A weblog for San Francisco Bay sailors

Written by Ashley Sozzi

As many of you have probably experienced in one way or another, OCSC boasts an eclectic roster of staff, resembling as interesting a cast as one may find any given day at a hodge podge San Francisco street fair more readily then what one would imagine at a sailing school.  From authors to tattoo artists, photographers to skateboard makers, OCSC is a renaissance team of many talents.   Over my last year working for OCSC, it became more and more apparent that the group of people I was working with was comprised of some of the most interesting, adventurous, ambitious people I had come in contact with in my short 21 years. So I set out to uncover the little known, but ever interesting facts about the people working here at OCSC.  Embarking on this quest lead me down the short path to the Fleet Service building and lucky for me, into the company of Neale Jones.

Neale Jones

As we wiped off the dew from a bench on one of those perfect Berkeley mornings where the air is so fresh and clear you feel like you could touch San Francisco if you tried hard enough, I had the opportunity to catch a glimpse into the world of a cross country biking, trumpet playing, sustainable farming, vegan truffle making author/extraordinaire.  Although I hesitated to begin our conversation with a predictable “what brought you to OCSC’s Fleet Service?” as we sat down, I found myself wondering that exact thing.  How does a writer/musician/ cross country biker/ sustainable farmer/ vegan truffle-making man with a Masters degree in Creative Writing and English manage to also have the time to become an expert craftsman with the skills to help maintain a massive fleet of sailboats?  Well, lucky for me, the man speaks like I would presume he writes: clear, concise, and teeming with insight and entertainment.  So, with no further adieu, let me introduce Neale Jones, OCSC Fleet Service staffer:

A:  So Neale, what brought you to OCSC?

N:  It’s actually pretty simple.  I was working at a music shop and a friend told me about the opening at OCSC.  Already having an interest in the maritime history of the San Francisco Bay as well as having the desire to learn how to keep a boat in good shape made OCSC a good fit.  I love how with sailing, there is nothing to distract you from being there in the moment, similar to backpacking or on a bike trip, the day to day chatter we clutter our lives with is let go.

A:  Speaking of bike trips, I hear you biked across the country.  Can you tell me about that?

N: My brother was graduating college and going into the Peace Corps, and wanted to do a biking trip between school and when he was leaving.  I love backpacking and love biking, so with this I could pack all those experiences into one trip while also seeing the country side and spending time with my brother.  Although I had just got hired here, it was the chance of a lifetime.  We took 10 weeks and rode from Astoria through the Columbia gorge, through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Illinois, the Great Lakes, down to North and South Carolina.  Then coming back, we took a train from Charleston to D.C., and on to Chicago where my brother stayed.  I then took the train to California through the Rockies, which were breathtaking. But it was difficult to be sedentary for the trip back, it took me a few days to travel what before had taken from August to October, I was stir crazy by the end.  It’s one of those experiences though that stays with me.  It was special to take the trip with my brother and let go of cell phones and only rarely have e-mail.  Our only concerns were getting where we were going and having food and water along the way.  Other than that it was just about taking it all in.  I have memories from everyday of that trip, which is something I can’t say about my citified existence.

A: Can you tell me about one of the experiences that stand out the most from your trip?

N: The trip really solidified the camaraderie with my brother, it made us closer.  There was one day when we were riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina through mountainous terrain, climbing hard, when a storm swept in.  We pulled off and decided to camp in a grassy area of a rest stop when the thunder and lightning started to hit.  It was 2 p.m. and we set up our tent, and put out bowls to catch the rain water.

A: That sounds terrifying.

N: I remember not being scared.  We just hung out in the tent the rest of the day, we felt good.  We felt protected in the tent.

A: What kind of preparation went into a trip like this, and what advice would you have for someone interested in doing something similar?

N:  We had most of the gear from backpacking, which translated pretty well into this trip.  I had the racks, bike clothes, and the gel cushioned bike pants (which were indispensable), and then we retrofitted the bikes a bit.  Having a basic knowledge of repairs like patching tires, adjusting brakes, replacing chains ect. was also important.  But otherwise we just camped and couch surfed along the way.  While couch surfing we were fed, given warm beds, and a given a sense of the different places through the people that you can’t get in other ways, and it made it less expensive doing it that way (couch surfing and camping).

A: Would you do it again?  And if so, would you change anything the second time around?

N: Yeah I would do it again, but I would go a different route, maybe along the Canada/U.S. border or from north to south.  I would also listen to myself more; we had a creepy moment with someone who invited us to stay on his property.  We probably could have avoided the situation if I had listened to my initial instinct and not gone.

A:  I hear you are also in a band, The Complications. Can you tell me about your part in that?

N: Yeah.  I have been playing the trumpet since grade school.  As part of The Complications, I play the trumpet, sing vocals, write lyrics, and develop beats on the computer.

A: What kind of music would you describe as The Complications’ style?

