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August 4 - Southern California

We're down here in Santa Barbara getting ready for this Friday's 86-mile Santa Barbara to Redondo Beach Race. We're also meeting some of the locals and trying to pick up as much local knowledge as possible.

The big tip here seems to be to make sure that your grinders don't get their hands worn out from grinding or their brains stressed out from the cries of "Trim! Trim!" during the mostly-downwind race. We were told that the locals combat this problem with gel-like translucent pads, as being held up by Doña de Mallorca and as seen on the combing next to Profligate's starboard winches. In fact, a friendly fellow gave us a pair.

Photos Latitude/Richard

We were all having a grand time squeezing and playing around with these admittedly pleasant-feeling blobs when a woman came aboard and said, "What the hell are you doing with those breast implants? I'm wearing a couple of those right now - but at least mine are both the same size."

It turns out that Santa Barbara is the last place in the United States where boob implants are still manufactured, and there are two companies that do it. It also turns out that the local sailors don't really use them for reducing stress, but what the heck, we're going to give them a try.

Rig Down in the Pacific

August 4 - 300 Miles Offshore

In the last two issues we've had interviews with the Edwards family of four from Portola Valley, who cruised the Pacific for five years. With the kids back in school and Sam working for the first time in five years, it was left to Caren to find a crew to sail back from Hawaii. Apparently everything went well until they were 300 miles from San Francisco two days ago, at which time the Marquesas 53 Rhapsodie was dismasted. Fortunately nobody was hurt, but the mast, boom, and sails are now at the bottom of the Pacific.

Rhapsodie in happier times
Photo Courtesy Edwards Family

Meanwhile, well-known and ultra-active cruiser Blair Grinols, with his wife Joan and several grandchildren, are only about 300 miles from San Francisco on their passage from Hawaii aboard the 46-ft cat Capricorn Cat. Blair and the cat, after many years in Mexico, have spent the last couple of seasons in the Pacific.

Baja Ha-Ha Paid Entrants: 76

August 4 - Tiburon

Ha-Ha Honcho Lauren Spindler has once again submitted an updated list of paid-up Baja Ha-Ha entries. She adds, "If anyone else would like to receive an entry pack, they need to make out a check for $15 to Baja Ha-Ha, Inc., and send it, along with a self-addressed 9 x 12 envelope with $3 postage, to 21 Apollo Road, Tiburon, CA 94920." Deadline will be September 10.

Here's the gang so far:

