
There Goes My Baby
As you might imagine, a bizarre story goes along with this photo, but we’re going to make you wait for it. Instead, we want you to tell us what you think is happening in this shot. Did ‘The Man’ thwart a wannabe circumnavigator’s record — first American to sail nonstop around the world in a baby? Is it an art installation gone bad? Did the Coppertone baby jump off a billboard and into the Bay? We’ll share our favorite ‘explanations’, along with the real story, in Friday’s ‘Lectronic Latitude. Our top pick will earn a Latitude hat!
Oceanside YC Welcomes Southbounders
As you read this, dozens of cruising boats are working their way down the coast toward San Diego, the starting venue for the 18th annual Baja Ha-Ha cruisers rally to Cabo San Lucas. As always, entrants will have a wide variety of stopover options along the way. But this year we think a lot of Ha-Ha skippers will be setting their sights on Oceanside.

©2011 Latitude 38 Media, LLC
Why? Because the Oceanside YC has gone to great lengths to organize the first-ever OYC Pre-Ha-Ha Rendezvous from Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 2. While this is not an official Ha-Ha event, the Rally Committee thinks it sounds like one heck of a deal. For $95, registered entrants will get three nights ‘preferred’ berthing at the club, a comp dinner for both skipper and first mate at Saturday night’s Baja Bash, free shuttle rides to West Marine and Smart & Final, free swag, and a Boarding Pass that will get them discounts at most harbor vendors, including hotels, restaurants and even last-minute haul-outs. There will also be nightly slide/talk seminars by veteran Ha-Ha’ers — of which the club has many.
For more info or reservations (space is limited!), call OYC’s friendly port captain, Dave Albert, at (760) 822-7403 or (760) 722-5751.
Summer’s Here — At Least Was for a Day

©2011 Latitude 38 Media, LLC
Global warming notwithstanding, there aren’t many days when people feel like jumping off their sailboats and into the waters of the Oakland Estuary. But yesterday was one of them. We know because, while out Zen sailing, we watched several folks diving off a Moore 24 — which was sailing along under main alone. And since they did it again and again, it must not have been that cold.
Then we came across Stu Jackson, who had just returned from a week in the Delta at the Little Venice YC with his son Morgan. Having seen Morgan jumping into the Estuary, and his dad towing him behind his Catalina 34 Aquavite, we asked him to do it again for the Latitude camera. Morgan was happy to comply. After all, in his opinion the water temp was near tropical at 72 degrees.

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Morgan may have also been jumping because he just graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in sociology. He’s now about to begin his search for a job. Hint, hint.
We’d like to tell you that the sailing conditions are going to be equally wonderful for the next several days. But we can’t. According to some forecasts, there’s a 10% chance of rain today and a 20% chance the next several days. Come on, this is August! It’s enough to make you doubt global warming.

©2011 Latitude 38 Media, LLC