PACIFIC PUDDLE JUMP PROFILES — E
ALL PHOTOS LATITUDE / ANDY
ver since European explorers first chanced upon the archipelagos of Magellan who voyaged sail those sun-kissed lagoons on his French Polynesia in the into unknown waters. own boat. 1700s, reports of their jagSo it's no wonder that Suzanne joined George and Epiphaged volcanic peaks, turhe's rarin' to go — and ny for the 2016 Ha-Ha rally, and since quoise lagoons and handhe's volunteered to then the couple has had great fun exsome people have earned be the net controller ploring the Sea of Cortez and points them high rankings on the for PPJ boats leaving south. 'must-see' lists of adventurfrom Puerto Vallarta. ers, romantics and bluewaOso — Wauquiez 33 ter voyagers. Bravo — Wauquiez 35 Dane Palmer & These days, an annual Andy Blakeslee & Keri Williamson, Juneau, AK migration of sailors heads Melissa Mora "I actually grew up in the desert," west to French Polynesia San Francisco says Dane, "so this definitely wasn't every spring from various "My cousin used to a longtime points along the West Coast own this boat, and he dream." His of the Americas — a crossgot us into sailing," intro to sailing ing of 3,000 miles or more explains Andy. "I'm was unusuthat we call the Pacific Pud- Andy & Melissa of 'Bravo' hoist the from Colorado, but al too. While official Puddle Jump burgee. dle Jump. when I was 16 I spent working in JuSince we coined that term in the late a summer living aboard Bravo in San neau, Alaska, '90s, we've made it our mission to meet Francisco." That experience opened his a friend invited at least a sampling of each year's fleet eyes to a whole new world — and filled him to crew members and learn about the inspirahis imagination with dreams of bluewaon a local race tions that are nudging them west. ter passage making. and he loved it. On March 5 during our annual PPJ Melissa, too, is eager to up-anchor "I got hooked Sendoff Party at the Vallarta Yacht Club and head west: "I am definitely a willing and did almost (adjacent to Nuevo Vallarta's Paradise partner in this," she says. "I've been eaevery race for a Dane & Keri of 'Oso'. Village Marina) we caught up with dozger for a major adventure and this deficouple of seaens of Puddle Jumpers — profiled here nitely fits the bill." Their 'Plan A' is to sons." Meeting Keri — who was born — who were making final preparations explore French Polynesia and the Cook and raised in Southeast Alaska — was for the big leap. A few days later we Islands, then head up to Hawaii and equally unexpected. "I wasn't really joined several South Pacific partners back to the Pacific Northwest. aware of the local sailing scene until I in hosting two additional sendoffs at met Dane," she admits. "About a year the Balboa YC (Pacific side of the CaEpiphany — Jeanneau 46 ago, Dane invited me to come along on nal) and at Shelter Bay Marina (CaribGeorge Durden, Suzanne Mathieu & this adventure and it didn't take me bean side). As always, it was fascinating Jeanne Socrates, FL, CA & BC long to say, 'yes.'" to meet the crews of this wildly varied Over the years we've met a lot of PudTheir current game plan is to sell the cruiser armada. We only wish we had dle Jumpers who've had colorful backboat in Australia. But as Dane says, space to profile all of them here. grounds or distinguished careers, but "You never know." few have been world-renowned sailors. Dazzler — Union Polaris 36 This year, however, Brit sailor Jeanne Borboleta — Beneteau First 405 Daniel Morrison & Jilly Hasty Socrates will jump the puddle as guest Priestley family, Vancouver, BC Marina Del Rey, CA skipper aboard Epiphany. Jeanne has Glen Priestly recalls, "Thirty-five What inspired Dan and Jilly to head about a zillion sea miles, and is the oldyears ago I went to the South Pacific off to the est woman ever to complete a solo, nonby plane and did some crewing in New South Pastop circumnavigation. Last October, at Zealand and Fiji, and did a lot of diving cific? "My age 75, she was prepping for another on the Great Barrier Reef. Since then, dad," she solo rounding when she fell off a ladit's been a lifelong dream to come back told us der, breaking eight with my own boat." This spring Jeanne & the 'Epiphany' crew. without a ribs and fracturing he's finally doing it with his two moment's a vertebra in her kids along as crew — Tristan, hesitation. neck. 20, and Laura, 18 — plus an"He was For Jeanne, the other young watchstander. Their a lifelong 3,000-mile crossmom, Heidi, has opted to skip the sailor and ing to Polynesia crossing, but will fly out to join he was gowill be a cakewalk, the boat and enjoy some islanding to help but for George, it's hopping. me sail the realization of a Jilly & Dan of 'Dazzler'. around the long-held dream. Banyan — Mason 43 world. That didn't happen, but I think Having chartered The Vawter family, Napa, CA he brought me to Dan, or Dan to me." boats in Tahiti in Based on more than 20 years Since he was young, Dan has had a the past, he's alof reporting on the Puddle Jump, fascination with early explorers such as ways wanted to we'd bet that hundreds of westPage 94 •
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• April, 2018