Raptor Dance / Valiant 50 / Bill Finkelstein & Mary Mack / Santa Rosa
Nakia / Han Christian 33 / John Gratton & Linda Hill / Redwood City
Maggie Drum / Whitby 42 / Joe & Cindy Barnes / Anacortes, WA
Music / Island Packet 40 / Bruce & Bobbie McPherson / Sausalito
Traveler / N/A / Dennis & Joan Hadley / San Marcos
Pegasus / Formosa 51 / Robert Mathews / San Diego
Con Te Partido / Bristol 32 / Jeannette Heulin / Emeryville
Mai Pen Rai / Islander 36 / Noble Brown / Benicia
New Morning / Swan 44 / Russ Irwin / Sausalito
Ayu / Hallberg-Rassy 46 / Michael Moore / Sonoma
Hangover / Olson 40 / Leonard Brownlow / Channel Is.
Jellybean / Pearson 36 / Marlene & Roy Verdery / Sausalito
Eleytheria / Kelly Peterson 44 / Abe & Amy Oros / San Francisco
Aphrodite / Pacific Seacraft 27 / Randolph & Nancy Rowland / San Francisco
Katherine / Downeaster 38 / James & Lucinda Howe / Channel Is.
Wizard / Mason 44 / Frank & Dianne Melone / San Diego
Sea Esta / Kelly Peterson 44 / Bill & Gia Cosbie / San Rafael
Avanti / Jeanneau 37 / Sam & Nadia Calmes / San Leandro
L'Esperance / Beneteau 393 / Eugene Felmar / San Pedro
Seabird V / Whitby 42 / Stan & Rochelle Gardner / San Francisco
Alchera / J/120 / Mark Deppe / San Francisco
Journey / Islander 36 / Carl Funk / Vallejo
Miela / Moody 44 / Bill & Karen Vaccaro / Chico
OZ / Talisman 37 / John Pasternak / Pt. Townsend, WA
Vamoose / Columbia 10.7 / Mike Meyers / Long Beach
Laelia / Kennex 420 cat / Howard & Judy Wang / Ventura
Chalet Mer / Irwin 46 / Gene & Pat Gehlbach / San Francisco
Seayanika / Vader 49 / Erik & Katriana Vader / Vista
Cracker Box / N/A / John & Marilyn Graham / N/A
Transcendence / Cascade 36 / Jim Reavis & Kay Endres / Portland, OR
Freedom / Offshore 54 / David Dury / San Francisco
Iron Rose / Cal 2-46 / Don & Linda Anderson / San Diego
Capella / CHB trawler / Craig & Barbara Ashley / San Francisco
At Last / Sabre 38 / DeLayne Brink / Bellingham, WA
Solstice / Pacific Seacraft 37 / John Alden / King Harbor
Seangel / Downeast 45 / Mark & Debra Wilson / Long Beach
Ariel / Catalina 470 / Jeff Chessher / Alameda
Sea Bee / Sweden 39 / Joseph Buchman / San Francisco
The Last Duck / Gemini 105 / Ray Edwards / Verdi, NV
Vinmar / Ranger 33 / Scott Haselton / San Diego
Tournesol / Valiant 32 / Scott Duncan / San Francisco
Zephyrus / Cheoy Lee 38 / Dan & Lorraine Olsen / San Diego
Liberty Call / Catalina 400 / Gene Crabb / San Diego
Tanoshii / Tayana 47 / Dick Locke & Carol Itami / Walnut Creek
King's Quest / Tayana 48 / Lynn & Stella King / San Francisco
Persistence / Kelly Peterson 44 / Tom & Wendy Hoffman / San Francisco
Rod Lee / Bounty II 41 / John Hardisty / Pt. Richmond
Wanderer III / Kelly Peterson 46 / Bob Bunton / Dana Point
Duetto Voyage / Norseman 430 / Stuart Kaplan / San Diego
Tenacious / Beneteau 45F5 / Michael & Steen Wagner / Sausalito
Windy Dancer / Cal 2-46 / John Brandes / Seattle, WA
Cherokee Eagle / Catalina 400 / Roger & Mona Elliott / San Francisco
Equity Kicker / Santa Cruz 52 / Karsten Mau / San Jose
Ahwahnee / Pearson 424 / Tom Edwards / Portland, OR
Finisterre / Nautic Saintonge 44 / Mike & Kay Heath / San Francisco
Mildred Kane / Valiant 32 / Jason Ward & Joan Wright / Emeryville
Eos / Freedom 40 / Stephen & Lynel Lemon / Santa Barbara
Last Resort / Tayana 37 / Steve & Susan Tolle / Seattle, WA
Po'oino Roa / Kelly Peterson 44 / Jerry McGraw / Newport Beach
Nala Setia / Bounty II / Richard & Lisa Cameron / Fern Ridge, OR
Sea Eagle / Hunter 42 / Dan & Marie Kinnear / Long Beach
Unbelievable / Beale 47 / Keith Stahnke / Sausalito
Dolfino / Catalina 42 / Rick Lioio / Marina del Rey
Moira / Valiant 42 / Larry & Susan Shick / San Francisco
Brier Patch / Bowman 57 / Phil & EJ Kinnison / San Diego
Zester / Roberts 38 / Charles & Grania Lindberg / Napa
Dream Chaser / Beneteau 350 / George Stonecliffe / Portland, OR
Kanaloa / Kelly Peterson 46 / The Picard Family / Monterey, CA
Scarlett / CS 40 / Russ Eichner & Jane Powell / Benicia
Savannah / Williams 41 tri / Teal & Linh Goben / Seattle
Bronco / Morgan OI 41 / Nels Torberson / Alameda
New Focus / Catana 431 / Paul Biery / San Francisco
Trinity / Hallberg-Rassy 46 / Steven & Roma Swenson / Seattle
Jamboree / Island Packet 485 / Bruce & Nora Slayden / Sisters, OR
Wildflower / Passport 40 / Todd Eversole & Virginia Duncan / Alameda
Bruja Marina / Hunter 466 / Joaquin Sosa / Ventura