Pelicans and the Great Get-Off

Yesterday was a pretty nice day outside, and seeing as how I had not gone kayaking for a while, I set out to. The 15 footer does not fit well in the back of my truck, and I intended to go south, in the canals, so I loaded up the 10 footer and headed down to Pep Boys to splash [there's a small floating dock that you can get into a canoe or kayak easily from - Derek has been there.]

The ten footer is a Pelican Pursuit. Plastic, injection molded, fairly light - around 40 pounds. Nice beginner and utility boat, nowhere near as fast as my other boat, but just the thing for a leisurely paddle. Pelican also makes plastic watertight cases, and they are awesome! I will explain why presently.

I wanted to head down the canal and get out at the dock on Princess Anne Road, where Nikki and I first kayaked together, back in December. Nikki was not along for this trip; we have broken up. I wish her great good fortune, but we are not currently kayaking together. It's about seven and a half miles, and I went with the current as we had just passed low tide and the flood was on. Nice, relaxing ride, and I did not tax myself overly.

South of Dam Neck Road, there is an awful lot of debris in the canals. Sadly, Virginia Beach does little to maintain their waterways [one feeder canal has a water pipe going across from one side to the other, about two feet above the water's surface!! Gotta go around....] At one point, there was a collection of several logs and branches, and much assorted other crap. Next thing I knew, the boat was rolling severely to the left. Sadly, no photographic record exists, for I surely wore a priceless look as I slid into the [dirty, smelly] water. No kidding, the boat was submerged most of the way with it's bow straight up in the air! [In retrospect, I think that my paddle lanyard, which is on my left, got tangled and somehow upset the apple cart. I've replayed it in my mind several times, but this incident did not unfold in slow motion!]

I clung to the log and managed to free my boat and laboriously get it to the bank. My paddle was tethered, so it came along for the ride. Whew! Getting the boat up the bank was quite an undertaking as it contained a lot of water. Note to self in the [hopefully unlikely] event that it happens again: Drag the boat out stern first. A Pelican Pursuit has a nice drain plug in the stern, but none in the bow. Tired [heavy!]. Wet and in a bad mood. My aqua shoes are great for water, but the soles allow sticks and stones to annoy the soles of my feet. Bugs. My hydration backpack has floated about ten feet down stream and lodged against the bank, so I used my paddle to hook it through one of the arm straps and retrieve it, setting it next to my boat.

All the while, I saw my Pelican Case floating along with the current. This is actually good news, for it contains my wallet and Blackberry phone. Thank goodness it did not sink!! Anyway, the Pelican case is wonderfully watertight and floats - mine cost $12, if I remember correctly. So, I take my paddle along and go off walking along the shore. About 200 yards away, there is a small feeder canal, which I have to cross in order to keep going. There's a log stretched across, so I walk across it, using my paddle kinda like a gondola pole. You guessed it - it the middle, I lose my balance and fall into the canal. Great. Keep walking. About 100 yards ahead there is another collection of logs and branches, stretched across the main canal. Sure enough, there it is. My Pelican Case is resting against a log. Near the far side of the canal, maybe twenty feet out. Too deep to wade out [maybe eight feet?]. So, back to the boat, managing not to submerge or tip whilst going over the bank into the water [Thank you, Lord!]. Down to the logpile, and unceremoniously snag my case. My wallet and phone are dry. Seriously, get a Pelican case. Get a Pelican boat, too - good stuff!

I decide to head back [in retrospect, Princess Anne Road is only a half-mile ahead, but I had expended a lot of energy and wasn't overly clear-headed, and I stand by that decision]. Getting back through the logjam where I had rolled was a nervous moment, but went without incident. By the way, I had not mentioned it, but I always wear my PFD [life vest] when in the boat. I am sure one might point out many errors in my narrative, but going without my PFD is not one of them. I won't drive without wearing my seatbelt, and I won't kayak without my PFD. On the way back, I have to fight the current for a while, but once high tide has passed, eventually the current favors me again.

