Ready Lanes - Otay Mesa

The United States Customs and Border Protection agency has opened the new “Ready Lane” 

at the Otay Mesa port of entry for individuals who have a travel document enabled with RFID

technology. (Map for driving instructions to Otay Mesa)

The new lane is dedicated for vehicle traffic with occupants possessing an RFID-enabled travel document, such as the U.S. Passport Card, SENTRI card, the new Legal Permanent Resident “green card” and the new Border Crossing Card.

The Ready Lane can also be used by a group of travelers in one vehicle who may have different kinds of RFID-enabled travel documents. The RFID-enabled cards together with the new Ready Lane will allow officers to screen travelers faster, said Chris Maston, director of field operations for CBP in San Diego.


(The Ready Lane explained)


What is RFID Technology?

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology refers to systems that allow information contained in a wireless device or "tag" to be read from a distance. The technology has been commercially available in one form or another since the 1970s. It is now part of our daily lives and can be found in car keys, employee identification cards, medical history/billing, highway toll tags, and security access cards. The United States Government uses RFID technology for border management and has encouraged states to enhance their driver's licenses and identification documents in order to both satisfy WHTI requirements and facilitate the processing of cross-border traffic.

RFID at the Borders

For border management, "vicinity RFID technology" is used. This means an RFID-enabled document can be securely and accurately read by authorized readers from between 10 and 15 feet away, as a traveler approaches inspection lanes at the border. As the RFID chip is read, it signals a database to display biographical information, a photo, and the results of terrorist/criminal checks to the CBP officer as the vehicle pulls up to the inspection booth. No personal information is stored on or transmitted from the card – only a number which points to the information housed in the secure database – meeting the most stringent requirements for safeguarding personal data.

While RFID technology expedites cross-border traffic, it does NOT replace face-to-face interactions between officers and travelers. Instead, it allows officers to focus even greater time and attention on each individual in a vehicle in order to verify that they are the rightful holder of the document presented.

Which documents are RFID-Enabled?

• U.S. Passport Card
• Trusted Traveler Program cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST)
• Enhanced Driver's Licenses from issuing (Michigan, New York, Vermont and Washington)
• New Border Crossing Card
• New Permanent Resident Card (green card)

DON'T EVEN THINK OF TRYING THIS

CLICK ON IMAGE

How to get an 80' rig through the 65' bridges of the Intracoastal Waterway using two tons of water. The balls get swung out with an initial turn to port or stbd. The tendency then is for the roll to continue by itself, but is controlled by letting the bags out slowly with a line made off to each bag and running through necessary tackle to a cockpit winch.

Help Find Chiquita a New Home
She is extremely well behaved, rides in the car without problems, is very clean, doesn't bark, has no fleas and is in good health. Really a perfect, gentle companion. So if she is not for you, please spread the word and ask people who might be interested. We already have four dogs and really do not have room for more. Thank you for your consideration.

Contact Juergen:  Phone numbers are: 646 174 6713 (local) or  001 619 840 2163 ( U.S. cell.)

Mark Your Calendars
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The annual Baja Ha-Ha is a two-week cruisers rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, which takes place every fall. Dates for the 2011 event are October 23 to November 5.
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  All the Important Dates         Got Questions - check out the FAQ page         Entries-2011 Race

Don't forget that Saturday ....
is the Rosarito - Ensenada Bike Ride and traffic becomes gridlock. If you are headed south to Ensenada that day, plan to arrive in Ensenada no later than 10:00 a.m. and not via the Free Road. If you're headed north into Ensenada that day, use 9th Street. 

Southbound lanes in Rosarito are closed off around 7:00 a.m. Free Road (both directions) is closed to through traffic from about 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Transpeninsular right hand lane is closed from the toll booth on (southbound) --- traffic backs up from route 3, toll road, free road where all 3 come together for HOURS to allow for the alternate merge under police control.


Blvd Costero, all southbound lanes are closed from the entrance to Ensenada to about a block past the Corona Hotel (use 9th street if you're northbound --- if you're southbound, turnaround and go home. That closure starts around 10:00 a.m. and goes probably until 8:00 p.m.

And if you live within viewing distance of the road and can see us ride by, ring your cowbells and wave! More Information

America's Cup Update... 

At 160 years old, the America's Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport. The America's Cup has evolved into one of the world's leading sporting competitions -- featuring the best sailors on the world's fastest boats, the wing-sailed AC45 and AC72 catamarans.

