s paradise.  There’s nearly 11,000 acres of water that stretches along 23 miles of shoreline.  Residents and visitors alike enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, sunbathing, hiking and camping at the lake.  There are over 50 boat ramps around the lake that provide the best way to take advantage of fishing. 

You will have everything you could need or want in Lake Havasu City .  The City has great schools and is full of history.  It’s a great place to live and play. 

Being that is was our first long trip of the season and we'd had problems with our fuel, we were a bit nervous. We also were going to go through the Ballard Locks for the first time and we were going to do it alone on a very busy day. we ended up going through the small locks which are much easier and it went off without a hitch. Then we had to make our way through unfamiliar waters such as Lake Union and the Montlake Cut and there were allot of boats. We also had to find Larry and Lynette's boat and anchor next to them. Everything worked out fine! We also realized we had a stern anchor too and set that out with help from Larry and a new friend Bob (and Amy)! It was a great time although the weather wasn't that great until the day we left. The only hitch now is that our brand new inverter isn't working correctly which I think might be the inverter battery. So we had to run or generator for electricity which is no big deal just noisy and uses fuel. Also I had a run in with some punk that wanted to tie up to us but wouldn't let him because he and his pals were so ripped and didn't know what they were doing. He threatened to come aboard to kick my ass but backed down after I got a little crazy with the fool. There always has to be a drunk dumb ass at every event it seems. Our trip back to Tacoma took us through the big locks and there were many boats going through too. It was a bit nerve wracking, but we did it without a hitch and got her back home with no problems. It was allot of fun and now it's time for more boating!!! We took many pictures which you can see here and also Deb took a video of some sailboats doing some fancy maneuvering by going to our boating YouTube Page and watching it there. We also recorded a podcast of our adventure and you can hear it at our Boat Virgins Podcast Page show number 30. Until next time.....aloha!!!

10) Year-round tan

9) You can ride your Harley in December

8) Never have to say “them ones”

7) Snow shovel? We don’t need no stinkin’ snow shovel

6) Free pest control, courtesy of your friendly neighborhood alligator

5) You can ride your Harley in January

4) Year-round boating

3) Never have to drill holes in the water to fish  

2) Cockroach rides! …. Giddyup…

1) Longer beer season

I'm convinced that they either don't know or don't care about the damage their wake is causing, or that it makes launching and retrieving boats that are slipped at the docks, near the no-wake buoys, quite a challenge. It's a well established principle that boaters are legally liable and financially responsible for the damage caused by the wake their boat created.

And, if that's not reason enough to pay heed to the buoys, think of the safety of the children on the tubes, or skis. They sometimes fall off, and if you're ripping through the water, in a hurry to get to where-ever, an innocent child may end up paying the full cost of your recklessness. Accidents do happen, but they can also be prevented.

Boating is a lot of fun and can be a wonderful experience; it's a shame not everyone practices the same level of courtesy toward others.            

Lake Michigan’s expected water level for early May is 577.5 feet, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That level is 1 inch lower than it was during this time last year, and the Army Corps predicts it will remain at or below that level for the next several months.

Lake Michigan’s current water level is 19 inches lower than its long-term monthly average and 50 inches lower than the highest monthly average ever recorded for May, according to the Army Corps. It is only 11 inches higher than the lowest monthly average ever recorded for May.

As dry land continues to emerge, Wisconsin residents are left wondering how much water must disappear before government bureaucrats will take action.

Vacation destination watching lake leak away

Door County, Wis., is a 75-mile-long peninsula that includes more than 300 miles of shoreline property on Lake Michigan, according to the Door County Visitor Bureau. The county is comprised of a series of farming and shipping communities located on the “thumb” of Wisconsin, but is generally referred to as a single destination. The area is prized for its natural scenery, outdoor activities, quaint lodging, boutique shopping and family dining. And, Door County is known for its 10 historic lighthouses.

Door County is revered in the Midwest as a water vacation destination for families with summer homes, much like the ocean escapes found along the East Coast. Real estate on this small peninsula fetches a very high price: the county’s property values totaled more than $7.1 billion in 2007, according to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

Door County was named one of the top ten vacation destinations in North America by Money magazine in 2002, and the best small-town get-away in the Midwest by Midwest Living magazine in 2007. The Midwest Living article specifically highlighted two communities within Door County: Fish Creek and Ephraim.

Wisconsin resident Doug Jacobson has owned vacation property in Fish Creek since 1994, and is now concerned about low water levels in the area.

“We have always loved Door County, and especially the beautiful shorelines and fantastic boating opportunities,” Jacobson said. He said the water levels were 2-3 feet higher when he purchased his property than they are now. Jacobson described hundreds of feet of exposed shorelines and rocks, and said it is creating dangerous situations around most Door County harbors.

“Swimming and boating are affected, especially boating, because pretty soon some of the harbors will be un-useable,” Jacobson said. He expressed concern over weed growth in the harbors and increased mosquito populations in the exposed shorelines.

“One of the major problems seems to be the dredging that was done in the river between Lakes Huron and Erie by the Army Corps several decades ago,” Jacobson said. “Further erosion in this area has created an ‘open drain’ that is allowing an alarming amount of water to flow out of the Great Lakes.” He said the problem needs to be addressed soon.

Wisconsin resident Nancy Hayes is a wife, mother and grandmother who values her Door County property as a family retreat. Hayes and her husband purchased property in Ephraim roughly 15 years ago. She said they chose Door County because of its natural beauty, outdoor activities and convenience relative to their permanent home in Milwaukee.

It is generally a Hayes family tradition to begin and end the summer at their Eagle Harbor condo, which includes a water view from the living room. She said the dropping water levels diminish the beauty of the area and expressed concern over potential drops in property values. For now, however, Door County remains prized real estate. According to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, property values increased 7.52 percent from 2006 to 2007. Only 18 of Wisconsin’s 73 counties saw a higher percentage increase in property values in that time period.

Like other Door County property owners, Hayes cited dredging projects as the likely source of recent water level problems in the area.

“I have very little faith in the government of this state, and think -- especially in the last several years -- that our state government has made very short-sighted decisions that could have enormous long-term consequences in the area of water conservation and management,” Hayes continued. “Who exactly is accountable is often almost impossible to discern.”

The genesis of low water levels: dredging a factor

Neal Thurber is a technical analyst for the Great Lakes Coalition, a non-profit whose membership consists of approximately 4,000 coastal property owners throughout the Great Lakes Basin. The coalition’s purpose is to preserve the shorelines of the Great Lakes.

“The fact that a lot of people don’t appreciate is the Great Lakes aren’t on the sea level,” Thurber said in an April interview. “What you’re dealing with in the Great Lakes is a constantly moving source of water. It’s not a fixed commodity.”

He described the Great Lakes as one large moving body of water, with water flowing from Lake Superior into Lake Michigan, down through Lakes Huron, Erie and Ontario, and into the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

“What a lot of people don’t realize is, look, folks, these lakes have been heavily regulated by [the Army Corps] for the last 60 years. The issue is how to best manage the lake levels and not allow them to be unduly influenced by hydropower and shipping interests,” Thurber said.

“Because the water is constantly flowing, all you are talking about doing is tweaking existing flow control structures. Very tiny changes can produce a vast amount of water for people,” Thurber said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is charged with the responsibility of protecting the nation’s water resources while, at the same time, allowing for commercial and private development. Scott Thieme is the chief of the Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District. In a May interview, Thieme did not express alarm over low water levels along Lake Michigan shores.

“Water levels have fluctuations between highs and lows… It’s not like it’s anything that hasn’t been experienced before. It’s natural cycles and that’s the way things go,” Thieme said.

He explained dredging in the Great Lakes system in the 1930s made way for a 25 foot navigation channel for freighters, and studies concluded the impact on Lake Michigan was a 14 inch drop in water level. Despite that conclusion, the Canadian and U.S. governments agreed to dig the channel an additional 2 feet deeper in the 1960s.

Thieme said the Canadian and U.S. governments never agreed on a suggestion to add a compensating structure to the system, which would have mitigated Lake Michigan’s water level problems by adding water back into the lake. However, he said the excessively high water levels of the 1980s, which caused disastrous flooding for many Great Lakes homeowners, helped kill any momentum the plan may have had.

“There was a point in time when people didn’t want another foot of water on the lake,” Thieme said. “When water levels starting dropping, it started coming up again.”

He said the Army Corps is undertaking a 5-year, nearly $15 million, study to review Lake Superior regulation, as well as how dredging in the St. Clair River may be affecting Lake Michigan. He said a full report should be complete by the end of 2012, but they hope to have a report on St. Clair by July 2009. Thieme said it is not up to the Army Corps, or even a state government, to approve a remedial solution; only the federal government could do so.

“If it’s something the two governments agree to do, certainly we could do it,” Thieme said.

Legislating a fix

Dredging in the Great Lakes is regulated by a number of long-standing international and federal laws. Internationally, the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty governs shared waters between Canada and the United States. It requires both countries to agree on water use that would affect water levels in the Great Lakes.

On the federal level, the U.S. Omnibus Water Resources Development Act of 1986, known as WRDA, authorizes the Army Corps to conduct studies and other projects in the Great Lakes. WRDA is reviewed by Congress every two years; the most recent version of the law having passed in November 2007.

