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March 25 - April 28, 2022
Search Underway in Mexico to Find Marina del Rey Boat Owner Bill Austin missing since last weekend B y S am C atanzaro
When a Marina del Rey man’s boat ran ashore in Baja California last weekend, only his dog was on board the craft. A search is now underway to locate the man Bill Austin, who his friends say had anchored his boat on the north end of Isla Carmen, an island just off of Loreto in the Gulf of Mexico. The boat, a catamaran named “The Cat” was discovered beached about five miles south of Loreto, Scott LaMay, commodore of the Pacific Mariners Yacht Club to which Austin belonged, told the Los Angeles Time. The boat wasn’t damaged, both engines worked and the sails were down, according to LaMay. When boaters who shared Austin’s boat dock in Marina del Rey found out what happened, they started reaching out to find help in Baja. A search party was formed, but rough seas caused them to call it off early Saturday night, March 12. By Sunday, three boats and two planes, in addition to the Coast Guard,
were searching the area. On Tuesday morning, Mexican officials said Austin still had not been located. “The search and rescue continues,” said Enrique Hernandez Brandi, of Loreto’s Civil Protection, in Spanish. LaMay said Austin’s disappearance has devastated the local boating community. “Always willing to help, always had a smile on his face,” LaMay said of Austin to the Times. “The nicest guy that you’d ever meet.” LaMay thinks Austin may have fallen overboard and was unable to get back on his Catamaran. Strong winds were recorded in the area at the time. Austin’s dog, named Stogie, is now with a friend, according to Mariners Club members. Austin is described as 60 years old, with blue eyes, brown hair and weighs 155 pounds. Austin has been in Mexico since November when he sailed to Baja for the Baja Ha-Ha Race, an annual race from San Diego to Cabo. He decided to stay awhile, to enjoy the area and have his boat painted. Before he went missing, he was sailing to La Paz to pick up crew members and head back to Marina del Rey. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Civil Protection authorities in Loreto at +526121679946.
Bill Austin’s California ID.
Photo: Courtesy of Subsecretaría de Protección Civil BCS
Venice’s Muscle Beach Reopens After Three Year Closure New racks, benches and more B y S am C atanzaro Muscle Beach in Venice has reopened after a three years hiatus. On March 14, the iconic outdoor gym on the Venice Beach Boardwalk reopened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Located at 1800 Ocean Front Walk, the gym dates back to 1963 and has boasted some of the biggest names in bodybuilding, including Lou Ferrigno and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to the City, the park has been fitted with new racks, benches, machines, plates.
“The Muscle Beach community is excited, they’ve been pretty much calling us daily to find out when we’re going to open,” said Sonya Young-Jimenez, the superintendent over Venice Beach and the West Region for the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. “It’s perfect timing for spring. Everyone’s super excited, and Muscle Beach people are just ready to come back.” Membership rates at Muscle Beach range from $10 per day for a day pass to a $200 annual pass for adults. Weekly passes are $50 for access seven days a week. Senior rates, for 55 and older are also available at $5 for a daily pass, $25 for a weekly pass and $100 for an annual pass.