The fleet in the BOC Challenge, a single-handed round-the-world sailing race, is expected to be in Sydney, Australia, before Christmas. And for American Steve Pettengill, the leg from Cape Town across the Roaring 40s of the southern ocean have been especially challenging.
Earlier this month, a part of the rig on Hunter's Child broke, and Pettengill was in danger of losing the mast overboard. At the time of the breakage, Pettengill had been making 13 knots under reefed main and jib in 30- to 40-knot winds and heavy seas.
It took Pettengill 22 hours to repair the damage -- a rigging rod snapped 46 feet up the mast -- by using double strands of heavy rope and a cockpit winch.
At the time, Pettengill was in second place, behind Isabelle Autissier of France. However, Autissier lost the mast on her boat 12 hours before Pettengill encountered problems.
While Autissier was continuing with a jury-rigged spinnaker pole as a mast and Pettengill was putting Hunter's Child together again, Christoph Augin of France moved into the lead. Pettengill's shore team said that with the rig repaired, Hunter's Child should be able to make up much of Augin's lead by the time the boats reach Sydney.
Striped bass permits up
DNR's Tidewater Administration reports that more than 155,000 recreational striped bass permits were sold this year, compared with 145,000 last year.
House committee disbands
The House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, a congressional focal point for maritime issues since 1887, has been disbanded. The committee and its five subcommittees -- Coast Guard and Navigation, Environment and Natural Resources, Fisheries Management, Merchant Marine and Oceanography -- will be farmed out to three separate committees.
Break in sika deer season
The sika deer season at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge will close Friday and reopen on Jan. 2 for one more week of hunting. Hunt splits are Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday. For information on hunting Chincoteague NWR, call (804) 336-6122.