The 31st Baja Ha-Ha Finishes in Cabo with Celebrations and Awards Party

The 31st Baja Ha-Ha has sailed into Cabo with the “Can’t Believe We Cheated Death Again” dance and party madness. The party is on tonight at Squid Roe, and for the young at heart, continuing until the last body falls. It’s optional, but not to be missed. Tomorrow, everyone who survives Squid Roe tonight will head to the awards presentation at the Mango Deck’s upper patio overlooking the fleet anchored off the beach of Cabo. There’ll be plenty of food, wine, beer and margaritas, and sandy, waterfront fun to celebrate and savor a successful sail south.

Overall the weather, sailing, surfing, fishing, spinnaker-reaching and parties were spectacular. The big announcement that came out during this Baja Ha-Ha is, it ain’t over till it’s over. We learned, to the relief of many, that Chuck Skewes will be running Baja Ha-Ha #32 in fall 2026. So it ain’t over. The good times sailing south in the company of other cruisers will be on the schedule for next year. Plan for an early-November departure.

In other news, the sunsets were not to be beat. Hurricane season ended right on schedule, so the light-air start was a prelude to most of the trip. We’ve got plenty of sailing shots showing the breeze, but the lack of sail repairs indicates the winds were kind to the fleet most of the way down.

There are many annual rituals to the Baja Ha-Ha, yet every edition is different. The course always heads south, but from there, everyone has to figure out which way the wind blows and how they fit into the work/life balance. Since there is no work, it’s really a life/life balance.

We’re sure Starlink causes many to stay connected to some details at home, but once you throw off the dock lines, there’s plenty at hand to make you forget life before the Ha-Ha. Did you remember to cancel your monthly cable bill now that you’re untethered?

The Baja Ha-Ha is all about cruising south, although the shoreside sports, dancing, hiking, surfing, rock and roll, bazeball in Turtle Bay, and everything else ashore are far more than a sideshow. The people of Turtle Bay and the local welcoming committee at Bahia Santa Maria make it hard to decide whether life at sea or life on shore is more fun. Luckily, you don’t really need to choose. Everyone enjoys it all.

After the festivities in Cabo, participants will head off in all directions. A few will turn around to head back north, some south to Banderas Bay, and others to the Sea of Cortez for the La Paz Beach Party on Sunday, November 23, from 4–7 p.m., at La Costa Restaurant. The party features Mexican folk dancing, live music, food and drinks, door prizes, and more. The event is free for the first 50 Baja Ha-Ha 2025 participants, and everyone is welcome. After that you have the whole Sea of Cortez at your doorstep! Let us know where you’re headed in the comments below.

We’ll have more in a feature story in the upcoming December issue of Latitude 38. There’s an amazing cruising season ahead for Ha-Ha participants. Many will head off in the spring for the Pacific Puddle Jump, and some to the Panama Canal to head east. You can continue to follow many of their adventures in our Changes in Latitudes section of Latitude 38. In the December issue, you’ll read about the return of Randy Repass and Sally Christine Rogers to Santa Cruz after cruising around the world for the last 21 years (with many breaks)!

You can follow the last of the Ha-Ha fleet as they make their way to Cabo here. They’re cruising, so what’s the rush?

If you’re reading this in Cabo, don’t hesitate to send a few of your hi-res cruising shots to [email protected]. It’s always tough to receive them sitting at a desk in Northern California, but they’re way more fun than other viewing options on our screens.