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Episode #220: Poobah’s Last Ha-Ha, ‘Convergence’ Circumnavigation, and Kid Boats (Verbatim)

By Monica Grant | December 2, 2025

 

This week’s host, John Arndt, reads three articles from the December 2025 issue of Latitude 38.

 

Hear “On Board the Mothership for the Poobah’s Last Ha-Ha” by Nicki Bennett, “Convergence Comes Home” by Sally-Christine Rodgers, and “Boat Kids and Kid Boats” by Katie Levy.

 

Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

  • The Grand Poobah’s thoughts
  • How Chuck Skewes will lead the Baja Ha-Ha
  • The best places Convergence sailed
  • How long Convergence was at sea
  • The best places to take kids sailing in Mexico

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast spots — follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re feeling the Good Jibes!

Follow along and read the articles On Board the Mothership; Convergence Comes Home; Boat Kids and Kid Boats. 

Check out the episode and show notes below for much more detail.

The end of one era, and the beginning of another.
© 2025 Mitch Perkins
A 21-year circumnavigation comes to a close.
© 2025 SV Convergence
Stargazer is a fully-fledged kid-boat.
© 2025 SV Stargazer

Show Notes

 

Transcript:

Please note: this transcript is not 100% accurate.

00:03

The Ha-Ha works because of the foundation Richard built  and it will thrive if Chuck adapts in a way that feels natural to him.

00:14

Okay, welcome aboard to the latest issue of Good Jibes. And today we’re gonna do a verbatim because it’s been delivery day, December 1st, and our new issue of Latitude 38 has just hit the streets in Northern California  and we’ll be getting sprinkled about the rest of the West Coast in the days ahead. So we’re gonna bring you three stories from this current December issue.  And the first story is gonna be from the Grand Poobah’s last Baja Ha-Ha.  And this issue or this story was written by

00:43

Nicki Bennett, our sales manager, who managed to do her first ha ha aboard the mothership for the Grand Puba’s last ha ha, number 31. So with that, let me get you into Nicki’s story and sharing some of the behind the scenes action on the 2025 31st annual Baja Ha Ha.

 

01:08

Stepping aboard Profligate is akin to stepping inside a great legacy. This 63-foot custom Hughes cataran has served as the Baja Ha Ha mothership since the rally’s third edition in 1996. Prior to that, was the Big O,  the Ocean 71, Latitude’s  first big Grand Puba mothership. But if Profligate’s white holes could talk, we’re certain they would spill nearly three decades of the most interesting stories possible.

 

01:36

The history of the mothership in the Ha Ha is a rich one intertwined with the history of this magazine and countless sailors who have been inspired to sail over the horizon. It is a tapestry formed with the places, personalities and oh so many tales with each year adding a colorful new layer. Whether you’re from your first or the 31st Baha Ha Ha, your story adds a new strand. As we settled into our bunks aboard Profligate, we understood this was not just another Ha Ha, but a moment in time.

 

02:06

It was Richard Spindler’s final sail south as the Grand Poo-Paw and the beginning of the next era of an event that means so much to so many. An inside look at the Poo-Paw’s final sail south means stepping into his world. He has built his life, this event included,  telling stories and he has accumulated more than a few of his own in the process. The annual kickoff party at West Marine in San Diego was full of anticipation, great costumes, and a few repairs.

 

02:34

Of the 137 boats that signed up for the 31st Bajajaja, 105 made it to the start, departing under perfectly beautiful San Diego sky. The crew of West Coast Multihulls sent the fleet off in style, hosting the kickoff boat with revelry and wide smiles. The smallest boat to depart was the Cal 29 Undina from Richmond Yacht Club, double-handed by John Walsh and Liz Newkirk.

 

03:01

The crew reported a fabulous sail and intended to continue on to see where the wind might take them. The largest boat in the fleet was the Absolute Nevada 68 motor yacht Poor Decisions, captained by Merlin Cormier of San Diego. While it is a sailing event at heart, the haha has always been open to anyone who wants to cruise the coast of Baja,  and thus Poor Decisions was welcomed in the No Comprende division. We connected.

 

03:28

with many ha-ha vets, including several who had done the very first one. Gary Dobson of the Catalina 470, Stainsby Girl, sailing out of Alameda, headed south with a ha-ha in 1994 on a much smaller boat. This year was his seventh ha-ha, and he was joined by first mate Cheryl Kearns and crew Karen Miller and Jim Painter. Gary reported a wonderful sail and noted the biggest change over the decades is how much Cabo has grown.

