There are dozens of reasons why sailors from all along the West Coast and beyond join the Baja Ha-Ha rally each year. But one of the most common motivators is to escape the arrival of winter. This year, as always, as fleet members moved south, they replaced the grey skies of the U.S. and Canada with brilliant blues above, and traded the chilly fall temperatures with ever-increasing warmth — culminating with air temps in the 90s and water temps in the 80s upon arrival at Cabo San Lucas
Now that the fleet has arrived at the Cape, there’s a celebratory mood among the 500+ participants. After a big night of unwinding at the famous Squid Roe dance bar, we’re presently gearing up for the annual Baja Beach Party at the Baja Cantina Beach Bar. So we’ll keep this report short and let the photos tell the story of the past two legs.
For the first time ever, immigration officials from San Carlos made a special trip to the Ha-Ha’s second stop, Bahia Santa Maria, to clear in members of the fleet. Their efforts saved fleet members time in Cabo, and the officials greatly enjoyed meeting this disparate assortment of sailors.
Once anchored at Bahia Santa Maria — or anywhere else, for that matter — it’s great to have a watersports toy or two, such as this stand-up paddleboard.
One of the highlights of the fleet’s visit to Bahia Santa Maria is the annual rock ‘n roll party on the bluff overlooking the massive anchorage. Musicians from Cabo and La Paz travel 120 km up the highway, then 40 miles across the desert, followed by a stream of crossing and another 20 miles down the beach at low tide, just to arrive at the gig. And they play for tips only!
The 7 a.m. start of Leg 3 was one of the best ever, as a light breeze held all morning and built in the afternoon to 10 knots — a perfect formula for relatively flat seas and low-stress sailing.
The closer you get to the Cape, the more dramatic the sunrises. The warm evenings were memorable too. During the final night, many crewmembers sacrificed sleep to enjoy the warm, starry night.
As a vocal advocate of teaching kids how to sail, Kame Richards, owner of Alameda’s Pineapple Sails, knows that many children aren’t able to take advantage of learn to sail programs, even if they’re free.
