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Latitude 38
• November, 2020
Honu — Tayana 37 Bernard Bouis and Maeve Murphy Sausalito, CA In 2000, Bernard set off on a circumnavigation but had to stop in New Caledonia. He says making the trip to Mexico this year is, in some ways, unfinished business. Bernard thinks this year is special to head south, because everyone is still pursuing a dream and showing a desire to persevere against all odds. Bernard has previously owned three boats and sailed for 26 years. He likes his current boat's proven offshore abilities and says it was affordable, even with all the upgrades he did. Also, the sturdy boat will provide a sense of security for his partner, a first-time cruiser. Cruising plans include winter in the Sea of Cortez and then consider options, depending on the COVID-19 crisis. With luck, they'll head down to Central America, then Ecuador, with the ultimate goal of the South Pacific and a possible circumnavigation.
Remember these hats. Otherwise it will be hard to recognize Eric and Kim Rimkus unless you spot their Beneteau 46 Gladiator first!
plans include the Sea of Cortez for a year or two, then continuing on south and west. Emerald Sea — Lagoon 450F Becky and Jeff Hare Brookings, OR Emerald Sea has already been around the world, but this will be her current crew's first big outing. The Hares have previously owned 12 boats and have been sailing for about 15 years, which sounds like almost one boat a year. They're headed south now because they believe the time is right to retire while they're still young and healthy! Their plans include spending the winter in the Sea of Cortez and then figuring out the rest as the cruising season unfolds. Who is Jeff's sailing hero? "My wife of course!"
Bernard and Maeve are headed to the Sea of Cortez and then, if the world allows, onward south and west.
Gladiator — Beneteau 46 Eric and Kim Rimkus Portland, OR This is Eric and Kim's first rally with their own boat, but they previously did a Ha-Ha on Talion with Nada Ha-Ha creator Patsy Verhoeven, before becoming full-time cruisers themselves. After four years of isolated and remote cruising in British Columbia and Alaska, they think that hanging out in a (socially distant) group will be a nice change. Eric and Kim have owned six boats and are two of the most experienced sailors in this group, with a combined 46 years of sailing experience behind them. Their longest voyage to date is from San Francisco to Seattle. Cruising
EMERALD SEA
BERNARD BOUIS
he more things change, the more they stay the same. Despite the pandemic, whales, birds and sailors are all still planning to migrate south this fall. With a bit of uncertainty in the air and without the Baja Ha-Ha, the numbers will certainly be reduced — at least at first. The initial wave of boats to head south will be members of the very loosely organized Nada Ha-Ha, a cruise-in collection of boats assembled by multiBaja Ha-Ha vet Patsy Verhoeven of the Gulfstar 50 Talion. If all goes well, we suspect that many more will follow in their wake. Or perhaps news headlines in the US might inspire an even larger number than normal to follow the early leaders south! The plan is to follow essentially the same schedule as the Baja Ha-Ha would have followed. The official shove-off from the San Diego/Ensenada area is Monday, November 2. About two weeks later, the boats will arrive in Cabo San Lucas, with the regular stops along the way in Turtle Bay and Bahia Santa Maria. Patsy has added one more stop to the normal Baja Ha-Ha itinerary — a one-day stop after Bahia Santa Maria in Bahia Magdalena. In another departure from a 'normal' year, all participants are asked to provision with enough supplies to get to Cabo without going ashore in Turtle Bay. This change was made for the health and safety of the local residents, who don't have easy access to modern medical facilities. In addition, because of changes to customs procedures in Cabo since the election of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (and without the help of the Baja Ha-Ha), Fito Espinoza of Marina Coral and several other Mexican harbormasters have suggested cruisers take care of all their Mexican customs and immigration paperwork in Ensenada rather than waiting until Cabo. The customs process is far simpler in Ensenada and, if there's a problem, you're not already more than 750 miles from home! The Nada Ha-Ha already has over 60 boats that have signed up at http://www.patsysweb.com/NadaHaHa/2020/Nada/Nada-Ha-Ha.html. The following are profiles of a small selection of the Nada entourage. We'll share their stories and those of others in upcoming 'Lectronic Latitude newsletters and in future issues in Changes in Latitudes.
GLADIATOR
NADA HA-HA —
Since 'Emerald Sea' has already been around the world, Becky and Jeff Hare know she'll take them wherever they'd like to go now that they're at the helm.
Solamer — HC Christina 43 Luis and Erika Solorzano Bremerton, WA The Solorzanos decided to make this trip pre-pandemic and now say, "Plague be damned, we're making our way around the world!" This is their first boat, and they just started sailing a year ago so will be piling on new