 

03:57

and how challenging and expensive it has become to get a slip compared to the  1990s. You could easily sit and talk with HaHa sailors for hours. Their paths are just as interesting as their unknown futures,  now starting with the new adventures ahead. This year, the weather was nearly perfect with light air mornings  and gentle breezes in the afternoons. The last leg had the sportiest stretch with more than 20 knots as boats were

 

04:25

heading to Cape and on into Cabo. The breeze caught the crew of the Hallberg-Rossi rejoice off guard. Owner Bob Alzeblier explains, as we approached Lanzan near the arch, we made one last jive to a port tack. I was going to sail a little longer before bringing down the sails and I got complacent and did not rig the preventer line. I went below to store the fishing poles and turn off the water maker and generator.

 

04:52

When I returned, the wind had increased to 23 knots. I began to step out of the cockpit on port side  when the boat rolled and we accidentally jibed. The mainsheet and traveler took the brunt of the shock, but when the boom accelerated back, it hit me square in the face, knocking me back into the cockpit. I’m actually very fortunate. Had it hit me in the back of the head, I would have been knocked overboard and the results could have been proven fatal. Despite this mishap, Richard commented,

 

05:22

more than once that he could not recall a ha ha with nicer weather. The rally once again traveled an ocean that shifted from blue to deep turquoise while the air and water turned warmer by the day. The sea life added its own magic and the sightings growing by the mile as we headed south. The fleet saw orcas, humpback whales, gray whales, and many dolphins. In Baja Santa Maria, the crew of Santiago Bateras Espiritu Santo

 

05:49

an Atlantic 57 cat,  sailing out of San Diego.  They hired a boat to take them to where they were able to swim with whales, dolphins, and striped marlin, capturing some incredible footage in the process. Fishing this year was lively across the fleet. Boats landed Dorado, Oahu, and Tuna. We watched Yellowfin and Marlin launch through the waves around us. Aboard Prophagate, we caught a tuna that quickly became sashimi, released

 

06:17

several Benito and at one point caught seven Dorado in a single morning, giving us enough to share. Turtle Bay delivered its usual warmth and hospitality. A new volleyball afternoon was an unexpected hit. Baseball was lively with the poobah throwing his ceremonial first pitch for the final time. Afterward, the local kids collected the generous spread of bats, gloves, shoes and balls donated by the fleet. The beach party

 

06:43

drew a big crowd and charity hot dog sales raised nearly $800  for local children. The women extended their undefeated streak in the famous tug-of-war hauling the men across the sand once again. And with an extra lay day due to the wind forecast, there was plenty of time to explore. Some hiked to the ridge overlooking the Anchorage, others walked through the length of the village, visited the historical 1887 church,

 

07:10

or wander to the cemetery perched above the bay. Further down the coast, Bahia Santa Maria was breathtaking. Though immigration challenges delayed shore access for some, the anchorage still felt extraordinary. The rock and roll party in the bluff was packed with cruisers enjoying the views, the food, and the dance party that lasted most of the day. The band travels more than 10 hours to play here year after year and for tips,

 

07:38

only which must be a pretty good deal as they continue to return. One of the enduring elements of the Ha Ha is the bond between the fleet and the communities in Turtle Bay, Bahia Santa Maria. Donna DiMayorca, Richard’s other half and first mate for the past 29 Baja Ha Ha’s, spoke with tenderness about these relationships. She is proud of Richard and what he has built and that he cares deeply about making the event fun, especially for kids.

 

08:07

grew kind of emotional during her final congoline, the bluffs of Bahia Santa  Maria and told us how  she will miss the families there in Turtle Bay. She said, it’s amazing how close you can get to the people you see  one day a year.

 

08:22

Mechanical issues were modest and manageable across the fleet. Some boats saw autopilot hiccups, others had electricity or battery quirks. Two windlasses misbehaved, including ours, which made for a very interesting anchoring involving all 11 crew working to drop and retrieve the anchor. One Volvo Penta banjo bolt sheared off before Turtle Bay, but the crew found a creative solution and kept moving. We loaned out two batteries.

