On Monday, the crew of the sailing vessel Bella Gina requested assistance from Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach watchstanders. Bella Gina was taking on water six miles west of Point Piedras Blancas. Seas were in the 12- to 14-ft range, and winds were blowing 20-25 knots.

USCG Petty Officer Mark Barney of the L.A.-Long Beach public affairs office told us that the boat was headed from Morro Bay to Monterey. The crew tried to make a turn, the rudder jammed, and the rudder post began leaking. The Coast Guard helicopter and boat crews arrived on scene and attempted to dewater and tow the sailboat. Due to the sea state, the boat crew could not safely tow the vessel and recommended the passengers evacuate.

USCG video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Fogarty

The three people aboard and their cat were hoisted into a Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco Forward Operating Base Point Mugu MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and transported to Paso Robles Airport. Bella Gina was left adrift and the Coast Guard sent out a bulletin to alert mariners in the area.

Edward Stancil, port captain for Peninsula Yacht Club and a resident of the endangered Docktown Marina since 1996, shared the following photo and letter, which he had sent to the city attorney and city council of Redwood City on February 11.

"We had a lot of help cleaning Redwood Creek… 2,500 lbs of trash, mostly plastic. These guys really pitch in with clean up. All this trash comes from Redwood City. Trash runs downstream.

"How many residents would have a cleanup when they should be packing? It’s not too late to help. Let’s work together to find a solution for all the small boat homes left.

"We clean the creek that our city is named after. Since you are not closing the harbor, then let 10 percent stay for security purposes. And to set an example of how to live in harmony with nature.

"Let Peninsula Yacht Club run the harbor with 14 liveaboard permits. Other yacht clubs run their own harbors. This way we can offer water access, Bay Trail, Bay Water Trail, plus small craft launch and open slips for locals to slip their watercraft. We have insurance… and skills to keep the harbor running."

"So here is your chance to settle all lawsuits and get Redwood City out of the harbor business, back to private operations. Thanks again for letting me clean our creek." We’ll have more on the situation at Docktown in the near future.

Incidentally, Peninsula YC will host the annual Potter Yachter Fest on March 16-18, with St. Patrick’s Day dinners on Friday and Saturday nights. Trailer sailors are welcome and should contact Ed for docking and reservations at (650) 771-1945.

Residents of Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga, are now recovering from Cyclone Gita, which blew through on Monday. Gita has been called the worst storm to hit the island nation in 60 years. Trees were uprooted and roofs blown off — including the roof of the Parliament building. Sustained winds of 120 mph with gusts of 180 mph were reported. The storm had already caused severe flooding and damage in Samoa as a Category 2 storm, but was upgraded to a Category 4 by the time it hit Tonga. So far most of the damage is in the populated capital with less boat damage as it missed the main cruising area of Vava’u. 

We touched base with Shane Walker of Sunsail/Moorings Tonga/New Zealand, who reported, "Fortunately for Vava’u, the eye of Cyclone Gita passed approximately 200 miles to the south, and consequently we suffered no damage."

"Tongatapu was not so lucky and took the full force of the cyclone. My contacts in Tongatapu tell me that the only good thing was that it was moving quickly and that meant that the destructive force only lasted a few hours."

We also heard from Joe at Vava’u Shipwrights, who said, "All good here. The cyclone hit Tongatapu, which is well south of Vava’u, so we didn’t get anything much above 30 knots. They are full bore cleaning up down in Tongatapu now, but we still haven’t got the full picture of how extensive the damage is. Tongans are a resilient bunch though, so they’ll pull through OK.

"I’ve had a few reports from the Ha’apai as well and all seems OK. Don McIntyre from the Royal Nomuka Yacht Club says all is well there and they have only had some small damage.

"I don’t think that the coming cruising season will be affected by Gita’s passing at all and most of the clean up and reconstruction in Nuku’alofa will either be complete or well in hand by the time the first yachts start to arrive."

The South Pacific cruising season will be kicking off as the cyclone season winds down over the course of the spring. Many South Pacific-bound cruisers will be leaving the West Coast of the Americas with the Pacific Puddle Jump following send-off parties in Puerto Vallarta (March 5), Balboa YC in Panama (March 8) and Shelter Bay Marina on the Caribbean side of Panama (March 10). 

Cyclone Gita has continued its path west, passing to the south of Noumea, but it’s predicted to hook south and then east, possibly affecting New Zealand, though hopefully with reduced impact.