Proposal at Honeymoon Cove

April 22, 2011 – Sea of Cortez, Mexico

(Click on the photo to enlarge it.) The Sea of Cortez holds a wealth of magical anchorages where life in the mainstream seems a million miles away. Photo Courtesy Sterling © 2013 Latitude 38 Publishing, LLC

"After six months at sea on a 34-ft boat, I knew Byron was the only man for me," says Sausalito-based sailor Jessica Allen, who grew up around the famous racer Imp, owned by her uncle, Dave Allen.

After heading south last October aboard their sloop, Sterling, Jessica and boyfriend Byron Cleary spent several months lazily exploring the Sea of Cortez and, from the sound of her report, they loved every minute of it. But the morning of February 24 was definitely the highlight.

"On our fourth morning in the beautiful Honeymoon Cove on Isla Danzante (east of Puerto Escondido), Byron woke up unusually early and said he was going for a hike," she recalls. When he returned he insisted that Jessica come with him to their favorite "sunset-whale-watching lookout spot" at the top of a nearby hill. "As we approached the summit," she says, "I noticed an unusual pile of rocks I did not recognize from the previous evening. As I got closer, I realized that 'Will you marry me?' was written perfectly in a collection of small rocks." At first she thought it must have been left there by another pair of lovers, then it hit her: "I turned around very slowly and Byron was on his knee holding a ring that he had made for me out of stainless steel seizing wire — what a sailor!" Once she caught her breath, she spurted our an emphatic, "Yes! Of course I'll marry you!”

Trying to cruise on a small boat has broken many relationships. But doing so galvanized the bond between Byron and Jessica. Photo Courtesy Sterling © 2013 Latitude 38 Publishing, LLC

Bryon scored extra points for old-fashioned gentlemanliness, as he'd asked Jessica's father’s permission to propose before they headed south. We wish them both the best of luck. According to Jessica, the pair is in for a very long honeymoon: "It is because of this trip and our wonderful experience that we will be cruising for the rest of our lives."

- latitude / at

Laura Dekker is Galapagos-Bound

April 22, 2011 – Pacific Ocean

Laura Dekker, 15, has made it through the Panama Canal and is now bound for the Galapagos. Photo Courtesy Guppy © 2013 Latitude 38 Publishing, LLC

It's been awhile since our last report on Laura Dekker, the 15-year-old Dutch girl who wants to become the youngest solo circumnavigator aboard her Jeanneau Gin Fizz Guppy. After crossing the Atlantic — from Cape Verde to St. Martin — in December, Dekker cruised the Caribbean, and spent 10 days crewing aboard the tall ship Stad Amsterdam. She arrived in Shelter Bay, Panama, and spent a week and a half exploring the area, making new friends and acting as line-handler on another yacht before getting the green light to take Guppy through. On April 12, Dekker entered the Pacific. On Tuesday, Guppy sailed away from the Las Perlas bound for the Galapagos and, as of yesterday, she was making steady progress with no problems.

Dekker aboard her 38-ft Gin Fizz Guppy. Photo Courtesy Guppy © 2013 Latitude 38 Publishing, LLC

For all of the negative press Dekker's adventure has received because of her age, not the least of which has come from Latitude, we are impressed by her progress and apparent seamanship. As we have from the start, we continue to wish her nothing but the safest of journeys.

- latitude / ld

Ad: Marinship Day in Sausalito

April 22, 2011 – Sausalito West Marine

Join us tomorrow at Marinship Day at West Marine Sausalito. © 2013 Karen Mentzer

West Marine Sausalito would like to invite you to participate in their second annual Sausalito Marinship Day tomorrow, Saturday, April 23 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. This celebration of our waterfront and boating community will have over 30 spaces for our maritime flea market.

In addition, the Spaulding Wooden Boat Center will be hosting a barbecue and a raffle. All proceeds collected through the raffle, barbecue, and booth rentals will go to benefit them.

For more information contact Karen Mentzer at West Marine (415) 332-0202.

West Marine is looking forward to this fun day of friends, music, food, boating gear, and community involvement.

Weekend Racing Preview

April 22, 2011 – The Bay and Slightly Beyond

Easter weekend is a light one for racing on the Bay, but it does feature the opening act of the Offshore Yacht Racing Association (OYRA) season — the Crewed Lightship — on Saturday. Although we're not sure how many boats will make it out tomorrow, we can tell you that 59 have signed up for it. In that group are some boats with fleshed-out offshore resumes, such as Chip Megeath's R/P 45 Criminal Mischief, Mark Howe's Farr 36 War Pony and Josh Grass' Synergy 1000 Summer Moon, Mark Dowdy's Express 37 Eclipse, Richard vonEhrenkrook's Cal 20 Can O' Whoopass, Jim Quanci's Cal 40 Green Buffalo and Pat Broderick's Wyliecat 30 Nancy. According to the National Weather Service, the fleet will encounter a 10-knot southerly and 2-ft wind waves to go with a 2- to 4-ft northwest swell and chance of showers for the lap around the Lightbucket.

- latitude / rg

Linehandling in the Panama Canal

April 22, 2011 – Panama Canal

Line-handlers are an absolute must for a Canal transit. © 2013 Webb Logg

Four line-handlers are required for a Canal transit, and yes, most cruisers would rather take other sailors for free than have to pay for line-handlers. Sometimes the Canal Commission has yachts do two-day transits, with an overnight in Lake Gatun, so be aware there might be a shack-up involved. But it's a great experience. The best places to get information on a Canal transit hook-up are the Balboa YC on the Pacific side, and the Shelter Bay Marina on the Caribbean side. But there is also a cruiser net where boatowners put out the call for line-handlers and people request to be line-handlers.

If you've line-handled aboard other people's boats, we'd love to hear about your experiences. Send them to Richard, along with any photos you might have taken.

- latitude / rs