Partying with the Puddle Jumpers

There’s no doubt about it, the annual migration from the West Coast of the Americas to fabled isles of French Polynesia is about to begin. As always, the biggest concentrations of boats about to make the 3,000-mile leap to the islands are gathered in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and Balboa, Panama.

We got to know crews from nearly three dozen boats Friday at Latitude 38‘s annual Pacific Puddle Jump send-off party, co-hosted by the Vallarta YC at Nuevo Vallarta’s beautiful Paradise Village Resort.

Fleet members in attendance included Americans and Canadians who’ve recently escaped the rat race, Australians who’ve recently purchased boats on the West Coast, and several groups of Europeans — some of whom have already done a circuit to Tahiti, Hawaii and Alaska, and are now heading west again.

With hors d’oeuvres provided by Vallarta YC, drinks provided by Latitude and multimedia presentations by both Tahiti Tourism and Latitude, it was a fun and informative event that seemed to be enjoyed by all. We observed some new friendships being kindled that will undoubtedly become stronger as the fleet island-hops westward along the ‘cruiser milkrun’ to New Zealand and Australia. Look for mini-profiles on these adventurous sailors in the March edition of Latitude 38.

For us, the next stop on the Puddle Jump circuit is Balboa, Panama, where we hope to meet dozens more international crews that are headed west at our Balboa YC send-off party, February 12 (11 a.m.). All this ‘jumping’ typically happens during spring, by the way, because the months of February through May are considered to be the ideal weather window to cross into the South Pacific.