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Trip Log: Return to the California Channel Islands

Trip Log: Return to the California Channel Islands
I'd been sailing all night, cold in the big dark waves, bright stars above and bright phosphorescence in the water. I was sitting on the platform between my main hull and the outrigger, with my feet over the water.
Suddenly something glowing big in the water under me.
Three dolphins swimming right under my feet in formation.Three giant shapes all lit up with glow-specks like moving windows to the stars, flowing phosphorescent galaxies.
They'd schooled up with my canoe!
Then they shot off ahead in calligraphic curlicues, thowing glow-bursts off their tails,
goofing off in the waves.
They're clicking and chirping at me. How do I answer?

And how did I get here?



This is the story of my second trip to the California Channel Islands.
At the end of the first trip I left my outrigger canoe stashed on an island and returned by ferry during a storm.  A month and a half later I went back.
 
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Step 1Channel Islands

Channel Islands
That line is an approximation of my outbound travel path. 
I'll take the ferry from Ventura to Prisoner's Harbor in the middle of Santa Cruz Island.
Then I sail my canoe along the coast to Santa Rosa Island.

My canoe is an 18 foot long single outrigger sailing canoe similar to a Malibu Outrigger.

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37 comments
Dec 25, 2011. 6:15 PMKinnishian says:
This is one of the first instructables to make me simply inherently pleased and happy (as opposed to the normal attitude with instructables of excited-happy). In addition, you were shouting great tips and techniques between the lines. Really enjoyed it.
May 10, 2011. 10:17 PMchenacross says:
MY god .. .!!!
Mar 30, 2011. 3:13 PMjackhg says:
your just flying in your boat, i'm toooo chicken to try this,
Dec 6, 2010. 5:44 PMkatmckee says:
reminds me of your south florida halucinations... was fun to talk to you right off the water - you were so high from your journey with the animals!
Dec 6, 2010. 5:41 PMkatmckee says:
i love your rants. they reveal that the craziness should be so obvious to everyone. Today I found out my car insurance on my 1991 honda accord costs the same as insurance on a 2010 Toyota Prius. How can that be....? I thought they factored in that I'd scrounge the junkyards for body parts while a new car would require expensive new parts. Or that someone with an old car like mine might not bother to get body work done after a fenderbender. I don't get it.
May 22, 2010. 1:04 PMLokisgodhi says:
Regarding the outrigger. Is there any reason why you can't have two, one on each side? That would keep it for tipping both ways.  
Sep 10, 2010. 8:33 PMLokisgodhi says:
So you can capsize even with outriggers. Good to know.
Jul 22, 2010. 12:39 PMTracy says:
Great story. I liked the "sailing to Cuba" episode, too. I am going to use some of the tips in your articles to rig my canoe for sailing.
Jul 22, 2010. 10:43 AMTracy says:
Re: Step 5: Tim, I agree with your comments. And another thing brought up in Step 5 that sucks is the whole "CA State Law free air and water" thing. It's good that the air and water is free to paying customers, but IMHO, bad that it is a state law. That's the problem with the masses: most of them support laws like this, rather than individually demanding this service and refusing to shop at a place that doesn't provide it. A prime example is water in the windshield washer bucket, and paper in the printer at the pump. If I buy gas somewhere and the bucket is dry or the printer is out of paper because the owner of the station can't be bothered to maintain it, I make a mental note to never buy gas there again. Folks say things like "power to the people", but almost none of them really believe in it. It's just a cool slogan to chant y bandwagon to jump on.
Apr 22, 2010. 12:38 PMcanida says:
Tim!  Here's the trick to tick removal:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-remove-a-tick/
May 22, 2010. 12:52 PMLokisgodhi says:
I've never heard of this before.

The way I've always seen tick removal done was to light a match, let it burn for a second, blow it out and press it against the tick while still hot.

