Nov-Dec. 2025 Seattle Spacetime Bending

Nov-Dec. 2025 Seattle

As I wondered how timed has passed to almost February 2026 and I missed the moment when I should have posted my blog for Nov & Dec 2025, I pondered the idea of bending time. Gravitational forces  are at play in the space time continuum and your own personal axis is, of course, key to your perspective. I came across this question and answer to help support my excuse

Question:

I am just 16 and curious to learn about Theory of Relativity. Can any one explain it simple enough for me to understand? I read that it is bending of time-space or space-time that causes gravity. How can bending of time takes place?

Answer:

I'll go into a bit more detail below but, basically, Einstein discovered that space and time can't be separated. They are part of the same thing, and gravity is actually produced be bending and warping this "spacetime," like a heavy ball sitting on a sheet of elastic.

Classical (or Newtonian) Physics

Time can be considered as a dimension, just like distances. In this way, our universe is four dimensional: three for space and one for time. Before Einstein came along, people thought that these dimensions were fixed: anyone who looked at something would measure the same distances, see the same things happening at the same time.

Special Relativity

Einstein realized that this is not true. Two events that appear simultaneous to one observer may seem to happen at different times to a different observer: simultaneity is not preserved.

He came up with this idea by looking at light and realizing that light always travels at the same speed, no matter how fast you are traveling. Even if you chase a photon, it always moves away from you at the same speed (c$c$) from your point of view.

The only way that this can be made to work is if there is a link between time and space. We can't consider them to be separate things anymore; time and space get mixed together depending on your frame of reference.

This is why physicists talk about spacetime. Just like the x, y & z directions only depend on where you put your axis so it doesn't make sense to consider e.g. the x direction separately from the y & z directions, so the time dimension cannot be considered apart from spatial dimensions since different observers put their axis in different places. 

General Relativity

Einstein then went a step further. He realized that considering time and space together as spacetime allowed him to think about gravity. Einstein imagined spacetime being bent and warped by heavy objects. This way, other object always move on straight lines but those lines look curved to us because spacetime itself is bent.

And then I imagined more than just planetary gravity. There are other earthly attractions that draw us to where we are at any given time. Take family for instance. Family might draw you closer or just the opposite! In our case Family is a huge gravitational force as we move to and fro from Seattle, Austin, and Ft. Worth, Texas. These forces have been particular strong in December and January. We have literally  experienced bending through Spacetime.  Hence it is not really January 27 yet as I write this. After I finish this blog post it may be however.

We take Big D to his Soccer game over in Poulsbo, and we are the substitute team managers, Deja Vu.

Big D gets the coin toss call.

In the background you can see Sluy's Bakery, A must stop in this Scandinavian town.

I got some Caramel Sticky Buns!

You have to work those Buns off, at Osteostrong!

Reflecting Fall Colors

I got an update from Ancestry, My Scottish/Irish roots are stronger than I thought.

A few atmospheric rivers are part of the PNW experience.

The boat was rocking but we slept through it.

Fortunately the power never went out at the marina. 

Exceptional High tides, first time we have seen it this high.

We searched but did not see.

First time I have ever seen a straight line front pass through up here, this is typical in Texas but up here the weather comes in huge blobs.

I got to drop off Big D at the school bus stop a few times.

And we walked his sister up to her bus stop.

Lake Washington in the foggy stillness.

I wondered about this vintage plow at the horse Stables

Big D is a formidable opponent!

I went to see this small ship that I saw on Facebook

December is a good time for an Air BB, as it is getting a little chilly for boat life.

Walks through the North Ballard neighborhood.

Sunset Park is just a short walk away.

I'm really excited, My good friend Martti bought a great PNW boat, but it was on a farm in Texas!

Hah, this is from Spotify, of course you cant define my taste, my grandkids use my phone whenever we are driving to the other side of Seattle. 

Another storm

This Danish Bakery was only blocks from our air B&B

I got a Spandauer !

Christmas lights are starting to show up.

We took a quick trip to Ft. Worth for a memorial, got to eat at Joe T Garcia's with the Admirals cousin Greg and wife Karen! 

G sitting at his Great Grandfathers desk.

We got a visit in at Tarrant County Court House

I reminisced about the last time I visited this court house when I was about 17 and discussing my driving  ability with the Judge.

Back in Seattle and Big D on the Trombone! at the Christmas concert.

See: https://youtu.be/2UMXArsycJ0

View of the Magnolia valley

Merry Christmas!

Some new homes in Magnolia Neighborhood trying to maintain the character.

Looking forward to 2026 Happy New Year!
See: https://youtube.com/shorts/QzuKo3Vz2cA?feature=share

Back in Austin and a walk around the Capital.

Wow our neighbor finally moved in after three years of constructing!

Love VS 55 years
 Dec. 19

 

October 2025 Strolling the Shilshole Docks

October 2025 Strolling the Shilshole Docks 

Shilshole Bay Marina is a 1400-slip^[1] saltwater marina in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, operated by the Port of Seattle. The marina is protected by a 4,000-foot (1,200 m) breakwater,^[1] features a roughly 1-mile (1.6 km) public promenade with view of the Olympic Mountains, and includes Leif Erikson Plaza, site of a 16-foot (4.9 m)^[2] statue of the Viking Leif Erikson. 

