'Lectronic Index

Previous 'Lectronic Edition

Photo of the Day

December 19 - Trinidad

Photo Courtesy the Stones

Today's Photo of the Day comes from Dawn Stone, who, along with her husband Jeff - who ran a marine refrigeration service - used to live aboard in Sausalito. They subsequently cruised Mexico, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean, before settling down in Trinidad and opening up another marine refrigeration service.
"In 1987, my Christmas present from Jeff was to find our 1978 Nicholson 39 in our slip - with my name beautifully air brushed on the transom. Kelly McCall was the artist. The accompanying photo shows Dawn 18 years later in Trinidad, being hauled for a survey - and my name still on the transom and still looking beautiful after all these years. I don't know where Kelly McCall is but he did a hell of a job!

"Last week Dawn departed Trinidad under command of her new owner. Jeff and I are wrapping up in Trinidad, and will return to the U.S. to live on the Big Island as soon as we sell our marine refrigeration business. Hopefully it will be easier to get a copy of Latitude 38 there."

We're sorry to see Dawn go, as we remember seeing the Stones aboard her in various ports around the world. A particularly memorable time was at Cook's Bay, Moorea. But Jeff and Dawn, are you sure you want to move to the Big Island? While in Mexico in early December, we met a couple who had just sold their Big Island sailing charter business and were looking to relocate in Mexico. Why? First, the cost of living is so high in Hawaii. Second, horrible traffic. Traffic on the Big Island? They claim all the working class people with jobs in Kona have to commute two to three hours a day because they've been priced out of nearby homes. We'll expect a report when you get there.

Something Is Missing on Inspiration at Sea

December 19 - Los Frailes, BCS

Vicky Plett left Seattle a little more than a month ago aboard her Hans Christian 38 Inspiration at Sea, bound for Puerto Vallarta, where she and her boat were slated to join Pat Henry's sailing program for women. Plett had at least the normal amount of adventures along the way, if not more. In fact, for a while she helped tow Pegasus, a buddyboating Hans Christian 33 from Seattle, with broken engine mounts, part of the way from Cabo toward La Paz. Nearing the Los Frailes anchorage, the weather from the north had become sufficiently bad that the tow had to be abandoned. Then horror of horrors, just a tack or two from shelter, Inspiration at Sea's rig came tumbling down. The accompanying photos are of the sad sight the following morning.

Photos Courtesy Vicky Plett

We'll have a more detailed report - and hopefully learn what caused the failure - in an upcoming Latitude. Fortunately, Vicky has insurance, and we hope her boat gets made whole again soon.

Triple Good News out of Zihua

December 19 - Zihuatanejo, Mexico

Rick Carpenter of Rick's Bar, the cruiser's center in Zihua, reports that a number of things are going well down there. First, thanks to mechanical problems on three Norwegian Cruise Line ships, that company won't have any cruise ships stopping in the bay until February. Second, the weather is great in Zihua, with the evenings finally cooling down. Third, he thinks he's solved the antenna problem that's prevented him from being able to make Zihua Bay a wireless zone. In addition to high speed Internet access, he's going to set up a remote camera.

Cruising boats keep trickling into Zihua Bay, so Rick expects 40 by Christmas. By the way, Nathaniel and his 'dinghy valet' service are back in action for the season.

Seattle Boat Show Punts on Original Dates

December 19 - Seattle, WA

Thanks to something to do with a football, the 2006 Seattle Boat Show dates have been changed to January 6-14. Actually, there is a possibility that if the Seattle Seahawks keep winning, the last day of the show would be eliminated - but nobody will know until January 8.

Assuming it's a 9-day show, the dates are: Fridays, 11 to 9, Saturday, 10 to 9, Sunday, 10 to 6, Monday - Thursday, 11 to 8, closing Saturday, 10 to 6.

Happy Holidays!

December 19 - Mill Valley

This is the last 'Lectronic until Friday, December 30. That's right, Wednesday we've got to wrap up the January issue of Latitude 38, which will be distributed on Friday the 30th along with the 2006 Northern California Sailing Calendar. This Friday we're going swimming in egg-nog, and early next week we'll be doing 'research' in the Caribbean.

Expect photos with blue water in the December 30 'Lectronic. Happy holidays to all of you, and get ready for the best sailing year of your life!