| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
windfind
Joined: 18 Mar 1997
Posts: 1902
|
 Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2023 6:10 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
| windward1 wrote: | Mike,
Please tell us the story of " Elizabeth's Great White encounter". I have not heard it.
Per the teeth marks, looks like she was not dealing with a juvenile....
W1 |
It really is not an especially exciting story.
My recollection is that Elizabeth had planned on going salmon fishing by bumming a trip out of Bodega on one of the party boats that advertised on USAfishing.com (which we were co-owners). At the last moment, the boat got a paying customer that filled the boat and she bowed out since she did not want to take the place of a paying customer.
A salmon purse seine trawler crew in the adjacent slip heard all this and offered her a ride on their commercial fishing boat. She jumped at the offer even though she would not be able to fish, but she would get to see a purse seine in operation and write about it in her FishWench column.
A couple of hours later, when they were pulling in the purse seine and salmon, there was a glitch and she offered to use a boat hook to hold one of the Otter Boards away from the hull. While she was doing this, there was a huge splash and a large shark, probably a Great White bit, the foam filling of the otter board you see in the photo. It all happened in a fraction of a second.
The crew gave her the ruined piece of the otter board and the shark tooth marks. Sadly we lost it somehow when moving to the Gorge.
The skeleton of USAfishing is still on the web. Due to our financial incompetence, we could not make it an economic success even after 10 years of breaking even.
Below are some of my funky graphics from that website
Mike Godsey
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
11.91 KB |
| Viewed: |
4886 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
71.07 KB |
| Viewed: |
4886 Time(s) |
|
Last edited by windfind on Sun Jul 30, 2023 8:45 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
windward1
Joined: 18 Jun 2000
Posts: 1400
|
| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2023 9:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Cool graphics!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jse
Joined: 17 Apr 1995
Posts: 1460
Location: Maui
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2023 1:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| windfind wrote: | | jse wrote: |
I often sailed Tomales in weedy conditions but it worked because I was using a short freestyle fin. I do not understand the above however. How could sites east of Grassy Point attract wingers during eel grass season? Does the eel grass not grow east of Grassy?
Steve |
Hi Steve, Good to hear from you in Maui.
Eel grass is one of the reasons why Elizabeth and are camping at Tomales Bay next week. I have received many emails from kiters and alleged foilers saying they need summertime forecasts even after the big winds of Spring have faded.
Tomales has played a big role in our life clamming, camping, windsurfing, kayaking and even Elizabeth's Great White encounter near the mouth of Tomales while on one of our USAfishing.com boats (see image below)
So on our camping trip one of the things we will be looking at is the eelgrass density. I suspect it is mostly kiters on twin tips that are making the request which is great! But I want to be sure it is not some dingy sailors.
Mike |
So many great memories of sailing Tomales. I would go back in a heartbeat for a good Tomales session, but I would have to borrow a wetsuit  . I always sailed Grassy Point with many of my friends, too many to name, but 2bluehawaiians is the one I mostly associate with Tomales. We woulld typically end the day with oysters and beer on the bluff.
Some of my favorite stories:
- Watching RadRoss catch the last winds of the day from the bluff as the fishermen setup for the night's fishing. Suddenly one of the fishermen just up and ran into the bay, did a head-first dive, came up and dove again into the cold water. That's when we noticed Ross sailing away with a sheepish grin after gybing inside. I bet that fisherman thought he had a big one when all he had was Ross's fin. We had to stifle our laughing as he grumbled up the hill to dry off.
- Fighting the eel grass to work our way upwind to find a clean spot to sail with 2bluehawaiians. As we got upwind we saw a big encampment on the far side - looked like a party. Which it was. It was a graduation from medical school party and a fleet of kayakers had setup camp on a remote beach. They had beer and a big spread of food to share. So we partook. Then we sailed back to the launch where my wife was hanging out. She looked at me and said "You're bleeding!" pointing to my face. I wiped it off, tasted it and said "No, Tamale".
