Browsing the Archives on a Ha-Ha Monday
This year’s annual cruisers’ rally to Mexico is hotting up! The Ha-Ha’s Poobah has heard from past participants who are clearly thrilled with their experience of cruising to Mexico.
After posting that 71 boats have already become paid entries for the 30th Baja Ha-Ha in November, a few vets chimed in with unsolicited comments, shared below. If you’re a Ha-Ha vet and want to chime in, be our guest. If you’re a vet of Ha-Ha XXV, see if you can recognize yourself in some of the great photographs taken by the one and only Fin Bevan.
Lisa Novak: “We did the Ha-Ha in 2007, and it was the best decision of our lives! Well, besides getting married and buying a Hans Christian. Live your dreams before you are too old, sick or dead!”
Andy Kurtz: “I haven’t signed up yet, but like last year I’ll be there again with my Columbia 57 Angelique. I’ll sign up when I get to Hawaii in a few days.”
Ben Erwin: “We came down in last year’s Ha-Ha on Noctiluca and we’re still here in Banderas Bay! We made some incredible friends, and have had incredible adventures since that time. And we’re just getting started. We’re very much looking forward to meeting the new group of cruisers and friends as they begin their own journeys south!”
Kent Sisk: “Did it in 2007. Loved it.”
If you’re not sure if you should do the Ha-Ha, it’s good to ask around. It’s best to ask folks who have actually done one. Those who haven’t don’t have any idea what they’re talking about, because the Ha-Ha is unlike any other sailing event.
For one thing, the Ha-Ha has an unusually flexible vibe. The primary goals are the safety of the participants and providing the opportunity for adventure.
A couple hours late to the starts? No problem. Want to go by way of Guadalupe Island or throw in a stop at Cedros? Be our guest. Not interested in some of the eight major social events? It’s your choice. Want to run the bases backward at the Cruisers Versus Local Kids Bazeball Game in Turtle Bay? That would be pretty funny.
Be safe, have fun, and make dozens of new sailing friends while having the opportunity for an adventure you’ll remember the rest of your life. That’s what the Ha-Ha is all about.
The 30th Baja Ha-Ha starts on November 4. Sign up here: HA-HA XXX
We’ll leave you with this slideshow of Fin Bevan’s photos of the 25th Baja Ha-Ha Cruisers Rally.
Mai Tardis II sailed out of San Diego as a part of the 1998 HaHa! And we have the photos to prove it! We left with a fleet of 82 boats and enjoyed the entire trip, Bahia Tortuga was great as were out other stops ending in Cabo San Lucas. It had grown since my previous stop several years prior on a yacht delivery/retuning a yacht to San Diego. ‘98 saw off to PV. We settled in there for the next 9 years. Thanks to the HaHa we had experiences we never would have otherwise. Rich, I never got my knife. Andy had our numbers. We wish the best to all who make the voyage. Lat. 38 continues to be the best.
We did the 2001 Ba Ha. It was a highlight! Still have the t-shirts!
I would happily help crew. Bringing over 35k nm ocean passage to the experience. I ask only for food.
One of the high lights of our sailing lives. We did 2000 on a friends boat. 2004 on ours and 2005 on a friends.
We are still cruising and have our flag and hat (misspelled) 2004
Parrot Head a 2018 veteran. It was a great experience and we are excited to be doing it again. This time we will bring plenty of $1’s, $5’s and $10’s because ATM’s are non existent until Cabo.😁