Yes, I am tired and stiff [and sore!] - after all, it was a 14 mile journey. But, a good workout and a good experience. The mud, leaves, sticks and smelly stuff all washed away nicely. No injuries, no equipment damage, and nothing lost. Whew! A good day, all in all. I consider it fun. [and, yes, I'll be kayaking again. Soon!]

BMD and What to do?

Another successful test for the Navy's Ballistic Missile Defense program out in Pac Fleet.... We are well past MAD [Mutual Assured Destruction] and I feel that the number of unreasoning, nonlogical players in the ballistic missile world [much as we all despised the Soviet Union, they DID reason and did not ever launch ballistic missiles against anything we protected] makes having some sort of ballistic missile shield [namely, a system which actually works] a good, common sense item.

Now that we have dispensed with the obligatory stating of where I stand on the issue, let's consider the possible impact upon the fleet, particularly the number of hulls available for various missions. Ballistic Missile Defense can be seen as a national strategic asset, similar to the concept of the SLBM [Sub-Launched Ballistic Missile].

Here's my chain of reasoning: Nuclear response capability is seen as a strategic asset. Providers of same are tasked with a deterring strike as their overall mission. As an example of this, consider the SSBN, the missile firing submarine which deploys to a given geographical region and drives around that area, silently, waiting.... Waiting for the order to empty it's silos and head for home [if it still exists, but that's another discussion for another day].

Following this reasoning, we get the Aegis Cruiser equipped with the ballistic defense versions of Standard Missile. Does this ship then get assigned to patrol the waters roughly between Alaska and Hawaii, waiting for the instance of some illogical regime to launch ballistic missiles in the direction of the US? [North Korea, for instance.] Let's suppose for a moment that the Navy has two zones to patrol, and two ships for each on a rotational basis, making a total of four ships that are now not available for the Navy to use for all of the other missions the Navy undertakes. The fiscal budget is tightening. Will a Democratic President and Congress pay for the Navy to have four additional ships? That's a lot of money, folks.

What should the Navy do? Downplay the BMD mission, letting it slip to the various air and land-based contenders? Play up the BMD, risking having fewer hulls for everything else that what is optimal? What are your thoughts on this matter?

July 31

:-) Fun stuff..... tomorrow at 4 PM (Eastern) is the trade deadline in organized baseball. Naturally, I follow the going's-on like I do elections. Fun, deadline, hysteria. Where will Roy Halladay end up? Will the Yanks get one more arm for the stretch drive? Will the Sox get that crucial bat? What teams are buyers? [Phils, Yanks, Sox...] What teams are sellers? [Pirates, always]. What teams are on the fence? [Mariners].

It's especially fun to look at what deals affect what other situations. For example, the Phillies pretty much got tired of playing around, waiting for Toronto to decide on a package for Roy Halladay. So, they instead snagged Cliff Lee from Cleveland. That HAD to affect the Halladay situation [Doc has a no-trade clause, and will cost both a goodly salary, as well as a fair package of prospects.] Philly went for Lee. Dodgers? Angels? Yankees? 4 PM (Eastern) tomorrow......

Contrary

Sometimes, I have a different view on things. I am not contrary for the sake of contrariness, and I hate revisionist history when it is coloured by someone's agenda.... [I hate hatefulness, too].

Walter Cronkite passed away yesterday. He lived a long, full life. As an adolescent and teenager, I trusted Uncle Walter, as did so many others. He was there to break us the news of our President's passing, and so many times, he was there as we breathlessly anticipated another launch into space.

