Columbus Day

Columbus Day is October 12th and also on this day I call it Discovery Day as there were the Vikings and others who also landed in North American (Columbus actually landed in Cuba and the Bahamas). Some indigenous people who are my ancestors crossed the land bridge into North America but who knows maybe some actually traveled on boats as some archologists are suggesting this. There are also some stories of religious groups landing in North, Central, and South America. So, there are a lot of possible landings that took place in discovering of North America, and all of the Americas.

My thought is to celebrate the brave skippers, crew, and passengers that were willing to go out on the unknown seas to discover lands that they had no idea where there but with great faith and spirit of adventure were willing to do what others of their day would not do.

Christopher Columbus should be celebrated for his bravery to cross the unknown seas (4 times) with his entrepreneur spirit to open a shipping route for spices, etc. to and from Asia, but ended up instead creating paths to the Americas. Some did think the world was flat so then there was that attitude he had to deal with. He did not believe the world was flat. He also felt he was bringing the good news of the Gospel of Christ to the world via his voyages. He also had to convince royalty to finance his trip and keep the sailors aboard his ships from killing him. He was a brave man that took many risks to open the oceans to trade and exploration. See the video below...

Columbus in particular was the sailor who started the process that one day would end up creating the freest and prospers nation on earth, the United States of America.

So let us celebrate the spirit of Columbus and all brave sailors who did what seemed impossible.

At FunToSAIL we will start producing Adventure Sailors Series to discuss various ancient voyages that likely happened all over the world and related topics. Stay tuned!

  

JAWS 50th Anniversary

Jaws returned to U.S. theaters for one week, from Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, through Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, for its 50th anniversary.

Jaws was released in theaters on June 20th, 1975, is considered the first blockbuster film of the modern area (some say Gone with the Wind or Disney's Snow White were the first and second, but neither is official). Learn more about this film at this link.

I was 12 years old when this film came out, I and my whole family of 6 went to see it. To say I was a bit freaked out by the shark would be an understatement. At the time I was an active sailor on the ocean aboard my Hobie 14 catamaran, out of Westport WA USA and was also a deckhand at the time. I deckhand on a boat called the Permanant Wave (36' long) that very much looked like the boat in the movie, the Orca. So, the movie was quite acclalabul to my life at the time. My two other brothers were deckhands also. My only sister was not into fishing or boating but very much loved the ocean.

My father with a friend wanted to go out on a boat to catch a white shark (these sharks were not protected at the time) aboard a 16-foot boat right after the movie. Our whole family said, "Dad, no way you're going out on that, did you not watch the movie when those idiots went on various small boats, not turning out well for one in particular." My dad had considered it but decided against it also, smart.

My father was a fish taxidermist and just 2 years later after this film was released he mounted a 16 foot 3200 lb Great White Shark that was caught in Grays Harbor, which is the harbor connected to our hometown, Westport WA. It was caught in 1962 via it swimming into a gillnet and had been in a freezer in Seattle the whole time until my father mounted it in 1977. It was a very difficult mount due to the skin being so hard and some freezer burn. But ultimately it turned out great. I will add a bunch of original and mounted pictures shortly to this article.

I have seen sharks out on the ocean and my life was wrapped around in fishing, fish, sailing, the ocean, and all things sharks all my life and certainly this movie woke me up to the big sharks near me while I sailed and fished.

So, on Monday September 1st, 2025, I treated my family to this movie and dinner at 5 Guys in Coeur d'Alene Idaho. 2 of my boys and my daughter loved it, my wife not so much, but she said, she did have fun going to the movie with her family. My youngest son and wife did not go, saying they are not into movies like this, and I get it as I had invited other friends to go, but no takers. I assume they think the movie is gross, but for me it's simply a silly fun movie to watch, it's a classic for sure.

My sister and brothers and I to this day all watch Shark Week at the same time even though we all live some distance away from each other, but we talk about it with each other. We are all very much still into sharks and love the Jaws movie.

The 100th anniversary of Jaws will be June 20th, 2075, I will be long gone by then unless life extending technology happens soon or Christ returns for his millennium reign, I am counting on the latter.

