November 14, 2003

Photo of the Day

November 14 – Ventura

Today’s Photo of the Day is one of good
news – Just Imagine back in a berth!

Photo Rick Hildahl

If you’ve read the November issue of Latitude 38, you
know that Tom and Lyn Camp’s 50-ft George Buehler design was
being used by the Farallon Patrol when she broke away from her
Farallon Islands mooring on October 9. Surprisingly, they couldn’t
find the boat the next day, or the next, or the one after that.
But now the Camps have great news:

“On November 6, we were notified by
the Coast Guard that Just Imagine had been positively
identified at sea. That morning a Navy helicopter had attempted
to contact our vessel, as she had drifted into a military training
zone off the Channel Islands. After unsuccessful attempts at
contact, the Navy notified the Coast Guard, who in turn notified
us. So four weeks to the day after she broke anchor from the
Farallones, our boat was rescued by Vessel Assist out of Ventura.
We are still awaiting the survey for assessment of the damage,
but she was upright and dry!”

The photo was taken last weekend by Rick
Hildahl of Attitude Adjustment at Ventura West Marina.
Rick says Just Imagine appeared to be in good shape –
other than the radar antenna dangling from the mast by its wiring
bundle.

One Third of Bison Removed from Catalina

November 14 – Santa Catalina Island

One hundred of Catalina’s 300 bison have
been taken from the island and relocated in South Dakota, the
excuse being that they were destroying native plants. The relocation
was done at a cost of $25,000 by conservationists and animal
welfare advocates.

We’re not sure we approve. After all, what
animal would willingly agree to be taken from their family and
friends, and the salubrious Southern California climate, for
relocation in bone-chilling South Dakota? Having seen the bison
enjoying the beach at White’s Landing, it sounds like cruelty
to animals to us. And we’re not sure about the ‘environmentalists’
either. Did the environmental impact report for the move consider
what might happen to the island if there’s no longer enough buffalo
milk for the island’s easy-to-swallow signature cocktails? There
could be big trouble.

The Smoke Got in Our Eyes – and Everywhere
Else

November 14 – San Diego

In case any of you Ha-Ha folks don’t remember
how ugly the Southern California fires had made things for the
start of the Ha-Ha, check out this photo taken by Patty Murray
from aboard her Deerfoot 72 Locura. Nasty!

Photo Patty Murray

In case you folks in Southern California
don’t believe it was clearer in Mexico, check out the photo of
Crew Sans Suits dog-paddling around off Lover’s Beach at Cabo.
Not only was the water and air clear, the water was about 83
toasty degrees.

Photo Latitude/Richard

Looking Good!

November 14 – Baja California

Photo Latitude

How do you like this shot of Marek Nowicki’s
Dreadnought 32 Raireva, complete with tanbark sails, looking
good just south of Turtle Bay at the start of the second leg
of the recently completed Baja Ha-Ha?

Profligate’s
Progress

November 14 – Guatemala

When traveling from San Diego to Panama,
the place a boat is most likely to get nailed by a blow is the
Gulf of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico. Fortunately, Profligate
made it through just in time, or she would have been delayed
in her mad dash to the Canal and hopefully the Eastern Caribbean.
As it was, they had about 25 knots for 8 to 10 hours, with peak
gusts of 37 knots. Finally getting a good sailing breeze, they
put up the main. After bursting to speeds of 16 knots under main
alone, and not knowing if the wind was going to build, they dropped
the main and continued under jib alone. This was when they were
at 15º 44′, 93º 50′, or about 118 miles from the Mexico/Guatemala
border.

Photo Latitude Archives

This morning at 10 a.m. PST, they report
being at 13º 55′, 91º 32′, off the coast of Guatemala.
“It’s incredibly hot and the sea is like a lake,” reports
Doña de Mallorca. They hope to make Puesta del Sol Marina
in Nicaragua late tomorrow, quickly clear, take on fuel and propane,
and head on out to Panama. There’ll be no dilly-dallying around,
as the goal is to get to the Eastern Caribbean, and the window
across the Caribbean remains open . . . but who knows for how
long?

Graphic Latitude/Annie & Chris

YOTREPS

November 14 – 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 Links

November 14 – 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.