Tacking into Clear Bay Area Air Quality

When we think of clear, clean, fresh air the first thing that comes to mind is sailing on San Francisco Bay. Apparently that’s also true for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. When we looked out the window this morning, we once again saw a distressingly thick haze. It didn’t look like a good morning to open the windows and breathe in fresh air. We dialed in to the handy Bay Area Air Quality Management District website to get some actual scientific data. While waiting for the page to load we saw the background graphics showing the BAAQMD ideal image of a beautiful day. It’s the same as ours.

They know all those wind-powered vessels have no tailpipe emissions, are enjoying a beautiful day, and aren’t contributing (much) to the problem. The fires are devastating, causing damage for many far beyond poor air quality. Lightning strikes, low rainfall and numerous other factors all conspire to create the conditions for such a conflagration. However, we have to believe that lower carbon emissions, more wind power and more sailing could only help ease the strain on a burdened planet. And on a burdened population.

We’re hoping for the best for all those in the ‘line of fire.’ Once again we thank the first responders, many of whom remain in the thick of pandemic responsibilities. We’re also hoping the weekend air is clear enough so that those with access can find some relief sailing on the Bay.

It looks like another challenging fire season, but we hope everyone can stay safe and find a way to take a sailing break this weekend. The big questions are which mask to wear — the pandemic mask or the smoke mask? And which way do you tack for clear air?