MIKE WHITEHEAD -- The Harbor Column

Ahoy.

April means different things to different people -- like making that

last minute tax-filing deadline -- but to me, April means the Newport to

Ensenada Yacht Race and Clean Harbor Day.

The Newport to Ensenada race is the largest international yacht race

in the world, and again, I see my name listed along with other prominent

names in the area as an advisory committee member in the Ensenada Race’s

official magazine. I have to admit it is an honorary position that allows

me to attend the VIP functions, and grateful as I am to be so

highlighted, it is the work of many at the Newport Ocean Sailing

Association (NOSA) that makes this race successful.

On Saturday, I was teaching a new boat owners class in San Francisco

Bay and I missed the first race event that day at Lido Marina Village. It

featured classic boats and cars on display, a Parrot Head party and a

variety of bands, including Newport’s most famous singing gondolier, Jim

Mahoney, and his band.

I will not miss the next event, which is open to the public. The

noontime Yachtsman Luncheon is this Thursday at the Balboa Pavilion. The

luncheon is hosted by the Marine Committee of the Newport Harbor Area

Chamber of Commerce, which I chair, hence my name being listed in the

race magazine.

There will be two speakers at the luncheon, the first an expert from

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who will give some

weather tips. Then, one of Roy Disney’s Pyewacket Transpac team members

will give a Transpac history with footage produced by Leslie DeMeuse and

Roy Disney. Last week, I interviewed Disney in his office on the Disney

Studio lot for my next Boathouse TV show. He is an avid sailor who has

also sailed the Ensenada Race.

Everyone knows that the night before the race, Thursday, there is the

annual pre-race fiesta at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club where it is

shoulder-to-shoulder and standing room only. I may swing by this year,

but I promised to take my wife out for her birthday to a place that is a

bit more intimate.

The next morning comes too soon for a few who stayed late at the

fiesta, but the start is at noon just outside the jetties. For the second

year, there will be three starting lines to speed up the starting

sequence, and at the finish, there will be a new laser beam to aid

sailors finishing at night. As I know from sailing into Ensenada at

night, that area is very dark with few navigational aids, so I am

interested in how far away the beam will be visible.

A few years ago, I was one of the trophy presenters at the awards

ceremony held at Ensenada’s Bahia Hotel, and sitting next to me was Lt.

j.g. Blake Novak, who was the past Commanding Officer of U.S. Coast Guard

Point Stuart stationed in Newport. Many of you know him and will be

interested in knowing that he has left the Coast Guard to become a

private yacht captain, something that I may have inspired as he helped me

with a few yacht deliveries.

The new commanding officer of Point Stuart, who I have personally

known since the beginning of his tour, is Lt. j.g. Eric Reeter. Reeter is

a very dedicated and excellent boater. He, too, will be leaving us soon

as his change of command ceremony is 10 a.m. on Thursday, and he will be

missed on the water as he rides off on his Harley.

Also this coming weekend is the 21st annual Clean Harbor Day at the

Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, which is co-sponsored by the museum, the

city of Newport Beach, and the chamber’s marine committee.

On Saturday, come join in from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the museum. There

is something for everyone, from the beach cleanup to exhibits to food.

For those of you cleaning up on Balboa Peninsula, between Edgewater and

Bay Island who usually do not make it over to the museum, well, Gay

Wassall-Kelly has informed me there will be a “will work for food” party

with a brunch.

So, it looks like I may have to stop by to see how the brunch -- I

mean how the cleanup -- is going at Balboa.

Safe Voyages.