Baja Ha-Ha Update Pt. 1: “The Marina Situation in Mexico”
With 140 days to go until the start of the rally, the current number of paid entries for Baja Ha-Ha XXIX is 71. In view of this, the Poobah suspects it’s going to be a smaller than normal fleet this fall. This doesn’t come as a big surprise, as the numbers are down in most sailing events. For example, this summer’s Transpac has 60 entries, down from 81 in 2019, the last pre-COVID year. And both the big international regattas in St. Barth, the Bucket and the Voiles, were off substantially this year.
Who knows why? It might be cyclical, it might be real estate and stocks being off, it might be post-COVID blowout hangover, or it might just be something in the air. Nonetheless, the Poobah is expecting something in the realm of 120 paid entries, which would be just fine. After all, quality always trumps quantity, and the current fleet looks terrific. (By the way, as usual, the leading occupation of Ha-Ha skippers is engineer, usually in the world of tech.)
While exact numbers are impossible to come by, the additional good news for people looking for berths in Mexico is that it seems as though a larger number of boats than usual left for the South Pacific this spring. This means it’s possible there may be more slips and haulout slots available in Mexico than there were last year. Nonetheless, the Poobah thinks berthing will still be tight, as Starlink means many people can work from their boat in sunny Mexico, rather than making a long commute to a drab office in San Francisco or L.A. So the Poobah urges everyone to make their Mexico berthing arrangements as soon as possible. Like today. Although yesterday would have been better.
There was a recent post from a Ha-Ha entry asking for advice on marina space in the Cabo area for the holidays. Oh, dear. Perhaps the Poobah can give a little perspective on the overall marina situation in Mexico.
There are two marinas in the Cabo area, Marina Cabo San Lucas and Marina Puerto Los Cabos. Over 90% of the slips in Cabo San Lucas, one of the most popular and expensive marinas in the world, are on annual contracts. There are guys with sportfishing boats who will semi-happily pay for 52 weeks of expensive berthing, even if they will only use their slip for a month or so of fishing tournaments. Given the demand, the chance of getting a holiday slip in Cabo San Lucas is about as great as getting one at Monaco during the Grand Prix.
Demand for nearby Puerto Los Cabos is also sure to be high. We wouldn’t be surprised if it’s already booked for the holidays. Today is the latest you should make an inquiry.
It is, of course, possible to anchor off Cabo. The farther you anchor to the east, the quieter it is.
The next nearest option to Cabo is La Paz, about 135 miles to the north. There are a number of marinas there, but last year they all filled up for the holidays. So if you want to come home for the holidays, make reservations now.
La Paz, which is home to perhaps the most extensive marine services in Mexico, does have a very large anchorage area, and there are excellent anchorages nearby, or at the 25-mile-distant islands. Sometimes it’s possible to find a reliable person to boat-sit your boat on the hook — leaving a boat unattended on the hook is never the best idea.
As popular as La Paz is as a post-Ha-Ha destination, it can sometimes be easier get to the third-closest option, Banderas Bay/Vallarta, which is 290 downwind miles away. We’ll go into the pros and cons of that destination in our next post on The Marina Situation in Mexico.