Why So Many So Fast?

To be honest, we’re a little blown away by how many skippers have signed up for the Baja Ha-Ha already. Thirty-nine in four days. Here are some possible reasons:

1) It’s a grand adventure — it really is — during which time you get to meet lots of other sailors.

2) Life is pretty sweet in Mexico. It’s always been more tranquil south of the border, and anyone who cruises Mexico will tell you how warm and friendly the people are. As for the narco wars and swine flu, both are legitimate concerns, but neither has had any impact where cruisers spend their time. It’s sort of like people in Oakland and San Francisco not being affected by the high rate of murder in certain areas of their cities.

3) The cost of living in Mexico is low. For years we’ve been telling folks that they can cruise comfortably in Mexico at or below the poverty level in the U.S., and on Social Security alone. Assuming you avoid marinas and tourist restaurants, it’s true. Our good friends Wayne Hendryx and Carol Baggerly of the Brisbane-based Hughes 45 catamaran Capricorn Cat, who will be doing their second Ha-Ha this fall, are currently in Guaymas, where they offer the following report on the price of food:

"By and large, the cost of living in Mexico is very modest. We’re here in Guaymas, which is a traditional working class town — albeit one that has produced three of Mexico’s presidents — and have a good idea of what food costs. One of our favorite ‘eats’ is a whole BBQ chicken, with beans, rice, onions and tortillas from Pollo Feliz. It costs 85 pesos — about $6.50 U.S. It’s so much food that Carol and I can get four meals out of it. You can’t eat much less expensively than that. We also like the taco vendor across the street from the marina. He gives us four big tacos, with endless sides and condiments, plus a drink, for about $3.85 U.S. Of course, sometimes we really get hungry for a big steak dinner. When that happens, we’ve been going to the Hotel Oeste Steak House where, for $35 U.S., we get two huge steaks, an endless salad bar and two glasses of wine. By the way, the steakhouse is either a 1.5-mile walk or a $2.50 cab ride from the marina — although the last time we got a ride from a Guaymas cop and his wife. Of course, if you really want to eat inexpensively, you buy your food at the mercados, where it’s really cheap. For example, we bought 50 large, sweet grapefruit for just $3.75. Take that, Whole Foods! And we just bought slightly less than five pounds of mangos for $3.75. Try to match that, Costco!"

Of course, nobody wants to dwell on the price differences in medical treatment between the U.S. and Mexico, but the following is instructive. About 10 years ago, Bill Vacarro of the Moody 44 Miela had a very bad bout with kidney stones. After getting treated in Chico, he ended up with a bill for $70,000. Last winter, he had another bad bout of ‘stones’. Since he was in Puerto Vallarta, he decided to seek treatment there. He tells us the doctor, hospital and treatment were all first class. But the cost for basically the same procedures as had been performed in California was just $7,000. For liberal arts majors, that’s 1/10th of what it had cost him 10 years ago in the United States.

So while we’re thrilled at the interest in this fall’s Ha-Ha, we’re not really that surprised. If you’re thinking about signing up for the Ha-Ha, or know you want to sign up, visit www.baja-haha.com. And remember, the earlier you sign up, the greater the chance you’ll get a berth the first day you arrive in Cabo.