Family Cruising Brings Joyful Memories

Although the majority of sailors entering the cruising lifestyle are retirees, there are also mid-career types who take self-imposed sabbaticals, and families with young kids who’ve chosen to step away from the mainstream for a time in order to give their children an enhanced perspective on the world, while building lasting family memories.

A case in point is the Vawter family sailing aboard their Napa-based Mason 43 Banyan: Mom Annie and dad Cameron — who are both winemakers — and their kids, Adelaide (aka Ladybug), 8, and Elizabeth (aka Isa), 6, did last month’s Baja Ha-Ha rally as the inaugural step of a five-year circumnavigation. Also aboard were Cameron’s sister Kim and her husband. From what we can tell, they all had a fine time.

"I am feeling really grateful for the experience we had on the HaHa," says Annie. "We have run into so many other boats that we met or just barely were acquainted with during the Ha-Ha, and it has made our experience here in Mexico infinitely more rich than it would have been."

You can get a taste of what their experience was like via this video compilation from the two-week rally. 

The Baja Ha-Ha rally committee has gone into hibernation until May 1, when online registration begins for the 2016 event. Will 2016 be your family’s year to Ha-Ha?