Baja Ha-Ha Update Pt. 2: “The Marina Situation in Mexico”

Last week we shared Part One of the Poobah’s update on marina availability for the Baja Ha-Ha fleet in Mexico. After covering the usual options of Cabo, La Paz, and the nearby islands, we now head across the Sea of Cortez to Banderas Bay and Puerto Vallarta, which despite being another 290 miles away, the Poobah says could be a faster and easier option.

How might it be faster and easier? Because of the weather. The normal wind in mid-November is from the north and northwest. If it’s 15 knots or more, the short and steep Sea of Cortez chop — a real shock after Ha-Ha downwind conditions — could result in most boats holing up in Frailes or Muertos, the only two possible stops on the way to La Paz. Holed up for as much as three days. And between the stops there is just one restaurant, and nothing else. By that time they might have had a pleasant off-the-wind sail to Banderas Bay/Vallarta.

Mazatlán is the second-closest destination to Cabo after La Paz, but depending on the strength of the wind, it can be a tight reach in beam conditions to Mazatlán. That’s not so fun. Motoring would be fine, but it’s a longer trip than to La Paz, although Mazatlán tends to be one of the last places to run out of slips.

For what it’s worth, Assistant Poobah Patsy Verhoeven heads right up to La Paz after each Ha-Ha. She likes the snorkeling at Frailes and Muertos on the way up, and notes that in 16 years she’s only had to hole up once for three days on the way to La Paz. She loves La Paz for the big, free Ha-Ha Welcome Party, the great cruising community, all the great services, and the fabulous food.

The downside of La Paz is that by the end of the first week in December or so, the water becomes too cold for comfortable swimming. And to the surprise of many, it stays too cold until April. Air temps are rarely an issue. La Paz is so popular with cruisers that many end up staying for years, if not buying homes there.

The Poobah, on the other hand, takes Profligate directly to La Cruz on Banderas Bay, which is about 250 miles farther south, where the water stays much warmer and out of the reach of Northers. In addition to having one of the greatest flat-water tropical daysailing bays in the world, it’s got great surfing, countless whales, and the conveniences of a much larger city. And there is a big Ha-Ha Welcome party in La Cruz in mid-December, as well as the annual opening of the Punta Mita Yacht and Surf Club during the Banderas Bay Blast.

There are four large marinas in the Vallarta/Banderas Bay area, each one of them very different; from the resort-like Paradise Village Marina, to big-city Marina Vallarta, to Marina Riviera Nayarit in the funky cruiser heaven of La Cruz. Boats that get there quickly after the Ha-Ha often have a chance to snag a berth for the holidays.

There are additional marina options farther from Cabo, and at the beginning of the season they are often more likely to have slips. But each marina situation is unique.

A complete updated list of marinas in Mexico, as well as their contact information, can be found on the Ha-Ha website at www.baja-haha.com. See the “Mexican Marinas” blue tab on the left. It can also be found in the 2023 First-Timer’s Guide to Cruising Mexico, which is sent free to all Ha-Ha entries.

If the Poobah had one season to cruise Mexico before returning home or heading off to the South Pacific, he would immediately jam up into the Sea of Cortez, perhaps as far north as Isla San Francisco, then head to Vallarta/Banderas Bay for the holidays. After that, he would drift south, perhaps all the way down to Z-town for SailFest in early February, then start working his way back north. Come mid-March he’d head back over to the Sea. If heading back to the States, he’d ideally not Bash until August or September, when the weather windows are more frequent and longer, and the coast of Baja is warmer.

That’s the way the Poobah sees it, but other opinions are encouraged.

Did the Poobah forget to remind you to make marina reservations immediately if you’re going to want a slip? I hope not. Airline reservations are just as important.

One last comment on slips. As you might expect, lots of skippers make reservations for a slip months in advance, but for any one of a million reasons, don’t make it the 1,000 miles to their chosen marina. Which means it’s not unusual for slips to unexpectedly open up. But you have to be on the scene to take advantage of such openings.

Looking forward to sailing to and in Mexico with all of you.