Happy Halloween from the Ha-Ha

October 31 - Baja California

The Grand Poobah checked in today with this report off Cedros Island, about 45 miles from Turtle Bay.

108 boats started the Baja Ha-Ha, the highest number ever. 34 of the slower entries started on Monday, and they were blessed with the better winds. Journey, a Beneteau Evasion 37 out of Redwood City, and Compañera, a Tartan 3800 hailing from Cardiff, sailed the whole way to Turtle Bay. The boats which started on Tuesday had wind on the nose to the Coronado Islands, and very light or no wind and overcast skies ever since. These are the most un-Mexican-like conditions in the nine years of the Ha-Ha.

One boat, Geronimo, a Lancer 30 from Sausalito, had to drop out with a busted rudder. They put in at Cabo Colnett. Another boat reported catching a 30-inch tuna, but so far no really big fish to brag about.

The fleet is looking forward to more wind and sunshine forecast for this weekend.

Tuesday's start
Photos Above John Pettitt/Cloudview.com

Sunday's Halloween costume party in San Diego
looks like it had the most sunshine the
rally has enjoyed so far.

Sole Female Skipper Second to Cross the Equator

November 1 - Eastern Atlantic

Emma Richards sent in this email yesterday from Pindar to say that she is in the Southern Hemisphere. This makes Richards the second Around Alone skipper to cross the Equator, after Bernard Stamm.

"1:18pm - Just crossed the equator at 23deg 37 W! I was down below ready to log where I crossed into the Southern Hemisphere when a squall came in, by the time I had eased the sheets, adjusted course etc., we had crossed but when I was on deck I didn't see the big yellow line painted so it must have washed away at that part. Let me know if Thierry reports the line or not! Anyway, had a sip of fine rum and gave Neptune the rest, hope he liked it, it burned my throat! Emma x"

YOTREPS

October 31 - 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 31 - 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 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

Check out the Pacific Ocean sea states at: http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/PacRegSSA.html.
For views of sea states anywhere in the world, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data/.