A Stormy Date for Santa Barbara
Guess what! We had the same stormy weather here a century ago today. December 4, 1919 was a day that made a lot of sailors unhappy in the Santa Barbara Channel. "The ocean was running rough yesterday morning, and during the afternoon the wind was from the southeast which may indicate a storm that will endanger the safety of the small fishing boats that are in the harbor."
Coincidentally, it had also been stormy on December 4, 1602 when Sebastian Vizcaino sailed past our area. His ship weathered the storm safely, and he decided that Saint Barbara, whose name was on the Christian calendar for that date, had saved his ship so he gave her name to our area. (Image: Wikimedia)
This story and more than 200 others from 1919 are yours to keep and enjoy in my newly published Way Back When: Santa Barbara in 1919 - The Best Stories of the Year - available in Santa Barbara bookstores and gift stores (and at Amazon.com if you live outside the area).