 

08:51

Only one boat, finest kind, had to turn back to San Diego, wisely choosing to repair before continuing. The only significant scare came when a man overboard beacon was accidentally triggered,  prompting several boats to divert toward the signal. The response was swift and the relief immediate. Once it became clear, the alarm was accidental. The moment underscored the fleet’s instinct to act quickly and collectively when it matters. Starlinked

 

09:19

proved to be a powerful tool helping boats troubleshoot, coordinate, and communicate with ease offshore. Life on Prophagate has its own rhythm shaped over decades, part circus, part newsroom, and part floating village. Prophagate is the stage, the office, the immigration desk, and sometimes the complaint window. Crewing for the Puba includes all the normal coastal tasks plus a number of jobs that quietly keep the ha-ha going.

 

09:46

The backstage work of the rally is invisible to most of the fleet, and that is by design. We were 11 aboard, which might sound like a crowd, but Proffigate has more notes than a library. Richard and assistant Puba, Patsy Verhoeven, and Donna DiMaiorco work all year to prepare, but the moment the lines are cast off, a complex choreographed dance begins. Ahead of the kickoff, in addition to provisioning and pairing the boat,

 

10:12

The crew and the few friends form an assembly line at Ullman Sails to pack backpacks with swag, meet the fleet guides, a fresh issue of Latitude 38, and of course, the coveted Baja Ha Ha gear. Then we move to flipping burgers and pouring beer for a fleet bubbling over with excitement. Once underway, Profligate becomes a mobile headquarters, from planning  and coordinating with Mexican officials and people  at both stops to hauling gear, speakers, and swag to sell.

 

10:42

to managing immigration and work is constant. Processing 105 boats was surprisingly fast, but still took the better part of a day. Other duties include keeping a watchful eye on the fleet, coordinating help when needed, and hosting the morning VHF roll call. When faced with a situation, the Poo Ba can often be seen shaking his head briefly before he gets to work. His patience is long.

 

11:08

The fleet is generally civilized, offering help and sharing parts and generosity. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any exceptions, but the tone long ago set by the mothership is one of solving problems, being kind and keeping perspective. Three of us  aboard Profligate were also newcomers, myself included. Also aboard were a handful of HaHa vets, including former Latitude 38 employee Mitch Perkins, Vince Rubino, Dino Pasquale,

 

11:37

Chuck Skews, Paul Ludgate, and Paul Kamen. Experiencing the event from the inside the mothership means immersed in the layers of work and care that must make the rally function. Among the new crew was 23-year-old Dylan Wolverton named Tex for his Texas roots. With a last-minute invitation from the Poohbah, who is friends with his parents, he stepped aboard with wide-eyed curiosity and no prior knowledge of the event. I don’t know…

 

12:06

Did not know what to expect. I just bought a plane ticket and showed up, he told us. I did not know anyone going in, but the crew was the best part. Everyone was so nice and helpful and willing to teach. I want to do more of this.” Britton Bus, who was the first time HaHa Sailor, who has cruised extensively, noticed something slightly different. The most striking part was seeing younger folks heading off on a grand adventure and older folks finally casting off to chase the dreams they have held for decades.

 

12:35

As for this writer, stepping aboard meant stepping into the legacy that has shaped my life in so many ways. It is impossible not to be inspired by the ripples that Latitude 38 and the Baja Ha Ha had on the lives of West Coast sailors and adventurers  for many decades. Dino, who is now in his  19th Ha Ha and  17th aboard Prophagate,  shared his first experience on the mothership in 2007.

 

13:01

when a massive spinnaker wrap forced the crew to tie down the sail and motor 45 miles toward shore  to find safer conditions for going aloft. What struck him most was Richard’s calm competence. No blame, no drama, just a clear decision about where to go and what to do next. Vince, also a seasoned profligate crew member, added that his greatest takeaway from years of conversations with the fleet was simple. Do not wait for the perfect boat or perfect circumstances.

 

13:31

Better to do it cheap and do it than wait for someday, he said. Invest in skills rather than the boat. He has watched some of the most outfitted boats with the most trouble while simple boats with good crews thrived. I am so impressed with Richard and Donna and how many people Richard has inspired by exemplifying  a completely different and entirely authentic version of  success. Richard offered many reflections over the course of the trip.

 

13:58

More than 3,000 boats and 14,000 sailors have traveled south with the Bajajaja since its inception. The safety record is remarkable. A single death due to a heart attack, one dismasting, one broken rudder, two boats inexplicably on the rocks in mild conditions, and one boat sunk by a whale. Of course, the whale didn’t sink the boat. The boat and the whale collided. The result was the boat sunk.

