Passage Log: Baja to San Francisco - Departure Day
Friday, May 09 - Departure Day
Puerto Escondido, B.C.S. - Yesterday at noon, we bid farewell to Bumble’s main caretakers: Justin, Britney, Duke, Daisy, and Boo. While it may seem like a lot of owners for a single boat, the situation becomes clearer when you consider the fact that the last three are cats. Regardless, it was bittersweet to say goodbye to our homebound team. Reid and I had an incredible time sailing Bumble south last January with Justin and Britney aboard, and we all formed a strong bond. I cherish the new knowledge, intellectual discussions, green egg breakfasts, and game nights we shared.
On the other hand, it’s both exciting and humbling to be entrusted with bringing Bumble home safely to San Francisco!
Bumble is a Seawind 1600 sailing catamaran. The 1600 designation refers to her length, 16 meters, or 52 feet. She’s an impressive boat that’s fun to look at and sail.
There are four of us aboard Bumble for this trip north. Here’s the crew list:
Ben Soofer, Captain
Squallys Founder, NOLS Instructor, Struggles to post to social media
Reid Brown, First Mate
Boat Owner, Doggie Dad, Swoll dude, very handy.
Nate McPherson, Crew
Young Gun, NY based, NOLS Alumni (Learned to sail from Ben)
Jack Mullaly
Fellow Young Gun, Caribbean Catamaran Sailor, NOLS Alumni (You guessed it, taught by Ben)
As you can see, we have a wonderful crew assembled. Reid and I represent the expert side of sailing and Baja local knowledge, while the two junior crew help keep us sharp by asking questions and being ready to learn or lend a hand at all times. Always nice to have numbers for the watch schedule too!
We spent the 8th saying goodbye to the owners, working on the rig, attaching zincs, and finalizing exit paperwork. I always feel a little anxious around departure time. Despite all the checklists and collaboration, I find myself double and triple checking systems. I want to make sure the boat and crew are prepared for any situation or condition. I know this anxiety is a good thing. It keeps me on top of the ball, sweating the small stuff. Mistakes are made when we get comfortable.
We fueled the boat up today at 9AM, took a short swim, and said goodbye to the Marina. Outside of the protected anchorage, we were greeted with the most amazing, beautifully Baja conditions one may ask for. 15 knots on the beam, dolphins, rays, and two small tuna on the line!
I also posted an instagram reel, which I know doesn’t sound very impressive, but I really struggle with posting to social media. I’m proud of myself and look forward to posting more throughout the trip. Oh hey, you should follow us! Find us on instagram @squallyssailing.
The wind has started to ease up, and we have been supplementing with the motor. The destination for this first leg is San Jose del Cabo, which lies about 200nm away. We need to maintain 7-8 knots to get there in time to refuel; hence the dino-juice. Sailing gods forgive me, we don’t have a real schedule, but this is a delivery!
Okay, well, I hope you enjoyed this exercise in stream of consciousness. Thank you for reading.
Sincerely,
Ben