However, increasingly low water levels throughout the Great Lakes have caused alarm among citizens and politicians alike. In a March dear colleague letter, leaders of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure urged a 2008 review of WRDA.

The House Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment, which has jurisdiction over the Army Corps, held a hearing to receive proposals for water resources legislation on April 30 in Washington, D.C. Democrat Steve Kagen, Door County’s representative in Congress since January 2007, sits on the subcommittee. Kagen did not mention adding a compensating structure to Lake Michigan. In a brief statement to the subcommittee, he urged additional dredging in the channel between the Door County peninsula and Washington Island, which is located 4.5 miles off the tip of the peninsula.

“Lake Michigan water levels are declining, and the current channel depths surrounding Washington Island have become nearly impassable,” Kagen said. “If Lake Michigan remains at or near its current level, the island’s very existence will be at risk.” Kagen is up for reelection this November.

Texas Democrat Bernice Johnson is the chairwoman of the subcommittee. She highlighted the political battle over WRDA legislation, and lashed out at President Bush in her opening statements for vetoing the 2007 water resources bill, saying it was the first veto of its kind in the history of the nation. Bush’s veto was ultimately overridden.

John Paul Woodley, Jr., assistant secretary of the Army Corps, testified at the hearing, representing Bush’s legislative agenda. He warned the committee to be fiscally disciplined. “We need to invest, not simply spend,” Woodley said.

Woodley’s comments provoked angry comments by Minnestoa Rep. James Oberstar, a Democratic member of the subcommittee for more than 40 years.

“I want to know what spending in our legislation is not investment, huh? I’ve never had an Assistant Secretary of Army come and make a statement like that,” Oberstar said, waiving his hands and raising his voice. “It shows either you don’t understand or you’ve been directed to say something you don’t believe in. And I’m offended by that.” He said he found it offensive the Bush administration did not include a single water resources project – out of 920 – authorized by the subcommittee in its fiscal year 2009 budget. “That is dereliction of duty, frankly.”

He also accused the Bush administration of keeping a multi-billion dollar Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund surplus in reserve in an effort to make the deficit look smaller. The trust fund is used to finance Army Corps projects, and could, in theory, be applied toward a remedial solution for Lake Michigan’s water level problems.

California Democrat Doris Matsui noted it has been standard protocol for prior presidential administrations to submit recommendations for water resources legislation, but said the last recommendation package submitted was from the Clinton administration. She asked Woodley if the Bush administration plans to submit recommendations for the 2008 bill.

“At this time, we have no plans to do so,” Woodley responded.

The Day The Great Lakes Drained Away

Author Charles Barker explores what would happen if all of the water drained from the Great Lakes in a children’s book, The Day The Great Lakes Drained Away. “The Great Lakes were flowing with water on every Great Lakes Day; until something frightful happened and made the Great Lakes drain away,” Barker wrote.

Barker said in an interview that he wrote the book from the perspective of a geologist, not necessarily seeking to jump into a political debate. Referring to how an image of a dry-docked pier in his book reflects different harbors in Door County, he said, “It’s wild. I’ll be the first to admit that there’s some real complex cycles involved here. That’s not say there’s not some low-hanging fruit of what not to do.”

The place offers multiple experiences - gorges, boating, massage, bathing in beach/waterfall, diving, fish fry - all rolled into one. Also called Hogenakal, Hogennakkal, Hoggenakal, Hoggenekal, Hogennekal, Niagara of India, the place derives its name from hoge (smoke in Kannada) exhaled by kal (rocks in Kannada) because of water force. A series of waterfall and their mist, circular boats (parisal, hence the term I coined parisaling), a couple of gorges, beaches and theatrical surrounding each such experience awaits you here. The place is 130 km from Bangalore and is accessible by both train and road. At Hogenakkal, Cauvery (also called Kaveri, Kavery) falls from a great height creating waterfalls and cutting through gorges. The river water is traditionally believed to have healing effects (since the river flows through a forest having plants of medicinal value). Best time to visit is non-monsoon period.

What to see/do

One comes to Hogenakkal for its famous waterfalls and famed oil massage, and returns with scintillating other add-ons. Among other add-ons, parisal and beach are most retrieving. Here're the stuff you should see/do to make the most of your trip. Most of the photographs here are taken by Shekhar.

There is no way for you to reach the waterfalls if you don't rent these circular vessels called Parisal, or Coracle in English. A parisal has a bamboo frame covered with plastic (or, as they said, buffalo hide). The bottom of the parisal is tarred which makes it water proof. The first look of these vessels might make you doubtful about its ability to carry eight people for 3 long hours. But I read that parisals are one of the oldest watercraft in the world (Apparently parisals were used by Roman invaders as early as 1st century AD. This was relieving indeed). Plus, nobody else seemed to have this doubt. So, we took the plunge and hired two parisals - 5 boarded each. We had to bargain a lot - from 200 per head we brought the boatmen down to 550 per boat for a total time of 3 hours, including waiting time for add-ons.

Ride on the parisal had several phases, with each break better than the previous one.

Phase 1 (Mistiest Waterfall)

The ride started without any hiccups. The boatman did a stunt and started rotating the parisal at a good speed. It was indeed exhilarating. Do ask your boatman to do the same. And yes, it is absolutely safe. After a couple of minutes we had to de-board the parisal and took a walk on the rocks. We reached a waterfall, which was probably the mistiest of all. The tiny droplets of water sprinkles on your hairs and skin and makes the photo session interesting. Water was gushing out at a great speed and the lashing sound on the rocks made it all the more mighty. Also, there is a Viewpoint Tower (entry INR 2) which allows you to see far and wide.

Phase 2 (Upstream Waterfall)

Next phase started with we getting down the steps to board the parisal at a gorge. We reached a fork, with waterfalls on one side and beach on the other. We took the waterfalls route. The proximity to the waterfalls was sublime. The boatman rotated the parisal so that each one of us gets wet with the 'falling' water. We went a little upstream and close to only a couple of waterfalls as any further advance could have been troublesome. We had to balance well on the parisal. Any unwanted movement could have spelled trouble - so we avoided it. We took a few snaps of the place and retreated. It was a real treat to watch the lashing water on one side and contrastingly calm waters on the other side. Interestingly, there are mobile shops on parisals selling several items of interest - gutkha, mouth fresheners, cigarettes etc.

Phase 3 (The Jump)

The large rocky stretches, with Karnataka-granite on both sides of the river (it was gorge) captured our imagination. There were a few children on the top of it, roughly at 30 odd ft. Someone told us that in INR 5/10, they would jump from the cliff. Gosh! It sounded inhuman and insensate. On closer observation, I found that the children were really happy - their laughter said it all. One kid jumped, and I took the photograph. Seeing a kid jump from a 30 ft cliff into deep water was quite a sight. The parisal then moved towards the beach. The island divided the river into two. We were asked to take a break – for bath, some fish fry, massage etc. We parked the parisal at the beach.

Phase 4 (Bath, Massage and fish fry)

The beach break was real fun. The water was knee deep and was a blessing for me, since I can’t swim! We made the most out of it. Squatting, jumping, thumping, floating and all other myriad maneuvers were made in a span of half an hour. The frenzy of water activities brought hunger with it. Got out of water and stepped on the sand, only to find it extremely hot. We had to run hurriedly towards the shops selling cold drinks, chips and other eatables. Few women were selling fish fry – INR 15 a piece. We bargained and brought it a little down. The fish fries turned out to be delicious. For the vegetarian folks, there were some chips etc available. Meanwhile, I collected some sea shells as memento of Hogenakkal.

The boatman offered us massage (standard rates are INR 50 for head massage for 10-15 minutes and INR 100 for full body massage for 30-45 minutes). None of us agreed. However, we did spot some people getting massage. So, I leave it to you to take a call on this. Just check whether the guy offering you massage has a valid license or not. We returned to our water acts. This time it was the competition to try staying afloat for the maximum time. Needless to say, most of us got disqualified – since almost nobody could swim.

Phase 5 (The Strike)

The water act continued for a long time. At the end of it, we boarded the parisal for the next phase. Our next stop was a rather effusive waterfall, not very high but gushy. Water just under the fall wasn't to deep, so the boatman asked us to go virtually inside the fall. The burbling water lashed upon us with full force, and needless to say, we didn't miss the massage of Hogenakkal. Bathing there for half an hour left us tired but ecstatic. Time was almost up (3 hours) and the boatman called us back. It was time to head back. Heading back was uneventful, with all of us tired and gratified with the Hogenakkal experience. The trip ended with us eating (fish rice, what else?) at a nearby joint and then boarding our Tempo Traveler.

Getting there/Town Transport

From Bangalore: Train - From Bangalore there are 6 trains to Dharmapuri, the earliest leaving Bangalore Cant. station at 0627 hrs. Then take a bus to Hogenakkal (47 km). While returning, take a bus from Hogenakkal to Dharmapuri and take the evening train from Dharmapuri at 1817 hrs. You may check at railway's website. , Road - Buses are available from Bangalore to Dharmapuri, and then to Hogenakkal. If you take a personal vehicle, you have go through Hosur - Krishnagiri - NH 7 to Dharmapuri - Hogenakkal. There is another route through Hosur - Rayakottai - Palacode - Pannagram - Dharmapuri - Hogenakkal. Roads are good throughout.

