My Default Blog
by Ryan
OK, watch out, this may be a bit of a sappy (And I mean ‘sappy’ in the most manly way possible!) and philosophical piece. For those of you not into philosophy I bring you the:
Executive summary To summarize, after spending the past 6 years of my life getting ready for this expedition, 24 months ago I met the most amazing woman on planet earth (now, my fiancé). 18 months ago I landed the job of my dreams. 5 days ago I quit the job of my dreams (hopefully I can get it back in the future!), and 20 days from now I will temporarily say goodbye to Thea. For a variety of reasons, for the past 10months, I have not been a part of this expedition on paper, and now I am STOKED to be back with it. The reality check of what OceanGybe is all about, and what Brys, Hugh and I are doing to our careers and personal lives is a very sober reality, but at the same time we are looking forward to the adventure and the challenge of spreading our message as far and wide as we possibly can!
And now for those of you that are interested, I bring you the:
Extended version!:
So without getting into any details, the past 10 months I have kept my name out of all the media, off the website, and have taken a supporting role in the planning and building of the final moments. It has been tough with the CTV news briefs, the newspaper articles, and others seeing the trip you have given so much for, without you being associated with it anymore. At the end of May, I helped Brys and Hugh pack up ‘ol Wilfred and watched them drive off into the sunset, bound for La Paz.
Their adventure had begun, and I was still staring down the barrel at 6 weeks of work! For the past two weeks I have been riding Vancouver flat, putting together list after list, compiling that MASSIVE amount of stuff that we need and what the boys could not pick up in La Paz. In my infinite wisdom, I decided to sell my car a month ago so avoid having to deal with the sale in the final week… try hauling 10 oil filters/ a stainless steel bracket, inverter etc on your bicycle from Richmond! Nossosmart!
This past Friday, June 1st, I gave my notice… hoping and praying that I was not going to burn this bridge, and half anticipating an escort to the door (such is the way in this industry). I have every intention of returning, as I am 100% sure that I would have no problem devoting my career to this industry - fast paced, engaging and lots of fun, I actually looked forward to going to work! The conversation with my boss went incredibly well, and his reaction is a tribute to this trip and also to the caliber of the employer. From their perspective, my timing could not be worse – slap bang in the middle of the busiest time of the year for them. Unfortunately, I could not offer them a reprieve on this timing, as the OceanGybe departure is already completely pushing the limit. Hugh, Brys and I are nervously watching the hurricane systems start to build in the Northern Hemisphere trades (Once in the Southern hemisphere, we are home free until November). We have already left it very late, and absolutely have to be on our way by the end of June. So after the initial shock of my announcement, and my subsequent description of the trip, the environment was completely supportive. It confirms a fact that the three of us have known for a long time: The motivations and goals of this trip are so completely pure, progressive and urgent, that support can even be gleaned from the very center of a hectic, finance driven corporate world!
Now, the job is one thing, but saying goodbye to my beloved fiancé, Thea, is going to be one of the hardest things I have ever done, or will ever do in my life. Among everything else, this girl is my best friend, workout partner, fellow adventurer – she surfs, snowboards, camps, hikes, loves the outdoors etc etc etc – one in a million for sure. I am incredibly blessed that I have found such a special girl, and also that she is willing to support me, the OceanGybe dream and our goals. We both believe that this will make us stronger, and lead us to some very interesting adventures together, at our many rendezvous points around the globeJ. I never fully appreciated the full force of the “reality check” I was to receive until it actually happened last week (even when I read Bryson and Hugh’s account of their ‘reality check’ half way down the west coast of the USA) - making a forced departure from our comfortable, terrestrial lifestyle has not been easy, even harder than I imagined. Brys has Jess, I have Thea. All three of us had very good jobs and are saying goodbye to families and very close friends. But you know what? It will all be worth it – as my grandmother, Cessie, has always said: “A tearful goodbye, is only the other side of a joyous reunion!”
LET’S GO!I fly to La Paz on the June 23rd, to be greeted by Bryson, Hugh and whatever remains of the giant “TO DO” list that Hugh and Brys have been steadily chipping away at. ~10 days later, at the beginning of what we hope is a LARGE weather window, we will hoist the sails, and point our bow south west toward the Marquesas Islands, some 2800nm (~5000km) across the BIG, BIG blue Pacific Ocean. This initial leg of the trip will be the longest of the entire 3-year circumnavigation. Trial by fire… er… water, I guess! Pray for fair winds and following seas…
Cheers,
Hugh and Bryson.
