2017-21 The 2017 CUBAR Starts

Twenty-eight power boats started the 2017 Cruise Underway to BAja Rally this morning from San Diego Yacht Club.  Actually one boat departed yesterday evening and another last week but all meet today at Ensenada-Mexico for customs and immigration clearing. Boats range in size from a 28-foot Skipjack to an 80-foot Offshore

The Wild Blue slipped its lines at 6AM with crew Denny Haythorn, Bob Semonsen along with Alex. Denny and Bob are long-time friends of Alex.  Alex met Denny, a retired law professor, at the California Yacht Club.  They have crewed together on Wild Blue and many other boats over 25 years.  Bob, an architect and general contractor has completed several real estate projects with Alex. He also has crewed many times on the Wild Blue.

It was an overcast morning with temps in mid-60F's, wind less than 5 knots, and seas 2 feet or less.  Once out of San Diego harbor, a warship greeted the fleet mid-course, serving as a pseudo escort as the fleet altered course to keep clear, passing close aboard.

Gray skies greeted the CUBAR Fleet as they departed SD Harbor.

Warship and pseudo escort for the CUBAR Fleet out of SD 

Tanglewood, a Nordhavn 60 and CUBAR Participant

The majority of the 26 boats in today's fleet have stayed roughly within a 6-mile circle.  All but three boats broadcast AIS position info so it's easy to see the fleet on our chart plotter.  Wild Blue drifted to the rear of the group staying between 8 and 8.5 knots of speed over ground.  Today's ETA at Ensenada is roughly 2PM.

The organizers have designed an elaborate and effective check-in for the cruising boats.  VHF, Ham-SSB Radio, Marine-SSB Radio, satellite phone, satellite messenger and even cell phone check-in is supported.  Departure, 6AM position, and arrival check-in reporting are required.  They say if you miss a check-in, they will immediately call your family member!  Yikes.... we better not miss one.  Besides check-in, all boats monitor VHF 69 as the fleet calling channel.  We learned from today's cruise that this is a loquacious group.

The Fleet is sticking close