Different Takes on D-Day
Last week, we thought we’d throw out an example of a "Delivery Day" party in anticipation of the impending delivery of the November issue of Latitude 38.
Judging by the response we received over the weekend, we have to think that this could be the start of something fun — in fact we’re already thinking about how we can make the rounds safely (and legally) for these "Delivery Day" fiestas.
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As it was Halloween Weekend, there were definitely some costumes involved, which only added to the fun! Did your club have a Delivery Day party? Send us your photos here.
Ha-Ha Gets Sweeter by the Leg
Most of the Sweet Sixteen Baja Ha-Ha Fleet is now comfortably anchored in Bahia Santa Maria, after completing an extremely mellow second leg — a distinct contrast to the ultra-rowdy conditions of Leg 1.
On Sunday, the morning after a fun-filled Turtle Bay beach party, the fleet crossed the Leg 2 starting line at 11 a.m. under brilliant sunny skies with 12 knots of breeze and flat seas. Within seconds of reaching across the line, chutes were popping in evey color of the rainbow. In the afternoon hours, the wind increased offshore to 15 knots from the northwest, inspiring some sailors to say it was the most idyllic sailing conditions they’d seen in years.
With air temps in the 80s and water temps in the high 70s today at Bahia Santa Maria, conditions are ideal for swimming, surfing, beach walking or simply chillin’. Tomorrow, local fishermen will host their annual fish fry ashore; Wednesday morning, the fleet will take off early for Cabo San Lucas. Stay tuned for further reports and photos.
Bathing Beauties on the Bay
"If you didn’t know any better, you might think this shot was snapped someplace warm and tropical," writes Bryan Jay Miller of the Beneteau 323 Orion. "I actually took the photo while anchored off McNear’s Beach at China Camp in early October. It was so warm that the guys had on shorts and T-shirts, the girls were in bikinis, and everyone was barefoot the whole way from Point Richmond. I got to dive off the back for a brisk swim in the 72º water, and eventually suckered everyone else into jumping in. We were even treated to a beat into a warm 15-knot breeze on the way back, still in shorts and T-shirts. It turned out to be one of the best days I’ve ever had sailing on the Bay."
Now that the weather is turning more fall-like, it’s unlikely you’ll run across bathing beauties like these anytime soon. If you do, be sure to send photographic evidence (with their permission).
‘Dubai Star’ Spilled up to 800 Gallons
Early hopes that Friday morning’s bunker fuel-spill in Anchorage Nine would have little impact on the Bay have turned out to be unfounded. The Coast Guard is estimating that 400 to 800 gallons of the cruddy junk spilled from the Panamanian-flagged tanker Dubai Star during fueling operations. Despite the deployment of over 50,000 feet of containment boom, the spilled bunker oil has fouled beaches with oil and tar balls in Alameda County, killed at least a dozen sea birds, resulted in an emergency fishing closure between the San Mateo and Bay Bridges, and may have caused environmental damage that’s yet to be assessed. Clean-up operations are currently underway. We know that Clipper Cove has been boomed — effectively closing it to vessel traffic. Has your marina or boat been affected by the spill? Tell us about it.