Pics I took while watching the movie...

Best Sailing Planet and Go Sailing ;)

 

 

Sailboat and Barge Accident

A boating accident that killed 3 girls at a summer sailing camp in Biscayne Bay Florida brings to light the dangers of sailing in a busy channel, particularly on that day with light winds, reducing speed and maneuverability of the sailboat. It appears the 5 girls and a 19-year-old female instructor were in a main navigable channel with little ability to sail at any good rate of speed when they were struck by a tugboat pushing a construction barge. The barge ended on top of the sailboat, a Hobie Getaway (17’ long), with the girls attempting to jump and swim out of the way. 3 of the girls were struck and drowned resulting in their deaths. Very tragic. My thoughts and prayers are with their families. On the side note, all the girls were wearing life jackets.

I live near the Snake River where tugs pushing grain barges are a constant sight. The question has been asked why the tugboat skipper did not stop or avoid the collision. The non boater/land lubber this seems like good questions but for us experienced boaters/skippers its more complex.

Boating rules state that boats with limited draft and maneuverability have rights over boats that are more maneuverable. We all the boat with so called right away as the Stand On Vessel and the boat that does not have right away is Give Way Vessel. In reality both boats need to avoid a collision. And in reality, the small sailboat was the Give Way Vessel. It is likely the tugboat skipper never saw the sailboat due to all the gear and crane on the barge. Big mistake on the tugboat captains' part as you must have a look out on the front of the barge. The sailboat skipper could see the tugboat coming but seemed to not take evasive action well in advance of the accident. It is the skipper's responsibility to be aware of their surroundings and act accordingly to prevent an incident. Some would say the wind was light, which it was, and had no motor, which is correct. The best option would have been to not sail on light days in the channel when busy and to paddle and/or skull the boat out of the way of the tugboat. Channels should be avoided and only crossed when needed. Again, maneuver out of the way well in advance. With an added note, we sailors all know the wind can die without notice, so the sailboat could have had wind and then it died. From the report there is not a note about the wind but in imagens we can tell there is little wind. Also, on very windy days one would not want to capsize in a busy channel resulting in being ran over.

Some might ask what the tugboat captain could have had done. He should have had a lookout or some type of video camera in his cabin showing all in front of the barge. That was his main mistake that likely will cost him legally. What I do not know is if the skipper saw the sailboat but could not maneuver in time. Did he blow his horn, warning the sailboat skipper that might have not been paying attention, or assume the tugboat could maneuver around them (not a correct assumption).

The reality is that the sailboat skipper made a fatal mistake, she was in the wrong and did not take action early enough to avoid getting hit. The tugboat captain had few options due to being restricted to the channel by draft and maneuverability. However, his lack of a lookout is a big problem and breaks a big navigation rule. His main option would have been to slow down at least or put the motors in reverse (if conditions allowed); there really was not much he could do once near the sailboat.

I am not trying to put all the fault on the young female skipper as we all make mistakes but sadly, in this incident, obviously it was a fatal mistake.

My other thought is that this was part of the Maimi Yacht Club sailing program in a busy boat traffic area. Why was there not a support boat looking out for the campers/sailors. And if they had a support boat, why were they not watching sailors in this busy channel. A support boat could have easily moved the sailboat out of the way, out of the channel.

So where is the blame, really it's on all parties… Tugboat captain did not have a lookout and was not blowing his horn, the young skipper did not act soon enough (getting out of the way); And the yacht club did not have proper on the water support. In the end it’s an epic tragedy that could have been avoided, one we all can learn from.

