Who’s Your Buddy(boat)?

"We’ve been buddyboating down the coast with one of the 191 registered Ha-Ha boats," report Mark and Vicki Reed of the Portland-based Ericson 38 Southern Cross. "While in Monterey, we met the Foley family — Kevin and Lisa, and their sons Mick and Teagan — aboard the Island Packet 32 Albatross. Despite a hailing port of Clear Lake Shores, Texas, the Foleys are most recently from the Bay Area, and are members of Encinal YC.

"After the passage down the Big Sur coast, we rafted up in Morro Bay for a couple of days before continuing on around Pt. Conception, and ending up in Cuyler Harbor on San Miguel. San Miguel is not known for its benign conditions, and it didn’t disappoint — Teagan was rolled out of bed, Mick hit his head on the dining table, and no one slept very well that night. Bechers Bay on Santa Rosa, where we spent the next night, was a much better anchorage, but landing a dinghy was problematic due to 10-ft swells in the Santa Barbara Channel. We continued downwind to Fry’s Harbor on Santa Cruz, which is so small you can easily miss it. But even with 20-knot winds and steep chop just outside, we were snugly anchored.

"We must be going the right direction — the weather has gotten steadily warmer and sunnier since leaving Pt. Conception!"

Buddyboating can be a great way to cruise — you’re more likely to explore spots you might otherwise have missed, you’ll have another skipper to brainstorm with, and you’ll make great friends. Do you have a good buddyboating story? Share it — along with any photos — with LaDonna.