December 29, 2003

Photos of the Day:
Water, Water Everywhere

December 29 – North Bay

The unusually high tides around midday
on Christmas Eve caused road closings and traffic jams and flooded
cars and boats parked on low ground, as Richardson Bay overflowed
its banks into Mill Valley and Sausalito. It was the highest
water Sausalito old-timer Hank Easom can remember since 1982.

Although the tides are not as high today,
flood watches are in effect for many Bay Area counties, and a
flash flood warning ( meaning flooding is imminent) has been
issued for Napa Creek and Napa River. For more on today’s flooding,
listen to the radio or see www.kcbs.com.

Almonte south of Tam High – an area of Mill Valley “subject
to flooding”
Photo Dave Gruver

Manzanita – the Hwy. 1/Stinson
Beach exit

The Manzanita Park & Ride lot under the Richardson Bay Bridge
– not a good place to park on a day like this
Photos Patrick Kerslake except
as noted

What Goes Up Must Come Down

December 29 – Richmond

Including the tide.

Photo Mike Dennis

This picture was taken in the Richmond
ship channel on Sunday, December 21, an hour before the max.
low tide of -1.3 feet. “The boat was stuck upright with
nothing holding it vertically. Must have made a loud sucking
sound when she came free,” says Mike Dennis.

About 4:30 pm.
David Viglierchio

Sydney-Hobart Race

December 29 – Hobart, Tasmania

Down under where it’s summer, the Sydney-Hobart
Race got underway on Boxing Day (Dec. 26) as usual. Line honors
went to 98-ft Super Maxi Skandia, who finished in 2 days,
15 hours, 14 minutes and 6 seconds, after a collision in Bass
Strait, possibly with a sunfish (a fish, not a dinghy). Handicap
leader is First National, a Beneteau 40.7. Zaraffa,
an American Reichel Pugh 65 whose crew includes Ted Hood Jr.
and Volvo Ocean Race navigator Mark Rudiger of Marin County,
who was onboard Assa Abloy when she took line honors in
the 2001 Sydney Hobart Race, finished seventh.

Onboard first to finish Skandia
Photo Courtesy Skandia

For all the details and lots of photos,
see http://rolexsydneyhobart.com.

What Do These Three Boats Have in Common?

December 29 – San Francisco Bay

See January’s Racing
Sheet to find out!

Pegasus, Melges
24
Photo Sharon Green

Zephyrus V, Reichel/Pugh 86

Yucca, 8-Meter
Photos Latitude/Archives except as noted

Christmas Greetings from PNG

December 29 – Papua New Guinea

This greeting was forwarded by Michael
and JoAnne Gray at the request of their friends Fred and Judy,
who are unable to get reliable access to AOL in Papua New Guinea.
Fred and Judy sail the Seattle-based Serendipity 43 Wings.

We’re hoping to hear from lots more cruisers,
with photos, so we can show where you are. You can get in touch
by emailing the editorial
department, or use our handy online form at www.latitude38.com/changes/login.php.

YOTREPS

December 29 – The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace

Who is out making passages in the Pacific
and what kind of weather are they having? The YOTREPS daily yacht
tracking page has moved to www.bitwrangler.com/psn.

Weather Links

December 29 – Pacific
Ocean

San Francisco Bay Weather

Check out this guide to San Francisco Bay
Navigational Aids: http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/sfports.html.

To see what the winds are like on the Bay
and just outside the Gate right now, check out http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/wind.

The National Weather Service site for San
Francisco Bay is at www.wrh.noaa.gov/Monterey.

California Coast Weather

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/Maps/Southwest.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.

Pacific Sea State

The site for the Pacific Ocean sea states
has moved to http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/shtml/PacRegSSA.shtml.

For views of sea states anywhere in the world,
see http://www.oceanweather.com/data.