THE HARBOR COLUMN:

The seas are flat from Newport Harbor all the way up to the Bering Sea with swells reported at 2- to 3-foot heights.

Wow, what a perfect time to be heading uphill on a voyage, but can you guess the point on the coast that might be a little problematic?

As usual, the answer is Point Conception with a mixed set less than 6 feet and winds gusting to 25 knots. As I checked Point Conception on Thursday morning, the seas were already 5.6 feet with 21 knots sustained winds and gusts to 23 knots.

Ouch.

However, for our local waters, you can expect mixed swells maxing at 3 feet with light winds, but watch for patchy fog in the early morning hours.

Any high clouds and humidity will be from Tropical Storm Hernan as it moves slowly in the Pacific south of Baja. I will be watching the swells on Lake Arrowhead this weekend, where I will be broadcasting my radio show Saturday from our Lake Arrowhead Studio.

Once again, my call is going out to the fishermen for the annual Make-A-Wish Tuna Challenge. The 2007 challenge raised $350,000. I do have a caveat that I am a media sponsor, but Chandler Bell and I participate in the fishing tournament every year when we board the Rhumb Punch, Maritime Institute’s training vessel. Also onboard will be Ray Tsuneyoshi, the state’s Boating & Waterways Director, and Maritime’s president, Rags Laragione, for the fishing weekend.

Since 1991, this has grown to become the largest tuna tournament in the continental United States. The tournament is based out of San Diego Harbor, but do not let that stop anyone from the Newport Harbor from participating.

Tip of the week is thanks to the American Legion Post 291 located on the Balboa Peninsula for voting me in as a son of the American Legion recently. This post is a fine example of how the Newport Area shows gratitude to those who made the personal sacrifice to allow us to live in this free country.

I encourage everyone to support the American Legion and be proud of the donations that the post gives to the military service personnel such as to the wounded soldiers.

Remember to tune in every Saturday at 11 a.m. to “Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show” broadcasting from our studios inside Angel Stadium on KLAA-AM (830) blasting with 50,000 watts to Southern California.

Safe voyages.

MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating columnist. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathousetv.com or go to www.boathousetv.com.