Photo of the Day

September 9 - Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

Today's Photo of the Day is of the Club de Yates de Puerto Vallarta facility, which is just being completed at Paradise Marina, Nuevo Vallarta. The club will feature a swimming pool and hot tub, among other amenities. After a hard day of sailing, it's amazing how good a hot tub can feel - even in the tropics. Dick Markie, harbormaster for the marina, reports that the grand opening of the yacht club will be a week or two after the November 9 conclusion of the Baja Ha-Ha.

Photo Courtesy Paradise Village

Cat and Crew Missing in South Pacific, Parents Concerned

September 9 - French Polynesia

Fearing foul play, the parents of former NBA basketball player Brian 'Bison Dele' Williams, 33, and his girlfriend, Serena Karlan, 32, are looking for information about their whereabouts and that of their three crew. At last word, the five had left Moorea on July 8 aboard Williams' 55-ft catamaran Hukuna Matata bound for Honolulu via the Tuamotus and Marquesas. The fear of foul play is based on reportedly unauthorized activity on Bison's financial accounts as recent as September 5; that police found a suspect in possession of Williams' passport and credit cards in Phoenix on September 5; and the fact that Williams and Karlan, who were in regular contact with friends and family back home, haven't been heard from in more than a month. The boat is equipped with an Iridium sat phone.

On August 27, the Coast Guard and Tahiti Search and Rescue opened search cases for the boat from Hawaii to New Zealand. On September 6, the FBI opened up a police cooperation report. Hukuna Matata is described as 55 feet long, blue, white and green in color. The three crew who departed Moorea for Tahiti with Williams and Karlan are Capt. Bertrand Slado, Mark Benson, and former Captain Banjamine E. Fitzgibbon.

The 6'10" Williams, now known as Bison Dele, played NBA basketball with the Orlando Magic, the Denver Nuggets, the LA Clippers, the 1997 NBA championship Chicago Bulls team, and most recently with the Detroit Pistons from 1997 to 1999. The catamaran, type unknown, although possibly a Lagoon 55, has a documentation number of 1111638.

Anyone with any information - new or old - about the boat or her crew, should contact Scott Ohlgren, Serena's stepfather, at (303) 530-2332 (office) or fax at (303) 527-0270.

We can't think of a harder place for a boat - particularly a big cat - to go missing than in the South Pacific.

Brian 'Bison Dele' Williams

Serena Karlan

Yet Another Transatlantic Rally

September 9 - Canary Islands

Buoyed by the overwhelming success of the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) from Las Palmas, Canary Islands, to St. Lucia in the Eastern Caribbean, the World Cruising Club Ltd. has decided to launch - this year - yet another rally from the Canaries to the Eastern Caribbean. This one, the ARC Antigua, will start from Marina de Rubicon in Lanzarote, Canary Islands, on November 23, and finish at Jolly Harbor in Antigua. The 2,800-mile passage is expected to take 18 to 24 days.

This new transatlantic event is the second one added this year by World Cruising Club. Earlier in the year they announced the ARB (Atlantic Rally to Brazil), which will leave from Lanzarote in late November and stop at the Cape Verdes, before finishing in Brazil.

The original ARC filled to its maximum capacity of 225 boats in May, and will be packed. It will be interesting to see how many of those denied entry in the ARC will opt for the ARC Antigua or the ARC to Brazil. We suspect the former will be quite popular while the latter will only draw a few boats. But only time will tell.
For details, visit www.worldcruising.com.

Cat and Mouse? This Time It's Cat and Tri

September 9 - British Isles

Both Tracy Edwards, with the maxi-cat Maiden, and Olivier de Kersauson, with the maxi-tri Geronimo, are currently believed to be doing well in pursuit of Steve Fossett's Around Ireland and Britain sailing record. But nobody knows for sure, because neither will reveal their position. Nor will their simultaneous attempts at the record solve the cat versus tri issue, as they started from locations 130 miles apart. In any event, they are expected to finish tomorrow, with both having broken the old record.

There was a third multihull entry, the 60-ft true foiler L'Hydroptere. There is no word from her, so we fear that she has broken again.

London Calling to Crew on Ha-Ha

September 9 - London

The London-based Ric and Kate, who have formerly sailed aboard Big O, are looking to crew on the Baja Ha-Ha. Although they aren't sailing pros, they have done San Diego to Cabo, Antigua Sailing Week, and the Caribbean to France aboard Big O. Ric, in his 30s, has traveled the world a professional cameraman for the BBC and other outlets, and speaks Spanish. "You will not regret his enthusiasm, wit, spirit, and rum punches," says Kate. As for Kate, she's a textile designer in her 30s who, according to Ric, "radiates sunshine, is fun-loving, and a fine example of a top woman!"

Kate and Ric

"We are both well traveled and looking to join a fun sailboat with a crew that loves tea, good English humor, laughter, and competing. We could arrive in San Diego at least a week before the start."

We'd gladly take them aboard Profligate, were she now not filled to the gills.

Want to Crew?

September 9 - Mill Valley

If you're a guy or gal or couple looking to crew, and have an interesting - but short - story and an unusual photograph, send it along, as it we might run it to see what kind of response you get. Send them to Richard.

This Sunday is the deadline to get your name on our Mexico-Only Crew List, to be published in the October issue of Latitude 38. See www.latitude38.com/crewlist/Crew.html for info.

YOTREPS

September 9 - 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 9 - 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 is at 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/Maps/Southwest.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 views of sea states anywhere in the world, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data/.