'Lectronic Index

Previous 'Lectronic Edition

Singlehanders Trickle into Kauai

July 10 - Hanalei Bay, HI

Andy Evans aboard his Victoria-based Olson 30 Foolish Muse had to drop his main due to a cracked boom but is still making nearly 180 miles a day and is expected to arrive today.
Photo Latitude/JR

The lead boats in one of the longest Singlehanded TransPacs that we can remember have crossed the finish line in Hanalei Bay, Kauai. Seattlite Al Hughes' Open 60 Dogbark led the fleet across the Pacific to take line honors on Friday. Alchera, Mark Deppe's San Francisco-based J/120, and Tiger Beetle, the Nelson-Marek 45 owned by Alameda's Rob Macfarlane, made it in yesterday. The majority of the remaining 10 boats are expected to finish by Friday.

Check www.sfbaysss.org for twice-daily updates.

Mercuries and 'Meters Enjoy Lovely Bay Conditions

July 10 - San Francisco Bay

Not everyone sails to Hawaii in July. While sailors in the Pacific Cup and Solo TransPac are now enjoying lovely tradewind sailing, a whole bunch of folks were enjoying equally lovely conditions here at home last weekend - some, as you can see, in classic style. Nine boats from the local Mercury fleet were out for their annual Hart-Nunes Regatta, sailed in Raccoon Strait adjacent to the hosting San Francisco YC. Dave West and crew Ken Powell topped the nine-boat fleet. Complete results can be found soon at www.sfyc.org.

Classic act - the Mercury fleet, born in Sausalito in the '30s, is still going strong.

Down in the South Bay, the 5.5 Meters were having their West Coast Championships, also with an 8-10 boat fleet. We weren't able to get exact numbers or results by 'Lectronic's morning deadline, but you can doubtless find them later today at the sponsoring Alameda YC's Web site, www.alamedayachtclub.org.

Gimme Five: the colorful 5.5 Meter fleet races the South Bay.
Photos Latitude/JR

Feathered Crew

July 10 - Marmaris, Turkey

"During our crossing of the Mediterranean from Port Suez to Marmaris, Turkey, we had a crew member join us," write Sue and Gene Osier of the Serendipity 43 Peregrine. "We didn't find somebody floating two hundred miles offshore, this crew member flew in. Our crossing happened to coincide with the annual bird migration from Africa to Europe. It became obvious that we were not the only beings out there taking a beating. 

"One night during winds of 25-30 knots, we had several birds land on the boat, apparently exhausted by the fierce winds. We tried hard not to scare them, but our frequent pop-ups to scan for ships spooked them. The birds that rested briefly and left were: European kestrel, dove, swallow, and collared flycatcher. One bird stayed for three days. He was a yellow wagtail and was a huge source of enjoyment to us. His internal navigation system seemed to work on the boat as well as in the air, because he was very content to stay on his two-star, free meal cruise ship. Wagtails are flycatchers and I hadn't provisioned for bug eating crew, so I scrambled him eggs twice a day. He loved them. I also left out water and crumbled bread-sticks." The Osiers named their winged visitor Kato.

The new crew waits for his eggs.

"He perched next to or on us while we were out in the cockpit. It was incredible. On day three, we arrived in Marmaris. Just as the sun came up, we had a brief break in the wind. We sailed into a patch with moths flitting about and Kato would fly from Peregrine, grab a moth, and bring it back to de-wing it and eat it. About five miles out, Kato gave a 'cheep, cheep', and flew towards land. Kato's visit was a wonderful start to our Turkish adventures."

Photos Courtesy Peregrine

Lots More Paid Baja Ha-Ha Entries

July 10 - Tiburon

For entries #1-26, see June 30's 'Lectronic. Here are the new entries the Baja Ha-Ha rally committee has received in July so far:

27) Imagine / Catalina 42 / Tom Miller / San Diego
28) Ketch 22 / Freedom Express 39 / Tom Marlow / Sunnyvale
29) Aphrodite / Pacific Seacraft 27 / Randolph Rowland / Auburn
30) Fafner / Dufour 45 / Geoff Arnold / San Jose
31) Cabernet / Hunter 460 / Chuck Drake / Benicia
32) Freedom / Offshore Pilothouse / David Dury / Monte Sereno
33) Bellavia / Passport 40 / Milton Tanner / Emeryville
34) Wildflower / Passport 40 / Todd Eversole / Alameda
35) Nomad / Rival 36 / Robert Aronen / Oakland
36) Salt Whistle / Cheoy Lee 53 / Justin Malan / Carmichael
37) Kinship / Cartwright 44 / Chris Golian / Seattle, WA
38) KatieKat / Seawind 1000 cat / Joe Siudzinski / Los Altos
39) Canopuz / Islander Freeport 33 / Jim Wilkinson / San Leandro
40) Mistress / Swan 53 / Tom LaFleur / San Diego
41) So Cal So Good / Beneteau 473 / Richard Merrall / San Diego

Free Online Chart Viewer

July 10 - Silver Springs, MD

NOAA has just introduced a new, free public service at www.NauticalCharts.gov/viewer. "This NOAA On-Line Chart Viewer is a great web-based tool for planning routes, research and quick reference," promises NOAA's Tom Loeper. Included are more than 1,000 charts of U.S. waters - updated weekly - covering 3.4 million square nautical miles.