Where to stay

I guess not many people stay there due to its proximity to Bangalore. However, if you still want to stay, TTDC (+91-4342-256447) operates a hotel there. Other options are tourist bungalow run by the State Tourism Development, Corporation, Hotel Tamil Nadu (+91-4342-56447) and Tourist Rest House. Please verify from other sources about the hotels before making a booking.

TravellersDiary's Recommendation

Set out on a one day trip from Bangalore. Start early to enjoy the morning freshness en route. Stop at Pennagaram, where at the outskirts of the village you would find guardian deities Aiyanars. [A website describes them as being "Made of terracotta or plastered brick, these giant figures are brightly colored and generally depict fearsome and mustachioed warriors."] Reach Hogenakkal after paying levies at multiple places (we paid INR 30 twice and INR 20 once), park your vehicle and leave for the river. Remove your shoes, specs, hairbands, watches(non waterproof ones). Purse, mobile, credit card, camera etc will get drenched if you don't take adequate precaution. Take a plastic bag with you for the same. If you cannot speak Kannada/Tamil, dont worry. Even if you speak Hindi, you can manage. Do bargain a lot with the boatmen and fish-fry selling lady. Include in your trip all the must see/do stuff mentioned above - bathing at the falls, rotating the parisal, the jump, the bath, fish fry, massage (?), shop at parisal, shells, walk on the sand, viewpoint tower etc. And yes, take loads of pictures - the trip is incomplete without the souvenir.

Further Reading

More about parisals

Anurag Jain's blog

More TravellersDiary pics

Just recently I found out that there are two other campgrounds out here at Silver Lake. What a fool I am. I've been coming out here for years and right under my nose are two more wonderful areas that have gone unexplored. The two campgrounds are Cypress Glen and Crooked River, both have great campsites and full bath and shower facilities. I'm thinking about staying at Crooked River campground sometime this summer, it looked like a great spot to camp and hike.

There's a trail here as well, it's a linear trail that runs up the side of the lake for about 5-7 miles. You can start down at Crooked River, head on past Silver Lake and right up on to the Florida Trail loop. That's a good hike!

Crooked River campground would be my selection out here, I'd skip the Silver Lake campground as it is very near the interstate and seems like it would be pretty noisy. Cypress Glen looks good too, especially if you are more interested in putting your boat in the lake. Or your jet ski. Or perhaps a hovercraft or seaplane, if you are so inclined. I think you get the idea.

Pictures are in the gallery like always, click here for the link.

Benson had a miserable first season as the Bears starting running back, rushing for 674 yards and averaging a paltry 3.4 yards per carry. He suffered a broken fibula in a Week 12 win over Denver, bringing an end to a season where he underachieved and confirmed the team's shaken trust in its former first-round draft pick.

Smith liked what he saw in person from Forte, especially catching the ball out of the backfield. He said of Forte on the Bears official site, "All the things we thought coming in, we got a chance to see."

Benson continues to fight charges of drunken boating and resisting arrest, and he now has two witness accounts to corraborate his story. For our purposes, his innocence or guilt is almost inconsequential. Assuming he does suit up for the Bears, the distraction will wear on him and open the doors for Forte to win the starting job.

If that is the case, Forte could have the biggest first-year impact of any rookie from the 2008 draft. Forte has good size and quickness, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. Given the Bears' up-and-down play from the quarterback position, his pass-catching abilities will be a welcome addition to the offense.

Stay tuned to Benson's situation and how competition plays out at training camp, which begins on July 23.

More thoughts ...
Windy City Gridiron confirms the news that Benson won't likely be cut by the Bears.

View From The Bleachers wants to root for Benson even more in 2008.

The Chicago Tribune's David Haugh suggests adversity could motivate Benson.

Dustin Hockensmith is editor of ImaginaryGridiron.com. He can be contacted at dhockensmith[at]fantasysports101.net.

When we had my wife's nephews with us, we did not know what to do. Since we do not 'drink' (and do not believe in making the young boys drink), taking them to a swimming pool was the next choice. How about Country Club, Yelahanka? Good choice.

But there was a hitch.

The father of one of the boys had a whiff of our plan and called us to say that the boy should not be allowed to swim - since he had been having problems in the past immediately after swimming.

My wife came to the rescue. She had a paper clip from the past which talked of the Lumbini Gardens, near the Hebbal flyover (in Bangalore). A quick look at the internet (http://www.lumbinigardens.com) fixed the plan. The nearness gave me the confidence to drive the car myself -rather than asking my driver to come on a Sunday.

The gardens are located conveniently within the City Limits and have several activities near and on the Nagavara lake. (Of course, the very interesting activities - judged by the name - like a bull ride, skiing etc. were out of order). We had a fantastic time. Apart from the boat and pedal-boat facilities there are 'bungi' jumps, wall climbing, cricket and rides. Of course, swimming pool with periodic waves too. The rates are reasonable (apart from one time entry fee of Rs 30 per head, each event is priced from Rs 10 through Rs 30. Swimming would cost Rs 70). The eating places and ice creams also offer reasonable prices. (Of course, you cannot bring your eatables inside. The logic beats me. May be, the organizers are scared that the visitors may just spread a sheet and start eating! But, fortunately, water is exempted, though the drinking water is available free inside. It is a different unfortunate story that I spent Rs 90 on water without knowing about this!)

So, what is the dark lining in the silver clouds? Parking. It is free - but the crowd is so much. When we went around 1PM, parking was not a big deal. But when we returned around 5, oh...oh...the place was full of wheels. They were parked on both sides and the cars were allowed to go in between both ways too. With a lot sweating, I managed to get the car to the main road and headed home.

Strong recommendation from me.

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i had an amazing day today. spent the whole day on a boat with my client's family and their friends.they own this big boat named 'loco poco' (spanish word) with really cool interiors.we were totally 17 on the boat & it didnt take more time for me to mingle in the group . a few have already invited me to their next summer trips ..ahem!!.but the amazing part of the day was .... i drove The Boat for a mile ..yes you got it right!! I drove Loco Poco for one mile in the river without hitting any jet skis or boats(believe me it aint easy when the traffic is bad!!) fucking awesome it was yaar !!! well it was a bet and i won.darn!!people really underestimate me by my petite figure..their loss :).

i did fishing too.uff!! its an amazing experience to just be with yourself all alone on the roof of a boat fishing and reading a kool book all the while, on a warm sunny saturday.i know what you thinking ..yes!a silly fish did fell for my bait.it was a medium Tuna ...i was excited for my first ever catch but felt terribly bad seeing it writhing.so i took it off the hook and released it in the water :). boating and fishing was FUN for a first-timer-Me.

then i played fresbee with 2 pro players(guys).never knew that i was so good to beat them.everybody there who were watching have suggested me to try for the state level fresbee tournament and they seriously explained me all the process too.. woo i amazed myself!!!

the one pic i clicked from my cell is below and the rest clicked from a camera will be posted here soon.

Pichavaram is a scenic spot located 16kms away from Chidambaram (a scenic location by itself). Some of the things you could do at Pichavaram include a) visiting the mangroves b) taking a boat ride in the waters and c) trekking. Also if that is not appealing, Chidambaram has a lot of interesting places to be visited.

It is a low budget travel, like all the other trips I have done. The idea is to get to Central Station early morning, take the train to Trichy and get off at Chidambaram (200 odd kilometers from Chennai) after two and a half hours of train travel.

Planemad just informed that the train to Trichy doesn't go via Chidambram anymore, because of the gauge difference. So that means we have two options:

1) Leave early in the morning on Tuesday from CMBT taking a bus to Chidambaram. Reach there in like 4-5 hours. Then go for the boating and stuff, check out the place, trek if possible etc. and then get back by taking the evening bus and reach Chennai at like 10:30 - 11:00 PM.

2) Leave on Monday night, take a train reach Kumbakonam in the morning. Check out Kumbakonam and then take a bus from there and reach Chidambaram in an hour. Check out Pichavaram and Chidambaram and take a bus back to Chennai and reach in Tuesday evening.

From there take a bus to Pichavaram. The buses are available every hour. Finish the trek and get back to Chennai by night.

Very unfortunately Jump is off to Teni to watch some 'thiruvila' and Beli is off to Manali/Shimla with my camera. This means a) I don't have a camera, such a cruel thing for a traveler and b) I don't have company. So if you are interested ping me.