N: *Laughing* It’s really fun and different from the typical music experience; we try to expand the range of sounds one can incorporate.  Our influences are pretty wide.  We have Folk melodies and lyrics, with trip-hop and dark punk, funk with the horns and baselines.  We have an industrial aspect, it’s a new wavy kind of sound, an eclectic mish-mash.  Some of our influences are Portishead, Tom Waits, Joy Division.

A: That sounds really interesting!  So, with a huge bike trip behind you, a novel ahead of you, and a band counting on you, where do you hope to go from here and what are your goals for the next few years?

N: I hope to be growing all my own food on a permaculture farm with wild crafting.  I also hope to finish the novel I am working on, and have it published, along with a second novel.  Five years is time to have two novels published, right?

Although there were many things I walked away thinking about after  my interview with Neale, one though was how important it is to keep my eyes open.  You never know the interesting people you are encountering everyday and the knowledge that these people are willing to share.  From the logistics of a biking adventure, to ways to incorporate sustainable practices into life, to new approaches to music, I realize the people I work with at OCSC are a bank of knowledge and a teeming supply of interesting conversation.  I thank you Neale for allowing both me and everyone at OCSC a glimpse into your experiences!

-Ashley

Ashley Sozzi

What: Movie Night
Who: You and other members with an interest in action sports
When: Saturday, February 11
Time: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm ( 6:30 pm social / 7 pm – 9 pm movie)
Where: OCSC Sailing – 1 Spinnaker Way Berkeley, CA 94710 (map)
Provisions: OCSC will be providing soft drinks and popcorn.

Woodshed Films, Patagoniaand Nixon are proud to announce the world tour for Keith Malloy’s debut film project, Come Hell or High Water. The film explores the history and progression of the sport of bodysurfing and the pureness that comes from riding a wave. Shot primary in 16mm, the film takes a unique look at the culture, beauty and simplicity of the sport, capturing the stories and locations of those who belong to this community.

While Keith is most widely known for his time in the water as a surfer, his exploration into the world of bodysurfing began some 10 years ago when he wanted to reconnect with the ocean and did so through bodysurfing. Said Malloy about this project, “It’s about taking a breath and kicking your feet in the big blue sea.”

A sold-out crowd watched the world premiere of Come Hell or High Water last weekend at the New York Film Festival. The film makes its west-coast debut this Friday, September 23, at the La Paloma Theater in Encinitas, California and will continue to crisscross the globe with more stops in Southern, Central and Northern California, North Carolina, London and more. A portion of the proceeds from the tour’s ticket sales will be donated to The Plastic Pollution Coalition, a global alliance aimed at working toward a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts.

What: Movie Night
Who: You and other members with an interest in action sports
When: Wednesday January 25th, 2011
Time: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm ( 6:30 pm social / 7 pm – 9 pm movie)
Where: OCSC Sailing – 1 Spinnaker Way Berkeley, CA 94710 (map)
Provisions: OCSC will be providing soft drinks and popcorn.

This interview was first published on the Bay Area Bird Blog.

Bob Lewis will be speaking at OCSC on February 25. The seminar will be held at the OCSC Clubroom from 7-9 PM. Everyone is welcome.

We have a special treat today: a brief interview with a top local nature person. I’m going to try to make this a regular thing, perhaps every month, if interview subjects are willing. In this case, the top local nature person is Bob Lewis. Bob is a board member of the Golden Gate Audubon Society; an excellent bird photographer; and a very knowledgeable local birder. He runs the very useful local birding website wingbeats.org, and he a lot of great bird photos on flikr. Read on for the interview, including some tips on great local birding spots, and on bird photography. [Read more →]

As a community citizen OCSC SAILING made donations to the following organizations during 2011:

• A Home Within
• Ailey Camp Sailing Fieldtrip
• Alameda County Community Food Bank
• Albany Middle School
• Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity
• American Red Cross Japan relief
• Aveda Silent
• BeatSarcoma
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area
• buildOn
• Call of the Sea
• Children Cancer
• City of Dreams
• CURE Epilepsy
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• Decision Education Foundation
• Earth Island Institute
• East Bay SPCA
• Engineers without Borders – SFP
• Financial Women’s Association
• FTI Consulting Catamaran Bay Sail
• GGYC Youth Sailing Foundation
• Global Exchange Planning Retreat
• Glow Foundation
• Golden Gate Audubon
• Hillcrest School
• KQED
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Society/TIT
• Lifehouse Agency
• Okizu – Art Inspiring Hope
• Oxfam
• PBWC Expo Hall
• Rebuilding Together San Francisco
• Roosevelt school
• Sailing the Bay
• San Francisco Baykeeper
• San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
• Save Mount Diablo
• Save the Bay
• Shotgun Players
• The Athenian School
• The Berkeley Chess School
• Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation
• Treasure Island Sailing Center
• West San Jose Kiwanis
• WildAid Facilities Rental
• Williams Elementary School
• Women’s Earth Alliance
• Women’s Sailing Seminar
• YMCA
• Youth Engagement Advocacy Housing
• Youth Enrichment Strategies

We look forward being part of your life in 2012 again!

