Planning and prepping

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• Fishing Report: Small margin decides bass tourney

  Fishing Report: Small margin decides bass tourney

  The finish of Saturday’s American Bass Pacific Region tournament at Cachuma Lake was as close as it gets as 17-hundredths of a pound separated the top three teams in the 29-team field.

  “We’re not accustomed to winning,” chuckled Sol-vang’s Scott Lamberton, who with teammate John Flynn nipped the veteran duo of Gene Gray and Jay Short by 12-hundredths of a pound.

  Lamberton assured he and his partner could get use to winning especially when Saturday’s payday amounted to $3,240.

• Viewpoint: Morro Bay hilltop deserves to be saved

  Viewpoint: Morro Bay hilltop deserves to be saved

  It has come to my attention and to my great concern that there are controversial plans to build a private residence on the historic Eagle Rock in Morro Bay.

  After decades of losing so many of Morro Bay’s natural emblems to the ravages of loosely supervised development, Eagle Rock exceptionally remains one of the few most naturally beautiful sites still recognizable in the city of Morro Bay. This profoundly striking rocky prominence remains, as it has for centuries, one of the most distinctive images of Morro Bay today, proven by the archaeological traces of the Chumash culture and its consistent presence in the many historic images of the city. Eagle Rock, with its crown of eucalyptus trees, can be commonly found centering both the patina-tinted, historic black and white photographs of long ago as well as the many oil and pastel artist renderings of past and present.

  Clearly, local residents and tourists alike attach, and have always attached, Eagle Rock to the identity of the city and its heritage.

• Off-the-beaten path in Maui

  Off-the-beaten path in Maui

  Sample the cream puffs at a historic Japanese bakery.

• Morro Bay campground hangs by a strand

  Morro Bay campground hangs by a strand

  It’s not much to look at — a thin strip of 84 no-frills campsites nestled between the beach and the residential area of north Morro Bay.

  Even so, the campground at Morro Strand State Beach has a loyal following. Its main attractions are the scenic environs of Estero Bay and three miles of sparkling beaches to play on.

  But the campground is set to close July 1 — at the height of the summer tourist season — a victim of the state budget crisis and the need to cut $22 million over two years from the State Parks Department budget.

• On that day, the wind fed the flames

  On that day, the wind fed the flames

  It was windy, hot and dry on Oct. 20, 1991 at Alameda Naval Air Station near Oakland. We kept the cargo door open for the entire duration of our flight in our Navy H-3 Sea King helicopter as we practiced hovering near the Golden Gate Bridge.

  On most days, hovering near the iconic, international orange-painted symbol of San Francisco meant keeping the helicopter pointed toward the Pacific Ocean as the persistent westerly (onshore) winds blew toward the inland valleys. However, on that Sunday morning, we kept the helicopter pointed to the East Bay as gusting easterly (offshore) winds buffeted our aircraft.

  Reaching the end of a long Navy Reserve drill weekend — and wanting to see the 49ers game at Candlestick Park — we headed back to the base. We made our final approach to the runway and noticed smoke coming from the Oakland Hills.