When: Tuesday, 13th May 2008 (Because less crowd. We can avoid the tourists and families) One day trip.
Where: Pichavaram
Cost: Max. 500 bucks (way less than that)

My mobile number is 9281301888 in case you wanna get in touch with me. And if you have a camera, please do come. I don't want to miss taking shots in the ferry :D

Hobie Hydrofoil Trimaran Sailboat

• May 24 - PCOC Beginner Course at Buckeye Marine
• May 30-31 - Everybody's In Tournament
• May 31 - Women Behind The Wheel at Buckeye Marine
• May 31 - Kawartha Family Fun Day at Little Lake, Peterborough
• June 6-8 - Born In Bobcaygeon, TSW 175th Anniversary in Bobcaygeon
• June 7 - Unlock The Summer & Lock Anniversary in Bobcaygeon
• June 7 - Teenz Boat Safe Course at Buckeye Marine
• June 7 - Kidz Boat Safe Course at Buckeye Marine
• June 14-15 - Weekend On The Water at Viamede Resort, Stoney Lake
• June 14 - PCOC Course at Buckeye Marine
• June 14 - Huck Finn Race at Riverview Park, Bobcaygeon
• June 18 - All About Boating Seminar at Buckeye Marine
• June 21 - Blast Into Summer Show at the Lindsay Fairgrounds
• June 21-22 - Weekend On The Water at Crystal Lake Marina, Crystal Lake
• June 25 - All About Boating Seminar at Buckeye Marine
• June 28 - Women Behind The Wheel at Buckeye Marine
• June 28-July 1 - Canada Day Celebration at Buckeye Marine
• July 5 - Women Behind The Wheel at Buckeye Marine
• July 5-6 - Weekend On The Water on Head Lake, Haliburton
• July 6 - Brunch Cruise on Chemong Cruise
• July 12 - Night At The Drive In Cruise on Balsam Lake
• July 16 - Kidz Boat Safe Course at Buckeye Marine
• July 16 - Teenz Boat Safe Course at Buckeye Marine
• July 18 - Tow Smart Course at Buckeye Marine
• July 19-20 - Weekend On The Water at Little Gull Marina, Catchacoma
• July 20-Aug 8 - Wave of Hope across Ontario
• July 24 - PCOC Beginner Course at Buckeye Marine
• July 25 - Women Behind The Wheel at Buckeye Marine
• July 26 - Everybody's In Tournament
• Aug 2 - Summer Nights Food & Wine in Haliburton
• Aug 11 - PCOC Beginner Course at Buckeye Marine
• Aug 13 - Hunt for Hope in Bobcaygeon
• Aug 16-17 - Weekend On The Water
• Aug 16 - Everybody's In Tournament on Little Lake, Peterborough
• Aug 23 - Weekend Retreat Cruise at Viamede Resort, Stoney Lake
• Aug 24 - Back To School Blowout at Buckeye Marine
• Aug 30 - Customer Appreciation Pig Roast at Buckeye Marine
• Sept 11 - Toronto In-Water Boat Show at Ontario Place
• Oct 10 - Product Preview & Charity Gala at Buckeye Marine  

All of which are very good questions. Not only that but what does Earthrace have to do with the by now oh-so-boring subject of Global Warming, the total madness of the America's Cup and, as if that isn't enough, the farcical battle of Oklahoma City versus Seattle in the quest for the Seattle Supersonics - currently close to the title of the Worst Team in the NBA? The team is the worst in the 40 years of its Seattle franchise.

What's the common factor? Wait and thou shall see. First, what is the Earthrace fuss is all about? Earthrace is a New Zealand powerboat that is currently under way to set a World Record circumnavigating Earth in less than about 75 days. The boat will do this on a Zero Carbon Print using biodiesel - similar to the vegetable oil you buy in supermarkets - and purchased Carbon Credits. Thus it tied itself to Global Warming and various Environmental Issues.

Where on Earth is Earthrace?

By the time you read this, no doubt the mystery causing the question above is resolved. But as of this moment, the onboard GPS system places Earthrace at a position just north of Puerto Rice. The GPS position claims the boat went the wrong direction for the past 24 hours in open Caribbean waters at a speed of some 15 knots. Not only that, but the actual position did not changed during that time. That, of course, makes no sense.

Clearly, some unplanned event is underway, be it the transponder washing overboard, the boat's infamous head blowing up, Caribbean pirates boarding the vessel or the crew agreeing to start new lives in Haiti. Perhaps the Bermuda Triangle or Roswell UFO's are involved.

At the moment of writing these lines, there is no official or inside reaction to this mystery. Earthrace is silent, news is silent and even Clinton or Osama have nothing to say on the subject, being unduly preoccupied with "pivotal" primaries in North Carolina and Indiana.

Maybe they simply ran out of cooking oil, aka biodiesel. The regular oil price is now well over $120 per barrel, so Earthrace's point is really important. As you see the oil price pass $150 on its way to $200 and beyond with a $10 gas price, you'll be painfully aware why that is so.

Biodiesel - Smells Better Than Your Mercedes

Even George Bush seems to know about biodiesel. As always, his point of view differs from that of every one else. He thinks it will save us from being fried by hot air which may be slightly plausible. Then he translates that into a need to redirect precious American Greenbacks from Muslim Terrorist States such as Norway and Russia to Deserving Republican Christian Farmers in Minnesota. Lastly, he opinionates that this brave initiative absolves the US guilt as the baddest Global Warmer on earth. That's where he really goes over the edge.

Others, such as economists, point out that biodiesel will more likely fry our wallets for no better reason than making those few (Republican) farmers stinking rich. Environmentalist claim that making a few select farmers rich is rarely good for the environment - look at the sugar industry in Florida filling the Everglades with fertilizer runoff, killing most life. Not only that, but the farmers won't get rich from their own efforts but from public subsidies courtesy of Dubya - that is, you and me pay to get more expensive gas. Lucky us. Of course, George W. finds this all hilarious.

Lastly, agricultural gurus mention that switching food farm land to gas land might starve us (or more accurately, starve Africans, Indians and the Chinese), while others remain fried by Global Warming or choked by bad air. Simultaneously, all kinds of species go extinct due to, among other things, the runoffs of biodiesel related pollution into rain puddles, streams, lakes, your tap water and oceans. Starvation or your health won't benefit. The nasty effects of continuing to cut down the Amazon and Indonesian forests in order to feed your Hummer and air conditioner remain.

Do you really want to pay for this biodiesel thing? Controversial, nasty, silly, even stupid? Wait a minute - before answering, before rejecting - ask yourself - Do I Have a Better Idea? Well, some of us might have better ideas but none of those are without some controversy. There are no simple Cinderella answers to the issues of Global Warming, the Environment, World Energy, World Starvation, your Hummer, your personal Airline Miles and undisputable right to a chilled environment.

The issues are not answered by the Forest Gump attitudes of George Bush, Tree Huggers, ExxonMobil, Global Warming Skeptics, World Bank Reactionaries, Whale Lovers, Florida Sugar Farmers, Stern Reports, Huge Computer Simulations, the Number of Hurricanes This Season or the Depth of Snow on My Driveway Yesterday, Democrat Senate Hearings about going-nowhere questions, Al Gore, EPA revolts against the White House, WTO Haters, the Supreme Court, Kyoto Protocols or CRT's.

Around the Globe They Go

Consider the kerosene bluish exhaust clouding the sky when thousands of well chilled Climate Scientists fly to Important UN IPCC conferences, working groups, technical presentations, dinner tables, resorts and safaris in business oriented locations such as :

• Nairobi, Paris, Kyoto, Bangkok, Bruxelles, Geneva, Helsinki, Lubeck, Budapest, Manila, Washington DC, La Reunion, Rio de Janeiro, Cairns, Addis Ababa, Sao Paulo, Oviedo, Lima, Beijing, Laxenburg, Buenos Aires, Moscow, Montreal, Churchchrist, Sydney, Merida, Cape Town, Port Louis, Bergen, Paris, Exeter, Saint Agustine, Doha, New Delhi, undisclosed locations in Colorado and the Netherlands, Victoria, Valencia, Amsterdam, Colombo, Maynooth, Tokyo, Tucson, Honolulu, Seville, Potsdam, Nadi (Fiji), Trieste, Boulder, Vienna, Marrakesh, Bali, New York City, Bonn, Davos, Oslo, Johannesburg, Wembley, Shanghai and Accra. Excuse me if I missed a few spots.

That's not to imply biodiesel is the only Important Issue pondered by the Scientists and Politicians of the UN and the IPCC as they suffer from jet lag and loss of sleep in Fiji. Far from it. But the travel of these guys on their undisclosed quest costs literally billions of bucks, not to mention generates untold tons of CO2. Has it reduced Global Warming, saved the Environment or resolved Global Hunger? Did they reduce the anguish of Intuits, polar bears, Antarctic krill, Swedish lemmels or Peruvian skiers? Of course not. The Arctic heat wave, the thawing of Siberian tundra and the vanishing of Alpine glaciers is accelerating, not abiding. Bush remains stoically unengaged and sees no need for action.

here is Earthrace

Nor is biodiesel the only issue facing the Earthrace people. The Earthracers are quick to point out they do not promote biodiesel but simply aim at informing the World about alternative fuels. Fair enough but probably not quite the way their sponsors see it. All in all, it is a better idea to run this diesel guzzling race horse on biodiesel than on ordinary oil if indeed it is necessary to do so in the first place. But the circumnavigators have other crucial issues to consider.