I want to tell you that I am angry, and here is why: Yes, Professor McLuhan, the medium really IS the message.... there are so many television specials right now [not to mention internet stories] lionizing Walter Cronkite and mentioning his "brave stand against the unpopular Vietnam War" and many other words to that effect. Do you know that in the Tet Offensive, the Viet Cong were decimated? Do you know that after that [early 1968] the war in South Vietnam was to repel the forces of the North Vietnamese state? Years after the fact, Vo Nguyen Giap, the Commander in Chief of the People's Army, replied to the thought that the American forces had never been defeated in the field in Vietnam - he agreed, and added that it was also irrelevant. It was irrelevant because he and his forces never lost the will to win, while our society and government did. We lost our will to win in part because a man we trusted, our own fatherly Uncle Walter, lied to us. He proclaimed the war to be lost, and so we spat upon our brothers and turned our backs on those we had been helping. In the afterlife are over 50,000 American souls, lost in Indochina. They will undoubtedly be asking, "why?"

Don't look for any hints of this in the mainstream media. After all, they lionized Michael Jackson while ignoring Ed McMahon. The age of one trusted icon handing down Truth is gone, and thank God for that. Truth, it turns out, was merely Opinion, and we fell for it. Shame on us.

Starting Pitching

Chien-Ming Wang to the DL. Joba Chamberlain struggling. What to do?

Well, first and foremost, CMW's spot on the 25-man roster. Jon Abaladejo is up for now, adding a needed bullpen arm. On Thursday, we'll need a starter. Ivan Nova and Zach McAllister are not on the 40-man roster, so they would not make sense. Sergio Mitre IS on the 40-man, and he has had his cup of coffee [for Joe Girardi in Florida]. Makes perfect sense.....

IF [and it's a mighty big if] Mitre works out right, then let us worry about Joba, who blew up today. Let's hope Mitre works out. I'd prefer to keep Phil Hughes in the bullpen this year - he is light's-out, and BP chemistry is a funny thing. Philip's been locking down the eighth inning, and can go more than one inning, if needed. We can win the WS, with him and Mo.....

Hopefully, Wanger will come back better than ever. THIS time, we can get his rehab right. Plenty of time in the inors, building up arm strength. Maybe he'll be back in September?

What if Wang is shut-down for the season? What if Sergio Mitre doesn't pan out [or, what if Joba regresses]? Alfredo Aceves. Several pitches and arm angles. Mature approach to pitching. Think Eddie Lopat or Ed Figueroa.... yes, he can.

[1] Sergio Mitre.

[2] Alfredo Aceves.

Joba back to the pen [just for this year]?

Go Yankees!!

Hot Dogs

Silly me.....

I meant to wrap up the previous story by mentioning that I always watch the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest [Live at High Noon on ESPN] from Coney Island. Tradition.

So, we polished off the hot dogs last night, cooked Potatoes O'Brien and bacon, had some coffee, watched the tube. Joey Chestnut won again, three years in a row. 68 dogs in ten minutes! [The Great Kobayashi came in second, with 64.5 in a bad, bad haircut ;-)]

Now, I enjoy eating. Always have. I eat hot dogs on the bun, with condiments. I never snap the dog in half and dunk the bun in water. I would like to see a 'natural' hot dog contest, eating them as mere mortals do, on Independence Day, and other summer cookouts. Not too much to ask, is it?

July 4

Happy Independence Day, everyone.

Even you Sassanachs who are all glum-faced.

70 years ago today, Lou Gehrig made his famous speech at Yankee Stadium, and indeed, he WAS lucky [and indeed, did catch a bad break]. Independence Day is celebrated by many things by many people, including baseball, fireworks, and hotdogs.

Derek and I went out to Harbor Park on Thursday night. Tides were hosting the Gwinnett Braves, and there were fireworks after the game. Derek's hometown team is the Atlanta Braves [and Gwinnett, heck, he lived over there when staying with his mom]. John Halama on the hill for Gwinnett and Jake Arrieta for Norfolk. We were also watching the two centerfielders: Jordan Schaefer, just sent down by the parent Braves, and Justin Christian, who had a short stay in the Bronx but is now in the Orioles organization.