- And this, perhaps the scariest. I was at Stinson with my son and his friend, both age 13. It was mid January, and I was jonesin' for some wind. It was around 3 when the pager told me it was blowing in Tomales. I had my gear and we headed up the coast. I saw 5.0 conditions when we got there. I quickly rigged and headed out, leaving my son and his friend on the beach. Well it was a classic middle finger - I first planed, then slogged to the far side, then fell in the water trying to snap gybe. I could not waterstart, I could not uphaul, there was zero wind. It was now around 4:15 in January which means darkness is around the corner. I pondered my options - swim back across and take a chance with the sharks or hike out and take a chance with the cougars. I had not made a decision yet, but I had my gear broken down and lashed on the beach. That's when I saw the fishing boat headed out for the night. I quickly waded as far out as I can, gave the universal distress signal and they came to my rescue. Took me and my gear back to the other side, told me that didn't want to get too close where it was shallow and I said "Believe me, that is not a problem." That night I went outside my house and noticed how cold it was, thankful that I had a hot bath waiting.
Tomales never failed to dissapoint, even if you got skunked you had the most beautiful drive to get there you could imagine. Have fun camping, say Hi to Elizabeth for me.
Steve
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
radross
Joined: 10 Apr 2000
Posts: 142
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
radross
Joined: 10 Apr 2000
Posts: 142
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2023 1:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Muscle - Tomales Style.
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
928.97 KB |
| Viewed: |
4767 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
windfind
Joined: 18 Mar 1997
Posts: 1902
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2023 6:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Since we are talking Tomales stories…
Can anyone contact Jeff B. The ENT doc. and direct him to this thread He knows the whole Tomales story about the body used as a Jibe mark at Grassy Pt. one day and the 2nd body missing 2 legs the next day. I was only there for the first part of the event while Jeff was there for the whole time and can tell it first person. This story is bad enough that it was not widely shared for obvious reasons. Now, 30 years later it could be shared.
Mike Godsey
Private citizen.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jse
Joined: 17 Apr 1995
Posts: 1460
Location: Maui
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 1:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| windfind wrote: | Since we are talking Tomales stories…
Can anyone contact Jeff B. The ENT doc. and direct him to this thread He knows the whole Tomales story about the body used as a Jibe mark at Grassy Pt. one day and the 2nd body missing 2 legs the next day. I was only there for the first part of the event while Jeff was there for the whole time and can tell it first person. This story is bad enough that it was not widely shared for obvious reasons. Now, 30 years later it could be shared.
Mike Godsey
Private citizen. |
Do tell!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
boggsman1
Joined: 24 Jun 2002
Posts: 9121
Location: at a computer
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 3:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Steve...that's a classic story...Leaving two 13 yo's at the car in Mid Jan , while you go grab a little wind. Holy Cow you got lucky.. My guess is you were leaning towards the hike on the other side.. That would have been an adventure knowing your son was sitting in the car... Crazy addiction..
Ill be heading your way in September...
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jse
Joined: 17 Apr 1995
Posts: 1460
Location: Maui
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 3:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| boggsman1 wrote: | Steve...that's a classic story...Leaving two 13 yo's at the car in Mid Jan , while you go grab a little wind. Holy Cow you got lucky.. My guess is you were leaning towards the hike on the other side.. That would have been an adventure knowing your son was sitting in the car... Crazy addiction..
Ill be heading your way in September... |
Yeah, not one of my proudest moments. Gavin had driven the car in a parking lot - Chevy Suburban. He was contemplating driving it to get help. But instead asked a person to call home when they got cell cervice. No my choice would have been to paddle across on the board, leave the rig on the other side. I've dealt with aquatic predators. Terrestrial not so much.
Let me know when you arrive, you will not recognize the place. You were our first visitor after we moved.
Steve
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
boggsman1
Joined: 24 Jun 2002
Posts: 9121
Location: at a computer
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 3:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I sure will!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You can attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum
|
|
|
Search
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Register
