The Harbor Column -- Mike Whitehead

Ahoy.

The California Department of Fish and Game Commission has decided to

extend the nearshore fishery management plan (NFMP) until August. This

extra eight months will provide time for an independent scientific review

panel to consider public comments and suggestions. The plan is to rewrite

the NFMP so that it is easier to understand. Public comments will be

accepted again on April 4 and April 5 at a commission meeting in Long

Beach.

Additionally, there will be two public hearings held in May with the

adoption of the plan in August at the San Luis Obispo meeting. If you

have not read this plan, which I have mentioned in a previous column,

then do so at o7 www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/nfmpf7 or you can contact Maura

Leos at (831) 649-2829 for more information.

There are two more important meetings this month, and the first is my

Marine Committee meeting at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Newport Beach

Chamber of Commerce’s conference room. The second meeting is an eelgrass

mitigation policy workshop. The workshop is to solicit input relating to

the proposed Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy. It will be

held at 10 a.m. Jan. 29 at the NMFS office (501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite

4200, Long Beach).

***

What some people are thinking never ceases to amaze me. In West

Virginia, someone is pretending to be the Coast Guard with his

approximately 20-foot gray boat. Supposedly, he has painted Coast Guard

on the hull and has been seen by other boaters. Now how do you hide a

boat painted in such a manner? It seems to me that someone would notice

that boat at a dock or on a trailer being towed down the highway. Let’s

hope he stays back East, but to spot a fake Coast Guard vessel, look for

the official numbers that start with the vessel’s size and for the proper

flags being displayed. If you think that a boat looks suspicious, then

radio the Coast Guard on channel 16. Remember in these times of war, keep

your eyes open.

***

I had received a considerable amount of e-mail responding to the true

name of the Santana winds. Yes, to begin, it is Santana winds and not

Santa Ana winds. Most of the confusion is because of the improper

pronunciation by the media, especially the weather people on the

television news and the radio news shows. However, even some local

newspapers and magazines have printed the wrong name.

Many of you asked why the winds are usually hot and dry as they blow

over the area. When there is a high-pressure system east of the

mountains, toward, for example Nevada, and a low-pressure system off our

coast, the winds will blow high- to low-pressure, hence the northerly or

easterly direction.

Now comes the interesting part. Most people think that the winds are

heated by blowing over the hot desert, but that is wrong. The winds

become dry as they rise in elevation to blow over the cooler

mountaintops. When the air cools, it cannot hold as much moisture vapor,

commonly known as humidity, which causes the winds to become dryer. Just

look at your bathroom mirror after taking a hot shower to see the

moisture fallout.

Now, part two: The winds become heated when the air molecules come

smashing (for the lack of a better word) down this side of the mountain,

creating fiction that produces the heat. Now, the winds continue on their

path to find the low pressure. But will the winds make it to the low

center? Probably not before losing the ride against friction again.

So, in summary, the winds are dry due to a loss of water vapor in the

cooler mountain elevation, and the winds are warm do to the friction of

the molecules, with heat as a byproduct.

It’s important for boaters to know weather patterns for a safe day of

boating.

***

Tip of the week: Check your man-overboard throwable device as most

boats are required to have a ring buoy with a line attached to the buoy.

Well, where is it and is it ready to use without the line being

tangled? Remember to toss the buoy underhanded over the person’s head

pulling the buoy back to the unintentional swimmer. Also, you can keep a

spare life jacket or a floatable seat cushion by the skipper to throw,

too.

Take a moment and think about what to do on your boat if someone falls

overboard. And do not forget, what if the skipper falls overboard -- is

there anyone aboard who would know what to do?

Lastly, a few people have drowned because everyone dove overboard to

go swimming and they had forgotten to lower the swim ladder to climb back

in the yacht.

Safe voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send him

your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions via e-mail

to o7 [email protected] or o7 https://www.BoathouseTV.comf7 .