SIGHTINGS from mission bay around the world I have loved sailing and boats for as long as I can remember. Some little kids carry around a blanket with them. I always had a little plastic boat to keep me company. My parents have pictures of me doing just that, tightly gripping an orange plastic boat as a toddler. This interest in boats has guided many decisions I have made in my life. I joined the high school sailing team as soon as I was eligible, then only looked at colleges that had sailing teams. (The education stuff was secondary.) Even in flight school, I cut out of studying early to catch beer cans. When I received San Diego orders, I looked for the best dinghy club in the area even before finding a place to live. The only surprise to my family when I joined the Navy was that I signed up as an aviator rather than a surface warfare officer to drive ships. The recruiter assured me I could still land on ships, and she was right. Going to sea was always my goal. But even admirals can't stay in the Navy forever, so I had to figure out where I would go next as that chapter came to a close. I knew I would be getting out of the Navy in 2023, so I started exploring what kind of career I would pursue. I wasn't going to be at the flight controls, but staying in aviation made sense. Other people recommended going in a completely different direction where being a naval aviator would make me really stand out from the competition. I wasn't dead set on either option. While trying to decide, I gave my friend Carl a call to see if he wanted to take his Lafitte 44, Chinook, for a sail. We had sailed her down to the Caribbean before the pandemic. I was thinking we could sail somewhere where you don't need a wetsuit. He jokingly mentioned we could circumnavigate. Ha ha, yeah, right. That's a bit outlandish. Sometimes when an idea is put in your head, even if it is ridiculous, it plants a seed. I had sailed across the Atlantic a couple times — I had fixed a rudder with a lee shore in a near gale; I had stood plenty of watches. The world is 24,000 miles, though. It is an entirely different animal than a few weeks at sea. I also had opportunities in the private sector with a very solid résumé. Navigating the transition out of the Navy could really set up my future. What made the decision clear was how I answered the following question: If I worked for the next few decades, what would I be saving that money for? To circumnavigate. So why not just pursue that adventure now? If it was ever really in doubt, my friend had the boat that could do it — and the time. October 24 was my last day in San Diego. Sailing at Mission Bay Yacht Club has been a keystone to my time in San Diego. The competitive spirit that runs through this club has consistently fulfilled my need for close racing. I had never raced beach catamarans prior to joining MBYC, and my fellow fleet members saw fit to elect me as Fleet Captain within three years. A Lafitte 44 may not trim like an F18, but I am undoubtedly a better sailor for the experience. There are Caribbean and Pacific islands in the future, but there is something decidedly pleasant about watching the boats go by on a Thursday night. We might even have a second story to the club house when I get back. The adjustments to my life will be immense. Costs have to be accounted for differently when not working a professional job. The friends I have made in San Diego and MBYC will be remote. Visiting my family in Massachusetts will be even more challenging. I will also learn more about boat maintenance and navigation than I ever would have with coastal sailing. I would be kidding if I said I wasn't going to miss dinghy racing. There is something about controlling a boat with not just the sheets, but your weight as well. The feeling of sailing will be different. When I sailed to Europe I was on board for four months. For much of that trip I was searching for any dinghy to sail, even if it was just a Hobie Wave. With our plan of two to three years, I will need to find a solution! I hope you continue to pursue adventures in your own sailing life. I am a millennial after all, so I do have social media where I will be posting pictures and videos as I cruise the San Blas Islands, Fiji, the Seychelles, and beyond. All my social media can be found at @8Minutes2Live. Follow along as I bring the MBYC burgee around the world! — evan gregory Page 42 • Latitude 38 • January, 2024
the 2024 Dear reader, Happy New Year! Along with the delivery of this very January issue of Latitude 38, we are also happy to include the 2024 Northern California Sailing Calendar. We've made it to tell you about all the great events taking place this year, and to bring you closer to all the marine businesses we know and love, and many of whom are our friends. We purposely call it a sailing calendar instead of a racing calendar for two reasons: 1) It includes racing and non-racing