Right Hat for the Job

You might say the next best thing to going cruising on your own boat is having good friends who will invite you to join them while cruising. That’s precisely what happened to Oakland YC member Gary Campbell. After doing the Pacific Puddle Jump last season aboard their Alameda-based Cal 39 Lardo, fellow YC members MaryLee and Dennis Millard invited Gary to join them for a two-week stint exploring the archipelagos of Tonga.

"It didn’t take long for our friend Gary to chill out and adjust to life in the islands," says MaryLee. In fact, he enjoyed the cruising life so much he decided to stay on for the crossing to New Zealand. "We’ll stay in New Zealand during hurricane season, and then back up to Fiji, Vanatua, New Caledonia and Australia next season," explains MaryLee.

Meanwhile, a new batch of Puddle Jumpers are already preparing to make the jump in 2012. Online registration will begin December 1 at our Puddle Jump website, and again this year, all registered boats will be eligible to participate in a special program that includes clearance in and out, repatriation bond exemptions and duty-free fuel privileges. Full details to be announced soon, here and on the website.

If you’d like to follow in Gary’s wake, consider signing up for Latitude 38‘s online Crew List which is available 24/7 and is constantly updated.