It causes them to disengage and try to get away.   
Apr 26, 2010. 12:11 AMnutellamonster says:
Hey Tim! Great instructable, you rock! That saying you mention in step 5 is actually "Stadtluft macht frei", translates the same, runs on "nach Jahr und Tag" (after year and day) and is much, MUCH older than Goethe. It stems from the middle ages in Germany (don't know whether other countries had similar laws), when runaway indebted serfs headed for the cities. Common law said that if you lived inside city gates for a year and a day, your master couldn't claim you back as a slave. Wikipedia says that this common law was abandoned in the 13th century. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadtluft_macht_frei
Please don't ever confuse the saying with the infamous "Arbeit macht frei" (I don't think I have to explain that one, if in doubt, the Wiki link above has a link).
May 12, 2010. 10:29 AMnutellamonster says:
Always glad to help (sweeps invisible hat off brow and bows deeply, appropriate to your current pic)!

I can't give short answers... you know, my middle name is "smart a**", according to some people of my acquaintance. :D
Apr 27, 2010. 1:05 PMroadieflip says:
Tim Anderson. You're my hero!

I absolutely loved the free boat saga, and just found this thread. Looks like the rest of my evening is gonna be taken up by a lot of reading.

Fantastic job...
Apr 22, 2010. 11:20 PMmasterochicken says:
I actually have friends who have made datura tea. Smoked it too. I've always wanted to try.
Apr 23, 2010. 10:58 AMmasterochicken says:
They enjoyed it. They've used a lot of other hallucinogens prior though. Oh, and I still use a basic cable package.
Apr 23, 2010. 9:32 AMWade Tarzia says:
One more question -- what is the sail area for that canoe? It looks at least 80 square feet.
Apr 22, 2010. 10:16 PMmaxstevenson says:
Wow, what  a great storyteller you are! Thanks Tim for sharing your adventures!

Two questions: Does wearing a wool sweater as pants really work? And, did your offer on the land get accepted? (hope so)
Apr 25, 2010. 4:33 PMmaxstevenson says:
I was wondering about those moving trees 'ibles! Congrats on the land!

Nut trees often don't self pollinate, so you need male and females, like in pistachios, or two varieties, like in almonds. Do you want all edible trees? Do you have water for irrigation?

Mexican think skin avocados do well in northern california, highly recommended, if you like avocados. I can get you some cuttings of an amazing mulberry tree. Its the only one of its type (I know of) and I would love to see it propegated. The taste is mind blowing berry licious and fruits in Aug.
Apr 22, 2010. 3:11 PMjdtwelve12 says:
I would not have thought it possible to put that much adventure, courage, and beauty into an Instructable.  If I was the sort of person who saluted people, I'd salute you, for both the experience and the telling of it.  Thanks.
Apr 22, 2010. 11:39 AMewilhelm says:
Tim sent me a note telling me he made it back alive (I called and then called off the coast guard on his failed attempt to Cuba), but neglected to tell me he was leaving!  We need to work on our routine. 
Apr 22, 2010. 11:15 AMstringstretcher says:
A thoroughly enjoyable and very different kind of instructable. Thanks for all the work putting this one together. It had the same effect on me as the twinkling things had on you that night.
Apr 22, 2010. 10:59 AMkelseymh says:
Wow.  Amazing writeup, Tim!  I guess this is what you were afraid you'd lost?
Apr 22, 2010. 5:38 AMWade Tarzia says:
Tim, do you have a dagger-/center-board on that canoe? 
Apr 22, 2010. 8:06 AMNinzerbean says:
 Marry me
Apr 22, 2010. 5:34 AMWade Tarzia says:
Great write up! Nice technical details and how-tos and how-to-nots (how to not design for discomfort :-)  Your ability to sleep any-how continues to amaze me.
Apr 21, 2010. 8:34 PMYerboogieman says:
Great story. I love reading these.

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Author:TimAnderson
Tim Anderson is the author of the "Heirloom Technology" column in Make Magazine. He is co-founder of www.zcorp.com, manufacturers of "3D Printer" output devices. His detailed drawings of traditional ...
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