Oceangybe crew
A gybe is a movement that brings about change – both in direction and energy. This expedition is about redirecting the energy of humankind towards a sustainable future for our oceans.
*****
Oceans provide us food, knowledge and joy. However, with every passing moment, the health of our oceans is being eroded by human activity. Pollutants in our air, streams and earth eventually make their way back into our oceans, and through the food chain, back to us. This cycle of environmental “detachment” must end.
As three avid water activists, we are acutely aware that our oceans’ health will continue to erode from human pollution of all kinds. We are surfers, researchers and global citizens and we can no longer turn a blind eye. The urgency of this problem has inspired us to embark on a three-year circumnavigation of the earth’s oceans — the OceanGybe Global Research and Outreach Expedition.
A gybe is a movement that brings about change – both in direction and energy. This expedition is about redirecting the energy of humankind towards a sustainable future for our oceans. To achieve this, we will create awareness in every country we visit and inspire action in every person we touch.
During this three-year expedition, we will sail over every ocean in the world. We will go to many isolated coasts and beaches and will forward the following research and awareness activities:
- Document and record marine pollution and its effect on isolated, deserted islands and beaches.
- Use scientific principles to research and study the ocean reef and wave characteristics to better understand the interrelationships between ocean swell and bathymetry.
- Regularly update on-line all our findings, and make them available through print and broadcast media, - educational institutions and credible international research and environmental organizations.
- Pre-arrange meetings, school presentations, press interviews and public exposure events in order to bring environmental awareness to the communities we visit.
- To use the latest communication technology to post timely information and interact with participating partners.
Our goal is to better educate people of the interconnectedness of ourselves to our oceans. Our research will document this interconnectedness. It is our hope that our journey will inspire others to take action to save our oceans. What was once a whisper years ago, now roars “our oceans are ill and soon they will die.”
To download our media and sponsorship package, please click the text below:
Media Package
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Published by OceanGybe: 1:26 PM
Updated On: 5/23/2007 at 1:27 PM
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Arriving in La Paz
by Hugh
On the drive down there was plenty of time for our thoughts to wander. It was easy to compare what I was feeling then, in the car, to what I had imagined we would feel weeks or months ago when we were planning the trip. The feelings were a lot different. Honestly there was a lot of second-guessing and questions. At one point, I turned to Bryson and said “Seriously, what is going on? Did we actually buy a boat in Mexico? Are we really driving to Mexico right now?!?! Exactly why did we do all this?” Apparently we did buy a boat and we were indeed on our way! So walking down the dock and getting on the boat brought the whole trip home. It was truly a sailing trip then. (Bryson’s Note: We haven’t been sailing yet – so far it has been a boat-fixing trip)
What to do?
Right away we were both extremely overwhelmed. We knew we had a lot of work to do on the boat, but seeing it all before us was pretty daunting. Where to start, what to do, where to go? I madly started making lists and forgetting them and trying to do things all at the same time. Bryson just started washing her down, then we went and got some dinner and went to bed full of worries, concerns and excitement. The next day we pulled everything out that we could, and scrubbed down the entire interior with biodegradable cleaner. It was really helpful just to get a handle on the situation, just clean and look around for the beginning of the day. Next, we made a list. A big list. After prioritizing all the items as a 1, 2 or 3 priority, we got stuck in. Bryson dove into the electrical and charging systems, and I began to tackle the radio installation and plumbing. Best not to think about all the jobs but just focus on the one at hand. For the past 12 days, we’ve just been working our way down the list here in La Paz, and we’re starting to get a hold on all the things that have to be done to the boat. Unless you’re a sailor interested in fixing up a boat to go offshore, the last 12 days have been pretty/extremely boring. If you are, read a few of the highlights below, all others can skip the rest. Electronics: About 4 years ago all the electronics on the boat were updated. What the previous owner didn’t do was remove the wiring for the old electronics. Equipment was removed (mostly) and the wires were left in place. So we have pulled out about 200 ft of redundant wiring. The short-wave radio was installed with about 2 ft of ground plane, and had a Coax wire to the backstay antenna. Not going to work – reinstall. Battery Charger had boiled all the batteries dry and needed replacing. Lights didn’t work. Too many electrical devices not breakered and running directly from the battery. The list goes on and on… just e-mail us if you are interested in the 4-page list of electrical things to fix. Plumbing: We’ve installed fresh-water and saltwater foot pumps, a 3rd water tank, and will be installing a water-maker tomorrow. Steering: There was a leak under the wheel so salt water was getting to the main steering pulleys. The bolts were almost rusted through, and the pulley and assembly came apart in 4 pieces when we pulled it off. We’ve replaced that, as well as all the steering cables. Had to remount the binnacle and seal it all. Engine/fuel; We’re fortunate that the fuel tank is easily accessible… that meant Bryson got to empty it, and scrape out the 25 years of crud accumulated at the bottom. He smiled the whole time! Had to install the battery off switch, remove all the old sour fuel, get and install a fuel gauge…
Work? What work? We left our jobs weeks ago?
