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Photo of the DayApril 25 - Cuba If you think accidents only happen to amateur skippers of smaller sailboats, take a look at this photo by Devan Mullins of the Shannon 38 Points Beyond. The ketch pictured is a multi-million dollar Jongert, probably about 120 feet. She hung up on a reef just outside the Hemingway International Marina several miles to the east of Havana, Cuba. Entering the marina in any kind of blow from the north or northeast is dicey, and she's not the first boat to go up. An inexperienced skipper and the possibility of the boat being underpowered were also raised as factors. |
 Photo Devan Mullins |
April 25 - Zihuatanejo, Mexico
We doubt that many cruisers think of it, but the cruising season
on mainland Mexico - particularly south of Puerto Vallarta - is
really quite short. While you can safely be there from early November
until the end of May, most of the cruising activity is between
late December and the middle of March.
"It's mid-April, and most cruisers have left Zihuatanejo,"
report Brent and Susan Lowe of the Royal Passport 47 Akauahelo.
"Unlike last year when we rushed down to Z-town, this year
we decided to travel more slowly down the coast, anchoring just
about everywhere for a few days. We're glad we did. But just like
everyone else, we wanted to spend at least two months in Z-town
- what a great place and what great people - which is why we're
still here in the middle of April. But it's very quiet. In January
there are usually more than 80 boats anchored in the bay, but
now there are only four - with a couple more over at Marina Ixtapa.
"With the big Mexican Holy Week celebrations in full swing," Brent and Susan continue, "Z-town has truly returned to the Mexicans. But we few cruisers left are really enjoying the tranquility. Rick's Bar still has good entertainment almost every night, and folks still gather on Tuesday and Friday afternoons for Mexican Train Dominoes - the game that seemed to have taken the cruising world by storm this year. Sunday nights around the central basketball court are still a blast, as we listen to local talent and 'graze' through the food tables. We will be leaving in a week or so to follow the northbounders. There's more of a chance of southerlies at this time of year, so sailing north might be easer. There are only two downsides we can see to staying here this late in the season: 1) The SSB nets are harder to hear, as the crowds have headed farther north. 2) With fewer masts to chose from, we now get more than our share of roosting Boobie birds . . . and our boat is starting to seem like the birds' public toilet."
April 25 - Cowes, UK
As most of you probably already know, one of the great celebrations
in yachting, the 150th anniversary of the America's Cup, will
be celebrated at Cowes, England, on August 19-25. Every winning
helmsman and/or skipper since 1970 is expected to attend. Check
out the list:
1970 - Bill Ficker - Intrepid
1974 - Ted Hood - Courageous
1977 - Ted Turner - Courageous
1980 - Dennis Conner - Freedom (and 1987- Stars &
Stripes, 1988 Stars &
Stripes)
1983 - John Bertrand - Australia II
1992 - Bill Koch and Buddy Melges - America3
1995 - Russell Coutts - Team New Zealand
2000 - Russell Coutts and Dean Barker - Team New Zealand
Briggs Cunningham, the winning skipper in 1958 on board Columbia, and Olin Stephens, who helmed Ranger for some of the last America's Cup race in 1937, will also be present. A number of non-winners will also be on hand: Noel Robbins (Australia), Iain Murray (Kookaburra), Francesco de Angelis (Luna Rossa) and Paul Cayard (Il Moro and AmericaOne), among those due to participate. It's expected that this very high end event will draw perhaps the largest collection of great sailing yachts ever, to watch and participate in associated events. Visit www.louisvuittoncup.com for details.
Wedding BellsApril 24 - Nuevo Vallarta Photo Latitude/Richard |
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April 25 - 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/
April 25 - Pacific Ocean
To see what the winds are like on the Bay and just outside the Gate right now, check out http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/wind/.
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.
Seas are normal in the Pacific. But you
might check out the Pacific Ocean sea states at: http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/PacRegSSA.html.
For another view, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data/global.html.
We're leaving you with a short edition today, as we are furiously working away at completing the May issue, which will hit the streets on Tuesday, May 1.
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