See VIDEO at this link...

https://youtu.be/Ax4x-RZ6aaI?si=g9gKqc6NUw7hjdOm

https://youtu.be/pzfVRdxY5i4?si=E1P6n874g0lGG1LS

This is a continuing investigation

There’s a Pacific Ocean Port in Idaho

Elsie Lake, Shoshone County, Idaho

ELSIE LAKE

200 acres and up 80 feet deep

This lake is in a spectacular setting with high alpine mountains all around the lake. The boat launch into this lake is a primitive gravel launch which drops off quickly into the lake about 20 feet or less off the shore. No motors are allowed. The lake is home to rainbow and brook trout; the wilderness area is home to black bear, moose, mountain lions, elk, deer, and a variety of foul. Make sure to keep all food contained as any food left open will be most likely visited by Moose, maybe a black bear, etc. No fee camping areas are mostly along the north shore but none on the east and most of the south shore where there are a steep mountain and cliffs. There is one accessible restroom not far from the launch area. Hiking in this area is a must! It's a popular ATV and dirt bike area. Maps: View Google map google.com/maps type in GPS coordinates 47.427598, -116.022882 or type in Elsie Lake Idaho or follow these Directions: Elsie Lake is 12.6 miles from the I90 exit 54/Big Creek Exit. The road to this lake is paved for a short distance through the very small city of Deep Creek, then the rest of the road is gravel. The road was improved recently especially through the rockslide area. This road is not marked nor are their signs giving directions to the lake, however if you stay on the largest and obvious road it will lead you to the lake. As mentioned, there is a portion of the road that goes through a slide area that can potentially deposit large boulders/rocks on the road, so be careful. Best to travel on this road when it's drier during the summer versus spring and certainly not during the winter. Some parts of the road get rough at times with very deep ruts. When you get close to the lake you will come to a saddle area between mountains and then you will take a deep descent to the lake that is less than a mile. Once near the lake there is a road that goes north to the restroom and primitive launch area. There is also a road that goes south to a turnaround area. From the turn about one could potentially camp but would require portaging your gear to a suitable campsite. See below for assessment and article about my trip to Elsie Lake... I camped at and sailed on this lake.

11 designated camp sites

Elsie Lake Primitive Launch (fairly hard packed gravel, dirty/sand, and mud mix). Maps: View Google map google.com/maps type in GPS coordinates 47.427598, -116.022882 or type in Elsie Lake Idaho.

ACCESSIBILITY: PARKING... Gravel/dirty/sand/mud combo parking area; PATHS/TRAILS... No developed paths/trails. Wide gravel/dirty/sand area to beach/launch area. Primitive single-track trails allow hiking and Mt biking through the forest but are not wheelchair/wheeled mobility device accessible. Many wider rough trails used by ATV's and Dirt Bikes; RESTROOMS/FACILITIES/SHADE… Fully accessible restrooms. Shade via trees; DOCKS/LAUNCHES/PLATFORMS… No accessible docks/platforms. Single lane primitive /sand/gravel/dirt/mud combo launch at about 4% grade. Launch from bank/beach also; DIRECT WATER ACCESS… No developed access for wheeled mobility devices; TRANSFER SYSTEMS... None; SENSORY... No sensory tactile markers for those with visual and other impairments; CAMPING... No/Accessible Tent and RV campsites, with/no hookups. However some camp sites are fairly level that would work for wheelchairs with tires that work on dirt and gravel surfaces; O.T.H.E.R… Oddities/Barriers: Sand/mud/marine vegetation; Terrain: Level to 4% grades over lawn/sand/gravel/dirt surface, and steeper on non-wheelchair accessible trails; H2O/Water: Water clear or murky depending on the time of year. Water temperature in the summer can be around 40 to 60 degrees. No Drinking water available; Environmental Conditions: Varies; Resources: Food, drinks, and gas in town of Kellogg or Osburn, ID.

PAST ARTICLES ABOUT ELSIE LAKE...

MOOSE ATTACKS :)

I recently went to this lake again to camp on September 21. The plan was to stay for 3 days but due to bad weather we left the following day. Nothing has changed sense my last visit in August of 2016 when I did some accessibility work with a friend (see articles below).

However, the one new bit of information I learned is the moose are quite active around this lake (my camping trip in 2010 I saw no moose). If you leave your food out at night the moose will for sure come and eat your food. Another camper indicated that the moose arrives between 1 and 3 am to find food. On the night we camped the moose were yelled at in several campsites to get them to leave. One camper had the moose come to his campsite twice. A moose came to our campsite for a few minutes. All are food was inside our truck. Obviously, the advice to store one’s food properly always applies as best practice.

