I sure enjoyed seeing these crazy craft and crews, splashing and cruising along the trail. (Some of them even reminded me of the kavadi of the Hindu Thaipusam festival, and the rainbow colored becaks and tuk-tuks.)
Some pics I copied from Radio station KHUM blog: (see photo credits there)
http://khumksr.blogspot.com/
the wooden yacht with wagon wheels
the happy hippy hippo, with wiggling ears and opening mouth
The glorified viking ship, and the oops! factor. The floats were too close together, no stability in the water, so when it rolled into the water it flipped on it's side; I watched but couldn't do anything to stop the roll-over, try again guys!
Note: Safety equipment required: Life vest float, toothbrush, teddy bear. Do not try this at home without supervision.
Oh, yeah, I also toured a US Navy ship (real one) docked at the pier, enjoyed checking out the huge propeller screw engines and electrical generators, listening to the grease monkey engineer talk about diesel power in the noisy engine room and galley and crowded bunks area, fun time, open to the public during Memorial Day weekend. The ship was used to launch aircraft, as troop carrier and then a hospital ship IIRC, during WWII and is being restored. Coolness!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
OTOH, (the left one) George Bush, US president stupidly supports increased oil consumption and waste, by tax payback economic stimuli which is used to pay for more expensive gasoline ($4./gallon <-> today price up to $4.35/gallon). bodoh betui. More oily wars coming soon? Mucho loco Señor George.
http://scienceblogs.com/corpuscallosum/2008/05/another_oil_company_subsidy.php
Much better idea (but not yet public), from the common sense calif: traix, mass transport that allows independent individual expression without fossil fuel, that improves health and efficiency, and reduces smoggy city air and congestion.
traix
