Tales of Heading South in December ‘Cruise Notes’

Changes in Latitudes is the last section of the monthly edition of Latitude 38. It covers the cruising tales of West Coast sailors and always winds up with a few “Cruise Notes” — short summaries from cruisers on the move. The December “Cruise Notes” began, “I had not intended to do the Ha-Ha again so soon after bashing back in April,” says Bill Leone of the San Diego-based Beneteau 423 SeaQuester. “However, three Colorado sailors, all former commodores of the Lake Pueblo Sailing Club, asked if I would be willing to go again. The Ha-Ha had been a bucket list item for them for many years. Cheryl and I agreed and here we are.”

Highlights of ’23 included an unprecedented lightning storm over Bahia Santa Maria; daylong duels with nearby boats in heavy wind and waves; passing through a half dozen gray whales when leaving Santa Maria — and just watching their new-to-ocean-sailing crew. “Watching their reactions to everything, and excitement at every dolphin sighting, reminded me not to take for granted the grandeur and privilege we enjoy in this, our chosen hobby,” says Bill.

The Baja Ha-Ha Meet the Fleet program tells us Bill sailed south with a crew of four, which included Chris Huggins, Ric Geiman, and Michael Pinkerton. The group is very committed to the sport of sailing and volunteers countless hours to make sailing more accessible to people, and to grow the sport in the landlocked state of Colorado on the nine-mile-long Lake Pueblo. There the crew organizes races and events for the Lake Pueblo Sailing Club, to give others the opportunity to enjoy sailing as much as they do.

Pierre Blouin and Marie-Josee Dion of the Amel Super Maramu 52 Viva are veterans of a prior Ha-Ha with intentions of going west. However, as with many other cruisers, the allure of Mexico has kept them there for another season. There’s more in “Cruise Notes” about Viva and many other West Coast cruisers whose sail south has brought them to our monthly Changes in Latitudes cruising section. You can read more here.

Are you off cruising? Send a note to your friends back home at Latitude 38 by emailing here.