Pacific Puddle Jump Sign-ups Begin
It may only be autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, but all along the West Coast of the Americas dozens of sailors are thinking ahead to early spring. Why? Because that’s when the annual cruiser migration begins from the West Coast to French Polynesia — the passage we call the Pacific Puddle Jump.
©2017Latitude 38 Media, LLC
Although boats leave from various ports any time between early March and early June, the PPJ is a rally of sorts. And given that each boat heading west must cross at least 3,000 miles of open water with no opportunity for a pit stop, it’s a pretty big accomplishment for most sailors who attempt it — what we like to call ‘varsity-level’ cruising.
Free Pacific Puddle Jump signups begin today at 3 p.m. at the Puddle Jump website. Also on the site, you’ll find photos and recap articles from past years, as well as other valuable resources.
©2017Latitude 38 Media, LLC
As in years past, we’ll be hosting festive PPJ Sendoff Parties at Puerto Vallarta and Panama (dates TBA), with mini-profiles of the crews we meet appearing in Latitude 38.
Being much, much less crowded than the Caribbean or the Med, the South Pacific offers seemingly endless opportunities for idyllic, inter-island cruising — truly a sailor’s paradise. So what do you think? Will this be your year to Jump the Puddle?