October 24, 2003

Photo of the Day

October 24 – San Francisco Bay

Photo Dennis M. Minnick

Photographer Dennis M. Minnick captured
this image: “I was doing some GG Bridge shots today when
I noticed this race in progress. I think, from the schedule,
that it’s the Star North Americans at StFYC. It was a lovely
unique view of racing on the Bay.”

Senate Votes to End Ban on Travel to Cuba

October 24 – Washington, DC

CNN reports that the Senate is defying
a threatened presidential veto, joining the House Thursday in
moving to end four-decade-old restrictions on travel to Cuba.
The vote was 59-36 to bar the use of government money to enforce
current travel restrictions. Last month a nearly identical measure
passed the House, setting up a showdown with the administration,
which says President Bush will veto a $90 billion Transportation
and Treasury Department bill if it includes the Cuba language.

For the full story, see www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/23/cuba.travel.ap/index.html.

San Diego TV Following Case of Dawn Wilson

October 24 – Ensenada, Baja California

Terry Kennedy has this update on the case
of Dawn Wilson, the American cruiser imprisoned in Ensenada.

“Well several things are going on.
Friends have gotten together and are working up a Web site for
Dawn Wilson, and it already has some stuff on it. Check
it out at www.dawnwilson.com.
Also her story that appeared on television on Fox 6 News aired
not only in the San Diego area. It went nationwide as I have
been getting a lot of email from people all over. A lot of them
are wondering the same thing: How can we spend hundreds of millions
of dollars to liberate Iraq, but can’t go 60 miles to Ensenada
to stand up for an American and make any effort to liberate her?

“Monday I am going to meet our three
lawyers and Pete Fuentes [a San Diego TV reporter] and his camera
crew in Ensenada for Dawn’s trial which will take place at 10:30
am. Pete says he wants to cover this story until she is released,
and again it will go nationwide.

“On the Web site you will see the names of Senators and
Congresspeople who did absolutely nothing. Their favorite saying,
‘We cannot get involved in this,’ has left a lot of people wondering
what they are getting paid for, and the same with the American
Embassy that at first said they also could not get involved and
then turned around and started putting out the Mexican Police
side of the story, almost purposely ignoring the card theft.
I doubt I will ever be able to understand why America does not
defend its own people, but we can die for others. The betrayal
I felt after Vietnam, I am feeling again!”

Eight Bells

October 24 – SF Bay Area

John Straub, lifelong sailor, passed away
on September 30. He was 80. He is survived by his wife of 60
years, Pat, and his oldest son Mike. John’s sailing began in
the 1930’s at Lake Merritt’s junior program. Lifelong friendships
were formed with Bob and Walt Hall, Austin Gibbens, Pat Doe,
and Bill Jackson.They raced Snipes. In the 1940’s, John built
a Star boat with the help of ‘Pa’ Jackson. He remained active
in the fleet till the 1970’s. He was able to charter in Tonga,
and the Caribbean. The love of sailing was passed to his two
sons, Richard (1949-1992), who loved racing El Toros, Fireballs,
and Sunfish, and Mike, who crewed on the Star and currently sails
a Hobie 18 on the lakes of western Colorado. Even in his mid-70’s
John loved to get ‘terrorized’ on the Hobie. John will be remembered
as a quiet and sincere man by his friends and family.

The Shame of Being Overwhelmed by Three
Guys in a Dugout

October 24 – Cartagena, Colombia

John Haste of the cruising catamaran Little
Wing checks in, responding to reports that he was robbed
at gunpoint.

“The article
in ‘Lectronic Latitude is accurate. I was solo just to Club
Nautico from having a bottom job done at Ferrocem. I will forever
feel the shame of a fast cruising cat being overwhelmed by three
guys in a dugout. I have asked my crew Mark to stand in for me
on the Ha-Ha, which will allow me to get the boat up and running
and hopefully over the next two weeks to make my easting to Trinidad.

“We still consider Cartagena to be
one of the safest places and most interesting historically that
we have visited. The locals are more upset than me. One has posted
a reward and said that within one month the thieves will be in
jail or floating. Absolutely no tolerance for such armed behavior
in the confines of Bahia Cartagena.”

Baja Ha-Ha Weather Looking Great

October 24 – San Diego

The heat wave continues in Southern California
for the Baja Ha-Ha West Marine Kickoff Party on Sunday and the
Ha-Ha start on Monday. Predicted highs in San Diego on Saturday
are 86, with Sunday and Monday in the 80’s also. In years of
the Ha-Ha we’ve never had such warm weather. There’s nothing
wrong with warm weather, of course. When we woke up aboard Profligate
this morning at 0530 in Newport to get her to San Diego, it was
already T-shirts and shorts weather despite the damp and fog.

Wayne Emards and Charissa left Loch Lomond Marina on Wednesday
to head south for the start of the Ha-Ha.
Photo Courtesy Pat of Loch Lomond Marina

Globalstar will be providing airtime for
the Rally Committee to send photos back to Latitude 38,
which we hope to run here as the event unfolds. The Grand Poobah,
Banjo Andy, and Doña de Mallorca are looking forward to
meeting everyone this weekend.

YOTREPS

October 24 – The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace

Who is out making passages in the Pacific
and what kind of weather are they having? The YOTREPS daily yacht
tracking page has moved to www.bitwrangler.com/psn.

Weather Updates

October 24 – Pacific
Ocean

San Francisco Bay Weather

Check out this guide to San Francisco Bay
Navigational Aids: http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/sfports.html.

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

The site for the Pacific Ocean sea states
has moved to http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/shtml/PacRegSSA.shtml.

For views of sea states anywhere in the world,
see http://www.oceanweather.com/data.