Sea Visas Explained as Fleet Grows

Within the southbound cruising community there’s been a lot of chatter lately about a new Mexican regulation which supposedly requires that "sea visas" be obtained in advance by all vessels heading south. Turns out, though, this has nothing to do with recreational sailors, such as those participating in the annual Baja Ha-Ha cruisers rally, from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas.

According to Bob Hoyt, a longtime friend of the Ha-Ha who operates the Mag Bay outfitters fishing operation, this new visa requirement only applies to long-range commercial fishing vessels that will be operating within Mexico’s "economic zone" (which extends 24 miles offshore), and will not be clearing in at Ensenada. In recent years, there was an effort to force such vessels to clear at the port of Ensenada, but obtaining a Sea Visa in advance eliminates that necessity. Again, it does not pertain to sailors heading south.

Meanwhile, Hoyt has proposed an optional service that will make clearing in easier than ever for fleet members this year. Either he or his wife Diane will be on site during the Ha-Ha’s pre-departure activities to pre-clear any boats that want to save themselves the time and hassle in Cabo (the fleet’s traditional first port of entry). The same clearance fees that would be incurred in Cabo will apply, plus a $50 per boat service fee, similar to what Cabo ship’s agents charge.

As was the case last year, immigration officials from the port of San Carlos will attend our annual Bahia Santa Maria beach party to finalize the clearances, and to meet and greet the cruisers. "They actually love meeting all the sailors," says Hoyt.

Meanwhile, the Ha-Ha fleet continues to grow. If we’re on the fence about joining the fun this year, we’ll remind you that once the economy finally recovers it may actually be harder to break away. As one sailor put it last year, "Hey, my cash flow stinks, but my boat’s paid for and I can live a whole lot cheaper in Mexico, so doing the Ha-Ha was a no-brainer." For a complete schedule of Ha-Ha events see the website. Online sign-up there only takes about 10 minutes. Will this be your year to Ha-Ha?

Baja Ha-Ha 19 Entries to Date:

Exodus / Lagoon 400 / San Diego / John Lightfoot & Sherry Franklin
Tamara Lee Ann / Celestial 48 / Emeryville / Doug & Tamara Thorne
Elysium / Catalina 42 MkII / Anacortes, WA / Dan Ohlemacher
Day Dream / J/122 / San Francisco / Robert Day
Mandolina / Oceanic 45 / San Francisco / Rich Reiner
Milagro / Catalina 42 / Alameda / Michael & Judy Stouffer
Vakasa / Lagoon TPI 42 / Victoria, BC / Tony & Kathy Silver
Dolfin / Pacific Seacraft 37 / San Diego / Bill & Patty Meanley
Talos IV / Pacific Seacraft 37 / Seattle, WA / Paul & Janet Baker
Heavy Metal / Blue Water 60 / San Francisco / Rigo & Deborah Fuzetto
Elegant’sea / Islander Freeport 36 / San Diego / Chip & Debbie Willis
Grey Goose / Hunter 36 / Marina Bay / Alan & Linda Brabon
Ojo Rojo / Columbia 36 / Alamitos Bay / Keith & Terry Albrecht
Flibbertigibbet / O’Day 34 / Discovery Bay / Betty & Jim Adams
Defiant / C&C 115 / Vancouver, BC / Mike Northup & Nancy Kettles
Rubber Duckies / Coronado 45 / Alameda / Nicki & Darrell Powell-Ford
Shindig / Oyster 485 / Sausalito / Robert & Nancy Novak
Zoë / Fantasi 44 / Bainbridge Is, WA / David & Barbara Rogers
HighRoad / Hans Christian 38 / Astoria, OR / Robert & Nancy Atwood
Lanikai / Hunter 38 / Long Beach / Allan & Leanne Emas
Serenity Now / Catalina MkII 36 / Dana Point / Dennis & Sue Nespor
Oogachaka / Krogen Widebody 42 / Coeur d’Alene, ID / Ken & Patty Sebby
Scot Free IV / Hylas 42 / Vancouver, BC / John Harper & Deborah Martin del Campo
Raireva / Cape Vickers 34 / Green Cove Springs / Marek Nowicki & Helen Chien
Odyssey / Islander Freeport 41 / Rio Vista / Kenneth & Danita Nissen
Gypsy Wind / Hunter 40.5 / Marina del Rey / James & Elizabeth Lee
La Boheme / Hylas 44 / Alameda / Marian Croyle & Neil Calvert
Wanuskewin / Catalina 42 MkII / San Diego / Michael & Holly Sanderson
Krissy 2 / Passport 40 / San Francisco / Allen Cooper
Patanjali / Catalina 42 / Marina del Rey / Michael Bowe
Taj / Grainger 48 cat / Port Townsend, WA / Peter Brown
Victoria / Hudson Force 50 / Catawba, WI / Alan Young
A Viva / Islander 36 / San Diego / David Meyers
Gitane / Island Packet 38 / Seattle, WA / Kenneth & Nancy Hunting
Kindred Spirit / Tayana V42 / Emeryville / Jim & Michele Saake
Haulback / Spencer 35 / Vancouver, BC / Jim & Janet Kellam
Valhalla / Ericson 34 / San Francisco / Don & Kathie Wight
Distraction / Olson 911s / San Diego / Don Laverty
Rancho Relaxo / Islander 30 / Chula Vista / Paul Ingram
Aventura / Morgan 382 / Seattle, WA / Greg Smith
Desert Vision / Hunter 44 DS / Portland, OR / Michael & Iris Boone
R & B III / Catalina 36 / Santa Cruz / Robert Older & Richard Weed
Coyote / Hylas 42 / San Francisco / Jack Salyer
Sea Gazer / Islander 36 / San Diego / Thomas Fernandez
Valkyrie / Morgan 28 / San Francisco / Patric Walton
Wizard / Choate 40 / San Francisco / John & Susan Campbell
Fluenta / Stevens 47 / Halifax, NS / Max Shaw & Elizabeth Brown-Shaw
Beleza / Hylas 46 / San Pedro / Michael & Qi Bruce
Sea Note / Endeavour 43 / Fort Mohave, AZ / Thomas Wood
Story Seeker / Beneteau M445 / Sausalito / Keith Patterson & Marianna deCroes
Bangorang / Fountaine-Pajot Venezia 42 / Ventura / Colin & Wendy Gegg
Gundamain / Oyster 655 / Larkspur / Paxy Ltd.
Iataia / Beneteau First 45 / San Diego / Sara & Marcos Rodriguez
Reflections / Rafiki 37 / Morro Bay / Jeff Wass
Little Wing / Islander 34 / Point Richmond / Keith Somers & Mary Perkins
Autumn Wind / Catalina 34 / Alameda / Brian Plautz & Elizabeth Kline
Unwinder / Catalina 36 / San Diego / Robert Watson
Compadre / Columbia 45 / Long Beach / Doug & Virginia Ward
Rhapsody / Herreshoff Nereia 36/ Los Angeles / Alan & Laura Dwan
Gabby Wray / Catalina 470 / San Diego / Darrell & Wendy Peck
Granuaile / Tayana 52 / Marina del Rey / Gregory Richter & Janet Gaynor
Pied-a-Mer III / Seawind 1160 cat / Clatskanie, OR / Eric & Pam Sellix
Lion Heart / Catalina 42 / Redondo Beach, CA / George & Veronica Lyons
Indiscretion / Hunter 35 / Victoria, BC / Albert Klettke
Pacific Hwy / Davidson 44 / St. John, USVI / Bruce & Laura Masterson
Jumble / Mariner 31 / San Diego / Andrew Martin & Anna Tang
Tinuviel / True North 34 / Benicia / Barry Foster & Kathy Kathy Crabtree
Eternal Bliss / Vagabond 47 / Channel Islands Harbor / Winthrop & Jennifer Artis
Destiny / 85-ft schooner / Friday Harbor, WA / Mike & Dawn Hillard