-OCSC

Published by International Lifestyle Magazine.

We just got another great write up in International Lifestyle Magazine. You can read the article by clicking on the images below but we recommend checking out their website. It’s quiet beautiful and reads like a real newspaper!

Just click here and we’ll direct you to the right spot.

Have fun!

Have you ever tried to describe why you love sailing to a non-sailor? To convey the joy and exhilaration of moving across the water powered only by the wind? Of being completely in the moment, balanced between wind, waves and current?

Anthony Sandberg, President OCSC Sailing

By telling the story of Bay sailing, you share our world of adventure, freedom, and self-discovery with a future generation of sailors.

Help share our mutual passion for sailing by joining me and SailSFBay in our support of acclaimed filmmaker Ron Blatman’s upcoming project, Sailing the Bay. Blatman’s highly-rated PBS documentary Saving the Bay won four regional Emmy Awards, and very effectively spread awareness about the rich history and sustained health of our San Francisco Bay. The same magic Blatman and his team conjured to create Saving the Bay will now produce Sailing the Bay — a one-hour film that will debut on KQED just ahead of the America’s Cup in Spring 2013.

Our immediate goal is to raise $50,000 in seed money for the project. All we need is for sailing enthusiasts like you to show support with a tax-deductible donation of any size – $10, $25, $50 or more. It’s important to show potential big donors that the sailing community is behind this project, and dedicated to nurturing our sport.

I invite you to join me, and the sailing community to which you belong, in sharing the story of Bay sailing with a wide audience. Please click here Sailing the Bay and make a year-end, tax-deductible gift that will produce huge returns for the next generation of sailors.

Sincerely,

Learn more about the film at sailingthebay.org

Originally published in the New York Daily Tribune.
February 18, 1857

In 1857, Mary Patten was 19. As Neptune’s Car, the extreme Clipper ship she was aboard, approached Cape Horn, her husband collapsed, deathly ill.

Her husband was the captain, and no one else aboard could navigate. Mary Patten took command of Neptune’s Car and safely sailed her around the Horn to San Francisco.

Sailor’s wife, navigator, captain, and heroine…and she was four months pregnant at the time…

A gripping and true story chronicling one of the first American Women Sailors.

Among the noble band of women who, by their heroic bearing, under great trial and suffering, have won for themselves imperishable fame, Mary A. Patten may claim a prominent position. Mrs. Patten is a native of Boston, and but 20 years of age. Her husband, Capt. Joshua A. Patten, sailed from this port in July last, for San Francisco, as commander of the clipper ship Neptune’s Car, of Foster and Nickerson’s line, and it was during this voyage that his wife rendered herself so distinguished. Capt. Patten is well known in this port, and at the eastward, as a young and rising seaman; and the vessels under his command have made some of the swiftest passages on record. He took command of the Neptune’s Car about two years ago, and made his first voyage in her to San Francisco in 90 days. On that occasion Mrs. Patten accompanied him to San Francisco, China, London, and back to New York. His next voyage was that last year to San Francisco, in which his wife again accompanied him. The Neptune’s Car left port at the same time with the clippers Romance of the Seas, Intrepid, and two others, the names of which we do not remember. As usual with commanders in the Pacific trade, Capt. Patten wished to get his ship into port ahead of his rivals. He soon found, however, that his first mate slept during half his watch on the quarter deck, while he kept the ship under reefed courses, and after repeated remonstrance had proved unavailing he found it necessary to remove him. After that he undertook to discharge the mate’s duties as well as his own, and in consequence of fatigue was taken sick, while passing through the Straits of Lemaire, around the Horn, and in a short time brain fever developed itself.

From that time, up to the period of her arrival at San Francisco, Mrs. Patten was both nurse and navigator. When her husband was taken sick the ship was given in charge of the second mate. He, however, was but an indifferent navigator, and although he knew how to take an observation, he could not work up the reckoning. Mrs. Patten, who, on her previous voyage, had studied navigation as a pastime, now took observations, worked up the reckoning by chronometer time, laid the ship’s courses, and performed most of the other duties of the captain of the ship. During this time her husband was delirious with the fever, and she shaved his head, and devised every means in her power to soothe and restore him. To this end, she studied medicine to know how to treat his case intelligently, and in course of time succeeded in carrying him alive through the crisis of his complaint.

[Read more →]

The Thiel Fellowship-
A radical re-thinking of what it takes to succeed, the Thiel Fellowship encourages lifelong learning and independent thought. With $100,000 and 2 years free to pursue their dreams, Thiel Fellows are changing the world one entrepreneurial venture at a time.

Check out some pictures of their Sailing Adventure here at OCCS…