For instance, lately they've had a fatal breakdown of the onboard Head (aka toilet), gushes of biodiesel showering them and the autopilot giving out while trade winds mysteriously changed direction 180 degrees, much to the crew's discomfort. In earlier adventures, the Head gave out (again), food went missing, the Salvadorian Navy shot at them, Guatemalan courts and navies detained them (rightfully), EC Customs and Indian Harbor Masters blackmailed them, propellers went mushy, biodiesel disappeared, shafts behaved like spaghetti, bearings burnt, parts ended up wherever Earthrace was not, 1,065 horsepower engines jumped off their foundations, the hull eventually broke up while waves continuously knocked the crew silly.

Such trials notwithstanding, the Earthracers managed to touch on quite a bit of geography in their quest. Here is a list of past and future ports of Promotion, not counting the 12 ports of refuel for the Around the Worlds Record Attempt:

• Auckland, Tairua, Whitianga, Tauranga, Paihia, Opua, Keri Keri, Whangarei, Whangaroa, Whitianga, Whangamata, Napier, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, Half Moon Bay, Bluff and Raglan, Maui, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Morro Bay, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Newport, San Diego, Oceanside, Redondo, Long Beach, Marina Del Ray, Fort Lauderdale, Wilmington, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Indian River Marina, Baltimore, Hilton Head, Key West, Jacksonville, Savannah, Charleston, Miami Boat Show, St Petersburg, Tampa, Houston, New Orleans, Mobil, Pensicola, Destin, Cork, Halmstad, Gothenburg, Oslo, Karlskrona, Bornholm, Rostock, Copenhagen, Helsingor, Kiel, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dublin, Waterford, Cardiff, Bristol, Fowey, Jersey,Rouen, Paris, I'lle de Re, Porto, Lisbon, Vilamoura (Algarve), Benalmadena, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Barcelona, London, England, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Bundaberg, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Coffs harbour,
  Newcastle, Gosford, Sydney, Woolongong, Melbourne, Launceston, Hobart, Opua, Whangaroa, Russel, Paihia, Kerikeri, Whangarei, Gulf Harbour, Milford, Auckland, Whitianga, Tairua, Whangamata, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Whakatane, Opotiki, Tolaga Bay, Gisborne, Napier, Picton, Nelson, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Oamaru, Timaru, Dunedin, Bluff, Milford, Westport, Greymouth, Kapati Coast, Wanganui, Kawhia, Raglan, Huntly, Ngaruawahia, Hamilton, Cornwallis, Hokianga.

Oh, That Earthrace Vortex

Here is the clincher. The IPCC people spend billions of your and my money to pursue an unattainable goal of curing the ills of the World. The Earthrace people spend practically nothing - or, correctly, they do not spend your dollars, crowns, pesetas, yen or even Euros. There are some sponsors but that does not include George Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Gates or Bono. More likely the sponsors include small manufacturers of bio friendly, slippery boat bottom paint or mysterious equipment such as carbon fiber steering wheels.

The big spender is the soul behind Earthrace - a New Zealander named Pete Bethune. He mortgaged his home, friends, relatives and no doubt every cat, cow and banker in New Zealand to build a 78 foot power boat with which he intends to set a record almost no one has ever heard about. While supported by a tiny but enthusiastic army of unpaid volunteers, Pete IS Earthrace. Not only that, he is still married to the same wife he was when this all started. My own exes took off on far smaller issues.

The tiny armies of supporters include the Boat Crew to drive the boat around the Globe in less than 75 days, a Ground Crew to stay a bit ahead of the boat to ensure the Head will work, biodiesel gets loaded, harbor masters bribed and food is both purchased and actually loaded on the boat. They will straighten bent shafts, replace bearings, patch holes in the hulls and perhaps arrange for showers for a rather smelly boat crew.

All the Comforts of Home, They Said

Earthrace does not have a shower. Nor is there air conditioning or even normal ventilation due to weight restrictions. The rebellious ($10,000) head is a somewhat controversial afterthought only recently equipped with a door. There is no kitchen (known as galley) or gourmet cooking. The venture's operating standard says that one pound of soap, Foie gras or spare socks means one less pound of biodiesel which does not compute in the minds of record setters.

Broken ribs, bruises and other injuries are not uncommon. Sleep time consists of being tossed around on and sometimes off a tiny berth. The panorama windows are all of a few inches high, perhaps reminding you of the Maginot Line Bunkers of the 1930s. The Promenade Deck is several feet long but usually indoors as the boat actually travels underwater part of the time. Wearing hearing protection is highly recommended during passage as the noise level is a steady 85 dB, which is loud indeed - similar to a lawnmower or heavy truck next to your pillow. The Doctor is not in, nor is the cruise director, cabin steward, bingo caller or chef.

Incidentally, you can enjoy this luxury by purchasing a berth as a guest of the crew. You'll dine with the Captain, do the dishes and pay around ten times the price of that boring cruise on Queen Elizabeth II. You will get a copy of Pete's book to make you remember this splendid occasion and the bragging rights of a life time. Perhaps they'll throw in a t-shirt as well.

There are 12 refuel/repair stops as the team roars around the world. The goal is to get the boat underway in less than 4 hours at each stop. That means the Earthrace Boat Crew will have a total port time of 48 hours during their 70-75 day trip. Not even WWII uboaters or Vikings had to put up with such nonsense.

The Ground Crew relies on miracles rather than ordinary money to fly or swim themselves and a few tons of spares to the next port of refueling and repairs. When they by chance get to that port of call, they rarely have food and beds waiting for them or paid for. They rely on a secondary army of local volunteers and school kids to make just about everything work. There is a small London based crew to handle the big task of contributions and public relations on, perhaps, the standard Earthrace employment contract of eternal glory but no pay, aka known as the Earthrace VORTEX.

The Low Point

The number of times these guys have been out of money would boggle the mind of even my banker. Somehow they manage and the saga goes on. You see, this is the second attempt to win that record. The first one ended in June of last year after "almost" getting there bar a suicidal gash in the hull and a great many other misfortunes. Perhaps they suffered a bit from mismanagement, inexperience and plain bad luck. Either way, the boat ended up in Valencia, Spain which is far away from New Zealand indeed.

They did, however, bag the speed record passing through the Suez Canal to the joy of both the Suez people and the crew.

By coincident, Valencia hosted the America's Cup at the time, a subject we'll spend some upcoming time on. Earthrace tried to vitalize their dwindling fortunes by hiring out as a spectator boat for the races; quite a change from their own World Record Race pursuits. Seemingly, that venture did not add much to the coffers and largely the World gave them up for dead. Pete Bethune headed for the airport and was unheard of for the next six months. As it turned out he wrote a book about the misfortunes which is selling quite well in New Zealand. It is not currently available on Amazon but I hope it will be.

Somehow the venture revitalized itself. Early this year, Pete was back in full racing gear with an almost completely new cast of characters around him. On April 27, Earthrace crossed the Spanish starting line for its second record attempt.

Is there a point?

When it is all over and finished with, pivotal people get associated with specifics. Ralph Nader is the miser complaining about just about everything. Michael Jackson is the front guy for plastic nose jobs. Britney Spears is the juxtaposition of parenthood (shared with the good Michael). Sylvester Stallone is Rambo.

Dick Cheney will be remembered for undisclosed locations and loyalties to strange and mysterious friends and pals. James Bond is forever married to shaken, not stirred martinis. Hugh Hefner cornered the market for circular beds. Martha Steward is the Queen of Who-Knows-What. Bill Clinton is the Monica Guy, Hillary, as we are all aware, is not some little woman, standing by her man, like Tammy Wynette.

On the balance, George Bush will be the Top Gun on the issues of Global Warming, Energy and the Environment. The judgment will be a harsh one unless somehow the twisted, ignorant, uninformed, naive, plain wrong, lethargic, uninterested views of this midget turns out to be true, chance of which is similar to hell freezing over.

Of course, Georgie will be remembered for other items too. He blew a couple of Wars, committed all kinds of War Crimes. Violated Civil Rights, ignored the Supreme Court, did a heck of a job with Katrina, while missing out on Fairness, Compassion, Decency, 9/11, Osama bin Laden, Israel-Palestine, Budget Deficits and English Grammar. He even miraculous missed out personally on the Vietnam War.

On the other hand we have Pete Bethune, the guy that put just about everything he owned or could lay his hands on for a personal dream and then pursued it to the very limits of what he calls Kiwi grit. He has spent some four years (or more) with little reward from the rest of the World except for a handful of dreamers drawn into the Earthrace "Vortex". Or perhaps it is simply the adventure of circling this globe doing cool stuff.

It is of course folly to compare George Bush and Pete Bethune. They have nothing in common except occasional strange grammar. But let's go on to some other interesting people. Let's tackle the America's Cup in all its not so spotless fortunes by all its not so snow white contending millionaires and - these days - billionaires. Ladies and gentlemen - scandals, backstabbing and intrigues galore to make a mark on the ugliest trophy in history using multi million dollar boats with a zero lasting value.

The Most Expensive Demolition Derby in History

Don't get me wrong. I love the America's Cup. I think the races are truly thrilling. I gloat over the ruthlessness of the "competition". The personalities often are as absurdly self centered eccentrics as any James Bond villain. Remember Goldfinger going after Fort Knox? Or the treacherous Dr No? How about Blofield or the evil SMERSH or SPECTRE?

