Weekend Fun in Turtle Bay

After a splendid beach party Friday on an uninhabited section of Turtle Bay, the fleet set sail at 8 a.m. Saturday on Leg Two, a 240-mile run to remote Bahia Santa Maria. Although winds were initially under 10 knots, there was enough pressure for most boats to fly their chutes throughout the morning, and by mid-afternoon the breeze built to as much as 15 knots, and didn’t back off until nearly midnight. Skies cleared mid-morning, yielding brilliant sun-tanning weather.

The arrival of the Ha-Ha fleet is by far the biggest event that touches the otherwise sleepy fishing village of Turtle Bay, so the locals are always thrilled to mix and mingle with fleet members — or just observe their antics in the restaurants, on the beach and on the baseball field. As always, an enormous potluck was organized during the party, and a number of the fleet’s more fortunate fishermen brought in an abundance of tuna, dorado and wahoo to barbecue and share. Local entrepreneurs turned out to sell ice-cold beer and homemade tacos.

By the time you read this, many boats will have arrived at spectacularly unspoiled Bahia Santa Maria, where the fleet will lay over for two days before the Wednesday start of Leg Three — the 180-mile final leg to Cabo San Lucas.

Monday at BSM is always dedicated to catching up on sleep, hiking to the top of the sheltering hillsides, and beach combing on the seemingly endless stretches of white sand that encircle the bay.