Photos of the Day

February 21 - Chemela, Mexico

Today's Photos of the Day are from the little village of Chemela on Mexico's Gold Coast - which is between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo. Palapas line the beach in front of the anchorage that provides such great protection for yachts and fishing boats in the typical northwesterly weather. The shot below is of the inside of a Chemela palapa kitchen - typical of many palapas along the coast. Note the dirt floor. The third photo is of the proprietor taking his morning bath in . . . that's right, the kitchen. It's not the most appetizing vision, but some delicious food comes out of this place.

Geronimo on the Fast Track

February 21 - Atlantic Ocean

When Olivier de Kersauson set the current Jules Verne Around the World Record of 71 days with the trimaran Sport Elec, it took him four days to reach Palma in the Canary Islands. Now that he's trying to break the record with the 110-ft Geronimo, it's only taken him 60 hours. Much of the reason is favorable winds - 30 to 37 knots - which have been rocketing the boat along at 21 to 24 knots. The skipper and crew of 10 are sailing the boat easily, getting their sea legs. If the wind comes up anymore, they are going to have to reef.

Puerto Vallarta Race

February 21 - Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

With the San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Race to start this weekend, and the MEXORC to begin shortly after that, the host Paradise Village Resort and Marina wants to make a good impression on visiting racers. So about a month ago they decided to build a yacht club - complete with a giant hot tub. If that sounds like not enough lead time, you don't know how Graziano, the owner of Paradise, gets things done. He's a dynamo, so we're betting the facility will be completed in time.

Tragedy upon Tragedy

February 21 - Sydney, Australia

During the tragic Sydney to Hobart Race of '98, Mike Bannister, John Dean, and Jim Lawler drowned after abandoning the boat Winston Churchill and taking to a liferaft that was eventually torn apart. One other man, John Gibson, survived from the raft.

The widows of the dead men have filed suit against the sponsoring Cruising Yacht Club of America, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, RDF, the supplier of the liferaft, and Richard Winning, the yacht's owner. Gibson, has filed suit against the club, but not the boat's owner.

It makes you wonder if there isn't some point at which individuals - and their families - should be required to take responsibility for willingly taking part in events which are commonly known to be abnormally dangerous.

YOTREPS

February 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

February 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/. The National Weather Service site for San Francisco Bay has moved to www.wrh.noaa.gov/Monterey/.

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.