In America's Cup we have a bunch of people whomay not quite be out to destroy the World but rather to demolish whatever competition there is. Nathanael Herreshoff (Naval Architect of the Fabulous Herreshoff Period 1893-1920), Harold Vanderbilt (Railroad fortunes, a viscous bridge player), Ted Turner (Ex of Jane Fonda and CNN), Sir Thomas Lipton (Yep, the Tea Guy), Charles E. Nicholson (Secretary of The Navy and the Dean of American Helmsmen), Sir Peter Blake (Creating the Golden Era of the New Zealand Cup Races), Baron Marcel Bich (The Pen Guy from France), T.O.M Sopwith (Father of WWI Sopwith Camel Fighter), Bill Koch (Koch Industries), Thomas Egerton (2nd Earl of Wilton, who effectively created the Cup in 1851 and immediately lost it to America and various courts in New York), Alan Bond (Australian Riches to Rags Business man winning the Cup but ending up in jail) and finally Dennis,
Conner, a San Diego occasional business man, sailor and the man losing the Cup not only once but twice.

Here is the common factor of almost all of these Cup hopefuls. They are self made rags to riches industrialists with far too much money matched only by huge insecurities. The true blue bloods - the Kennedys, Rockefellers, Queens and Princes, Wallenbergs, Carnegies, Vanderbilts (with an exception) or Bernadottes wouldn't be caught dead in the same room as the vulgar upstart sharks.

More recently, the Main Honchos include Louis Vuttion of handbag fortunes with his own little Cup. Other fanatically rich competitors include Patrizio Bertelli of Prada fashion riches, John McCaw of Telecommunication billions and now two of the biggest, baddest egos of them all: Larry Ellison of Oracle and Ernesto Bertarelli of Swiss biotech money.

Apart from having billions of US dollars and Swiss francs, what about these guys? Both spent mega money to win a silver cup of questionable value. A main difference is that Larry won nothing in two challenges over close to 10 years of efforts while Ernie took the cup twice. Having won nothing on the water, Larry recently turned to the proven basic business tactic of suing Ernie. Larry's fortunes soared - he won his cases in court and can now race the nasty Swiss in a private Cup event without having to lose to other challengers as has been his history so far. Larry's most recent record is a 1-5 loss to the Italian Prada billionaire. The Italians then went on to a 0-5 record to the New Zealanders who, in turn lost 2-5 to the Swiss. In other words, the score is Larry 3, the Swiss 15.

Such a score did not sit too well with Larry who went on to shrewdly steal Ernie's best sailors. In fact, Ernie himself had previously stolen the same guys away from the then winniest teams - New Zealand. By stealing the sailors, Ernie won the Cup but egos flared, the biggest New Zealander brain left Ernie and immediately joined Larry's team. Things looked up for Larry. Not to be beaten that easily, Swiss Ernie forgot that he himself won the Cup by the same people stealing tactics. Using shady rules and a court of his own, Ernie introduced his own rule prohibiting Larry from actually use his expensive New Zealanders. Larry lost again and Ernie kept the Cup, which to this day remains in a Geneva vault.

As you might gather, there is little love between the New Zealanders and their former Swiss employer. Larry and Ernie complete the picture by mutually hating the other's guts and acting accordingly. Meanwhile, lawyers congratulate themselves on new fortunes as do the New Zealanders. It's nice to own something billionaires fight over.

Of course the all out war continues. Did any of you see the movie "The War of The Roses". Danny deVito, Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner stars in a perfect introduction to the spirit and tactics used in America's Cup racing. Meanwhile, normal people looking at this mess see only two fools doing nothing but whining and wasting money that would keep an average town in food and shelter for scores of years.

You see, it takes around $100 million to raise a credible America's Cup challenge and about the same to defend it. Apart from the costly people stealing and court battles, the money is spent on building racing machines of zero value outside the America's Cup race courses. The total budget for a typical America's Cup series easily runs into billions.

These overpriced, over designed and overfeed vessels are hardly able to get around a few miles of racing in one piece. The last New Zealander defense sailed the finals in a multi million dollar boat that continuously filled up with water due to a rather basic design problem ("keep the sides of the boat above water"). The crew bailed rather than raced around the course. After all, you have to stay afloat to win a race. Earlier, an Australian boat broke in two and sank in minutes. An unlucky crew member pumped the mast hydraulics a tad too much, folding the boat in half. No one was hurt; the Aussies coolly called for a second boat and went on from there. Grit in the face of foolishness.

They can sail in neither light air, nor in anything beyond moderate weather without sinking, losing masts, keels or $100,000 spinnakers. The sails are made from exotic stuff that tends to literally explode. The hulls have odd bulbs and hollows designed to fool the system and the competition. The keels are made of spent uranium but occasionally break off or down. The boat crews, wearing layers of white gooey to save themselves from skin cancer, have private chefs, personal trainers and munch potent energy bars.

The hosting cities spend billions on new marinas to accommodate Larry Ellison's modest 452 foot "Rising Sun" yacht (82 cabins on 5 decks). The cities arrange opening galas, closing galas and intermediate galas. New, dedicated "America's Cup villages" are subject to security worthy of JFK on a good day to protect against the Muslim suspects of Bush's War on Terror, sometimes confused with the Italian team. Shoes are examined for explosives and care is taken to ensure the possibly radioactive keels do not fall in Iraqi or Iranian hands. Or the hands of Larry Ellison as it may be.

Some people claim America's Cup is not only Big Business but Good Business. Who on Earth do they kid?

The Fundamental Rule of sports

Any sport is a curious mix of fan devotion, money, politics and immensely talented players and competitors. The players provide entertainment to a devoted and loyal audience, capitalizing on local and or national pride. Some are compensated for their efforts at a mind boggling rate. Still, Seattle people take immense pride in their Sonics, Storm, Sounders, Mariners, Seahawks and UW teams. So do the people of New Orleans, Los Angeles, Manchester, Turin, Barcelona and Nome, Alaska ("The Nome Nanook Basketball team"). In Europe and Latin America, pride may extend into violence, riots, hooliganism. In the US, the beer and hot dog industry as well as broadcasters, commentators and bookies benefit greatly.

But sports would not exist without the fans. Here is the curious thing. While Seattle, say, loves their Sonics, with few exceptions the Sonics organization has only a superficial connection with Seattle. Seattle is a place for the team to play "home" games, cultivate their fan base and show off a dance team while doing some of the practicing in a home facility. Sonics owners, players, coaches and other dignitaries have no links with Seattle. They may be from France, Croatia, Idaho, China, Nome, Alaska or Oklahoma City. Yet, somehow, they represent "Seattle". Really?

As a matter of fact, it only takes only some hours to load up a few buses and hightail out of town as some Seattle fans will recall actually happened a few years ago. Links to the community? Loyalty? Nah.

Most professional sports work the same way. Canadian hockey clubs are made up by Swedes, Russians, Czechs and the occasional Finn. The picture is similar in European soccer or American baseball. The players are a worldwide commodity traded back and forth on the whims of rich owners. The fans that actually pay for the whole thing have no say whatsoever.

The picture is a bit different in major international sports, say the Olympics. Suddenly, nationalism becomes important. The international player commodities head home to compete for the national teams. English soccer stars return from Italy or Los Angeles to play for England, the Queen and Bangers. The American basketball team might include Shaquille O'Neal or Allen Iverson, but not Yao Ming, Vladimir Radmanovic, Steve Nash or Dikembe Mutombo.

America's Cup is certainly an international event but does not build on the nationalism of the Olympics or World Cup soccer. Instead, there are some arcane and somewhat hilarious rules that the boat is built ground up nationally in all its exotic materials. Those materials, of course, are not national at all but worldwide commodities. High end sailing technology is not a national industry although America's Cup claims it is. Yet the idea is that the boat is what counts, not the people sailing her.

The crew of an America's Cup boat is a revolving door variation of the mix, buy and trade of Italian soccer clubs or the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Swiss team is headed by an Italian billionaire living in the French part of Switzerland. The "Swiss" sailing team of 2007 included New Zealander Brad Butterworth, German Jochen Shuemann and Peter Holmberg of the US Virgin Islands. Paul Cayard, another key Cup personality, skipper and helmsman competed for the United States, Italy, Spain, Sweden and no doubt others. Son, go where the money is.

Larry Ellison's Oracle Team was headed by Chris Dickson who competed for New Zealand, Japan and Germany in previous events. The Oracle Team also included Bertrand Pace of France. Russel Coutts is the controversial and notorious America's Cup Winning Machine from New Zealand. He logged Cup victories for the Kiwis, then gave the Cup to the Swiss and now is set to do the honors for Larry.

The short of it is that America's Cup has little or no connection to the concept of fans or national pride. The Cup exists to satisfy Nouveau Riche owners using the ordinary production factors of money, sailors, designers and secrets traded back and forth. Much more fun than curing cancer. No means of possible success are ignored. Midnight dives to pry loose competitor's hull and keel secrets, bribes, courtroom tactics... the list is long. Sportsmanship is not in fashion. Winning in money spent, the court room or on the water is all the same.