From Coeur d'Alene Idaho it’s only about a 2-hour drive to the lake, so it is easy to make a day trip to this lake from that distance.

CAMPING AND SAILING

On Aug 8th, 2010, I traveled with friends and family to Elsie Lake, Idaho from Coeur d’Alene Idaho (about 50 miles from Coeur d’Alene). From Coeur d’Alene you take HWY 90 east past Kellogg Idaho and exit the HWY at Exit 54 (Big Creek Exit). Then one travels at first southwest after exiting the HWY on Big Creek Road to the lake. This road is paved a short distance before it turns to a smooth gravel road for a few miles and then into to a very rough road suited only for 4x4’s with good ground clearance (you will pass over big ruts in the road as well as pass through a slide area). Once you come to a wooded saddle near the top of the mountain you will descend down a 9% grade to the lake. The road is not well marked but staying on the main road will get you to the lake. See updated road condition information above in the main article... Road was improved in 2016.

Elsie Lake is in a beautiful setting of heavily wooded area with steep mountains. Fishing, swimming, and hiking are popular activities here. Even in the summer months the water is still quite chilly. This lake is stocked with Rainbow and Brook Trout. Only small electric motors are allowed on this lake (no gas), otherwise it’s all paddle and wind power. There are camp sites all around the lake except on the east shoreline and most of the south shoreline where there are steep mountains and cliffs. There is one restroom at this lake with no running water. The lake is about 80 deep at its deepest and visibility in the water is about 20 feet or more. The lake is a round shape of about 200 acres in size.

I took my small 16 foot sailboat to the lake and had some great mid-day winds to sail with. While I sailed, I consistently saw fish jumping. The lake’s beauty is absolutely stunning. We spent the night around the campfire listening to the sounds of wildlife and gazing at the abundant stars.

I ran out of time to hike the area as my family, and I spent all our time on the water. While there, we were told of a hiking trail that takes you along a ridge that allows you to see for miles in any direction and to look down on the lake. We will do this next time we go there. Since it’s only 50 miles from Coeur d’Alene it’s an easy enough trip to do in a day.

ELSIE LAKE ACCESS WORK, SERIES OF POSTS ABOUT THIS, 2015-2016

As some of you who visit this site regularly know about great man (previous articles), Tom McTevia and his female passenger passed away in a tragic ATV accident in spring of 2015. I have known Tom for some time, but it was during the winter of 2015 that we became friends. On a trip with his ATV at the end of last winter Tom wanted to show me the inaccessible accessible restroom at Elsie Lake, unfortunately we discovered there was still too much snow at that time to get to the lake. Boulders were placed around the restroom to protect it but also block someone in a wheelchair to get to the accessible designed restroom.

BOULDERS BLOCK ACCESS TO RESTROOM

On June 13th, 2016, I drove up to view this restroom and the to check the accessibility of the camping area around Elsie Lake as Tom had wanted. The restroom itself is actually accessible due to the fact it meets the ADA guidelines but unfortunately due to the Forest Service effort to protect it from vandalism they placed rocks around it, which makes it in-accessible to those who use wheelchairs. They installed boulders placed in front and around the restroom are not any further apart then 2 feet, which is well under the required 36” for a wheelchair to fit through. That is the typical width of a wheelchair, so its needs to be a bit wider. One path through the boulders needs to be at least 42 inches. So of course, the logical fix is to move one of the rocks over to create the space needed for a wheelchair to get through. With vandalism being a concern, one can place another boulder sixty inches back to create a curved path. This allows a wheelchair to get through but makes it difficult for anything larger to get through.

Another issue we hope that can be resolved is access to the southeast beach area. Again, rocks have been placed in front of the path to this beach. The good news is there is another beach that is not blocked off that also works as a primitive launch into the lake (is the main designated launch). Still, it would be good if people using wheelchairs could get to both beaches.

