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Thing of Beauty

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever" - Keats

 

March 24, 2012   Category: Documentary, Sailing Diaries   5 Comments comments


The Pacific Ocean. The name alone feels heavy. It is name that conveys a vast, elegant, and unknowable realm. A world that is seductively shiny and yet terrible on the surface, but full of dark mystery in the watery world beneath. Sailors are often quoted saying that she is “like a woman. So beautiful that your heart hurts to look upon her, sometimes kind, sometimes cruel, and always unknowable . . . unattainable.”

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Episode 9: Honduras

Episode 9: Honduras

Episode 8: Nicaragua

Episode 8: Nicaragua

Episode 7: Mexican Riviera

Episode 7: Mexican Riviera

Episode 6: Sea of Cortez

Episode 6: Sea of Cortez

Episode 5: Baja California

Episode 5: Baja California

Episode 4: Exploring the Deep

Episode 4: Exploring the Deep

Episode 3: Morro Bay to San Miguel Island Video

Episode 3: Morro Bay to San Miguel Island Video

Episode 2: Pacific Roadmap Video

Episode 2: Pacific Roadmap Video

Episode 1: San Francisco to Monterey Video

Episode 1: San Francisco to Monterey Video

Episode 11: Sea of Life

Episode 11: Sea of Life

Episode 10: Turning North

Episode 10: Turning North

Humans have always been drawn to the oceans of the world. The Pacific has carried our ships and passengers dreaming of the future, she has provided food as if a mother to countless generations, and her mood is our weather. The Pacific is large, that to the feeble human mind, she is as far across as the Universe is wide and as mysterious as the symbols of our religions.

Yet a new chapter is being written. This is one of human domination. Our fishing fleet is plowing the depths as surely as any forest clear cut, carbonic acid is building up in the water from our air pollution, and our plastics clog up vast areas the size of continents. Even more disturbing is that the Ocean is receding from view, disappearing, as we spend more and more time looking inward into our mechanized, digital reality.

Our voyage is one of discovery in the truest sense that we can muster. We are novices learning the “ropes” of the maritime tradition for the first time. We are a exploring a foreign coast that was once wild and now is wild with humans. We are peering out across the Pacific current to see if our traverse will uncover any insights or ocean experiences that we can document. But most importantly, we want to discover the people who live near the Pacific and rely on this ocean for their very lives. Our goal is to meet and interview the fishermen, tourists, scientists, local people, and others who live and work along her edge.



It is a simple plan. We have been refurbishing an old sailboat. My wife and I are packing up our two dogs, the camera’s, our sense of adventure and setting sail from San Francisco Bay. We’ve cleared eight months on our calendar and our only objective is to follow the Pacific Current as far South as we dare. We’ll meet friends along the way, some old and some new. Hopefully, you come with us in our quest to understand this ocean, this thing of Beauty.


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CAPTAIN “CODY”
Birth date: May 10th, 1979
Breed: Martian
Gender: Male
Health: Medium
Hobbies: Cruising, Film making, and Late night dinghy rides


Cody was born in the United States, but his childhood was divided between Inner Mongolia and a small ranching community in Oregon. Over the years, he began traveling and filming documentary projects in Mongolia and grew to love the land and people there. He completed his masters of rangeland ecology from Oregon State University in 2007. Currently, Cody works as a web course designer and video producer for the several extension programs at the University of California at Davis. He also works as a freelance filmmaker for PBS affiliates in the bay area and helps coordinate the research activities of a small non-profit called the Center for the Advancement of Pastoral Systems (ICAPS).
 

FIRST MATE “JATTA”
Birth date: Sep 14th, 1985
Breed: Human
Gender: Female
Health: Good
Hobbies: Science, Dog sports, Cruising

My interest in science developed early but was originally expressed in a passion for understanding animal behavior. Growing up, I spent a lot of time at our family farm and my interest to combine environmental issues and agriculture became more prominent. In this field of study my main interest lies on carbon and nitrogen cycling in terrestrial ecosystems focusing on the greenhouse gas balance between the soils and the atmosphere as well as carbon sequestration in the soils. My current research focuses on different crop management practices including tillage, no-till and conservation tillage and possible greenhouse gas mitigation options for these management practices. I have also been looking into decomposition rates of straw material and earthworm impact on carbon balance of soils.

