Why Stand in Line When You Can Float to the Immigration Office?

As more and more of our bureaucracy becomes automated, it’s fun to see people finding innovative ways to avoid the lines we’re often forced to endure when trying to get things done. Richard Spindler of Profligate, the Baja Ha-Ha mothership, shared the following story of sailors afloat bypassing the standing lines in Mexico.

When I reflect back on my life, one of the “coolest things ever” happened just 78 days ago. It was when, during the dark of night at remote Bahia Santa Maria, a Mexican immigration office was opened up in the cockpit of Profligate. And in the span of less than two hours, hundreds of Ha-Ha participants were checked into the country.

Actually, the participants weren’t on Profligate, they were in dinghies behind the cat. Their passports were handed to the team on Profligate who set up an assembly line to get the passports to the immigration official. An immigration official who, I might add, had made a rough three-hour small-boat trip from San Carlos to get there.

It was not only so cool to have an immigration office opened up on my boat, it also saved the Ha-Ha. Without this help, the Ha-Ha would have become logistically impossible.

Which is why I’m taking this opportunity to tell everyone the same team is eager to do it again this fall. And to remind everyone that the Ha-Ha XXX start is only 284 days away. And that sign-ups begin at noon on May 9, just 105 days from now.

I hope you’ll join us and become part of Ha-Ha history.