There are 11 campsites around the lake, 4 of which one could consider accessible when the area is not wet and muddy. The road going to this lake has been greatly improved via road upgrades and a new bridge that allows regular passenger cars to drive up to this lake (passenger cars not recommended). However, I would not drive a car up to this lake until the dry season when snow has been gone for a while, and the slide area which the road goes through is clear. And a note of caution to those driving a car up to the lake… it is likely the underside of your car will hit the ground when going over some of the bumps on this road.

We will be contacting the Forest Service about these two issues and since this organization has always been accommodating of persons with disAbilities we are sure these issues will be resolved shortly… we will post a follow up once these issues have been fixed.

Elsie Lake is an amazing place to camp, fish, and boat on, and it is our hope that our efforts will make this site accessible as Tom had wanted.

TOM MCTEVIA WOULD BE PROUD

It is official on June 30th 2016 the Elsie Lake restroom in Shoshone County was made fully accessible.  As some of you know previously large boulders were placed around the restroom to protect it from vandalism that were unfortunately placed too close together to allow wheelchairs to pass through to restroom. Now there is one spot on the south side where there is a gap of 42 inches to allow wheelchair access.

Tom McTevia who passed away last year wanted this issue fixed as Tom's loved this lake and the area around it. I know Tom would be pleased with this.

Great appreciation goes to Josh Jurgensen of the local Forest Service for working with us on this project. Josh personally made this happen. As always, it’s a pleasure to work with the Forest Service as they like us want all people to be able to access the outdoors.

All articles written by Miles Moore of FunToSAIL.com

August SailGP Racing

So, a quick update on SailGP Racing. Racing like always was tight and competitive. The good news is Team USA almost got 3rd place overall for this series. If they had not received a black flag, indicating they made a major mistake with impeding other boats at the start of one of the races they would have been in the final. Currently due to all the penalties received in previous racing series they can in no way get into the big grand slam finally at the end of the season, but they can work on improving so they are ready for next season, which they are doing. Good on them, great attitudes.

Team Germany due to their consistent racing won in the end. They won the final with room to spare over the 2nd place boat, Team Australia. 3rd place went to Team Switzerland.

Team Brazil had a boat failure, that did not allow them to race.

If video does not work... visit this link https://youtu.be/NfTPDvv-pXw?si=eUb22zN28da24C2K

Hayden Lake, Kootenai County, Idaho

Hayden Lake (3,880 acres), with its crystal-clear waters, sandy beaches and picturesque timber shores... is one of the most beautiful and popular lakes of Northern Idaho. Its irregular shape gives it about 40 miles of shoreline with the main portion of the lake being seven miles long and one to two miles wide. Normal lake elevation is 2,239 ft. above sea level, and portions of it reach 178 ft. deep. The lake is surrounded on three sides by panoramic timbered mountains which rise to an elevation of 4,500 to 6,000 ft. In the early years as many as four steamboats served the lake industry, and Bing Crosby built a summer home on its shores.

Hayden lake is a great sailing lake, and I have personally sailed many times on this lake. Its winds are similar to Lake Coeur d’Alene’s with Spring and Fall having the best winds; winter also has nice winds, but they are lighter than Spring and Fall winds. Summer winds are light during the day with morning and late evenings producing nice thermal winds (from the East or West). This lake tends to produce winds from all different directions during mid-day and seems to not have consistent wind patterns other than in the morning and evenings, but it is still a very enjoyable lake to sail on. This lake is a popular location for water skiing and fishing.

There are two boat launches on Hayden Lake, one on the Southwest end (Honeysuckle) and one on the Northeast end (Sportsmen Access). There is also a private marina just a short distance from the Honeysuckle Launch to the Southeast from this boat launch. Honeysuckle Beach boat launch and park is located on the east end of Honeysuckle Avenue and is by far the best public launch facility and the only one you could launch a swing keel sailboat from. Hayden Lake Sportsmen Access is on the Northeast end of the lake. Hayden Lake is suited for dinghies and has a steep road down to the ramp (I really do not feel this is a good place to launch a sailboat of any kind from. It's best suited for kayaks & dinghies 16’ and under).

