SIGHTINGS “I’d wanted to talk with them since Strictly Sail in April but didn’t know how to reach them,” Welther related. When he saw them at Kinko’s, he knew his time had come, so he invited the Pardeys to tour the Spaulding Center, just a block away on Gate Five Road. Knowing how antsy Larry gets while she’s on the computer, Lin suggested he take Welther up continued in middle column of next sightings page
dunes — cont’d hulled research vessel capable of working 24/7 and housing a group of scientists for up to a week at a time offshore. As you can see by the graphic on this page, this won’t be your father’s fathom-lines-type mapping, but spectacular computer-enhanced graphics that reveal the ‘unseen’ topography of the state. Director of the project is Rikk Kvitek of the Cal State Monterey Bay Seafloor Mapping Lab. Other members of the mapping consortium are from the USGS, California Geological Survey, Fugro Pelagos International and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. For more on the project, log onto http://seafloor.csumb.edu. — jr
moorea puddle jumper rendezvous As this year’s fleet of Pacific Puddle Jumpers reach French Polynesian cybercafés, photos and anecdotes are trickling in for our annual PPJ Recap article. Among them is this shot of former Bay Area sailor Uwe Dobers and his crewman, Max Genauzeau, enjoying a celebratory mouthful of Underberg as they crossed the Equator. For the uninitiated, this unique Swiss aperitif, while containing 44% alcohol, is also said to contain extracts of aromatic herbs from 43 countries which aid digestion and relaxation — while its quantity of B1 vitamin is sufficient to break down its own alcohol content! Although we can’t imagine that it quenched Sailing aboard the Peter- their thirst, Max (left) and Uwe enjoyed an son 44 Magnum, Uwe and aromatic toast as they entered the South Max made the 3,100-mile Pacific en route to Fatu Hiva. passage from Manzanillo to Fatu Hiva (Marquesas) in 21 days. The skipper’s wife, Anne Crowley, and four-year-old daughter, Cara, opted out of the crossing, but have recently rejoined the boat. In their preCara days, Uwe and Anne cruised extensively through the Western Pacific in a 52-ft gaff-rigged yawl. The Magnum crew, along with many other Class of ‘07 Puddle Jumpers, are expected to participate in the Tahiti Tourisme Cup July 7 at Moorea. This free event, which features a cruise-in-company, outrigger canoe races and traditional music and dancing, will be put on by the local goverment for the express purpose of welcoming this year’s fleet to the islands. - at
mysterious death of a solo sailor As far as we know, all who attempted the 3,000-mile crossing from North America to French Polynesia arrived relatively unscathed — except one. British singlehander Mark Penny set out from La Paz on Saturday night, April 21, but never made it out of the Sea of Cortez. Due to a series of mysterious events which still have yet to be unraveled, his Westsail 32 Smiles to Go was found the next day, grounded on a beach and full of water, roughly 15 miles north of La Paz. According to second-hand reports, it was not until three days later that local authorities discovered Penny's body behind the jammed door of continued on outside column of next sightings page
June, 2007 •
Latitude 38
• Page 113
COURTESY MAGNUM
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