Seattle has a long storied maritime history as Seattle has been a departure point for all points North and West via Puget Sound otherwise known as the Salish Sea. Shilshole marina has added to that history since 1958. Whatever happened in the Pacific Northwest most likely started in Seattle. Walking the docks at Shilshole, I can verify that almost every conceivable pleasure boat ever built is represented among these docks. Many pick my curiosity.

This is "Dulcinea" a Hirondelle MK III 23' Cruising Catamaran made in England. Dulcinea is a fictional character who is unseen in Miguel de Cervantes's novel Don Quixote. Don Quixote believes he must have a lady, under his personal view that chivalry requires it.^{[1]: 117 [2]} As he does not have one, he invents her, making her the very model of female perfection see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirondelle_(catamaran)

I talked to the owner and he said an instructor at Windworks sailing club owned it and sold it to a guy who had it trucked to San Diego. A year later he called the guy up and bought it from him and he trucked it back to Seattle. He called it the Volkswagen Westfalia of sailboats. If I wanted a small catamaran, this would be it!

See: https://youtube.com/shorts/dMx7AAQLRqg?feature=share

This is a new Seward 26rk which just recently arrived on N dock. Before we bought our cruising boat Wand'rin Star I considered spending some time trailer sailing. The great thing about owning a trailerable sailboat is having the opportunity to sail in many different bodies of water without taking long ocean voyages. If I was a trailer sailor, this would be high on the list for sure. see: https://goodoldboat.com/seaward-26rk-boat-review-2/#:~:text=With%20a%20retractable%20rudder%20and%20lifting%20keel%2C%20the,these%20boats%20are%20much%20loved%20by%20their%20owners.

I love cutter rigged boats, we chartered a cutter rig years ago in the San Juans and having a third sail certainly adds to the spice. This vessel is surely on its second or third owner by now and makes a great Salish sea boat!

Several Tall ships in the Sound, The Adventuress is based at Shilshole
See: https://www.soundexp.org/

Classic motor vessels abound at Shilshole

Next Stop Hawaii

Dragonfly 28 Performance if you want to get there fast in a sailboat
I like how the amas fold in so close to the mail hull, easily fits in a monohull slip!
See: https://dragonfly.dk/boats/dragonfly-28/

Nothing wrong with a Motor Sailor in the PNW

There a a few boats around the marina that have seen better days and dingys!

A Cutter Ketch ( with four sails) gives a wide variety of sail plans,

There are so many wooden vessels still in the PNW there is a huge annual celebration for these boats each year in Port Townsend.

And if you want to motor all the way to Hawaii then this
 56' Kadey Krogen will do!

We saw several of these Florida Bay Coastal's  in Florida when we were cruising the Florida Keys. I have to wonder how comfortable these are in the Salish Sea, completely different environment from Florida!

                                                                                  

Here's a different angle of the Florida Bay, You can see how top heavy this vessel is, NOT comfortable in a heavy seaway! 

Here is a Columbia 34' Mark II, I first saw one of these when we first started sailing at Canyon Lake.

Of Course Shilshole has no less than three Yacht Brokerages on the premises. This is a brand new Hanse 460 Listed at $888,000.

Going North to Alaska, This aluminum Hull will help with the small ice.

                                                                                 

This fishing boat carries a ocean sized dingy, they lower the small boat to assist in spreading out the huge nets the boat is sitting on top of.  This boat is moored at the South end of 
Shilshole where the Native American tribes own two long docks with their fishing commercial/vessels

                                                                                

                                                                              

Another but smaller Tall Ship

                                                                                      

Wolfpack rarely gets to see her owners, I think we have seen them twice in the last several years, she is not the only neglected vessel around here. Last time we were in Seattle I saw the owners jump aboard, go down below and 10 minutes latter they were gone again.

                   

This is "Duwamish" the Duwamish is a local native American
 Tribe. It used to look like Wolfpack but the owner paid Old Joe
(who's a live aboard on our dock who said he needed some vice money) to clean it up, took him about three days. The boat is an Aquarius 23

                  The owner finally comes buy to enjoy a few precious moments on his vessel. 

There are many seemingly neglected vessels throughout the marina. They seem to have the same story of aging sailors who just can't part with the vessel they have loved for so many years. The Moorage fees here at Shilshole are not for the faint of heart.  It points to a way of life that they want to take with them into their next life!

 Easy to understand why a Vikings funeral was to lay them aboard their vessel, set it on fire and let it drift into the sea.

We drove Big D to his soccer match just East of Redmond in the Cascade foothills.

The log cabin above the field had me wonder about life in the foothills, living in a log cabin, so many years ago.

 

We met our Seattle Family for a dinner at Ray's Boat House, There is a huge Wharf adjacent, Great place for a shadow.

A calm October night on the docks.

Now this Face book post is a perfect example of Live Aboard Life at Shilshole where there are 300 live aboard's!

We drove Big D to his riding lesson at Cougar Mountain Stables and got a tour of the collection of farm animals, These pigmy goats just want to have fun. 

A close friend of Eeyore!

Sheep Dip

A Mini cow!

Llama Yama!

Stunning views from Magnolia Bluff

I use the Marine Traffic App to identify ships, this one has an unusual profile. It is a Cement carrier.

A walk along Magnolia Bluff

Wooly Bear Caterpillar, folklore holds that the relative amounts of brown and black hair on a larva indicate the severity of the coming winter. It is believed that if a Pyrrharctia isabella's brown band is wide, winter weather will be mild, and if the brown band is narrow, the winter will be severe

An Early October picture, trees starting to look like fall. 

A trip to Gold Creek Equestrian Center