Newport to Ensenada Race

This annual race down the coast of SoCal from Newport Beach to Ensenada, Mexico is one of if not the largest races in the world each year. The 57th edition, with 460 boats competing, took place last weekend.

Reminded me of sailing the race as a guest of the organizers, Newport Ocean Sailing Assn (NOSA), yikes, 15 years ago while we were living in San Diego.

Here is a picture courtesy of our good friend Peter Huston (Buffalo, NY) that he recently dug up from god only knows where. Peter is in the then-cool white sunglasses. The gentleman aft of him is the late Ray Wallace, whom Peter says was a legendary navigator on the west coast.

The boat was the modified Swan 57 Ms. Blu owned by Harry Thommason, who didn't even make the trip because he was in China at the time. "That's probably the best borrowed boat deal I ever organized," says Peter.

Can you identify the "most-trusted" helmsman?