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August 28 - Baja Ha-Ha World Headquarters
Jared DeWitt is looking for a berth on the Baja Ha-Ha, and
in fact has already bought tickets to arrive in San Diego on October
27 so that if he hasn't gotten a berth by then, he can work the
docks. "I have attached a photo of me on the last boat I
crewed for," he says, hopefully in jest. "Unfortunately,
they are not available for references."
Photo Courtesy Jared DeWitt
August 28 - Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
It's all quiet on the tropical storm front for both the Eastern Pacific (Mexico) as well as the Atlantic-Caribbean. But the biggest hurricane month in both areas has arrived, so keep your fingers crossed. It's not a matter of if there will be tropical storms, but if they will approach land and how strong they will be.
To see what the winds are like on the Bay right now, check out http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/wind/. It's a great time of year to be sailing the Bay.
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
Click here to see today's weather map from the University of Hawaii Meteorology Department.
Seas are normal in the Pacific. But you might check at:
http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/PacRegSSA.html.
For another view, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data/global.html.
August 28 - Pt. Loma
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The folks in the accompanying photograph are Monte and Shari
Cottrell, and their daughters Haley and Daphne. They live at
Pt. Loma aboard the Kennex 445 cat 'See Life'. Monte wants to
use the 'Lectronic Latitude forum to publicly thank his wife
and kids "for sticking with our goal of going cruising and
participating in the 2000 Ha-Ha." He says it hasn't always
been easy, and explains why: "About three years ago, my
wife Shari agreed to sell our very comfortable house in San Diego,
along with most everything in it, to finance the purchase of
our dream cruising boat. This was our plan: Fly to Martinique,
take delivery of our used catamaran, and sail her down to the
Panama Canal, where we would turn her over to a delivery crew
that would bring her up to Ensenada. We leased a small duplex
to live in until 'our ship came in'. That was the plan. "I feel fortunate indeed to have a wife who has been willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill the cruising dream - including schlepping (rowing) the kids, laundry, groceries and ice in all kinds of weather, at all hours of the day and night, out to our mooring. By the way, we've lived without hot water or refrigeration for most of the past two years. Shari has been fantastic! |
 Photo Courtesy the Cottrells
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August 28 - 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/
August 28 - Northern Atlantic
| As of 1000 GMT today, Steve Fossett's 105' maxi
cat 'PlayStation' was approximately 111 hours and 2,250 miles
into their New York to England Transatlantic voyage, aiming to
beat the 10-year old record of 6 days, 13, hours, 3 mins, 32
secs held by 'Jet Services V'. With 700 miles to go and 46 hours
left to reach the finish line at Lizard Point, Cornwall, 'PlayStation'
skipper Steve Fossett and his 11-man crew were still slightly
ahead of record pace, but appeared to be experiencing unsuitable
weather conditions. "Now that we have lost our beautiful Transatlantic weather pattern, we've had to come up with another plan that provides hope of finishing in time. Meteorologist Bob Rice considered the possibilities and we've decide to aim straight at the Low and follow it until it decays in the Bay of Biscay then beat up to the English Channel entrance in very light east winds. Light air at the finish has been the bane of many Transatlantic record attempts. Conditions are tough: gale force winds and rough seas as we stay tucked in behind the Low. We are reefed to the maximum with no headsail." Over the weekend, Stan Honey, the Northern California based navigator, was struck by lightning while disconnecting the instruments during a storm. The instruments were knocked out, but Honey, a vet of countless TransPacs, crewed, singlehanded and doublehanded, is made of tougher stuff and was not seriously hurt. Last night, Damian Foxall sprained an ankle when he was hit by a wave while crossing the nets between the hulls. The crew wear harnesses and stay clipped in when crossing so a wave doesn't pop them over the stern, but the impact of the wave while at speed is still enormous. |
 Photo Courtesy Steve Fossett Ocean Challenge |
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