Photo of the Day Four Alarm Fishing Expedition? August 18 - Oahu While over on Oahu covering the West Marine Pacific Cup, we paid a visit to the very nice and very new Ko Olina Marina down past Barber's Point. More on this fine and going-to-be-getting-better-all-the-time facility soon. But while up in the harbormaster's office we were treated to the curious sight of four firemen trying to haul out their rescue boat with a full-on fire truck. We made a note not to get into trouble off Hawaiian waters, for rescue wouldn't be too close at hand if these guys were on duty. The guy driving the truck had to take four cracks at backing down the ramp straight enough to pick up the boat. Photo Latitude/Richard

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Weather Updates August 18 - Pacific Ocean San Francisco Bay Weather To see what the winds are like on the Bay right now, check out http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/wind/. It's a great time of year to be sailing the Bay. California Coast Weather Looking for current as well as recent wind and sea readings from 17 buoys and stations between Pt. Arena and the Mexican border? Here's the place - which has further links to weather buoys and stations all over the U.S. www.ndbc.noaa.gov/stuff/southwest/swstmap.shtml Pacific Ocean Weather Once again there's a huge high between Hawaii and the Pacific Coast of the continental U.S., but the last couple of hundred miles off California continue to be nasty.

University of Hawaii Meteorology Graphic Click here to see enlarged graphic.

Pacific Sea State Seas are normal in the Pacific except for close to the Northern California coast. Check 'em out at http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/PacRegSSA.html. For another view, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data/global.html. August 18 - Atlantic Ocean Tropical Disturbances All is quiet in the Eastern Pacific, but there's new and old action in the Atlantic. Alberto, the tropical storm that refuses to die, has done about a 420-degree turn while moving to the North Atlantic. Of greater concern now is Tropical Storm Chris, several hundred miles to the east of St. Martin. She only has 35 knot winds and is predicted to move northwest away from land and toward the far distant Bahamas, but you never know. See http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/2000/index.html and http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/e_pacific/2000/index.html for more. Unisys Weather Graphics

Tropical Storm (Formerly Hurricane) Alberto

Tropical Storm Chris

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Cruising

Don't Miss This Festival! August 18 - New Caledonia We've had several calls about the Arts Festival of the Pacific, which used to be called the South Pacific Festival of the Arts. The festival, which is only held every four years, will start on October 23 in Noumea, New Caledonia, and four other cities in New Caledonia, and end on November 3. More than 2,000 people from 27 countries in the Pacific will participate in the following activities: dance, chants, music, drama, painting, carving, weaving, body art, pageant of costumes - see the accompanying photo by 'Annapurna' of some of the local costumes - stamps, books, writing and poetry, oral traditions, food, medicine, sports and games, workshops and much more. This is the most important cultural event in the Pacific Islands. If you're down there, don't miss it. Photo Courtesy 'Annapurna'

YOTREPS

August 18 - The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace

Who is out making passages in the Pacific and what kind of weather are they having? Check out YOTREPS - 'yacht reports' - at http://www.bitwrangler.com/yotreps/

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Racing

See You in September

August 18 - San Francisco and Monterey Bays

Next month promises to be an epic one for local yacht racing. The festivities kick off with the traditional Labor Day Weekend 'Big Three': the Windjammers, the Jazz Cup, and the NOOD (will anyone sail in all three, thereby mastering the Iron Man Challenge?). . . The action shifts south the following weekend, with the Dolphin Cup down in Monterey for SC 52s, as well as the Moore 24 Nationals. . . SFYC's Quick Boat Series happens Sept. 16-17, followed closely by the One Design 35 Nationals. Our two semi-local 1D-35s, 'Rigel' and 'Zsa Zsa', will be joined by as many as 17 or 18 sisterships for that hardball regatta.

The real highlight, however, will be StFYC's 37th Big Boat Series on September 21-24. Hopefully, the winds will cooperate, as seemingly every serious sailor on the West Coast will be here for those four days. "We have 60 paid entries already, which is way ahead of schedule," said StFYC Vice Commodore Steve Taft. "We're projecting more than 100 boats, the most ever. It should be a great year for the Big Boat Series!" Invited classes include PHRF (at least three divisions, including a hot group of 50-footers), SC 52s, Farr 40s, J/120s, Express 37s, 1D-35s, and oodles of J/105s. Parking of both boats and cars promises to be a colossal mess, and locating people after the races will be next to impossible. We can hardly wait!

'Pendragon 4'	Santa Cruz 52 'Triumph'
1D-35s Photos Latitude/Rob	Farr 40s

Weekend Preview

August 18 - Northern California

The main feature this weekend will be the nearly 50 dinghies competing in the Vanguard 15 North Americans, held Friday through Sunday out of the Treasure Island Sailing Center. Five collegiate-style races a day are scheduled off Emeryville. . . The ocean racing crowd will do the Southern Cross Race on Saturday, while couples who enjoy doublehanding have the popular Gracie & George Regatta in the South Bay the same day. . . The Frank's Tract Regatta will occur deep in the Delta, while the El Toros will be sailing at 5,000 feet on beautiful Pinecrest Lake.