I Survived the Baja-Haha! (Long)

[montenido]

Hi all,
I just retruned from a nearly 5-week trip aboard Odyssey, beginning in Channel Islands Harbor, CA, and ending in La Paz, BCS. Boy, did I learn a lot! My son and I left CIH and day sailed to Marina Del Rey, spending the night there. Next day we sailed to Dana Point Harbor, also spending the night. After a long day, we arrived in San Diego Bay, where we spent several nights readying ourselves and picking up our other crew, before the official start to the Baja-Haha.
We all left San Diego in a cold rain, with wind on our nose. Conditions improved as we made some southing, with a full 3 days of travel before our first stop at Turtle Bay, in Baja. After 2 days there, we had 2 1/2 days of sailing/motoring until we hit our second 2-day stop at Bahia Santa Maria. There were parties and resting at both stops. Two more days and one overnight put us in Cabo (Las Vegas) San Lucas. What a zoo. Our families flew in to spend some time with us before heading home with two of our crew. I couldn't get out of there fast enough! My last crew member and I made it to La Paz with overnight stops at Los Frailes and Bahia de Los Muertos.
We learned all about downwind sailing, which it turns out is not my boat's optimum point of sail (nor mine with limited experience). We learned all about dodging small boats at night with all manner of nav lights going, such as anchor, steaming, deck-level nav AND mast tri-color. "Just what the hell is that?". All the major systems that I worked so hard on for the last 18 months worked well, with no issues, knock on wood. We caught tuna and dorado, ate very well, and got along well, so I count this as my favorite sailing trip by far.
Once in La Paz, where I will be keeping the boat, we were greeted by members of the marina, fellow cruisers (even Rebel Heart) and fellow Haha-ers. Wow, what a fantastic bunch of people! You guys rock! We explored that great town and swam with whale sharks on two different days. Just incredible.
Now I am back in Los Angeles for the holidays and scheming to get back to my boat in La Paz ASAP.
To everybody who crossed our paths and who offered support, advice, and friendship to us, I say thank you.
I can't wait to begin exploring the Sea of Cortez.

Cheers, Bill

[HappyMdRSailor]

Awesome report Bill !!!

With all of your posts... Questions... and replies on the forum... I think it proves perfectly that the community does more than irritate/flame/close threads... I don't think there could have been a better outcome to your trip!

Congrats are indeed in order!

(now get your due diligence done up here and get back down there)

[Hud3]

Way to go, Bill. The first one is always the toughest, and yours didn't sound too tough. You must have done everything right!

[SkiprJohn]

Congratulations,
Martin and I were just behind the Ha Ha fleet and saw a few in Bahia de Los Muertos while overnighting for rest before heading for La Paz. We, too, saw Rebel Heart and enjoyed La Paz much more than Cabo San Lucas.
Had a great sail and watched the Ha Ha fleet set sail on the only rainy day that month. We waited until the 30th and spent a few days in Ensenada watching weather to the south.
You'll probably see Joli Elle in La Paz (marina). She belongs to CelestialSailor here on CF.

[CaribbeanCraig]

Happy Holidays !

I was in Cabo last February ( very expensive marina) and the Humpbacks were breaching all over the place. It was wonderful .

[zeehag]

awesome!! congrats on survival and adventure!!!
sometime mebbe you cross paths in my neighborhood, wherever that is .... with me,it is all up to the boat and my mutinous i guess crew...sorta cousin like friend fixit soul

[Tayana42]

Hey Bill, well done. We will be following you shortly. Boat is ready, bank account is drained, house is rented, slip is cancelled as of December so we are committed. Not following the HaHa route though. We will stop in Ensenada and several spots along the way taking our time and watching the weather. But your preparation and adventure are a fun parallel for us to read about. Hope we will see you there.
Michael and Ann

[rebel heart]

It really is a great ride down from San Diego. At first when I did I never wanted to do it again, but now I'm jealous of everyone who gets to do that sail. Not so much anything to do with the Haha which still isn't my cup of tea, but that's just personal preference.

We just left La Paz three days ago and got into La Cruz (mainland, Banderas Bay) after a four day passage. After you poke around up in the Sea you should head over here man!

But really, great job on pulling it off. We did our "shake down cruise" before we left San Diego, but really our first year in Mexico has been our shake down. It's really hard to get it all right before you do it, and it's hard to really know what you're going to need.

Awesome work though pulling it off man!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

It really is a great ride down from San Diego. At first when I did I never wanted to do it again, but now I'm jealous of everyone who gets to do that sail. Not so much anything to do with the Haha which still isn't my cup of tea, but that's just personal preference.

We just left La Paz three days ago and got into La Cruz (mainland, Banderas Bay)

I'm curious if the OP would do the Ba ha ha again after the experience. To me and my lifestyle, it has little to offer other than a $300 flag and someone telling me I need to get underway in the rain. SkiprJohn and I saw the after-math however, sailing a few days behind them including 250 peso($20us) fish tacos in turtle bay. Crips!...fish tacos for 2 in Ensenada were 125 pesos!.
Let me know if you want me to check your dock lines as I'm here getting some dental work done for a month or so.
It was great meeting Eric and Charlotte (Rebel Heart) and your wonderful family. Glad to see you guys are in the real Mexico now...
I agree with the OP in regards to Cabo. I was there in the 90's also and thought it was a pit then. I could not figure out the Cuban cigar sellers every 200 ft., this time, until I listened to them after I said no for the umpteenth time. Then they would murmur "cocaine". Oh...I get it...drug cartel in Cabo now...got it. Ya...go Lat 38. Great place for your followers to take their kids.

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by zeehag

awesome!! congrats on survival and adventure!!!
sometime mebbe you cross paths in my neighborhood, wherever that is .... with me,it is all up to the boat and my mutinous i guess crew...sorta cousin like friend fixit soul

That lazy boat kat.....still, you can't expect him to fix much. I guess you will have to do it.

[captain58sailin]

Good job montenido, sounds like a wonderful adventure.

[montenido]

Thanks for the kind words everybody. Yes, I would do the Haha again, but on somebody else's boat. If I came down again, I think Iwould gunk hole it, surf, and take my time. Sorry about the $20 tacos in Turtle Bay, the most we paid was about $8-10. La Paz is like a deep breath of fresh air, where Cabo, for me, is like inhaling from an exhaust pipe.
Rebel Heart, I hope you enjoy the mainland. Stay safe and enjoy yourselves.
Anyway, I hope to run into as many of you in the Sea as I can. Zee, I am looking forward to meeting you some day, as I have always enjoyed your posts and outlook on life aboard.
I am in Marina De La Paz if anyone wants to look me up.

Cheers, Bill

[zeehag]

montenido..we are trying to get bird to guaymas for haul and completion of refit.....first we have to unsieze the engine, so it could be a few days.....glad you got to la paz. yes cabo is eeehggjlgdjvjbplch...