Reader Submissions: Alaska
The following comes to us from Janet Baker:
"The Talos IV in Glacier Bay, Alaska. We spent last summer exploring the northern waters of British Columbia and Alaska."
Janet asked a question that was not likely to be on anyone’s mind, but will no doubt get you curious: "Have you ever had glacial ice in your whiskey?"
Maine Bound
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While San Francisco Bay boasts steady breezes, a 12-month season and spectacular scenery, most local sailors still want to explore much of the rest of the sailing world. A great option on the opposite coast — with one of the shortest seasons in the country — Maine in the months of July and August offers sailors a completely different experience from the Bay.
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The Maine coast has its own stunning scenery and lighter but generally predictable, pleasant afternoon breezes. Plus it’s easy to reach from the West Coast. You’ll even find the ‘exchange rate’ pretty good if you travel to Maine. Fuel, food, lobster and many local treats are much less expensive than in California. As in Mexico, you’ll find your dollars go further in Maine.
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All the pleasant scenes can be interrupted by the occasional thunderstorm, complete with lightning, rain and squally breezes, or a day or two of fog.
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Since the publisher of Latitude 38 grew up sailing in Maine, it’s a place we strive to return to year after year to see family and go sailing. We’ve never been disappointed.
Check-ins from the Transbac
Sue Everett pinged us about Merlin’s return from the Transpac. She reports that Bill and Lu Lee’s 1977 68-ft sled is expected back in Santa Cruz this afternoon, between 1 and 2 p.m. Pizza will be delivered to the dock, according to reports.
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Don Ford, normally race crew on Bill Helvestine’s Bay Area-based SC50 Deception, is currently aboard the Beneteau First 40 Onde Amo, helping to deliver it back to Long Beach from Honolulu. Don is also a TV reporter/videographer (aka ‘one-man band’, aka Multimedia Journalist) for KPIX 5 in San Francisco. (We didn’t make up ‘Transbac’ — it’s what Don called the delivery back.)
"On board are two of us from Deception, myself and Mike Arrajj, along with Onde Amo owner Steve Ashley and SoCal sailor Tracy Gallucci," he writes, in 160-character bytes using inReach. On Tuesday, "We snarled a fishing net in the prop. Mike dove under the boat, cutting loose the net, while Steve and I handled safety lines. The amount of debris out here is remarkable — almost all commercial fishing gear. Hell yes we took time to go swimming in the middle of the ocean! The water was absolutely delicious." Onde Amo is past the halfway point.
We’d be interested in hearing more tales from the ‘Transbac’. Email us here.
Team Wolfhound Treks to Scandinavia
The crew of a Marina del Rey-based 11:Metre are the first Americans to be invited to the class’s Scandinavian Nationals since 2002. Jamie Myer acquired Wolfhound five years ago, and the team has scored trophies in Santa Barbara to King Harbor races, Del Rey Yacht Club’s Berger/Stein Series and the Sunset Series King of the Hill. "We are proud to be one of the very few coed racing teams to be invited to compete at an international level," said Myer.
Joining Myer aboard Wolfhound in Scandinavia will be tactician Casey Schilling, bowgal Stacy Sinclair, pitgal Jennie Santoro and spinnaker trimmer John Rushing.
Getting to the Scandinavian regattas, to be held in early September, will require transportation and lodging for the five sailors, a boat and trailer charter (the boat will be trailered for five hours between the Oslo Fjord, Norway, and Lake Våtttern, Sweden, racing venues), shipping of sails, and coaching support. Team Wolfhound needs funding immediately to secure airfare, coaching and the boat. So they’ve set up a gofundme page and are inviting readers to contribute to the campaign.
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The sleek and low-slung 34-ft 11:Metre was designed in 1990 by Ron Holland and Rolf Gyhlenius. During that final decade of the 20th century, the class had an active one-design racing fleet on San Francisco Bay.