Photos of the Day

October 5 - Coast of Baja California

This is what it's like on the Ha-Ha. We can't wait for the October 30th start.

Join the Spirit of Fleet Week Parade!

October 5 - San Francisco Bay

With the Fleet Week Air Show and Ship Parade canceled, local mariners have volunteered to host two semi-organized boat parades along San Francisco's Cityfront, on both Saturday and Sunday. For any sailors interested, starting at noon on both days, Latitude 38 will parade Profligate from the yellow Blackaller Buoy (near the Crissy Field Pier) down past the St. Francis, the Marina Green, Aquatic Park, and Pier 39. We're not sure how many boats, if any, might show, but we encourage you to join us, flying your ensign. It will be a 'freestyle' event, so don't crowd.

At 3:00 P.M., there will be a second parade featuring the San Francisco Fire Department Fireboat, the Jeremiah O'Brien, the USS Potomac, the San Francisco Pilot Boat Golden Gate (if able to attend), the California Hornblower, a Blue & Gold fleet vessel, a Red & White fleet vessel, possibly a Pacific Marine and Commodore vessel, and assorted small yachts and such. Vessels should keep at approximately 500-yard intervals and travel at six knots through the water (there will be a mild flood). The staging area will be in the vicinity of Pier 45, then remain in procession to Pier 23-27. Participation beyond that point is optional, although the Fireboat, Jeremiah O'Brien and Potomac will continue to the Bay Bridge. Pat Maloney, Master of the Jeremiah O'Brien, has agreed to coordinate the operational side of the event. He will designate a VHF channel for ship-to-ship com. All participants should monitor Channel 16 prior to 1500.

We want to assure everyone that there is complete cooperation between the parade that starts at noon and the one with commercial vessels that starts at 3:00. In fact, we encourage everyone who participates in the noon parade to join the 3:00 parade. We hope to see you out there.

Crew List Party

October 5 - Alameda

We'd like to remind everyone that the Mexico Crew List and Ha-Ha Kick-Off and Reunion Party will be held at the Encinal YC in Alameda on Wednesday the 10th from 6 to 9 p.m. There are lots of folks who are going to be there who are looking for a boat to crew on or who need crew. And it's a good time, too.

For more information see www.latitude38.com/crewlist/Crew.html.

For directions and a map, see www.encinal.org/map.htm.

Bestaven Wins First Leg of MiniTransat

October 5 - Lanzarote, Canary Islands

If you want to make a name for yourself in European racing, you enter the ultra competitive MiniTransat. This event, held every two years, is for singlehanded sailors in no-limitations 20-footers. The course is from La Rochelle, France, to Lanzarote, Canary Islands. After a stop there, the second leg is from Lanzarote across the Atlantic to Guadaloupe. It's an extremely difficult race in extreme boats - as evidenced by the loss of Italian entry Roberto Varinelli. They found his boat, but not him. Despite the risks, only about half of the people who want to do the race get a slot.

Winner of the first leg was Yannick Bestaven of Aquarelle.com, who completed the course in a relatively slow 11 days and 6 hours, a 90-minute margin over the second place boat. Bestaven arrived hungry, having only packed eight days worth of food for what turned out to be more than 11 days at sea. Furthermore, he lost his only eating bowl overboard and had to eat out of his bailer!

The first running of this event was about 22 years ago, when Norton Smith of Mill Valley took honors with his Wylie-designed American Express. Northern Californian Amy Boyer was the top woman finisher that year with Little Rascal. This year's only American entry is Gale Browning, a middle-aged mother, who is far down the standings. Brian Thompson, known to many Northern California sailors as long time crew aboard Steve Fossett's Lakota and PlayStation is in seventh place.

Volvo Ocean Race

October 5 - Atlantic Ocean

Gurra Krantz's SEB pulled into the lead today over John Kostecki and illbruck in the first leg of the Volvo Around the World Race. It's been agonizingly slow going, however, as the winds have been extremely light for everyone, and cabin temperatures nearing the equator are topping 100 degrees.

As everyone attempts to stay cool in the low latitudes, Steve Gruver models the latest djuice fashion accessory - a pink hat.
Photo djuice dragons

YOTREPS

October 5 - 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

October 5 - 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/.

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/stuff/southwest/swstmap.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 another view, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data/global.html.