THE PLEASURES OF WINTER CRUISING — Y
ALL PHOTOS LATITUDE / ANDY
ears ago, when I was a freethinking undergrad who was often late for classes, I rationalized that if you believe in fate, you can never really be late — you can only arrive when you
Woohoo! After months of hard prep, we finally slide out the Gate, unaware of the surprises that lay ahead.
were meant to. Naturally, my professors didn't buy it, dismissing this revelation as typical undergrad BS. But over the years I've found that sometimes being 'late', or otherwise straying from your original game plan, can have unexpected benefits. A case in point was our recent coastal
cruise from San Francisco Bay south to Southern California aboard our Cross 42 trimaran, Little Wing. We originally intended to sail out the Golden Gate in August — then September, then October — and work our way to San Diego in short hops, but a long list of delays hobbled our departure until early November. By then it was bitter cold in Sausalito as we made final preparations for departure. But once underway we were soon reminded what a difference a few degrees of latitude can make, and what fun it can be to visit touristy towns and popular harbors in the off-season. During the sleepy, post-summer months you're likely to find less-harried — and thus friendlier — staffs in marinas, shops and restaurants; less crowded — if not deserted — anchorages; and in some cas-
Left and above: Visiting the internationally renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium is an eye-popping educational experience for nature-lovers of all ages. There are far fewer visitors during the winter months, making the off-season an ideal time to check it out. Page 72 •
Latitude 38
• January, 2018
es, lower prices on certain goods and services. Having enjoyed many warm, sunny days on the water during our southbound cruise, complemented by many splendid experiences ashore, we found ourselves wondering why neither we, nor anyone we know, has ever opted to cruise the coast during the winter months — whether ultimately heading to Mexico or not. For us, this proved to be a great way to shake down our cruising systems while escaping the North Coast's chilly winter temperatures.
A
fter more than six months spent installing all sorts of new gear and gadgetry — often with our arms and shoulders contorted into some cramped corner of a locker or the engine room — it was a glorious feeling to finally head out the Golden Gate in early November, even though the light northwesterly breeze that day was freezing-ass cold. Just outside the Gate we were escorted by an energetic pod of dolphins, who seemed to be welcoming us to their watery playground. A half hour later, several humpbacks put on a show for us just outside the entrance channel. We assumed that they, too, were on their way south. Little did we realize at the time that we'd see migrating whales offshore during each leg of our little cruise. Winds were light, seas were calm, and skies were fog-free that afternoon, so our arrival at Half Moon Bay, skirting the famous Mavericks surf break, was uneventful. Once inside the breakwater, we found a cozy spot within the enormous free anchorage, where only a couple of other cruisers were moored. As we poked around ashore the next day, we saw few obvious tourists and even fewer cruisers. The docks, however, were abuzz with activity as the commercial crab season was soon to begin. Although Half Moon Bay lies only about 23 miles south of San Francisco, and only a couple of ridge lines away from Silicon Valley,
