Photos of the Day

September 21 - San Francisco Bay

Since we're very busy with deadline, and since everybody could use a little escape from the troubles of the world, we're running a mini photo feature on our favorite little island in the Caribbean, St. Barth. Mostly known as a very expensive and chic resort for the rich and famous, it's actually a wonderful place for the humble cruiser, too. For it's quite possible to enjoy all the fabulous natural attractions while living on a small budget.

Dinghy dock at Gustavia, St. Barth's only port

St. Jean anchorage

Daytime anchorage at Flamand's Bay

Volvo Ocean Race

September 21 - Southampton, UK

With only eight entries, it's not going to be the biggest Volvo (ex-Whitbread) Around the World race ever, but it will be the most competitive. Both the boats and the crews are extreme. The event departs England on Sunday for Cape Town, South Africa. Although there are officially no American entries this year, Team Tyco might as well be, as the Bermuda company has operations offices in the States and is run by Dennis Koslovsky, who now owns Endeavour. Marin's John Kostecki, of course, is the skipper of illbruck, while Marin's Mark Rudiger - winning navigator last time on EF Language - is co-skipper of Assa Abloy, and Dee Smith, also of Marin, is a honcho on Grant Dalton's Nautor entry. Historically the first leg has been extremely important in this event, as whatever boat won that leg also won the event - except for just one occasion.

YOTREPS

September 21 - 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

September 21 - 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 Winds and Pressure

The University of Hawaii Dept. of Meteorology page posts a daily map of the NE Pacific Ocean barometric pressure and winds.

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.