Baja Ha-Ha

[Soundbounder]

A story in todays San Diego Union about the Baja Ha-Ha.
San Diego to Cabo San Lucas.

Seafarers set sail for swell ride - SignOnSanDiego.com

Looks like fun!

[John A]

This Baja-Ha-ha Rally has become the premier cruising event of the West Coast. The theme of fun-filled, sailing together, friendship is extended from this 'happening' to the entire West Coast of Mexico. I've even met cruisiers in the Bahamas wearing a Latitude38 T-shirt from a past Baja-Ha-Ha. All I needed to say was 'Latitude38' and we stopped and exchanged stories.

The Baja-Ha-Ha separated from Latitude38 16 years ago for legal concerns. Before that, Latitude38 ran the event as well as The Sea of Cortez Racing Week. For the first few years of the Magazine there was no December issue because Richard and crew has gone sailing for November.

The Baja-Ha-Ha has been an institution since the mid-eighties. Do try to attend.
John

[Soundbounder]

Sounds good, John A.
I was just looking over the website:

Baja Ha-Ha Cruisers Rally: Sailing from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas

[TaoJones]

As the "Baja Ha-Ha," this year's running is the sixteenth. The first was in 1994. They're calling this one the Sweet Sixteenth!

TaoJones

[theonecalledtom]

Saw some cruiser boats with the flags on in glorietta bay at the weekend. Some small feeling of jealousy, not my year this year....

[highseas]

The bajahahers are getting hammered today, off Cedros Is. ,20 ft. seas 40 knot winds.The thing about schedules is they may not coincide with the best winds,conditions.I am leaving on full moon monday when conditions are luckily returning to normal.I wish them well.

[Islander]

We're thinking of doing this next year, and the sailing to a schedule issue is one that concerns me. Any idea if they ever delayed or moved up a departure due to weather conditions, good or bad?

Cheers.

[TaoJones]

Not to my knowledge. Even an unusual year like '09 hasn't really changed the event very much. Most of the fleet tucked into San Quintin or Punta Baja to give themselves a 24-hour respite before heading to the regular first stop at Turtle Bay. Here's today's 'Lectronic Latitude report:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

TaoJones

[John A]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

As the "Baja Ha-Ha," this year's running is the sixteenth. The first was in 1994. They're calling this one the Sweet Sixteenth!

TaoJones

A separate entity called Baja-Ha-Ha was formed in 1994 as an effort to protect Latitude38 from any liability for the rally. That Richards daughter heads the organization or that Richard is the driving force is beside the point.
As stated in my previous post, Richard has been doing this rally every year since the mid eighties.
There's another rally that Richard is the chief movater for also: The Puddle Jump, from Mexico to the South Pacific.
regards John A

ps. Richard uses a weather routing service to insure a safe passage. As noted in his report, some are not effected and those from the Pacific Northwest consider this daysail conditions. The long period swell of the Pacific ocean is different than that experienced in the Alantic.
Just wait until a dust storm blows off shore and bangs into the large Pacific swells, then things get interesting.

[Hud3]

I'm not sure I understand what "hammered" means in this situation. The winds are from the NW, right? That would put them on the starboard quarter for a boat headed south. Sounds like a good ride to me, with the wind behind the beam, not something to be avoided. "Hammered" would be beating into those conditions.

The corresponding situation on the East Coast would be riding a front from the Chesapeake Bay down to the Tradewinds. 40-45 knots on the port quarter, with a scrap of genoa out in 24' swells means you're doing hull speed or better and having a ball!

I've never sailed the Pacific coast, and so would appreciate someone clearing this up for me.

[zeehag]

they really get a lot for their 300 dollars, dont they!!!!! a t shirt, checkins, cap, flag, and stormy weather lol...is a goood rally------

[Yotboss]

Hud

You are so right... Riding the big Pacific swell in those conditions is insane fun, especially for those on the numerous multis making the trip. Obviously though, not everyone is comfortable, ready or safe in those conditions so the suggested stop was a wise call.

Tom (Ha-Ha vet...)

[sded]

Initial forecasts Sunday/MOnday were for possible gale force winds and 15-20 ft seas with periods as low as 6 seconds, but the usual uncertainties. So the HaHa fleet took several approaches. Larger boats took off Sunday, instead of Monday, to beat the storm and many are already in Turtle Bay. The HaHa Poobah recommended everyone else take an intermediate stop at some place like San Quintin (about 160 miles out) and wait out the storm. And others are holed up along the way at Ensenada and other intermediate anchorages. Others restarted today based on last nights reports. We elected to defer our start to tomorrow am ad go direct, rather than go to San Quintin and wait, but this mornings reports were that winds were only 20-30kts, seas 10-12ft, so manageable for most of those who did go direct. Winds seem up and a bit gusty today, but no further reports until tomorrow. And we're off then.

[John A]

Hud3,
Its very difficult for me to speculate on the sailing conditions while warm and cozy indoors and receiving minimal reports from unverified sources.
I've seen no reports about wind or sea direction, and with El Nino doing its thing, all bets are off.
As a general rule, the swells do indeed come from the NW, and they are very long period swells. A ten foot following sea with a period of 15 seconds is quite comfortable.
Another factor to consider is that, for many, this is their first off shore sail! The sailing caracteristics of their tupperware cats is still in the learning phase.

[imagine2frolic]

In 1993 I was beating into southern winds doing 20 to 35 knots. That's when I made the remark if this is a milk run I have spilt milk........i2f