July 12, 2001
Photo of the DayJuly 12 – It’s a Mystery Can you name this island? We’ll give you Photo Latitude/Andy |
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Grand Jury Says “Squatters”
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| We’re not exactly sure why the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury got involved with investigating Santa Barbara Harbor and waterfront issues, but they did. After they finished their investigation, they recommended that permanent city moorings be established to the east of Stearn’s Wharf, the so-called ‘Fool’s Anchorage’, which is currently an anchorage. And that “squatters” on boats, described as “free-spirited vagabonds,” be ousted from the area. “Like similar cities, Santa Barbara has long tolerated this accommodation; however, times change, and it is now considering regulating the area through increased policing and charging rent.” The Grand Jury blamed the anchor-outs for sanitary problems and their boats for a propensity to wash up on shore because of a lack of proper ground tackle. The Grand Jury also recommended that all boats in Santa Barbara Harbor be tested for seaworthiness twice a year, and suggested that up to 10% of the 1,200 boats in the harbor would not pass. The Grand Jury foreman said the unseaworthy boats serve only as floating housing, which is not the function of the harbor. |
 Photo Latitude/Richard The Grand Jury dropped an even bigger bombshell |
Reichel/Pugh
Scores Again
July 12 – North Atlantic Coast
In the Pacific Ocean, Philippe Kahn’s R/P just bested Pyewacket
and Chance, a couple of other R/P 75s, to take elapsed
time honors in the TransPac. And in the North Atlantic, the New
York YC’s Richard Breeden skippered his R/P 75 Bright Star
to line honors in the Boston YC’s Marblehead to Halifax Race.
Bright Star beat 102 boats and sailed the second fastest
time since the race was started nearly 100 years ago. Despite
averaging about one knot for the last five hours, Star
missed Starlight Express’s previous record by less than
two hours. Forty of the boats in the fleet are still bobbing around
in the fog and light air. See www.bostonyc.org
and www.rnsys.com for details.
You Think It’s Cold Sailing Here on the
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Mystery
Island Identified
July 12 – The Kingdom of Redonda
The island in the photo above is
Redonda, in the Eastern Caribbean. Although officially annexed
by Antigua in the late 1800s, a romantic trader from Montserrat
had previously laid claim to the rock, designating his son Philip
as king. Remarkably, King Philip’s status was acknowledged by
the British Colonial Office of the day. In spite of the facts
that the mining of sea bird guano is the only human activity that’s
ever taken place on the island, and that King Philip chose to
live in England during his adult life where he became an author,
the royal monarchy was maintained in spirit over the years. The
title of King has been handed down – purchased, actually – four
times to a succession of writers and poets. The latest is Robert
the Bald (a.k.a. Bob Williamson) a salty author, artist and former
gold miner, whose illustrations have appeared in the pages of
Latitude 38.
YOTREPS
July 12 – 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/
Weather
Updates
July 12 – Atlantic Ocean
Tropical Depression #2 Headed for the Eastern
Caribbean
No reason to freak out, but everyone in
the islands will want to keep an eye on this one. See weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/2001/index.html.
July 12 – Pacific Ocean
San Francisco Bay Weather
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/.
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 Sea State
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.
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