Episode #167: The Grand Poobah Richard Spindler on the 30th Annual Baja Ha-Ha

In this week’s episode we spend time with the Baja Ha-Ha cruisers’ rally Grand Poobah, Richard Spindler. Richard chats with Good Jibes host Nicki Bennett to share stories of this year’s 30th Baja Ha-Ha and more.

Richard is the Founder of Latitude 38 sailing magazine and the Baja Ha-Ha, which just wrapped up in Cabo San Lucas. Hear how this year compared to previous years, what makes the Baja Ha-Ha so special, highlights from the Turtle Bay Bazeball Game, why Bahía Santa Maria is the most magical place on Earth, and whether there will be a 31st Baja Ha-Ha.

Here’s a sample of what you’ll hear in this episode: 

• Prioritizing safety and making the right calls as a leader
• The biggest tuna caught during the rally
• Injuries, cloggings, and water tanks galore
• Watching people’s lives change over the years
• The logistics of planning the Ha-Ha route
• Coordinating with the Mexican government to host so many boats

Learn more at Baja-HaHa.com and check out the photos on Richard’s Facebook page.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast spots — follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re feeling the Good Jibes!

Check out the episode and show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• The Grand Poobah Richard Spindler on the 30th Annual Baja Ha-Ha
  • [0:21] Welcome to Good Jibes with Latitude 38
  • [0:48] Learn more about Richard Spindler
  • [1:15] Crossing from Cabo to Puerto Vallarta
  • [1:49] The Baja Ha-Ha overview
  • [3:10] We have a surprising number of civil engineers in our group
  • [5:28] An unusual amount of fish caught this year
  • [6:25] Cancelling the Squid Roe Party, The Eternity Kissing Contest, and the Award Ceremony
  • [7:54] Let’s talk about tuna
  • [9:23] What was the biggest one caught?
  • [10:20] All the livestreams are up on YouTube if you want to see them
  • [10:47] Who broke their wrist and how?
  • [11:43] Their what was clogged?!
  • [14:02] Just not enough anchor chain
  • [16:04] A lot can happen in 10 days…
  • [17:31] Living 24 hours a day
  • [18:55] Seeing kids who come back from cruising as mature adults
  • [20:45] The different experiences of families with young kids vs. high school teens
  • [22:05] Baseball in Turtle Bay
  • [25:19] Community benefits of Baja Ha-Ha
  • Baja Ha-Ha
  • [26:44] If you’d like to be a sponsor, email [email protected]
  • [27:13] Customs at Bahía Santa Maria
  • [30:59] You’ve got to have a lot of faith in the system
  • [32:22] We had the all time record Conga Line
  • [33:42] They charged $100 US to drop somebody off at the fuel dock
  • [35:34] Anchoring out is always the default
  • [36:49] Mexico’s marinas are fuller now since COVID-19
  • [39:31] Wonderful, wonderful people
  • Wrapping Up
  • [39:43] Check out the Latitude 38 Crew List at Latitude38.com
  • [40:27] Any report on the La Paz beach party?
  • [43:19] So we’ve got a new dating sphere. It’s called Do the Ha-Ha
  • [43:47] How many boats had the Starlink and what are your thoughts on how that has changed the rally?
  • [45:44] The beauty of Starlink is you can stay in contact with your friends
  • [47:05] Starlink has opened up the world
  • [49:24] Richard’s first race in Mexico in 1981
  • [50:47] A sweet deal with the Mexican Navy
  • [52:14] Why don’t you stop in Ensenada?
  • [53:44] What better thing is there to do in early November?
  • [55:02] Closing thoughts about the Baja Ha-Ha?
  • Check out the latest Latitude 38 Sailing Magazine at Latitude38.com
  • Check out the Latitude 38 Bookstore here for books recommended by Good Jibes guests
  • Make sure to follow Good Jibes with Latitude 38 on your favorite podcast spot and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
  • Check out the November 2024 issue of Latitude 38
  • Theme Song: “Pineapple Dream” by Solxis