The Fleet Has Arrived



The Ha Ha Sailboats Begin to Arrive in Turtle Bay

Our Panga Taxi Service

Lorena Headed for First Base

Gathering for Dinner at the Veracruz Restaurant

On the evening of October 30^th, sailboats began arriving in Bahia Tortugas and by daylight the bay was filled with what we jokingly call “stick boats;” our Baja Ha Ha friends had arrived.  This year’s Annual Baja Ha Ha Rally participants include 137 sailboats and three power boats, including Got d’ Fever.  The goal of the Rally is to cruise from San Diego to Cabo with the company of other boats and includes two scheduled stops down the Baja Coast, one at Turtle Bay and the other at Bahia Santa Maria before reaching the finish line at Cabo San Lucas.  Such enormous distances and long hours require extra crew for continuous day and night sailing which is all part of the fun for many sailboats. Since Got d’ Fever has a crew of only two, we left San Diego ahead of the fleet so we could visit Ensenada and enjoy a couple of overnight anchorages along the way.  We had arrived in Turtle Bay ahead of the fleet and were pleased to see so many boats sail into the harbor the following day, a pretty sight.  Each year, the village of Turtle Bay prepares for the arrival of the Ha Ha, ready with their panga services to transport people to shore, provide fuel, or pick-up garbage for a small fee from visiting boaters, all of which provides a nice financial boost for the community.  Children from the village look forward to receiving candy from the gringos and participating in activities like a friendly game of baseball held at the playfield in town.  I joined the long line of hopefuls for several turns at bat and played a little outfield.  Other  boaters seated in the stands cheered us on and a volunteer sports announcer enthusiastically described each play.  Some of the boys from the village wore their baseball uniforms and showed us Americanos how the game is played!  One boy really has an arm; perhaps he will be the next Alex Rodriguez.  After the game, we all gathered at the Veracruz Restaurant for dinner (la comida), a nice opportunity to meet other boaters in the group and share stories.  The next day included an afternoon potluck at the beach east of town.  The locals set up tents for the festivities and brought tables and chairs in their pickup trucks.  Boaters used the panga service to get to shore or came to the beach by dinghy or kayak.  Yes, this was our first opportunity to use those new dinghy wheels we had installed earlier.  Thankfully, the surf wasn’t huge and two boys on the beach came to help pull the dinghy ashore.  We appreciated the assistance, which meant a more graceful exit from our dinghy and gave los ninos the appropriate tip (propina).  Several boaters donated fish for the barbeque which they had caught during their cruise and the rest of the group brought plenty of side dishes to share – it was a great feast!  Games included volleyball, water balloons, and old-fashioned tug of war plus music and a talent show.  I couldn’t resist participating in the tug of war – it was ladies against the boys.  We were holding our own until a few men stepped in to help the boys; my hands were getting chaffed by the dock line so it was time to let go - the ladies caved.  The party continued on till after dark, but we needed our rest so it was back to the boat.  It would be another early 3:30am departure for Got d’ Fever and another 13-hour cruise to our next overnight anchorage at Punta Abreojos.


Local Boys Assist Boaters



More Arrivals at the Beach



Preparing for the Barbeque