The new America's Cup World Series opened its inaugural season in August 2011 and continues with events around the world. In the summer of 2013, the 34th America's Cup begins with the Louis Vuitton Cup July 4-September 1, followed by the America's Cup Finals September 7-22.

It's Wingsail Cats for a 2013 America's Cup!  Defender and Challenger reveal their 72-foot catamarans which are the yachts for 2013.  Racing will begin with three regattas in 2011 and more in 2012.  The Defense of the America's Cup itself takes place in San Francisco 2013.  

The America's Cup Challenger and Defender Selection Series will take place in July and August, 2013. The dates for the actual America's Cup Match, which will be a best of nine-series, are currently September 7-22, 2013.

For detailed information for the America's Cup visit this extremely informative web site.

Interested in ancient vessels? The Khufu ship is an intact full-size vessel from Ancient Egypt that was sealed into a pit in the Giza pyramid complex at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Giza around 2500 BC. The ship was almost certainly built for Khufu (King Cheops), the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt.

The Khufu ship is one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved vessels from antiquity. It actually measures 43.6 m (143 ft) long and 5.9 m (19.5 ft) wide. It was thus identified as the world's oldest intact ship and has been described as "a masterpiece of woodcraft" that could sail today if put into water. However, the vessel may not have been designed for sailing (no rigging) or paddling (no room).

You can add another name to the list of berries that are good for you. Blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, the goji. All are considered to have health-enhancing properties.

Now say hello to the haskap berry, from Nova Scotia, whose proponents claim it has three times the antioxidants of wild blueberries.

"Our want is to make Lunenburg County the centre of the haskap berry industry, just as Oxford is the blueberry capital of Nova Scotia," Logie Cassells told the Halifax Chronicle-Herald.

Cassells, a British financial consultant, is helping spearhead development of a haskap plantation on Nova Scotia land owned by LaHave Forests, Britain's largest timber distributor.

"The soil here is the best soil in the western world," said Cassells, now LaHave Forests' managing director.

LaHave has 243 hectares under cultivation on three farms and is seeking certification as a biodynamic operation, which means it uses no chemicals to build up the soil, only animal compost that graze on the land.

Haskap berries only grow in North America, Japan and Russia. Besides having three times the antioxidant levels of wild blueberries, they also have more vitamin C than an orange, and are ready to harvest two weeks before strawberries.

"And, at the end of the day, they taste good," said Cassells, adding haskaps tasted like a cross between a blueberry and a raspberry.

They are sold mainly in Japan, where they're prized for helping maintain eternal youth. Haskaps sell $30 per 500 grams and are given as high-end gifts, either as a wine or jam.

According to Cassells, Lunenburg County is ideal for raising the haskap plants, with a long growing season and no requirement for irrigation, yet the plants are hardy enough to survive Canadian winters.

Local foodies are already jumping on the haskap bandwagon.

The Wooden Monkey restaurant in Halifax uses the berries to make a fruit crisp, Nicki's Inn in Chester, N.S., developed a haskap berry cheesecake and Ironworks Distillery in Lunenburg will launch a haskap vodka later this year.

Hola Cruisers,


Check out the new recipe that has been added to the "Recipe" page on the Ensenada Cruisers web site. Submitted by Gail aboard the MV/Wanderer. Her scrumptious Pumpkin Pie Cake was a big hit at the Pot Luck party held at the Coral last Friday evening.

It's that time of year we need to increase our body fat content 

for the winter months ahead!

An invite to all the Ensenada Cruisers.

The Coral Hotel Marina is having an end of the summer Pot Luck party this Friday, September 16/2011. Bring a dish to share, come and mingle with your fellow boaters within the marine community.Being held in the BBQ area, near the marina office, from 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm.

RE: Happy Hour - The Orleans Cafe - 5:30pm


Hola Cruisers,

 

The Director of International Affairs, Ensenada, who is very involved in the Tourism business promoting Ensenada within 

USA, will be at the Orleans restaurant this Thursday evening.

He is very interested in our input and would like to explain what exactly what Ensenada has been doing to improve the image of this country to the general public in the USA

I suggested the Thursday Happy Hour might be an opportune time to have a meeting for discussion. Please give it your serious consideration to attend and be involved.

Paul Whitehead