I knew I had heard of Halama, but could not place him: came up with Houston, traded to Seattle in the Randy Johnson deal, etc etc.... sinkerballer. Sitting in the first row of the upper section, we could not see any sink, so I was naturally wondering if he was channelling Eddie Lopat. Through five he had given up only one hit, a bunt single by Mister Christian in the first.

Jake Arrieta seems to be the real deal. While Halama was hitting the mid-eighties, Jake was touching 95 on the gun. Across the aisle, just ten feet in front of us, two scouts had their radar guns out, and I trust those readings much more than the ballpark gun. Big guy, 6'4" and 220 or so, had some good movement as well. I feel we will be seeing him up for a cup [hey - it rhymes!] in September.

Jordan Schaefer had a miserable evening. He tipped a grounder in front of the plate and ran into it in fair territory. Out! Struck out as well and lipped off to the home plate umpire [Al Porter]. Later on, after his third weak out, he musta said something, because Porter ran him. Schaefer looked pretty good in CF, but lost at the plate.

Justin Christian. Got three hits, stole a base, played solid defense, showcased his speed. Two things: [1] He belongs in the bigs [2] but not in Baltimore. You see, I see JC as a scrappy, gritty, speedy guy, 4th outfielder, pinch-runner [sorta like what the Yanks already have in Brett Gardner, which is whyJChrist got the heave-ho from da Bronx]. As such, he fits best on a contender. Prove me wrong, J - win a starting nod at Camden Yards [I hope you do, and thank you for your time at YS].

Postgame ballpark fireworks are always cool [especially when wearing 3-D glasses - it made the moon look like something out of the Navajo mythos ;-)]. Across the Elizabeth River, someone was welding on a ship in drydock - it added to the sparkly lights. Nice touch.

Oh, the game? Halama had a one hitter going and gave up only one extra base hit. Arrieta looked good. After seven, Big Jake and the Tides were up 2-1. Both bullpens faltered. Gwinnett scored four runs in the top of the ninth and prevailed, 5-4. Enjoyable night :-)

Here's the text of Lou Gehrig's farewell speech [which I retrieved just now from www.LouGehrig.com - check it out!]:

"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

"Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I'm lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky.

"When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that's something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies - that's something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that's something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body - it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that's the finest I know.

"So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

Amen, Mr. Gehrig.

God Bless Lou Gehrig, and

God Bless America.

Day Off

I am taking a day off from work today.

My sister, Penny, is flying through Norfolk, and so Derek and I are going to stop by the airport in a little while and meet her for lunch. You see, she is picking up her grandchildren from her son's ex-wife, so we will get to see those lil' fellows too [and, Angela too - haven't seen her since she and Randy were at Rosey Roads when DETROIT pulled in; musta been 1993 or thereabouts].

I think this will be a good visit, and I am glad :-)

Ack! Pfft Pfft....

Wouldn't ya know it?

I think I have a slight throat infection. Doesn't affect how I feel, just scratchy all of the time. My back is killing me - probably not sleeping right. Naturally, I am scheduled like crazy on the operational side of things. I am primarily the health and safety [and quality assurance!] guy at work, but I am qualified to drive two types of boats and can crew several more, and when things are tight, I put away the computer and hop into my life jacket. We have two crews at sea and a bunch of people on vacation, so I was on the op yesterday, plus I have one Wed, Thu, and Fri, and then Tuesday next week. I think I'll live.....

What do I do? Facebook friends, feel free to e-mail and ask. Blog friends, y'all already know. Short answer: we provide target support to the fleet. Fun, fun stuff [probably another reason my back hurts = Tony and I caught big air a few times and the seats bottomed out twice. They're on a shock-absorbing system, and that helps a lot, usually].

Happy Tuesday, everybody!

Happy June

I'm not un-retired. I never retired, either. Time issues. I kinda like sleeping, and with so many other things going on, just not enough time to blog. Not like anyone was reading anyhow....