Baja Ha-Ha Arrives in Turtle Bay for Bazeball and Sunshine

After leaving San Diego on Monday, the 2023 Baja Ha-Ha fleet enjoyed smooth sailing for leg one. The fleet is now anchored in Turtle Bay, and yesterday battled it out in the annual Baja Ha-Ha bazeball game on the first-class, green-grass diamond. Everyone was a winner.

The fleet will remain at anchor today for the famous Turtle Bay Beach Picnic. Everyone brings chairs, beach gear, toys, hiking shoes, bathing suits and anything wanted for a great day on the beach or a hike to the hills above. Hot dogs are sold, with proceeds going to a local charity. The locals generally show up to sell beer and other food to the cruisers on the beach. Pangas are usually on hand to provide Uber service to the beach for those who want to avoid the challenge of safely getting a dinghy ashore in the often-breaking, small surf on the beach. The beach waves don’t need to be big to cause havoc, and they always look smaller from a dinghy than from the beach.

The annual bazeball game in Turtle Bay has become a tradition that has also supplied the locals with an in-depth inventory of baseball gear donated by cruisers.

J. Mills, aboard his Jeanneau 44 DS Salty Dancer, reported in from Turtle Bay through an intermittent Verizon phone connection to say, “The weather has been fantastic with light winds and fair, rolling seas. We spent 64 hours 58 minutes from San Diego to Turtle Bay and about 22 hours under sail. Waiting for the big beach bash to start today and then early start on leg two tomorrow a.m. Bonne Vie 😎” This is the kind of report that makes us green with envy, though it’s what we expected when we waved to them as they departed San Diego on Monday. It’s incredible to think that you can be in the thick of San Diego urban sailing one day, and less than three days later you’re a Mexico cruiser in a quiet, remote harbor along the coast of Baja.

The town of Turtle Bay has grown over the years, but it’s still small and remote, meaning there are few marine supplies ashore and everyone here is sorting out any onboard issues with their crew or new friends and neighbors.

They’ll be leaving tomorrow morning on the next leg, headed to Bahia Santa Maria, where the fleet will again chill out for a couple of days in the warmth of Mexico, while also rocking out to the music provided by locals for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Beach Party on the bluff overlooking the bay. Panga drivers will again be on hand to run folks from the boats through the surf to the landing below the bluff.

Hurricane season is quieting down, though far to the south, Tropical Storm Pilar has formed off  Guatemala and is currently tracking west.

As La Paz cleans up after Hurricane Norma, we have word from Neil Shroyer at Marina de La Paz that they will be ready to host cruisers on November 19 at 4 p.m. for the annual Baja Ha-Ha beach party. The storm caused damage to boats and infrastructure in La Paz, but didn’t dampen the spirits. They’ll be ready to welcome the Baja Ha-Ha fleet and all cruisers who have headed south this year, and look forward to their visit.