Latitude 38 Magazine

11/23/2024

For 20 years, a dedicated group of parents and coaches in Ensenada have been teaching kids to sail and race in a fleet of donated boats and equipment. Asociación de Vela de Baja California, A. C. has been producing incredible results and growing both youth and adult sailing.

But as a grassroots, shoestring-budget organization, they need a little help from the community.

For 20 years, the Asociación de Vela has been teaching kids to sail and race in a fleet of donation boats and equipment and volunteer labor.

11/23/2024

To our knowledge, coyotes don’t live on Angel Island. Deer, raccoons, other small animals and rodents? Sure. We’ve all seen some of those. But coyotes? That’s a new idea. But according to an article in Bay Nature, coyotes have inhabited the island since around 2017. The story refers to a sighting by a California State Parks (CSP) employee who said she saw a coyote “on the lawn of the Parks staff residences.” Her claim was dismissed, until another employee said he saw one scampering off into the bushes as he rounded a corner on his bike. Within a year of this second sighting, Parks employees began hearing the coyotes. And, as often happens, this news brought more information to light.

Coyotes have arrived on Angel Island and their presence appears to be altering the island's established ecosystem.

11/22/2024

Island Yacht Club’s Island Days midwinter series got off to an exciting start on Sunday, November 10.

As skippers began to check in via radio, some questioned if they’d make the start in the very light wind conditions. Twenty-eight boats registered for the race, and they all made it. The wind shifted and began to pick up right at the start. There was a bit of bumper-boat action providing a rocky start for some, but not the Columbia 5.5s.

Island Yacht Club’s Island Days Mid-Winter series got off to an exciting start on November 10, with the Columbia 5.5s bringing the wind.

11/22/2024

In this month's Changes in Latitudes: "'Dogfish' Returns After a Two-Year Cruising Hiatus" by Marga Pretorius.

I'm anchored at the edge of Bahia de las Animas in the northern Sea of Cortez. This area has been considered a place of spirits by many centuries of travelers and residents. There is undeniably something special here, light filtering through stacked hills, zephyrs swirling down broken coastlines, coyotes howling to clear night skies, faint morning mists that nip at the edges of rocky points. It is a place of whale breaths and whipping currents, bookended by neighbors aptly named Guardian Angel Island, and Leave if You Can Island. Outside, the sea comes alive in splashes and light, pulses of bioluminescence as bait balls boil around me, fish in a frantic attempt to feed and not be feed, an orchestra of a thousand mouths on the water's surface.

"An update? Well my off-script, non-sequitur cruising journey has continued in strong adherence to its adjectives. This July marked 10 years since I first bought 'Dogfish', back when I was an unwrinkled 27-year-old, thinking that this boat seemed bigger and more complicated than any I could imagine owning; back when my then-partner and I were dreaming about fixing her up for a two-year cruise. This December will mark eight years since I sailed under the Golden Gate, and this January will be five years since I have been going at it singlehanded.

"I have not been sailing for most of the time since I last checked in with LATITUDE in fall 2022. Back then, I was hauling 'Dogfish' out once more at Cabrales Boatyard to pickle her while I started a work stint on my then-newish business as a traveling marine surveyor specializing in cruising boats. It turns out this mouthful of a niche business has been a perfect fit for me, with my love of sailboats, shipwrighting, cruising, and writing. What initially started as a three-month work stint extended into the better part of two years."

Read the full story by Marga of the Kelly-Peterson 44 'Dogfish' in LATITUDE 38 right now. Brave the elements and go grab yourself a copy, or click here: https://www.latitude38.com/issues/november-2024/ #80

11/21/2024

The fifth season of SailGP will start this coming weekend in Dubai. Getting back on board TeamUSA as flight controller is US Olympic bronze medalist Hans Henken. He was last on board with Jimmy Spithill in seasons 3 and 4 before being injured and stepping aside to recover and pursue an Olympic medal in the 49er class. Henken and skipper Ian Barrows succeeded in bringing home a bronze!

SailGP gets back onto, or over, the water this weekend in Dubai.

11/21/2024

Tune into the Good Jibes podcast as we chat with Holly and Katie Scott about creating group sailing memories to last a lifetime. Holly and Katie are the mother-daughter team behind Mahalo Sailing Adventures, an international sailing company that provides woman-run adventures. Their business is the culmination of a lifetime of travel, sailing, and adventure.

This week we chat with Holly and Katie Scott of Mahalo Sailing Adventures to chat about creating group sailing memories to last a lifetime.

11/21/2024

Saturday, November 9, saw the first in a series of three races that make up San Diego Yacht Club's Hot Rum series. Sailor/photographer Bob Betancourt was on the water to capture the action. And he did so in great photographic style.

“It was the downwind leg,” Bob tells us. “If I remember correctly it was about 10 to 15 knots. The weather was great for some good racing.”

Saturday November 9 saw the first in a series of three races that make up San Diego Yacht Club's Hot Rum series.

11/20/2024

The world is watching. Whale safety is at the forefront of people’s minds around the globe. The yachting community is in a prime position to make a difference and use knowledge and technology to lead the way in preventing whale strikes. Learn how you can do your part in whale protection.

This roundtable of experts will cover topics like:

What does it mean that whales are endangered?
What are typical whale habitats?
How can vessels find/avoid whales?
How can the yachting industry contribute to preserving whales?

