October 2009 eBook all pages (free PDF, 36.6 - Latitude 38

SPREAD: LATITUDE / ANDY; INSET: COURTESY EMERALD STAR
SIGHTINGS
Page 82 • Latitude 38 • October, 2009
coincidence — cont’d puddle jump
Capt. Larry Hall that his ravings had singlehandedly changed that
policy. True or not, since that time, we’ve rarely received a complaint
against the Coast Guard. More often than not, we get letter after letter
commending them for assisting mariners in need.
So imagine our concern when, in a period of just a couple days,
we received no fewer than three less-than-sterling reviews of recent
Coast Guard interactions, all of which involved the racing community.
The first, and most disturbing, episode occurred on August 25 during
a Sausalito YC Beer Can race. After the start of the race, PRO Jeff
Zarwell says he realized he’d forgotten to bring the ‘anchor yanker’
for the marks. He was operating the safety boat for the race, so he
radioed the signal boat that he was returning to Schoonmaker Point
Marina to pick it up — a trip that should have taken 10 minutes.
Zarwell reports that as soon as he entered Richardson Bay, a RIB
from the Coast Guard vessel Pike began trailing him. Shortly before
arriving at the marina, a ‘mayday’ was called on the race channel,
VHF 71. According to Zarwell, neither he nor the signal boat received
any other information, just the ‘mayday’. “When I waved the RIB
over and told them I’d received a mayday, they said ‘We didn’t hear
continued on outside column of next sightings page
While few Puddle Jump boats are this
elegant, they all reach the same dramatic
Polynesian landfalls.
the Panama YC (dates TBA). Officially
registered fleet members (see www.pacificpuddlejump.com)
will be profiled in the
magazine. And thanks to our friends at
the Tahiti YC, they'll likely be offered a
special exemption from having to pay
the normal entrance bond — a savings
of roughly $1,500 per person. You must
register, however, before February 20.
On the back end, we're working with
Tahiti Tourisme and other partners to cohost
another Tahiti-Moorea Sailing Rendezvous
on June 18-20 — a free three-day
gathering to celebrate the fleet's successful
crossing, while introducing members
to Tahitian culture through traditional
sports, music, dance and cuisine.
In addition, we'll be hosting three upcoming
Puddle Jump seminars: 1) At the
San Diego West Marine (1250 Rosecrans)