Imagine extending some of the America's Cup ideas of sportsmanship, such as the Lakers suing because the Maverick's scalp wax is clearly more slippery than rules allow or the Trailblazers hitting the Sun as O'Neal's girth now seems clearly above 59 1/2 inches without O'Neal compensating by removing 2 1/4 inches from his height. Daily protest meeting would be needed to resolve issues such as whether or not Steve Nash illegally overtook Kobe Bryant on a starboard tack without securing a proper overlap while Bryant was steering a proper course. Or perhaps Kevin Garnett would show up in a skirt to hide from the opposing team his revolutionary new legs made from kevlar and plutonium? Fans would be thrilled.

A look at Earthrace reveals a parallel pattern. That effort is based out of New Zealand on mostly Kiwi money, as far as can be deducted. Yet the current crew includes only one person - Pete Bethune - of that country. The PR team is British. The Boat Crew is made up by Pete, a Swedish navigator and two Brits. The Ground Crew consists of an Irishman, a Hungarian and a Portuguese.

What is the Common Ground?

Biodiesel, whaling, ExxonMobil, Global Warming, Money, Intrigue, Egos, National Pride, Fans, Mix and Trade, Boating, Records.... Larry Ellison, Russel Coutts, Ernesto Bertarelli. George Bush and Al Gore. Shaquille O'Neal, David Beckham and Yao Ming. Various supporting casts; A few hundred major league sailors, maybe a thousand supreme basketball and soccer players. In the case of the politics of Global Warming and the Environment - again, perhaps a few thousand key politicians and scientists.

Cutting it even closer, big time politics such as war and peace, global warming and mankind survival is, will be and always was decided by just a few people, most with no qualifications to decide such matters. Hate it or not, George Bush's absurd ideas may well determine life for generations to come. Out of the past, Adolf Hitler's influence is still in plain view. So is that of Joseph Stalin. Harry Truman started the Cold War when he wiped out two Japanese cities. Mankind will forever suffer the consequences.

America's Cup directly involves thousands of participants and, they claim, billions of spectators. Yet only two people actually count. Larry Ellison and Ernesto Bertarelli call the shots to their mutual and exclusive joy, mistrust, hate and anguish, if any. On a more local level, the fate of the Seattle Supersonics rests with an Oklahoma guy named Clay Bennett who is no stranger to backdoor politics. He alone is likely to end the longest lasting local professional sports franchise in America. Millions of Washington fans - stand back. All three Oklahoma fans will be thrilled.

Earthrace is not quite as sinister a case as is politics and professional sports. But the venture does borrow many features from those other cases. It has few roots on a local or national level - certainly not in its native New Zealand - the crews are dominantly European. Sponsors are from all over. It is the brain child of one and only one person - Pete Bethune, filled with Kiwi determination and grit. What Pete says goes.

So you take a look around and you will perhaps realize that this world is run by a very small number of people. Most of those are in place not because "the people" approved them or their aims but because of ego driven, personal power trips. Many if not most of these cats are not very nice. They certainly do not have your best in mind. I'd hate to walk into Larry Ellison's office and ask for my disability payment or food for my kids. Or to awaken Harry Truman to find out why we needed to spend trillions on the ability to wipe ourselves off the face of Earth a thousand times over. Some have asked George Bush why hundreds of thousands have to die in Iraq. Few get the chance to ask such questions twice.

And this we call, with pride, a compassionate, democratic world? Hah.

Where is Earthrace?

Well, that mystery is cleared up. No controversy, no UFO's or Bermuda Triangle at this time. The Earthrace GPS system now says the boat is back on a reasonable course doing good speed towards the Panama Canal and the Pacific Ocean legs. Still, there is little explanation for over 24 hours worth of disappearing act. The word is there was a delay in biodiesel delivery but that does not tally with the GPS track. So be it. I'm pretty sure, that no billionaires are tampering, spying, trading secrets or generally stabbing each other in the back in this case. Not even does it seem likely it's Bush's fault. Earthrace is back on track and that is a good thing.

Go Earthrace.

Pay them (literally) a visit at >> their site <<, filled with all kinds of videos, blogs, GPS stuff and info. But do take care - you may end up with the Earthrace Vortex!

Thanks to all of you! Karl

In this edition of Doing Stuff Outdoors we're going sailing....or at least we'll talk to a man who lives and breathes the sea. It took him three years but he built his own day-sailor out of wood following traditional boat building plans.  We'll talk about the joy you get from sailing in a wooden boat that you built yourself.

And we all have visions of the mighty Nile River.  Thanks to our friends at the Outdoors Station we'll hear about a tour operator who organizes amazing kayaking expeditions along the Nile.

Also today... more of your comments including a look at a new product that allows you to create your own 3D trail maps of routes in the Canadian Rockies.  And we'll talk a little about getting outdoors with kids.  Plus more podsafe music from Great Big Sea.

Call in your comments, suggestions and outdoor adventures to the comments line at 206-600-4557. Email Gary at doingstuffoutdoors@yahoo.ca and subscribe to DSO in iTunes.
Next week we'll take you paragliding in the mountains.....

so...Dog Days is going to be great. Even though I was working all day, it was so laid back I didn't really get tired until about midnight. I had a section to myself, worked by myself, and didn't really have to talk to the managers or anything until I needed help. It was nice to be trusted like that. It was nice and sunny outside, and we had a band playing on the deck most of the afternoon. Everyone I waited on was sooo friendly and happy, so I felt really comfortable. I've never had so many drunk strangers wish me happy birthday...so that was interesting. It's crazy how many different types of people you meet at a place like that. The crazy fisherman, the locals, the creepy drunk guys, the frat boys, the families, the women who are in complete denial about their age, the little kids running around...i could go on.

Some notable characters?

1. Poker run ladies: We didn't have sweet tea so just Iced Teas. No lemon. There was a poker run going on, and these ladies came in wearing homemade Kentucky Derby hats. Really weird. This one lady kept bothering me for duct tape because her horse kept falling off the top of her head.

2. Delta Upsilon toga party frat boys: Yeggahbombs. (no, seriously) Pretty entertaining. Made me glad I wasn't a bartender, though.

3. Drunken fisherman-guy with false teeth: His name was Leland.  This guy was a hoot. Probably about 45. He came in with two other guys..a young kid, maybe about 16, and some other shy guy, about 32? He was so funny. Bud Light drinker. And his friend drank Gin & Tonic, which didn't really fit him, but whatever. He was trying to get some advice about "how women work" for his shy Gin & Tonic friend. He complimented my sunglasses. When I asked them if they'd stay for another round, he told me "Well, you don't look like a golf club....so I guess we'll stay and have a beer with ya". Yeah...I definitely don't know what that means. But he was pretty harmless...just having a good time.

4. Party family: Rum Runners, Mich Ultras, and Pain in the Asses (a "pain in the ass" is half rum runner, half pina colada) A bunch of young couples...and then some parents?? My favorite. Big self-esteem boosters. These were the type of people that I felt like I could balance my true personality and my waitress personality with. I wasn't afraid to throw a little sarcasm in. At the end of their meal they wanted 9 separate checks, which made it really difficult because I'm still trying to figure out the computers. I hated that they had to wait on me. But not the hate like, "oh crap...there goes my tip," but more like "aww...we had so much fun i don't want them to get pissed". But it all worked out. They knew it was my birthday...and my first weekend...so I think they understood. I really hate computers sometimes. They just slow things down more than help in some situation

5. Mom and Carol: (Tequila and Grapefruit-gross, mom--and Parrot Bay and Pineapple) I forgot to mention my mom brought her friend Carol with her. They showed up around 5 to relax and enjoy the band. It was nice to see my mom laugh. There was this big group of men sitting near them and they were totally mackin' on my Mom. How weird, right? Some of the situations I find myself in.

6. Group 'o Ladies: (Diet Pepsi's and Iced Tea) Really sweet thirty somethings. The type of ladies who I would usually be scared of, because if they're with their husbands, they're total bitches to me. But they were all together and really sweet...I guess they're regulars, because they asked if Jesse was working. He's the hot wrestling-coach bartender. I met him when I went down for the day in April. Really nice guy. They were sad to hear he wasn't there. Then they went on to talk about how hot he was..and how they'd love to make him their pool boy?

7. Supercreep: (Bud Light bottle) Okay...well it had to happen. There's always that one guy who just creeps you the hell out. This was the guy. It was probably around 11 p.m. or so, and things were starting to wind down. All that was left were the really drunk people, so I was starting to get bored with cocktailing. This guy didn't really need a beer, but I brought him one anyway. "That will be $5, please". Then he asked me if I was married. I made the mistake of saying no, and then I had to deal with him handing me all the cash in his wallet, rather than just a $5 bill..or, maybe a little more? He was too drunk to even comprehend tipping me. He handed me a twenty...and I guess I could have just taken it..but I felt too bad. So he then handed me a bunch of bills that were all crumbled up and I pulled out a five and organized the rest of the cash and handed it back to him. He just needed to go home. Then he asked me to dance. Oh, boy. So..I just kinda avoided that part of the bar for the rest of the night.

8. Sweetest old couple ever: Not really old. Just mid-fifties couple. Rolling Rock and White Zin? hehe... They were from Columbia, so we talked about that and Mizzou and all that jazz. I guess they've been coming to Dog Days for a while..and they advised me that I have quite a fun summer in store. The lady told me to keep a journal about it.

