SERVICE WITH A SMELL !!!!

For the past five years I've been having plumbing problems in one of the bathrooms of my little log cabin.  I could only get a couple flushes from the toilet then things backed up including the kitchen sink.  With my trusty plunger, boiling water and a lot of patience I was just barely able to keep things draining.  With winter around the corner I decided to find a plumbing service that had a video camera he could send into the 4" sewer pipe.  For 2 hours the plumber used his snake with sharp cutters on it thinking the problem would be tree roots in the old clay sewer pipe.  Getting nowhere he dropped the video cable into the toilet discharge and as he watched the video screen he exclaimed "my god, I thought I've seen everything!!!"  He called me to the video screen and said, "here's your problem, someone had managed to bore and send a 1 1/2" gas line right through the center of old clay sewer pipe, which was also surrounded with tree roots."  The plumber found it unbelievable that we had been using this bathroom for the past five years.  He said in 30 years in the plumbing business he had never seen the likes of this???

BALLOONS OVER SNOWMASS, COLORADO

Snowmass is only a 25 minute drive from a little log cabin I have been working on in the town of Carbondale, Colorado.  I made this little video to share with my face book friends and thought I would also put it on my blog.  In a way these balloon guys have a lot in common with us sailors.  In fact in touching some of the fabric the balloons are made of, it sure looked like 1.5 oz. rip stop spinnaker material? The winds propel the balloons and each balloon captain has a "chase crew" that is in radio contact with the pilot.  The crew tries to figure out where the balloon will finally land so they can be there to break down the balloon and haul it away.  I'm sure there's 1000's of interesting stories where some of these guys have landed.  Talk about color.  Just as good as an afternoon finish in the Ensenada race. The music is"The Jolly Blacksmith" circus music from 1888.........

KEEP MINNEYS A NAUTICAL CHART AGENT !!!

It dawned on me that not everyone wants $500.00 worth of up to date Nautical Charts? To make it easy for you skippers that would only like to up-date a few charts I will pass on to you the 50% discount on all the charts presently in our chart drawers.  We have  complete and up-to-date charts from San Diego to Seattle, Washington.  This offer only good for charts on hand and all stipulations in my former BLOG on charts at cost will be in force.  While in San Diego a week ago I needed a chart of San Diego bay.  Sea Breeze Book store had the chart I needed and I was happy to pay the $20.00 I was charged.  At the deal I am offering until I make my quota, that same chart would cost you $8.00.

S.O.S !!!  If you want a U.S. Government Nautical Chart Agent in Orange County, I need your help.  The "Feds" have put all chart agents on quotas and because of everyone using chart plotters the demand for paper charts has fallen way off.  In my mind, no prudent skipper would go to sea without up to date paper charts to back up his electronic  charts.  To help me make my quota and continue being the "go to" Nautical Chart agent in Orange County I am offering charts AT MY COST for the next two weeks.  Your minimum order must be $500.00 or more and you must study our catalogs and come up with the correct chart numbers.  The "Feds" give us a 50% discount so as you can see, you will be saving some serious bucks. This offer good only on charts of U.S. waters.  All charts must be paid for in full before we put in the order to Uncle Sam..........This offer expires on September 20, 2012 or as soon as we reach our 2012 quota.........  Ernie

Sea Lion Barks To The Music !!!

Thank you, MARTY !!!

This little video is a special thank you to Marty Earlabaugh for taking two weeks off from her busy consulting business and crewing as my 1st mate on my recent 2 week trip to Ensenada, Mexico.  We had tons of fun, the weather was great and the boat performed flawlessly.  Thanks again Marty.........

Yo Ho Ho, It's The Cruising Life For Me !!!

Anita anchored at an interesting and picturesque cove at the south end of Todos Santos island.  A pretty sunset at the same anchorage.  A good days catch and one of the dozens of large tuna pens that are a real menace to navigation on the lee side of the Coronados islands and Todos Santos island.  Our two week cruise in Mexican waters is coming to a close.  All the hard work of restoring "Anita"is finally paying off.  Have a great Labor Day weekend.  P.S.  We still have about 25 Tee shirts.  We'll be in the San Diego area over the weekend and anchored out in Dana Point harbor Labor Day evening.