Free printable Map available soon!

OTHER: Hayden Chamber of Commerce http://www.haydenchamber.org ; Phone #'s: Honeysuckle Beach 772-4411; N.E. Sportsman's Access 446-1275.

BOAT LAUNCHES AND MARINA

1. Honeysuckle Park, Boat Launch, & Beach 

Directions: From Hayden Idaho on US HWY 95...  Go east on Honeysuckle Avenue all the way to the Honeysuckle Boat Launch and park. East Honeysuckle Road intersects with 4th Street. Maps: View Google Map below...

ACCESSIBILITY: PARKING... Paved from level to 3 percent inclines; PATHS/TRAILS... Marked paths to and from launch and beach area. Paved wide path to beach from parking lot. There is a gravel wide level path along the dike to and from low head dam; RESTROOMS/FACILITIES/SHADE… One fully accessible restroom. Shade via trees; DOCKS/LAUNCHES/PLATFORMS… Fully accessible docks and ramps. One 2 lane cement launch, 3% grade; DIRECT WATER ACCESS… There is a paved wide path to the beach, No access pad for wheeled mobility devices over the beach into the water. Beach sand is not supper soft and beach has about a 2% grade; TRANSFER SYSTEMS... None; SENSORY... No sensory tactile markers for those with visual and other impairments; CAMPING... No camping at or near by; O.T.H.E.R… Oddities/Barriers: None; Terrain: Is mostly level with steepest grade of 3 percent in the northeast end of the parking lot; H2O/Water: Water normally clear. Water temperature in the summer can be around 70 degree. Drinking water available; Environmental Conditions: Varies; Resources: Summer months there is a concessions stand at the launch park area. Food, drinks, and gas in town of Hayden. Here are two links from the City of Hayden Honeysuckle launch/park info http://www.hayden.govoffice.com/ and Kootenai County parks and water ways Hayden Lake sportsman access info http://www.co.kootenai.id.us/departments/parkswaterways/facilities/SportsmansAccessHayden.asp

2. Hayden Marina
Marine, boat launch (2 ramps), services...

Directions: From Hayden Idaho on US HWY 95... Travel east on E. Honeysuckle Ave. Turn right after intersecting 4th Street on East Honeysuckle Ave. Take East Hayden Ave. to Hayden Marina. Maps: View Google Map below...

ACCESSIBILITY: PARKING... Paved from level to 3 percent inclines; PATHS/TRAILS... None; RESTROOMS/FACILITIES/SHADE… Not accessible; DOCKS/LAUNCHES/PLATFORMS… Fully accessible docks and ramps. One cement single lane launch, 7% grade; DIRECT WATER ACCESS… None; TRANSFER SYSTEMS... None; SENSORY... No sensory tactile markers for those with visual and other impairments; CAMPING... No camping at or near by; O.T.H.E.R… Oddities/Barriers: None; Terrain: Is mostly level with steepest grade of 5 percent; H2O/Water: Water normally clear. Water temperature in the summer can be around 70 degree. Drinking water available; Environmental Conditions: Varies; Resources: Food, drinks, and gas in town of Hayden.

3. Mokins Bay & Campground

Directions: From Interstate 90 in Coeur d'Alene... Go north on US Hwy 95 for 6 miles. Turn east on Lancaster Road (turns into East Hayden Lake Rd). Go 5 miles (paved), and then 11 miles around Hayden Lake to Mokins Bay. Turn east at the "Public Camp" sign and go 200 feet to campground. 

 

ACCESSIBILITY: Will be assessed May 2019

NATIONAL FOREST SERVICE: Mokins Bay Campground - Open from late spring to late summer.  Facilities: Sixteen camp units, potable water... Contact the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District for actual opening and closing dates. You can anchor your boat in the bay across the road from the campground and/or walk down the lake bank to the water and paddle out via small watercraft. Fees: There are fees to camp. Contact the Forest Service for details. Reservations aren't necessary. For more information contact the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District at http://www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/rec/yourplace/cgguide/map.html

There are no BLM lands on Hayden Lake.