 

14:27

Considering the number of people and miles involved that equal 437 circumnavigations, it’s been a remarkably seamless run. One of the tremendous things about the ha ha, Richard said, is how many people help one another. Over the years, at least 270 people have crewed on Profligate, contributing to the well-oiled machine  that is the bah ha ha ha. Richard possesses a deep well of patience and generosity of spirit.

 

14:53

and is always willing to answer questions or chat with an intrepid sailor. He’s collected and told as many stories as anyone in this fleet. The smallest boat ever to do the HaHa was a Mir 17, which completed the rally twice. The largest was a 94-foot Nelson Merrick Abel back in 2000. It is not unusual to see six or eight sailors over 80 in any given year, and the youngest participant so far has been three months old.

 

15:21

There was the Las Vegas couple aboard a Columbia 34 who arrived in Cabo barely knowing how to anchor. They later went on to sail across the Pacific to Australia. In three decades, Richard does not recall ever seeing over 30 knots for long. One year in Easterly, over 30 at Cabo forced a handful of the fleet to anchor on the Pacific side, which strangely was the safest place to be. The baseball field in Turtle Bay was dirt for a long time.

 

15:48

and is now a beautiful turf diamond with soccer stadium on the way. Richard remembers the day before the start of the first ha-ha when a Hans Christian anchored in La Playa in San Diego  and the crew rowed ashore. When they returned, the boat was gone. The city had towed it away and the woman aboard claimed the officials had gone through her panty drawer. So Richard asked the fleet to send panties to the San Diego Bureau of Tourism and Convention Center. Since then,

 

16:17

the fleet has had a much warmer welcome from the city. People are often surprised at how much more the event is than they expected. It offers a nice balance of sailing, downtime, and parties that build real community and camaraderie. One of the biggest missed conceptions is that the Ha is simply a drunk fest rolling down the coast. While there are certainly parties and some boats keep the music going late, it is at the heart a group of serious sailors, many setting off on big dreams and long-term adventures.

 

16:47

It is fun and relatively easy, downwind sailing, nice weather, good anchorages, and places to hide if bad weather does show up. It remains a great introduction to cruising. What will Richard miss the most? The people in Mexico at the two stops and the beauty of Bahia Santa Maria, along with meeting and greeting the fleet and learning their stories and trajectories. The Long Beach Yacht Club ran a similar event in 1993, which helped spark the Ha Ha.

 

17:15

Richard brought enthusiasm and creativity to broaden the concept and adding events at each stop. There have been countless other memorable moments. Patsy offered insights formed over many years aboard her Gulfstar 50 Talion. When asked about the hardest part of the rally, she surprised us by saying it was not the weather or logistics, but language. I never learned Spanish, she said, explaining that while Mexican officials are consistently kind,  being able to speak more fluently would lighten many of the practical challenges.

 

17:45

Her favorite part of the ha ha ha is sailing. Solo driving at nine knots, dead down wind with a symmetrical shoot up, she said. Her favorite ha ha memory is from 2012. We had Bill Lilly’s moon tide and Glenn Twitchell’s beach excess, two big catarans, rafted with talion in the middle. That was a party for the ages. Very few people in the fleet missed it. And let’s just say I was younger then. Her hope for the future?

 

18:13

I truly believe the HaHa has given countless people the confidence to experience an offshore world they may never have tried on their own, thanks to the encouragement, guidance, and confidence that Richard Spindler, Latitude 38, and the HaHa committee have given them. She hopes Chuck will take all of Richard’s ideas and make them his own, gradually. The HaHa works because of the foundation Richard built, and it will thrive if Chuck adapts in a way that feels natural to him.

 

18:43

As we approached Cabo this year, the water was warm and the turquoise beneath profligates’ hulls and the significance of the moment settled in. This was the last run south for Richard, Donna and the profligate. She, the profligate, is now up for sale. But it’s not the end of the rally. Chuck Skues will take the reins with Patsy by his side and Latitude 38 with continuing coverage, sponsorship and support to continue the legacy with the same care and enthusiasm that Richard brought for 31 years.

