traveling

Jacky are on the road again. We drove from Beaumont CA . today and are at our daughter's home in Sunnyvale. Resting up tommorow and then we will head home. Looking forward to a New Year. I am reduced to using my daughter's Apple computer which gives me fits but will try to get some news up tonight. Did you all read about the Great White Shark that took a bite out of a Seaside surferer? It's below here.

When I worked on Platform Grace off of Ventura, CA we had one come by and grab a seal off of the bouy next to the platform. The next day when we were boarding our boat to go to shore and home at shifts end... He came right under the boat while we were boarding and was turned so you could see his eye... ran chills up your spine. He was around 20 ft long.

Just so you can get a better picture of ,"Boarding The Boat..." When one boarded the boat ..the boat rose and fell with about 10 foot swells. A 1 1/2 inch rope suspended from the platform deck is what is used. The captian holds the boat as steady as he can next to the platform about 4 to 6 ft away from the deck. You grab the rope and wait until the boat goes into the trough of the swell and then swing out using the rope. If done right the boat rises on the next swell to reach you and a deck hand grabs you. You must let loose of the rope before the boat starts down into the next trough or you will be suspended in mid air swinging around like bait... not a good thing with the shark swimming around. Weak of strength and you fall in and then have to contend with the boat getting you smashed against the platform or hungry animals. Fortunately, the learning curve is real quick and I know of only one time someone fell in and another when a friend was left dangling..