 

ABLE BODIED SEAMAN “VANILLA”
Birth date: Nov 24th 2006
Breed: Border Collie
Gender: Female
Health: Very Good
Hobbies: Obedience, Agility, Search & Rescue, Cruising, Sheep herding

You will never have a boring moment with this little firecracker. Vanilla has been a challenging yet the most rewarding little dog I’ve ever had. I have learned so much about dogs and dog training with her and I’m ever grateful for that. She is the cuddliest little creature at home but high energy and intensity at work. She is a really quick learner, in both good and bad. She is open towards people but pretty ignorant towards other dogs. Vanilla is the dog of my life, we’ve gone through a lot together, traveled the world and share a bond that is hard to break.

 

ABLE BODIED SEAMAN “GIN”
Birth date: Spring 2007
Breed: Labrador/Akita mix
Gender: Female, spayed
Health: Good
Hobbies: Playing rope, Late night dinghy rides

She was rescued from a dog fighting ring as a small puppy. I adopted this sweet girl as soon as I laid eyes on her. With a labs character Gin filled my heart with licks and loving. I’m sure Gin still is my husbands dog more than mine, but I have to say that where the food comes from makes a big difference to her. Gin is a mellow, friendly dog with an edge. She is a fierce squirrel hunter and would probably kill every little creature from mice to rabbits if they made the mistake of coming too close. Toward people, dogs and cats this dog is extremely friendly, she can adjust her play to the right level whether the other dog is the smallest chihuahua or a big rottweiler.

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CAPTAIN “CODY”
Birth date: May 10th, 1979
Breed: Martian
Gender: Male
Health: Medium
Hobbies: Cruising, Film making, and Late night dinghy rides


Cody was born in the United States, but his childhood was divided between Inner Mongolia and a small ranching community in Oregon. Over the years, he began traveling and filming documentary projects in Mongolia and grew to love the land and people there. He completed his masters of rangeland ecology from Oregon State University in 2007. Currently, Cody works as a web course designer and video producer for the several extension programs at the University of California at Davis. He also works as a freelance filmmaker for PBS affiliates in the bay area and helps coordinate the research activities of a small non-profit called the Center for the Advancement of Pastoral Systems (ICAPS).
 

FIRST MATE “JATTA”
Birth date: Sep 14th, 1985
Breed: Human
Gender: Female
Health: Good
Hobbies: Science, Dog sports, Cruising

My interest in science developed early but was originally expressed in a passion for understanding animal behavior. Growing up, I spent a lot of time at our family farm and my interest to combine environmental issues and agriculture became more prominent. In this field of study my main interest lies on carbon and nitrogen cycling in terrestrial ecosystems focusing on the greenhouse gas balance between the soils and the atmosphere as well as carbon sequestration in the soils. My current research focuses on different crop management practices including tillage, no-till and conservation tillage and possible greenhouse gas mitigation options for these management practices. I have also been looking into decomposition rates of straw material and earthworm impact on carbon balance of soils.

 

ABLE BODIED SEAMAN “VANILLA”
Birth date: Nov 24th 2006
Breed: Border Collie
Gender: Female
Health: Very Good
Hobbies: Obedience, Agility, Search & Rescue, Cruising, Sheep herding

You will never have a boring moment with this little firecracker. Vanilla has been a challenging yet the most rewarding little dog I’ve ever had. I have learned so much about dogs and dog training with her and I’m ever grateful for that. She is the cuddliest little creature at home but high energy and intensity at work. She is a really quick learner, in both good and bad. She is open towards people but pretty ignorant towards other dogs. Vanilla is the dog of my life, we’ve gone through a lot together, traveled the world and share a bond that is hard to break.

 

ABLE BODIED SEAMAN “GIN”
Birth date: Spring 2007
Breed: Labrador/Akita mix
Gender: Female, spayed
Health: Good
Hobbies: Playing rope, Late night dinghy rides

She was rescued from a dog fighting ring as a small puppy. I adopted this sweet girl as soon as I laid eyes on her. With a labs character Gin filled my heart with licks and loving. I’m sure Gin still is my husbands dog more than mine, but I have to say that where the food comes from makes a big difference to her. Gin is a mellow, friendly dog with an edge. She is a fierce squirrel hunter and would probably kill every little creature from mice to rabbits if they made the mistake of coming too close. Toward people, dogs and cats this dog is extremely friendly, she can adjust her play to the right level whether the other dog is the smallest chihuahua or a big rottweiler.

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