4. Hayden Lake Sportsman Access Boat Launch
This site is built on a sloping hill of significant grade of 10 percent or less. The water at this launch site is heavily invested with lily pad and other aquatic plant life.

Directions: On HWY 95 passing through Hayden Idaho going north... Turn onto E. Lancaster road (turns into East Hayden Lake road); follow to the East Park road Sportsman Access sign.

ACCESSIBILITY: PARKING... Paved from 3 to 7 percent inclines. Parking lot is split from launch area by steep 10 percent inclined paved road; PATHS/TRAILS... None. One must use the launch road from vehicle in parking lot to launch area. Road is 10 percent incline; RESTROOMS/FACILITIES/SHADE… One fully accessible restroom. Shade via trees; DOCKS/LAUNCHES/PLATFORMS… One fully accessible dock with gangway, with one single lane cement launch ramp with 7% grade; DIRECT WATER ACCESS… None. Not suitable for this site; TRANSFER SYSTEMS... None; SENSORY... No sensory tactile markers for those with visual and other impairments; CAMPING... No camping at this site but about 10 miles away is the Mokins Bay Campground (see #3 above this launch info); O.T.H.E.R… Oddities/Barriers: This end of the lake is heavily infested with lily pads and other aquatic plant life making for an idea location for fish and waterfowl to live; Terrain: Is heavily inclined up to 10 percent inclines; H2O/Water: Water normally clear. Water temperature in the summer can be around 70 degrees. No drinking water available; Environmental Conditions: Varies; Resources: Food, drinks, and gas in town of Hayden.

Maps: View Google Map below...

Hayden Lake Google Map... Zoom in to see waypoints... for boat launches, etc.

CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE LIVE CAM VIDEO OF HAYDEN LAKE IDAHO USA AT HAYDEN LAKE COUNTRY CLUB MARINA

Herman Lake, Boundary County, Idaho

Private, No Access

Herman Lake is a private lake with no public access. If you are in the area you may hear about the lake, so it is appropriate to mention here. Herman Lake is near the junction of Herman Lake Cutoff Road & Old Hwy two, known locally as "Herman Junction." Where these two roads meet Hwy 2 turns to gravel, so if you want to stay on pavement use Herman Lake Rd. Directions: To view Herman Lake and so some bird watching from the road take HWY 2 from Bonner Ferry's and then turn north onto Herman Lake Rd. Herman Lake Rd off of HWY 2 is just 3 miles from the Idaho Montana boarder. Maps: View Google Map below...

SailGP Racing so far this summer

With FunToSAIL.com recent purchase of the Malbec18 production I have not had a lot of time to follow SAILGP racing and with Team USA poor results I have not had much interest in watching. To be honest the whole Team USA poor results thing I think it's time to fire all of them. I know that sounds harsh, but they have consistently finished in last place or near last place in every race. Team USA needs to be revitalized. Heck even team Brazil that is totally new team is beating them. There comes a time when one has to say, enough is enough. In any other sport they would have been fired a long time ago. I would not be surprised if SailGP management forces their hand on the team and eliminates them. Sorry, to go on about this, but it's frustrating to watch, actually I am now not watching.

I hope one day they change from countries as teams and goes the way of Nascar, where teams have their star driver and team members with various sponsors, that would be a better format where one can get into the racing without the country affiliation drama.

Racing just finished in the UK with Team New Zealand winning this series, with the Bristish taking second and team Switzerland in 3rd place in the series final. Great racing with Team USA as always in the back of the pack.

2026 Season venues have been announced. They have dropped racing in San Fransico (who wants to go to crap and drug city) with the only racing in the USA at New York City. I have no interest in going to this city due to all its crime. It is my hope someday that racing in the USA will take place in Florida, then I will go and watch. Nice warm weather and great wind.

Here is the final thoughts videos... Watch the full racing videos at SailGP.com or youtube/sailgp