Photos of the Day

February 7 - Juneau, AK

Today's Photos of the Day are from Juneau, Alaska, where apparently winter still has too strong a grip for anyone to consider daysailing. We're not sure who took the photos, but apparently it was in conjunction with some Eskimos taking the Olympic Torch for an outing in a traditional canoe.

Winter in Mexico

February 7 - Zihua Bay, Mexico

For the sake of comparison, here are a few shots of what sailing fun looks like on mainland Mexico in the winter. If the winter cruising choice is between Alaska and Mexico, we're sticking with Mexico.

Photos Dustin and Jean

SEB Loses Her Stick

February 7 - Southern Ocean

Given the horrible weather the Volvo Race fleet has been sailing in at top speed, you figure it was just a matter of time before one of the eight would lose their mast. It happened this morning when SEB's carbon mast broke just above the boom. At the time of the mishap, it was blowing 28 knots and the boat was sailing at 17 knots. Fortunately, the crew weren't injured and the hull wasn't damaged. The rig was cut free, but the broken boom and broken spinnaker pole were salvaged to set up a jury rig. The misfortune took place 1,250 miles from Cape Horn, so skipper Gurra Krantz and crew aren't out of the woods just yet.

Fleet positions on February 7 at 0958 GMT: 1. illbruck, 3,245 miles to finish; 2. Amer Sports One, 38 miles behind leader; 3. Team Tyco, 52 mbl; 4. Assa Abloy, 96 mbl; 5. djuice, 116 mbl; 6. News Corp, 131 mbl; 7. Team SEB, 276 mbl; 8. Amer Sports Too, 460 mbl.

If you're looking for great coverage of this extraordinary race, visit www.volvooceanrace.com.

Broken Masts

Having previously been sailing in more than 45 knots of wind and at speeds in excess of 30 knots, it seems odd that SEB would have lost her rig in milder conditions. But losing masts in even very light air is nothing new. A couple of the America's Cup boats lost their rigs in less than 10 knots. And Geronimo, the new 120-foot trimaran that's about to go after the Jules Verne record, lost of the top of her mast in a mere 15 knots of wind.

San Francisco Small Craft Harbor Improvements?

February 7 - San Francisco

After years of getting input from all affected groups on proposed changes to the Marina Green Small Craft Harbor in San Francisco, tonight will be the last public hearing on the subject. Brad Gross, Manager of Marina Operations for the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, tells us that the proposals include building inner breakwaters at the west marina to reduce surge and keep it from shoaling, build a breakwater at the east marina to reduce the horrible surge, reduce the number of 25 to 30 foot slips in favor of more 30 and 40 foot slips, and realign the west marina slips so they are upwind and downwind as opposed to crosswind. We think this is a good plan, one that's long overdue. In order to get it implemented, it's important that people show up and speak in favor of it. You can do so by making an appearance tonight at 6:30 pm. at the Golden Gate Room - it overlooks Gashouse Cove - at Fort Mason.

YOTREPS

February 7 - 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

February 7 - 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/. The National Weather Service site for San Francisco Bay has moved to 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/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.