9. Travis Mann of "the Travis Mann band": Yeah..I waited on a celebrity. He tried to buy me birthday shots. Wouldn't take no for an answer. So I let him buy them...but I made the bass player take my shot. He introduced me to the bass player (i forgot his name...aww...I bet that happens a lot, poor guy) and he goes "nice to meet you, killer". I guess "Killer" and "taylor" sound alike?? Anyway..it was kinda funny. Travis (yeah, we're on a first name basis) and I joked around. He was my entertainment until the DJ finally stopped playing and we could close the bar. I told him how he was living up to his stereotype of a musician by telling me about his love life, love troubles, etc. and he told me I was living up to my cocktail waitress stereotype by acting like I cared. I guess he has a point.

As the night progressed, the atmosphere changed. The band stopped playing and we switched over to a DJ. He was pretty good, but way too loud. That's probably because I was sober. I had a few more big tables, and then things started to slow down. That's when I started to get tired. To boost my energy, I drank a redbull and listened to my happy birthday voicemails.

I think watching drunk people dance is one of my favorite things to do. Especially the lake crowd. All these die-hard good-ole boys who love Kenny Chesney are out on the dance flo' moving around to top 40. Pretty priceless. Girls are even funnier. They think they are so sexy. It makes me embarrassed to ever have been intoxicated, because I'm sure I looked like that at one point. I'm never gonna dance again. Guilty feet have got no rhythm.

Overall, I'd say it was a pretty successful weekend. I wish I could have taken that day and put it somewhere else on the calendar, but then I suppose it wouldn't have been that day. I can't believe I worked 15 hours straight. I didn't really feel it until I went back to the condo after work. I almost fell asleep driving home. When I got back, I sat on the couch and talked to mom and carol about the day..and I literally couldn't get up afterwards. I need some Nike Shox.

Birthday presents? Money. Even from the gov't! Yay! My mom gave me a joyce meyer cd about happiness. Such a mom gift. Angie sent me a really cute luggage tag. I hate that my birthday money has to go to practical things. Like moving money. And my $200 speeding ticket. Dammit.

I'm really excited about the summer ahead. It was nice to come back to Columbia this morning. I about didn't make it. I was so tired on the drive home. When I got back I didn't really do much. Chilled on the couch and talked to clara. Checked all my facebook birthday wall posts. The laid out in the driveway. Then went to bed. Now I need to work on homework.

Blog for Late April, 2008

All week, sunshine poured out of a cloudless sky, shining through the wings of sand hill cranes, and the flocks of snow geese passing above town. We watched the arc of their flights wavering overhead. The ancient, reedy cries of migration filtered through the noises down in the harbor. I could hear the birds over the buzzing sanders, screaming hydraulics and roaring sea lions hauled out on the airplane float. The boats are getting ready and the birds are flying north.  It felt like a blessing to be standing there, witnessing the spring cycle turning once again.

 I think of how our hands have touched every surface of the Heron, year after year. I lean against her side to push her out from the dock and she leans back, like a big mute animal. There is a resonance between us, from all the energy that has passed from hand to tool to wood. I know each blemish, her weak spots, where she is strong and true.

 There is a trust implicit in running a boat, believing we can travel over the ocean, and will return. Part of it is our own knowledge of the waters, and the work we do to maintain the boat. Part of it is the strength of the boat itself, which is all that stands between us and the storm. After all this time, I don’t know if we own the boat or the boat owns us.

 We wrote the ad to sell the boat today. I cannot really picture our lives without the Heron, but I know that it gets harder each year to sand for hours, and now at the end of the day I walk slowly up the docks, when I used to run up to ride my bike around the loop before dinner.

 I will miss the places the Heron has taken us. For seventeen years, we have explored all over Southeast Alaska. The boat has been home for hundreds of our guests in the charter business, the place they return to after kayaking around the icebergs or hiking in the forest. It has been a portal to wilderness, and a haven in stormy weather. We have anchored in tiny coves, and drifted past acres of herring and feeding whales and have heard the songs of humpback whales resonating through the hull. Standing on her decks, we have watched the Northern Lights on late summer nights, and sat up in the pilothouse on anchor watch when gales howled through the rigging. I have watched green water come over the bow, and porpoises leaping in the wake.

 A friend and I were bemoaning the fact that we had not taken jobs that provided any security as we approach what could be retirement age. We will have no pensions, no retirement benefits, but I don’t think either of us would trade these years on the water for more security now.

 It may take years to sell the boat. The market for wood boats is not as big as for steel and fiberglass. Yet there is nothing like the shine of a freshly painted wooden boat on a spring evening, and knowing we are just weeks away from more adventures watching the summer unfold in Southeast Alaska.

REALTOR

RE/MAX Greater Atlanta

678.784.4440

www.InFrontMarketing.com

I have been getting calls from my past clients about the re-assessment of their property taxes in Fulton County.

This should cause a groundswell of opposition and appeals as they are using 2006-07 data in a still falling 2008 market.  For instance our home was $460K +/- for 2007; they’ve raised it to $506K for 2008.

You only have 30 days from the date of the notice (not when rec’d) to appeal should get their interest.  Even if your assessment hasn’t risen you should challenge it because of the other homes with substantially lower valuations.

I would hardly call the Metro Atlanta market a crisis area, but at the same time, during this mortgage mess it certainly doesn't help to have the tax assessors giving incorrect assessments.

If you're interested in the process of appealing your tax assessment click here.  

Moreover, I would be happy to provide a free Cumulative Marketing Analysis of your home in Metro Atlanta & surrounding suburbs. Please remember that I’m not an appraiser but can provide a CMA that might help you.

John Reinhardt

RE/MAX Greater Atlanta

REALTOR

678.784.4440

www.InFrontMarketing.com

Miami Summers are almost here, originally uploaded by miamism.

]]> http://remaxgreateratlantajohnreinhardt.wordpress.com/?p=9 Fri, 02 May 2008 00:18:42 +0000 remaxgreateratlantajohnreinhardt http://remaxgreateratlantajohnreinhardt.wordpress.com/?p=9                                               

                                                         www.InFrontMarketing.com

John Reinhardt

RE/MAX Greater Atlanta

678.784.4440

www.InFrontMarketing.com

The Atlanta housing market has lost some steam in the last 18 to 24 months, but overall Atlanta has weathered the storm fairly well compared to other national housing markets. The data validates the healthy heartbeat of housing prices in Atlanta.

According to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO), the rise in housing prices has slowed down in the Atlanta metropolitan area during the last three quarters of 2007.

Atlanta has continued to see increases in home prices, in contrast to decreases in cities such as Cleveland and Los Angeles. These cities were chosen as representative of pacific coast and Midwest markets.

Putting home prices in a larger context, national home prices have dropped 3 percent from January 2006 to January 2007. Home prices in the South Atlantic U.S. also dropped 3 percent during this same period. Georgia's four-quarter appreciation of 2.6 percent falls within the range of state appreciation values. Among the states with negative appreciation values are California (-6.6 percent), Florida (-4.7 percent), and Ohio (-0.4 percent).

Hit the worst are Pacific coast states, Florida, and the Great Lakes states, which are experiencing little to negative appreciation of home prices. This affects the ability of home owners to tap into equity or refinance to a fixed rate mortgage. In some cases, it even makes it impossible for some to sell their homes because they may be upside down, and the seller doesn't have the cash to come out of pocket at closing. Thankfully, Atlanta is not facing this level of difficulty compared to the rest of the US because it continues to post positive appreciation.

Metrostudy, a provider of primary and secondary housing market information, reported that the number of closings on new housing construction in metro Atlanta decreased 37.3 percent (8,033 units) from 3Q2007 to 4Q2007. The number of housing starts decreased 56.5 percent (4,905 units) during the same period. The good news is that, despite these decreases during 4Q2007, there were approximately 1.6 times more closings than starts, which indicates that the excess supply of new construction units is diminishing.

In addition, Metrostudy reported that there is almost an 11-month supply of new home construction, of which there is nearly a 7-month supply that is finished and vacant. The positive difference between the 8,033 home closings and the 7,757 completely constructed homes during 4Q2007 is another indicator that Atlanta customers are buying down the oversupply of new construction, particularly in south Fulton County. Princeton Lakes (199 closings), Oakley Township (131 closings), and Hampton Oak (128 closings) were three south Fulton communities ranked in the top 15 selling communities by closings in metro Atlanta by Metrostudy for 2007.

A 12-month view of housing permits for the City of Atlanta shows a declining trend for both single-family and multifamily housing. The City of Atlanta issued more than twice as many permits for single-family units as for multifamily units in February 2008. During the 12-month period almost 86 percent of the permits issued were for multifamily units, which consist almost exclusively of units with five or more bedrooms.

Atlanta's housing market reflects the resiliency of its economy overall. While it is true that Atlanta's housing production has been influenced by the national decline in home construction, the evidence suggests that Atlanta does not have a "bursting" housing bubble.

John Reinhardt

REALTOR

RE/MAX Greater Atlanta

678.784.4440

www.InFrontMarketing.com 

Market Updates -