 

19:12

Richa will continue writing entry bios and Donna will help in her own way. The Baja Ha Ha will continue to be what it’s always been, an evolving tradition grounded in maximizing the fun and connections for West Coast cruisers. Being aboard the mothership for the Spinalorn Souths was a privilege. It was a chance to see the mechanics, humanity, humor, and grace that make the Ha Ha what it is. The Baja Ha Ha has always been more than just a rally. It’s been a story carried by thousands.

 

19:41

This year, as we stepped off Prophagate for the last time, we felt grateful to have shared in this chapter of that story. And that perspective from Nikki Bennett, a sales manager at Latitude 38. And I could say I had my own ha-ha story many years ago in that really fun 2007 Baja Ha-Ha, where people had to sleep ashore. Somehow I got on the last panga out,  but the Baja Ha-Ha has been…

 

20:08

exactly the same and completely different every time. It’s an incredible group of people, incredible course, really, I gotta say, one of the most favorable uh rallies that could exist in the world, because it’s so much fun, the weather gets better, the anchorages are great,  and now it’s got 31 years behind it and more years ahead. So we hope to see you join Latitude 38, Chuck’s Cues, and the Baja Ha Ha in 2026.

 

20:37

Hey, Latitude 38 listeners. We also hope you’re readers and we are kind of partial to reading since we’ve published a sailing magazine since 1977. And if you go to our website and go way down to the bottom of any page of our website, you’ll find a link to a bookstore where we have books from many of our past Good Jives interviews and conversations with readers and West Coast sailors. And we’d also like, since it’s the month of December, to remind you

 

21:06

that a book is a great Christmas gift. And if you go to our bookstore, you can find many of the books that have been recommended by our Good Jibes guests or books that we’ve had suggested in our current December issue of Latitude 38. author and editor, John Rees, did a review of several sailing books, which I’ll mention here. The Way of the Sailor by David Kilmer, Kathy Simon, World Sailor. He also read and enjoyed The Track of the Typhoon by William Washburn.

 

21:36

Cruising Around the World by Captain George Greenberg  and Under Wide and Stary Skies by Nicholas Coughlin.  Then  we also have a couple other books  which include  Ben Neely’s book,  A Misspent Youth  and three books from Julia Chauvin.  All of these books  are written up  in our  December issue of Latitude 38  and I think most are available on the Latitude 38 bookstore at the bottom of our website.

 

22:05

And we have many books, including the good old favorites like Joshua Slocum’s, Sailing Alone Around the World, Robin Lee Graham’s Dove, but hundreds of others that have been recommended by Good Jibes guests or Latitude 38 authors and readers. So enjoy a book. They’re great under the Christmas tree. And also visit the Latitude 38 store where you could pick up a ball cap, a t-shirt, or anything else that might please a sailor on the West Coast or anywhere. Thanks.

 

22:35

All right, for our next story, we’ve got another cruising story from the pages of December issue of 2025 of Latitude 38. So with that, we’re going to switch gears from the Baja Ha to cruising around the world with Sally and Christine Rogers. And I’m going to share the story from Sally Christine. So Convergence Comes Home. In 2004, Randy  repass wife Sally Christine Rogers and their nine year old son, Kent Harris repass.

 

23:05

bid goodbye to friends, hoisted the sails on their Wiley 65 Cat-Catch Convergence and sailed from Santa Cruz over the horizon. Their goal? A circumnavigation. At the end of October, literally 21 years and about 40,000 miles later, mission accomplished. Here’s a quick debrief of the very long journey from Sally Christine. Tying the knot of a circumnavigation is a milestone that gives one pause.

 

23:34

A deep sense of gratitude prevails, not to mention a splash of accomplishment. We left Santa Cruz in June of 2004 with our nine-year-old son Kent Harris and friends and circumnavigators Linda Moore and Jim Foley with their four-year-old twins Dana and Trevor for a straight shot, 3,000 miles downwind run to the Marquesas. Then onto the Tuomotos and Tahiti where the Moore-Folies departed. Convergence meandered across the Pacific to the usual stops.

 

24:04

Cook Island, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and the banks. We also ventured to New Zealand and explored Tasmania, then up the coast to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia to Darwin. We crossed the very rarely visited Banda and  on through many of Indonesia’s islands, then to Malaysia and Thailand. Throughout, we spent as much time under water as we could.

 

24:31

These places are etched into our memories and the people we encountered are etched into our hearts. The Indian Ocean was the most spectacular sailing. The Red Sea with its challenges of pirates and politics provided a glimpse of the Sudan and Egypt during the Arab Spring. The Mediterranean opened our eyes to Western culture  with a new lens. Turkey, Greece, Italy, Sicily, Malta, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Corsica, Sardinia, Spain.

