June Latitude Ripe for the Picking
The June issue of Latitude 38 is on its way around the Bay a little earlier than usual. Thanks to the long Memorial Day Weekend, and an early deadline, we’re able to bring you this juicy issue a few days before the more-typical 1st of the month delivery date. We’re guessing you’ll devour it before the weekend is over.
Get the scoop on the sad end of Princess Tai Ping‘s odyssey across the sea, find out what’s new at Clipper Cove, learn how to avoid the hard spots in the Bay, meet a real son of a son of a sailor, check out who was hauled out last month, and get a checklist of everything you need to bring for your summer Delta cruise. Of course there’s more, but wouldn’t it be more fun to find out for yourself? Pick up your copy at Bay Area chandleries, marinas and yacht clubs today.
Sumatra Sinks Off Australia
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San Francisco-based cruiser Jerry Morgan, 72, and a Kiwi crewmember, 39, were rescued last Friday after Morgan’s Trintella 53 Sumatra sank 320 miles off the Australian coast. Morgan, a veteran of both the ’02 and ’05 Ha-Ha’s as well as the ’00 Pacific Cup, activated his EPIRB when Sumatra began taking on water. After making contact with the Australian Coast Guard via sat phone, the commercial ship Scarlett Lucy was redirected to their location. The Coast Guard reports that conditions were rough — 25-ft seas and poor visibility — making the rescue all the more difficult. Attempts by a Coast Guard plane to lower a water pump to the boat failed, so when Scarlett Lucy arrived on scene, the pair boarded Sumatra‘s dinghy. The crewmember was able to climb the ship’s boarding net but Morgan apparently fell out of the dinghy and was unable to reach the net. He drifted in the water for another 45 minutes before the crew managed to pull him in with a lifering.
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC
The cause of Sumatra‘s sinking is unclear at this point but both Morgan and his crew are safe and in good health. His family reports that he will return to the Bay Area before deciding on his next move.
Prime Time for Youth Sailing
Summer’s here and the time is right for . . . youth sailing. Here in the Bay Area there are dozens of opportunities for kids as young as 9 to take a break from TV and video games and enjoy some healthy outdoor fun on the water.
You’ll find them all listed in the 2009 Sailing Calendar and YRA Master Schedule, which is produced each year by Latitude 38.
While there is a cost to most programs, organizers do their best to make youth access to sailing as affordable as possible, and many programs offer scholarships. With only a few exceptions, you do not have to own a boat. A case in point is the Tiburon YC’s Opti program (June 27 through August 23) which is now taking sign-ups for kids 8 to 13. Started last year with a fledgling fleet, Youth Sailing Director Pat Lopez has just added 10 brand new boats.
A typical day begins at 10:00 a.m. with a short chalk talk to go over the day’s lessons with a coach, followed by a morning sailing session within the Paradise Cay area and out on the Bay. After lunch at the clubhouse there’ll be an afternoon sailing session, then young salts will de-rig, wash down and debrief the day’s progress with coaches. Sounds like a lot more fun than watching cartoons all day on the boob tube. Contact Pat for details on Tiburon’s program — (415) 435-3650 or (415) 272-6222 — or see the full list of offerings online for an opportunity close to your home. We strongly advise you not to procrastinate on signing up, as all programs have limited availability. The time is right for a new generation of sailors to discover the joys of sailing on the Bay!