Someone emailed me a few days ago and said: Send us some pictures of you drinking Margarita’s in the sun! You know, there really hasn’t been much of that/any of that! Our routine pretty much goes like this: Wake up at 7am, get some sort of exercise for about an hour, then get to work on the boat. Saw, solder, screw, scrape, pull, hammer until it gets too hot outside, then work in the cabin until it gets too hot in there too. Hose yourself down on the dock and repeat until about 10pm. If you haven’t worked on a sailboat or are having trouble imagining what it’s like to work on the boat, picture a cross between mechanics, Bikrams’ yoga, and meditation. Mechanics, well that’s easy; The hot yoga because the temperature is about 35 degrees below deck and you’re contorting yourself into tiny, awkward spaces; The Meditation, the patience of a Zen master is required not to break anything and get frustrated. By the time we are done, we wander up the street to get some taco’s at a nearby stand, and crash out in our bunks. I haven’t even had time (or the space) to unpack my duffle bag. I’ve been rotating 3 pairs of board shorts and 3 shirts. Despite the long days and hard work, it is looking good. Khulula is starting to feel like our boat, and every time as I look around her to see every repair, customization or upgrade, I smile to myself.
 San Diego – La Paz
by Hugh After a couple of days in San Diego we were itching to get to La Paz and on to Khulula, our boat. So much driving hanging over our heads it was time to go. On Sunday morning we said good-bye to Janike and Chad and headed south.Our first challenge lay only a few miles away at the border to Tijuana. Old Wilfred was carrying more than a few thousand dollars worth of boat parts, camera equipment, tools, surfboards, an outboard engine and a dingy.
 We had heard too many stories from numerous boat owners that getting across the border can be very tricky. Apparently, you can be stopped and forced to pay upwards of 30% import duty on parts that the authorities deemed “new” and able to be resold. An extra 30% on our gear we did not want to pay! (or could afford to pay) We also heard that ‘original’ receipts would help get you through. So armed with doctored receipts for most of the big-ticket items listed at 10% of their value, we drove south. Well, as we would soon learn, a dirty $150 matt black truck with plywood paneling is excellent camouflage in Mexico; we cruised into Tijuana hassle free under the radar. Just another couple of ragtag surfers heading over the weekend…
I would love to tell you that the drive south from Tijuana to La Paz was a magical journey of self-discovery and compelling scenery, but it was not. It was long and hot. It was long and dusty. It was long. The most exciting part came at sunset in the middle of the desert on the first day, when Wilfred decided that he would take the Mexican camouflage a step further. Due to the lack of air conditioning, we were forced to drive with the windows open and the music turned to loud so we can hear it. All of a sudden it seemed Wilfred was a little louder than before. We were hard pressed to notice the difference in volume or tone of the noise the truck was making, but the evidence that lay spread out behind us on the highway was irrefutable; we had lost the muffler. No worries, pick it up, strap it to the roof and continue. It just increased our cover at the army or “federali” check points. We cruised through every single one without even a second look.
 After 2 days and over 1100 km’s of roads in the Baja, we arrived in La Paz. It was pretty exciting walking down the dock to the boat that is going to be our home for 3 years… pretty scary too.
Bryson’s Note: Perhaps it was just my mental state after driving for 6 days, but I thought the boat looked bad. Really bad. Why had I given all my money to Hugh to purchase this “thing”, was all I could think? It was covered with dust and looked haggard. After a wash down with the hose and a Fanta things started looking up.
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 Driving Poor Wilfred to Mexico. - Bryson and Hugh
May 12th, 2007
Wilfred is my $150 CAN Nissan pick-up that I purchased numerous years ago just to get me through till the end of winter. I never expected the truck to last any longer but Wilfred has tenacity and the ability to stand the test of time.