 

24:58

Morocco and the Canaries each left their historic cultural, religious, and culinary impressions. In 2017, we crossed the Atlantic to Bermuda before heading north to anchor off Randy’s family home in Marion, Massachusetts. We took in Nova Scotia and the Braador Lakes off Cape Breton before turning south  through the familiar Caribbean. The following seas of Venezuela will be remembered. We bartered through the San Blas,

 

25:26

crossed through Panama and sailed up to Costa Rica. By that time, we had developed our own routine. Everyone who takes on the challenge of a circumnavigation puts their own spin on it. One of the reasons our roundabout took so long is that Randy and I were still working. So we sailed only two to five months a year, leaving Convergence to return home. Then COVID hit and for a while everything changed. We left the boat in Mexico and  returned home for two years.

 

25:56

When the coast was finally clear again, we returned to Luxuria in Mexico’s rich embrace, exploring her coastal Rivera and the Sea of Cortez before starting our way north toward home. The dock lines were barely tied when the question started. What were our favorite places? Well, all of them hold their own magic, but Ueva in the loyalty islands, New Caledonia remains in my dreams. Best and worst days runs.

 

26:24

Our best run was 250 miles and 24 hours from Saguaro Islands  to Samoa. Our worst run, not accurately anticipated, in a Papagayo off to Nicaragua. Most memorable moment, a 50 knot Maltemian grease that lasted 12 days. Other answers to other questions will come in time when we are done decompressing. All of our passages were made better because of the boat. Convergence.

 

26:53

Custom Wiley 65 is a performance cruiser. She’s fast, responsive, comfortable, and easy to sail shorthanded. She motors at 10 knots and carries 400 gallons of fuel and 300 gallons of water. She has a pilot house salon with a galley up, accessible storage inside, nav station with 360 degree visibility, and can be sailed from inside in the inclement weather. She boasts an enviable engine compartment with standing headroom at the workbench and

 

27:23

everybody’s dream of vice. We like our practical unstayed carbon fiber rig. Our decks are clear with USCG stainless rails for safety, a reliable under deck windlass and a beach deck where dinghies and kayaks can be easily launched and stowed. Although friends and family occasionally joined us along our travels, it was the camaraderie of cruisers and the generosity of communities that inspired. The world is big, but our commonality far outweighs our differences.

 

27:52

something we all need to embrace. We learn so much. Do a shakedown cruise. Keep a sense of humor. Keep your love alive. Be open to experiences  you least expect. The oceans are more fragile than we realize. Do whatever you can to reduce your footprint. Cruising teaches you to need less and to conserve more. Even on land, we are now more acutely mindful of our use of water, power, and resources. When you are at sea,

 

28:22

Your insignificance is magnified. Keeping that humility is a life lesson. Among our biggest gifts is that son Kent Harris, now 30, skippers convergence. We are still in love with sailing and still in love with each other as a family and dreaming of our next adventure. Sally Christine Rogers.

 

28:44

Okay, we’ve got another cruising story for you lined up in the December issue of Latitude 38.  And where do all those boats go after the Baja Ha Ha?  So many of them disperse across that blue planet that Convergence sailed around. And we’re going to now bring you a story from the Levy family who went cruising in 2011 in the Ha Ha and now many years later are cruising with their kids. So Stargazer is a CSY 44.

 

29:13

and it’s being sailed by the Levy family, David, Katie, Emily, and Harper. And so it’s a true kids boat and it’s at a Newport Beach. So when David and I first sailed Stargazer to Mexico in the 2011, Baja Ha  Ha, it was with a couple of friends. When we returned to the Ha Ha last year,  the crew  included our daughters, 13-year-old Emily and 10-year-old Harper, and Stargazer was and is a fully fledged kid boat. What’s a kid boat?

 

29:42

It’s a cruising sailboat with kids board and one always on the lookout for other kid boats for social interaction. It’s essential. Luckily, the 2024 HAHA was a huge kid boat year with  more than 20 kids on various boats,  all sailing southbound. The kids first met at the rally stops in Turtle Bay and Bahia Santa Maria. After the HAHA, the kids boat organically grouped together for further adventures.

