Is it warm enough for you here in the States?
If so, you’d be burning up down on Banderas Bay in Mexico. Just
ask Jean, who did the Ha-Ha aboard the Swan 53 Mistress.
The former employee at OCSC in Berkeley was cooking aboard Profligate
during an afternoon spinnaker run down the Banderas Bay last
week. Or, you could ask Cherie, who was asked to pose “like
Marilyn Monroe would have.” Cherie also sailed aboard Mistress
in the Baja Ha-Ha, but has since become chummy with Greg Retkowski,
skipper of the San Francisco-based Morgan Out Island 41 Scirocco,
who also did the Ha-Ha.
Photos Latitude/Richard
Cruising Boat Hit by Freighter Last Week
off New Zealand
December 10 – Nagle Cove, Great Barrier
Island
Jordan, Kate and Jonah Bigel departed Seattle in September of
2000 on a proposed circumnavigation aboard their Shannon 50 ketch Queen Jane. On December 3 off New Zealand, there was an
interruption to their plans. Here’s a slightly edited version
of what they report on their Web site:
“On December 3 at approximately 6:20
pm, our Queen Jane was struck just outside Hauraki Gulf
in New Zealand by the container ship Southern Cross II
that was bound for Nuku’alofa, Kingdom of Tonga. All aboard are
safe, and Queen Jane is currently moored at Nagle Cove
on Great Barrier Island.
Queen Jane (and Jonah)
Southern Cross II
Photos Courtesy Queen Jane
“Shortly after 6 pm, Kate and Jonah
were down below, and Jordan joined them in order to keep an SSB
sked with the sailing vessel Skive. After speaking on
the radio and making a log entry, the outboard freighter smashed
into the bowsprit of the Queen Jane, sheering it clean
off, and stopping the boat dead in its tracks. While the damage
to the bow was severe, the boat was intact belowdecks, and only
a small breach in the deck allowed water to enter – and only
a very small amount at that. After requesting the ship to stand
by, New Zealand Maritime Radio was contacted. We started the
motor and began to head toward land while assessing the damage.
Once we had ascertained that the damage was not life-threatening,
Maritime Radio arranged for an escort vessel to lead us into
Great Barrier Island. We are grateful to be alive and are in
a state of shock still some six hours after the collision. If
we had been hit amidships, the Queen Jane would be at
the bottom now. Further, any lesser vessel would probably also
have been sunk after such a strike. It is only because of the
incredible strength of this vessel that we are still afloat.
Our thanks to the Shannon Boat Company for building such a tough
boat.”
We don’t want to sound critical, but this
sounds like yet another case of a cruising sailboat being hit
as a result of not having anyone on watch. Latitude 38
readers will remember that just over six years ago, the Sleavin
family’s Compass 47 Melinda Lee was hit by a ship 30 miles
off of New Zealand. In that tragic case, the boat quickly sank
and three of the four Sleavin family members were lost. Always
keep a watch, and always assume that your small boat won’t be
seen by a larger boat.
Blake’s Murderer Arrested
December 10 – Macapa, Brazil
Police in Macapa, Brazil, report that Ricardo Tavares, 23, has
confessed to last week’s murder of sailing legend Sir Peter Blake,
53, of New Zealand. Seven local residents – known as the ‘Water
Rats’ – admitted to storming Blake’s Seamaster on Wednesday
night. They robbed the boat, but claimed they shot Blake in self-defense
after Blake shot at them with a rifle. Blake is reported to have
been hit twice in the back with gunshots. The robbers’ excuse
is that they “didn’t know there was anybody famous aboard.”
Would that have made any difference?
Blake’s tragic death once again raises
the question of whether it’s smart to carry guns aboard. In recent
issues of Latitude, two former cops who became cruisers
argued against it. In both cases, they said that the loss of
an outboard and other gear wasn’t worth the loss of anyone’s
life. It’s difficult to second guess such a great sailor and
terrific person as Peter Blake, but you can’t help but wonder
at his decision.
Not so Fast Geronimo!
December 10 – France
It has long been thought that Olivier de
Kersauson’s new 110-ft trimaran Geronimo would be the
only boat attempting to break the Jules Verne Around the World
record this winter. But in a surprise, the Gilles Ollier designed
and built 110-ft maxi cat – which sailed in The Race as Innovation
Explorer – has been rechristened Orange after the
France Telecome’s mobile telephone subsidiary, and will also
go after the trophy. The project is being headed by Frenchman
Bruno Peyron, who created The Race, and previously held the Jules
Verne Trophy with the 80-ft cat Explorer. It will finally
be a chance to see how a big tri fares against a big cat. The
boats should leave France sometime in February to make the Cape
Horn and Southern Ocean during the southern hemisphere’s summer.
Charity Cash for San Blas
December 10 – San Blas, Mexico
Last week the Wanderer was happy to present
$2,400 in cash to Captain Norm Goldie of San Blas to be used
for the poor indigenous people who live in the mountains behind
San Blas. About half the money was raised aboard Profligate,
with the rest coming from generous contributions from other sailors.
Thanks to you all. This money will be well spent.
Photo Latitude/Richard
YOTREPS
December 10 – The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace
Who is out making passages in the Pacific
and what kind of weather are they having? Check out YOTREPS –
‘yacht reports’ – at http://www.bitwrangler.com/yotreps/
Looking for current as well as recent wind
and sea readings from 17 buoys and stations between Pt. Arena
and the Mexican border? Here’s the place – which has further
links to weather buoys and stations all over the U.S.: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/stuff/southwest/swstmap.shtml.
Pacific Winds and Pressure
The University of Hawaii Dept. of Meteorology
page posts a daily
map of the NE Pacific Ocean barometric pressure and winds.