Whales are in the spotlight with the upcoming Online Round Table 'Whale Avoidance' event on December 4. Learn how you can do your part in whale protection.

11/19/2024

The SF Bay Singlehanded Sailing Society ran their final regatta of the 2024 season on hot, sunny October 5-6. Richard vonEhrenkrook and his Cal 20 'Can O’Whoopass' won the singlehanded race to Vallejo YC overall on Saturday.

“Conditions were precisely as forecast, and exactly not so,” says Richard, rather mysteriously. “It therefore wasn’t the drifter expected, but a supremely technical race, demanding constant perfect trim, good decisions, and occasional good luck. Saturday’s start at the Bob Klein buoy (near Southampton Shoal) featured a decent 6-8 knots from the NNW, with the fleet splitting between port tack to Richmond, taken by Scott Easom’s J/100 'Eight Ball' and Bren Meyer’s Wyliecat 30 'Uno', and hard left on starboard, looking for the flood lane, taken by Fred Paxton on the Alerion Express 28 'Zenaida.'”

The Singlehanded Sailing Society ran their final regatta of the 2024 season on hot, sunny October 5-6 amid light air and glassy waters.

11/19/2024

Right now on 'Lectronic Latitude: '30th Annual Baja Ha-Ha Photos Come Rolling In'

December is almost here, the Baja Ha-Ha has ended, and we’re again rushing to piece the story together from the almost 120 boats that left San Diego. From what we’ve heard, it sounds like one of the most idyllic Baja Ha-Ha’s ever.

We have lots of photos!

Click 'Latest 'Lectronic Latitude Blog' to read the story.

11/19/2024

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LIKE THIS: N O T ❗

11/18/2024

Did you notice the uber-high waters this weekend? Woody Skoriak wanted to stop by his favorite waterfront café in Sausalito on Saturday, and had to navigate the floods due to this month’s king tides.

“Johnny Cash’s song ‘Five Feet High and Rising’ was about waters rising and flooding on a farm … 2-ft high and rising, then 3-ft, 4-ft and eventually 5-ft,” Woody wrote. “Those same lyrics might have described Saturday’s king tide for November, which in this case was 7-ft high … and rising.”

Did you notice the uber-high waters during this weekend's king tides? Woody Skoriak wanted to stop by his favorite café and had to navigate the flood.

11/18/2024

Out now in the November issue of LATITUDE 38: 'If Dustin Can do it … Singlehanded Cruiser' By Dennis Maggard:

I was returning to the dinghy landing when I met a young man who was just coming ashore. From a distance I saw him land, tie up his boat, then hop up onto the landing. He was putting on his knapsack as I approached, and something about his movements seemed asymmetrical.

"I'm Dustin," he introduced himself.

He had just arrived from Hawaii by way of Pago Pago and appeared to be going
solo. "Singlehanding?" I asked.

"Literally," he replied.

He was in his late 30s, solo-sailing his Alberg 35 'Rudis'. Yet he had no problem stepping ashore and tying up his dinghy. His composure seemed completely at ease, calm, and remarkably self-assured.

Read all about the extraordinary Dustin Reynolds — who's written for L38 and been a guest on Good Jibes — in this month's LATITUDE. Treat yourself to a walk along your local waterfront, where you can always find an always-free LATITUDE 38. Or click here: https://www.latitude38.com/issues/november-2024/ #52

11/18/2024

The August issue’s Max Ebb, which discussed yacht club libraries, rekindled memories for Bill 'Noodle' Leary:

"In 1986, my wife Alison and I cruised through the South Pacific aboard our Ranger 33, 'Eleu'. One of our stops was Suwarrow Atoll in the Cook Islands. I had read Tom Neale’s book, 'An Island to Oneself', about his 16 years of solitude there, in preparation for our visit. Tom had passed away nearly a decade earlier, and I looked forward to exploring his iconic island."

While cruising the South Pacific in 1986, Bill and Allison Leary came across a memorial for author Tom Neale, along with his well maintained house..

11/17/2024

Hope you're keeping things on an even keel this weekend, LATITUDE NATION!

11/16/2024

It’s a wrap. The 30th annual Baja Ha-Ha started on a brilliant, sunny Monday and pretty much took that weather all the way south to Cabo. The breeze was light; the sailing, fishing, surfing and harbor gatherings were all good. There were challenges such as overland travel from the remote Bahia Santa Maria to get all 360 passports stamped, but it miraculously worked out.

There’s much more to tell, but we thought we’d share a glimpse, starting with the menu from the always-excellent fishing. There was fine dining from the bounty of the sea all the way to Cabo.

It doesn't get much better than this. The 30th annual Baja Ha-Ha cruising rally to Mexico hit it out of the Bazeball park.

11/16/2024

Local sailor and friend of Latitude John 'Woody' Skoriak happened to be in Sausalito and bumped into Dave Gissendaner (Diver Dave) of Dave’s Diving Services. Woody tells us Dave’s divers and the crew from Parker Diving Service have been removing, and towing to a temporary anchorage, the last of Richardson Bay’s anchor-out boats. Woody shares an update of the situation.

The last of Sausalito's anchor-outs are being removed from Richardson Bay with authorities intending to regulate and enforce the Special Federal Anchorage.

11/14/2024

Join us for daily chats with the crew of Profligate as they head south on the 30th Baja Ha-Ha rally to Mexico.