 

30:09

The majority headed to La Paz, while a few others went directly to Banderas Bay. The La Paz boats, Stargazer among them, joined forces with other existing kid boats for the start of the months of fun and shenanigans. The first scheduled activity was Thanksgiving. The ever-growing kid boat float Tila headed to Caleta Partida,  where they launched boatloads of toys including kayaks, SUPs, lily pads, tow-behind inflatable toys, and dinghies. You name the water toy, it was there.

 

30:38

At one point, all the kids congregated on the 70-foot Halcyon Seas, one of the powerboats that had come down with the ha-ha. It was pure excitement to see them swimming laps around the boat, jumping off the flybridge and playing with all the water toys. With too many kids and families to all fit in one boat for a Thanksgiving feast, everyone joined together for a potluck on the beach. It was a Thanksgiving we will all remember. After the holiday,  with the Sea of Cortez water getting cooler,

 

31:08

and northerly winds becoming more common, boats started migrating south. No formal kid boat plans had been made at that point, so when boats went their separate ways with future plans unknown. It wasn’t long before reunions started happening. We had been headed to Banderas Day, but when iffy weather was forecast that area, we diverted to Mazatlan and arrived to find ha-ha kid boats, sky and sea monkey already there. Another kid boat,

 

31:35

Polar Sun was leaving as we arrived, so we took their spot in tight inner harbor. We enjoyed Mauland together for a few days, then buddy-boated south to Isla Isabela. There we met up with Polar Sun, who had scoped out the southern anchorage for us and guided our trio boats into a great sand patch. One of the examples of buddy-boating. After the parade of kids and families explored the beautiful island, the four of us continued south.

 

32:02

in company to La Cruz in Banderas Bay. La Cruz is known for its kid boat community. There are weekly events for kids, including trash boat regattas, movie nights, field trips, and even a kid-only morning  net following the regular net. Stargazer anchored in the anchorage near the other kid boats, Malahini and Panther. La Cruz was a wonderful place for the kids to make new friends and build on the relationships they’d made earlier. The kid boat families

 

32:31

enjoyed the holiday together, including Christmas Day at the local water park. Stargazer then continued farther south to Tenecateta at the large protected anchorage just north of Barda Navidad. Without plans in place, somehow the majority of kid boats also gravitated there. We quickly reroute with Whippy, Jedi, Nike, Varakai, Taj, Free Ranger, and Oatmeal Savage.

 

32:59

And then there were the new kid boats, Double Deuce and Ku Kauna, Yasum and Condesa. And we weren’t done.  Other kid boats that Stargazer had been traveling with up north all ended up in Tenochtitl  as well. Sea Monkey, Sky, Panther Polar Sun, and Malahini. It was definitely party time in Mexico. As the new year approached, Tenochtitl’s spectacular beach bonfire didn’t disappoint.

 

33:27

The word spread quickly on the VHF morning net, so majority of the cruisers gathered to usher in the new year. By then, Tena Katina had become a magical playground. After homeschooling, kids would pop onto the radio announcing their afternoon plans. Of the many activities planned or simply created, Kid Island was a favorite. It would start with one lily pad being anchored nearby, then all the kids would join in, adding more floating rafts, lily pads, SUPs, kayaks, and whatever means of floating transportation.

 

33:57

the kids had until they had created a floating island. The checklist of activities only grew from there. Surf break within paddling distance from your boat, check. Idyllic Palapa restaurant and bar mostly for moms and dads, check. Estuary tour into the mangroves, check. Beautiful mile-long sand beaches, check. Provisions, a short dinghy ride away,  check. Great snorkeling, check. As noted, it was magical.

 

34:25

While Emily and Harper were having a great time with all their new friends, David and I met some absolutely incredible parents. All these families were living on their boats, homeschooling their kids and cruising around Mexico. Each boat had a unique story, but all shared the family adventure and happiness that are their top priorities. After enjoying Tenaquitida and Barra  de Navidad, another kid boat nerve center,  it was time to head back to the Sea of Cortez.

 

34:53

It was hard to say goodbye for both the kids and the adults. Cruising is so unique in that you meet other cruisers and get to know them, but at some point you know that you will part ways. Many kid boats ended up doing the Pacific puddle jump to French Polynesia, including  Oatmeal, Savage, Free Ranger, Panther, and Polar Sun. Others headed north like us or south with different plans on where to summer over in Mexico. Stargazers headed north at our own pace.

