Nov 30 – Dec 18 |
Leave winter behind and join us aboard Sea Dragon for the classic Pacific crossing! We’ll follow the sunset all the way to Hawaii. We’ll have plenty of time to practice downwind sail handling, helming, and even some celestial navigation if you’re keen. The last time we sailed this voyage we had a grey and fast first week out of Ensenada, beam reaching in the “June Gloom” of the west coast until we reached the trades. The rest of the voyage was warm and beautiful, rollicking downwind wing-on-wing as the trades strengthened. By December the trades should be settled in, so it should be a pretty sweet ride. If you’re interested in celestial navigation, this is the best voyage of the season to learn from us or hone your skills – clear skies in the trades and a smooth downwind voyage. We’re looking forward to what should be a spectacular ocean crossing – a perfect opportunity to get away from it all and cross the Pacific!
We will provide the option of a private shuttle from San Diego to the boat in Ensenada, if you would prefer to fly into San Diego instead of finding your own way across the border.
This trip is an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean and IYT MOY Unlimited qualifying voyage – contact us to discuss.
Ardent Training is offering a significant discount on the RYA Day Skipper Theory online course to anyone signed up for this trip. If you’re interested in taking the course, let us know when you sign up!
- Cost: $4950
- Date: November 30 – December 18, 2021
- Start: Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
- End: Ko Olina Marina, Oahu Hawaii
- Length: 19 days, 18 nights
- Focus: Offshore Passagemaking | Ocean Crossing | Sail Training
While we can’t guarantee that our protocol will 100% prevent a COVID infection onboard, we are hopeful that with these constraints, it will seriously reduce the risk of the possibility of a serious COVID infection part way to Hawaii, far from advanced medical care. COVID Protocol:
Everyone on board the vessel for this trip MUST provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, with the final dose ocurring at least 15 days prior to boarding.
14 days before trip: I agree to take maximum precautions to minimize my risk of infection with COVID-19 by following CDC guidelines.
72 Hours Before Boarding: I agree to take a PCR covid test at my own expense. If a testing site is available that can provide results in less than 72 hours, I agree to get tested as close to the date and time of boarding as is consistent with receiving results before boarding.
Day of Arrival at boat: We will take your temperature and administer a rapid antigen test to you before you come in close contact with the rest of the crew. With proof of vaccination, proof of a negative PCR result, a temperature of under 100.4 F, and a negative rapid test, you will be able to board Sea Dragon. Once everyone is on board, we will fall into the normal routine for trip operations. We’ll become a “bubble” with no masks required on board. You’ll choose your bunk, we’ll have a group dinner on board and go through safety briefings for departure.
In the event that you do not provide proof of vaccination, test positive on either the PCR test or your pre-boarding rapid test, or have a fever, you will not be allowed aboard the vessel, and we will be happy to transfer your payment to a trip of your choosing at a later date.
If the trip is cancelled due to a crew member testing positive on a rapid test in Ensenada before departure to sea, we will be happy to transfer your payment to a trip of your choosing at a later date or refund your money.
Please review our crew contract, which will apply if you come off the waitlist and onto the trip. If space does not become available we will be happy to refund your waitlist deposit.
Contact UsCall Us: +1 (305) 330-4212 (Pacific Time)
“I write to express my complete satisfaction with the voyage just undertaken with Anna, Maggie, Sophie and the rest of the crew. From beginning to end, Anna was supremely competent as skipper. … I could not be more impressed.
Maggie was also a joy. She was a skilled and competent mariner and just lovely to be around. Her management of the meals was superb and delicious. I think I gained a few pounds unfortunately….
Finally, Sophie was also wonderful. She didn’t let us forget to be good navigators and keep our headings but also brought a bright spirit to the endeavor. She is a skilled sailor and a great person all around.”
-Andres P.
Click on a Heading Below to Learn More:
Tentative ItineraryDay 1: Arrive at Sea Dragon
You’ll join your professional crew and other guest crew members on Sea Dragon between 1500 and 1700. This evening gives you time to settle into your bunk and unpack and before everyone joins together for our first meal on board. After dinner, your Captain and Mate will take you through essential things to know for life on board. You’ll then have time to get to know the others on board with you or to explore the surrounding area. We’ll spend the night on the dock.
Day 2: Shakedown Cruise off Ensenada
Today we’ll be off the dock early for a day of sail training. We’ll practice safety procedures, learn the basics of sail handling and helming, and get used to the boat. You’ll get fitted for a lifejacket, and if you haven’t brought foul weather gear, have some assigned to you for the trip to Hawaii. We’ll spend the night on the dock.
Day 3: Sail Training / Clear Customs
After clearing out of Mexican customs and immigration, we’ll do some final training. Depending on weather (and the speed of the customs officers), we may be underway for the ocean this afternoon, or we’ll spend one final night aboard before getting underway.
Day 4: Departure for the Big Blue
We’ll leave the dry hills of Baja behind as we point our bow towards the setting sun.