On April 30th, Hugh drove over to my house with everything he thought he would need for this trip in the back of his fathers pick-up (He no longer owns any mode of transportation – except half a sailboat!). We piled everything in the backyard to sort through all the gear we had compiled over the past numerous years. This included the 9 brand new Sitka surfboards we had picked up early in the morning.
It was a gigantic pile, even bigger when we drove poor Wilfred up next to the pile. Everything had to fit, one way or another… And we had to leave space for the zodiac, cameras and other gear we were picking up on the way down. Well, this turned into a game of 3D Tetris to fit it all in. Things were fitted for size, then returned to the lawn, others were tried until the best combo was found. After a couple hours, we got it all in and the shocks on Wilfred seemed to be bending the wrong way.
Slowly and carefully we pulled out of the driveway and started for the border. We grimaced and winched as we drove over each and every bump, half expecting the car to break in half, literally. Despite the new wooden windows, the matt black paint and generally unkempt nature of the drivers, we somehow managed to pass through the border without a hitch. First stop: Blaine, WA for drinks and gas. Distance: 0.5 km from the border.
 Blaine, Everett, Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Eugene… We stopped in Eugene for the evening to meet up with a good old friend, Cara, who had very kindly been storing another load of gear for us. Unpack, play 3D Tetris to fit it all in again, and back on the road headed for San Francisco this time.
Well, San Francisco is far away from Eugene. Especially when your truck can only go about 100km/hr. We had to stop a couple times just to re-tie the board racks, as there seemed to be a small problem with our initial effort. Then we discovered that a bridge in San Francisco had melted due to a fire and now we were being routed all over the city. (Side Note: Buy a map of San Francisco if you are planning on trying to find anything. I am sure it will help) 
After a slow morning and an amazing cup of Java overlooking the bay, off we headed to Monterey to meet up with a Surfrider Foundation Group. Off to the closest gas station to fill up again and check why the brakes felt “mushy”. Gas was easy. “Mushy” brakes were a little more difficult. We discovered that our brake line had rusted through and needed to be replaced. Local mechanic? 2 Days, not quick enough. We were going to have to do this ourselves. Fortunately we had the tools somewhat accessible in the bede of the truck, so we drove to the closest auto parts store, parked outside and started removing brake lines. 2 Hours, 2 litres of brake fluid, 3 brake lines, 2 new wrenches, and 2/3 of the cost of the truck, we were on our way again.
After meeting with some truly inspiring people from Surfrider in Monterrey, we were back on the road south. Destination? Malibu. Trevor of Livity Outernational had kindly offered us a place to stay, despite the fact that we were going to be pulling in hours late due to the brake issue. We were immediately taken in and made to feel right at home. The next morning we did it up SoCal style with a relaxed breakfast on the Malibu strip. With full bellies we headed up the beautiful canyon to visit the Livity HQ. We checked out the latest super-cool fashions made from organic and recycled materials.
Now armed with a map, and our sights set on San Diego that night, we could afford a bit slower pace. The folks up on Monterrey had suggested that we drop by the Surfrider National office in San Clemente and chat to the folks there. With little notice, Ed was kind enough to make some time to talk to us about the trip and find ways for Surfrider to use the data and findings we will come back with. Also a great learning experience for us to see all the work that Surfrider does.
 There was plenty of time for reflection on the drive down, and one of things that both Hugh and I constantly came back to was how lucky we were to call Vancouver home. From the scenery, the people, and the lifestyle, it is an amazing place. Driving on 12-Lane highways LA rush hour was one more reminder that things are pretty good up north. However, with the HOV lane working in our favour we made good time for the last stretch into San Diego.
Our plan was to spend a couple of days getting a few last bits of gear and meeting with some more folks interested in our adventure. Through a friend of a friend, we found some folks willing to put up two weary travelers and a truck full of gear. Chad and Janike were incredible hosts. It really fueled our fire to hang out with folks who had done so much traveling and understood what our trip was all about. After we had shared a drink we found out they had spent 3 months on a boat cruising in eastern Indonesia… a definite destination for us. So we got out the electronic charts for them to point out beaches and islands to visit. A couple epic spots out of the tourist route have been mapped.
After a couple more relaxed days we headed off for the Mexican border and beyond… Check the next posting for more details.
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Published by OceanGybe: 1:10 PM
Updated On: 5/23/2007 at 1:15 PM
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