December 18, 2000

Photos of the Day

It’s a Start

December 18 –
Portrero Bay, Costa Rica

You think there’s no yacht racing in Costa Rica? If that as
the case, what was Brad of the Catalina 25 ‘Rosa del Mar’ doing
drinking out of the Coco Bola Cup Trophy? Here’s the report:

The second annual Flamingo Cup Sailing Regatta was held in Costa
Rica in combination with the Flamingo Beach Race Weekend – which
consists of jet ski races and a powerboat rally. All in all,
it brought some life to the area. The sailing fleet consisted
of ‘Rosa del Mar’, a Catalina 25; ‘Samonique,’ a 53-ft custom
boat; ‘Shannon’, a CT-49; and ‘Spanish Dancer’, a 36-foot catamaran.
The two days of racing were held in heavy winds in Portrero Bay.
New this year was the beautiful Coco Bola Cup Trophy, which will
always be on display at the winning Costa Rica YC or if won by
a cruiser, at the Hotel Marinero at Flamingo Beach. The Costa
Rican Coast Guard and others made it a great event.

As the second photo indicates, it wasn’t a big fleet, but you
have to start somewhere.

Greg Retkowski had the first response: “It’s Coyote Point
Marina after the SFO expansion.” A brilliant answer, but
not the one we were looking for.

That left it to Lance Berc, who wrote, “I don’t remember
a harbor next to Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong, and I’ve never
been there or even seen pictures, but could it be Gibraltar?”
Yes, it could, which we hinted at by asking everyone to ‘rock’
our world.

Next in line with the correct answer was Mark Matthews, who knows
a thing or two about the place: “Highlights of the last
time I was there include watching police shoot rubber bullets
from the beach at cigarette smugglers whizzing by in their pangas,
and the airplanes taxiing across one of the main roads in town
– also something you don’t see every day.” Calling the smugglers’
boats pangas, Mark, is like calling a Ferrari a go-cart.

Another Puzzler

December 18 –
Mill Valley

We were going to drop the quiz business for a couple of days,
but then we saw this in the January 2001 issue of ‘Showboats
International’. The question is, what’s wrong with this item.

“Good winds made for an excellent crossing this year, and
a new course record was set by the French flagged Open 50 ‘Multicap
Caraibes’, skippered by Luc Coquelin. They covered the 2,700-mile
course in 12 days, 18 hours, 7 minutes and 20 seconds. Good winds
ensured fast passages for all the yachts. Very few yachts experienced
any damage, although many blew out spinnakers.”

The Canaries to St. Lucia rally is a great event, and if you
ever have the chance to do it, we recommend it. The organizers
provide a great database of information. Check out, for example,
the final results at: www.worldcruising.com/arc/results.htm

Racing

The Strength and Courage of Women Sailors

December 18 – Southern Ocean

Are you one of those who think that women don’t have the courage
and strength to make great ocean sailors? Before you answer for
sure, listen to the situation 5-foot tall Ellen MacArthur of
‘Kingfisher’ found herself in on the Southern Ocean the other
day while sailing in the Vendée Globe singlehanded around-the-world
race. And what she did to resolve it.

Her Open 60 had been surfing hard at 30 knots – a hair-raising
experience to start with – in 40 knots of wind when the boat
accidentally jibed, leaving it knocked down almost 90 degrees.
MacArthur managed to release the running backstay, which allowed
the boat to right herself again. But in the process, a batten
broke out of the front end of its pocket above the second spreader.
This meant there was no way to drop the main – and the wind was
getting even stronger. Going aloft in 40 knots of wind on the
stormy Southern Ocean is the kind of situation that was once
described as ‘separating the men from the boys’, but with women
like MacArthur sailing, it’s more accurately described as a situation
that separates the courageous from the not courageous.

Fully aware of the considerable risks to her life, MacArthur
started the job she had to do. She told reporters that, “the
last two feet were the hardest two feet of my life.” Once
at the batten, she had to pull it out so the sail could be lowered.
It might have seemed like the hard part would have then been
over, but that was not the case. Very cold and shaking with effort,
MacArthur says it took her over an hour to lower herself 45 feet.

With her life no longer in so much danger, she lowered the main,
replaced the batten, sewed it back in place, then raised the
main again. After all, she was racing. Having completed the task,
she “collapsed in the cockpit.”

For the full story of this example of great courage, visit sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport

British sailor Ellen MacArthur