Day 5 – 18: Offshore Sailing
We all find our rhythm to life at sea, and the days will fade in and out upon big blue. No two days, sunrises, sunsets or watches will be the same. Hopefully, we’ll see some good sea life, including dolphins, whales, albatross and boobies. As we adjust our sails along the way, things that seemed so foreign in the beginning will quickly become second nature, and the miles will fall behind as we continue west.
Day 19: Estimated Arrival in Hawaii
After more than two weeks at sea, we’ll arrive in Oahu into Ko Olina Marina. The green hillsides rise up to the clouds from the sea, and our senses will be re-introduced to the attributes of land. While we wait to get cleared through customs and immigration, we’ll tidy Sea Dragon. After we’re cleared, it will be time for a nice cold beverage, a dip in the sea, and a group dinner on shore to celebrate our arrival!
Day 20: Departure Day
After a fun night out, it will be time to disembark Sea Dragon at 0900. We’ll all say so long, but not goodbye, and you’ll find yourself free to explore the tropical and volcanic Hawaiian island chain as you wish.
Contribution Includes:
– 18 nights accommodation on Sea Dragon
– All meals (vegetarian), snacks, and drinks on board
– Sailing instruction
– Safety equipment and foul weather gear
– Mask, snorkel, fins
Contribution does not include:
– Transportation to and from San Diego and Hawaii
– Transportation to and from the boat
– Additional nights spent ashore
– Personal expenses while in port
You will join the boat in Ensenada between 1500-1700 on the first day. You will depart the vessel in Ko Olina at 0900 on the last day. We’ll try to avoid motoring on this voyage, so our actual passage time is dependent on the winds. If we have a fast passage, we could arrive as early as July 19. Our slowest voyage time would be arriving the afternoon of the 21st, and you could depart the boat on the 22nd as per the itinerary. If we arrive early, you are welcome to stay aboard until the final day, but are by no means required to – take a few days and have a mini Hawaiian vacation!
Currently, if the boat has been at sea for 14 days Hawaii has no testing or quarantine rules on arrival – we sailed this voyage in March and had a great time.
The closest airports to Ensenada are San Diego (SAN) and Tijuana (TIJ). We will arrange a private shuttle from San Diego to the boat in Ensenada with rapid covid testing before boarding the shuttle. If you would like to make your own ground transportation arrangements, we can also give advice on how best to get to Ensenada.
All crew members will require a passport and visas from their home country that will allow them to travel to/from Mexico and the USA. Please note that many nationalities which can enter the US by air on the ESTA visa waiver program need a B1/B2 visa to enter by sea. If you are NOT from the USA, Canada, or Bermuda, you will need to get a B1/B2. Please ensure you have the appropriate paperwork completed before joining the vessel, or you will not be allowed to board. Please look into the specific type of visa you need for arriving at these destinations by sea, or contact us directly to discuss.
ANNA STRANG and MAGGIE KERR – Skipper and First Mate
Anna and Maggie met as Skipper and First Mate on a 74ft science expedition yacht, sailing from the UK to Tahiti researching ocean plastic pollution.
Anna, born in 1990 was taught to sail in the Cadet fleet in Poole harbour, UK, by her grandfather at the age of 6. From a competitive dinghy racing background, she became an RYA Yachtmaster instructor and has worked full time in the industry for 14 years; teaching a range of ages in all aspects of watersports.
Alongside her professional sailing career, Anna also gained a BA in Architecture from Brighton University. However, having grown up on a farm in the south-west of England, living and working outdoors, she chose to pursue a passion for the outdoors and adventure.
Anna has worked in most areas of the industry from race Captain on luxury yachts in the Maxi Worlds, to teaching and managing an RYA Training Centre. She has sailed over 75,000nm in the Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean and Caribbean. She loves being offshore and has competed in many ocean crossing races with teams of novice crew which she thoroughly enjoys. She first sailed Seadragon in 2017 across the Atlantic and then again across the Pacific in 2018.
Maggie, born in 1992 grew up in Australia’s Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef. She started racing sabots from the age of 5, then progressed to pacers and lasers later in her youth. She coached her school sailing team which is where she developed a passion for teaching sailing. Maggie completed a Bachelors degree in Business Public Relations but chose a career offshore with an undying passion for ocean sailing.
Maggie started her career as a teenager, working in her family business which ran adventure sailing charters. Every school break, when she wasn’t competing in dinghy regattas, she spent her time working on a traditional square rigger, classic schooner and ex americas racing cup racing yacht. In 2013 she sailed to Antarctica and rounded Cape horn and fell in love with ocean sailing.
In 2017 Maggie left Australia to travel and continue sailing. She worked in the Mediterranean on a range of luxury yachts between 28 and 92m. She has sailed over 30,000nm all over the world in the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic and Southern Oceans.
When they are not sailing, they enjoy travelling by land in their yellow camper-van which they converted themselves. They also love to dive and are currently learning to kite-surf.
Qualifications:
Anna is an Ocean Yachtmaster with commercial endorsement, an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor, a PADI Open Water Diver, and holds her STCW endorsed Proficiency in Medical Care at Sea. Maggie is an MCA Master of Yachts < 200 tons, MCA Officer of the Watch to 500 tons, Australian Master Class 5, and holds a certificate in Advanced First Aid & CPR.