 

35:22

Harbor hopping at many of the places we had stopped on the way down. Pulling into new anchorage sometimes meant solitude, but many times we ran into boats we knew. Once back in the sea, we explored the many amazing anchorages between La Paz and Laredo. In the gem anchorage of Agua Verde, Stargazer and Condesa anchored close enough for the kids to easily SUP back and forth and plan after school activities,  one of which was a group  hike with the Condesa and

 

35:51

Kuh-Kahuna cruise over the hill and across the next valley to the Painted Caves. At Loretta, we anchored in the open roadstead for a day provisioning. Then it was a quick trip across Puerto Baleandra to Isla Carmen. And as we approached the mouth of the anchorage, our by now well-tuned kid radar picked up, double-deuce a few miles to the south. Whippy was anchored inside, and word came that Varakai was coming in as well.

 

36:21

This new, renewed group of kid boats enjoyed Mother’s Day together and stayed together as we explored Bahia Concepcion, Sweet Pea Cove, Anisla San Marcos, and Santa Rosalia. It is in these sometimes organic meetups with boats from the past that create lifelong memories. With summer approaching, the Sea of Cortez starts to get uncomfortably hot, so most boats pause their cruising adventures during the summer months.

 

36:46

After much deliberation, Stargazer’s summer plans were decided and we decided for Marina St. Carlos. The place offers both a dry storage yard and slips in the marina. As the mercury in the thermometer seem to rise another few degrees every day, we touched Stargazer aware away at the beginning of July and headed for other summer travel plans. Now  a new cruising season is upon us. We are excited to return to the boat in October.

 

37:13

and are in the midst of recommissioning and re-provisioning for another season. We hope to reconnect with some of the kid boats from last year, as well as meet up with whatever new kid boats come down with the 2025 HAHA. We can’t wait to see you all on the water. Thanks, Katie. That’s a great summary of an amazing trip. And I will remind all listeners,  of course, it’s one of those big decisions and challenging decisions for many parents raising kids,  should we take the kids, quote, out of school.

 

37:42

and bring them to Mexico for a year or for years to go explore an alternative path of schooling, learning, and certainly Katie’s story from Stargazer will let you know that it’s a perfectly acceptable, if not desirable thing to do. It’s amazing over the years at Latitude 38 how many kids we’ve met that were raised a majority of their life or a big chunk of their life aboard boats. And amazing how well adjusted, how awesome those kids are when they grow up.

 

38:12

So if there’s any hesitation, of course, there’s plenty of friends to be found south of the border and any cruising harbor for any kids of any age. And it’ll be amazing what the kids can learn beyond what they can learn inside the four square walls of a classroom. There’s so much more out there for kids to learn. And I think any parent who brought kids cruising will tell you it was the best thing they did in their life. So I hope you can join them and hope you can join them next fall in the Ha-Ha 2026.

 

38:41

the 32nd annual Baja Ha-Ha. So with that, we’re going to sign off for this month’s this week’s verbatim.  And we would ask you to give us a thumbs up  on  Apple podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcast. We’d love you to  stay aboard and subscribe with Lata 238 print magazine or go out and pick one up at any of your local retailers, marine retailers on the waterfront stretching anywhere from Seattle to San Diego.

 

39:09

Today being December 1st is the day they were dropped off on the Bay Area waterfront, but they’ll be getting dropped off by  our busy FedEx drivers that are delivering them to Monterey  and  Morro Bay and many of the bays up and down the coast. But with that, we hope you can get out on your sailboat in California soon. It’s a 12-month sailing season. The Christmas holidays are ahead.  New Year’s is ahead. But  in the midst of all of that, there’s some great sailing ahead.

 

39:37

Thank you for listening. Thanks for being part of the Latitude 38 Good Jibes and California Sailing Community. We hope to see you on the water soon.  Or have you sent us your story to be in Changes, Sightings, ‘Lectronic Latitude?  Send stories and photos to [email protected]. Fair winds to all, and best wishes for the holiday season!

 

 

'Lectronic Latitude: Monday, Dec 1
This month's good reads
Latitude 38 December Issue Out Now
The last 2025 issue of Latitude 38 is available now! This month is full of great stories and sailing happenings, from the Poobah's last Ha-Ha to the 2025 racing season champions and everything in between.
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Steering the Dream With Hydrovane
Hydrovane is your best crew member: an independent self-steering windvane and emergency rudder/steering system … ready to go!
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