BAJA HA-HA XXIX NEWSLETTER #1
POST HA-HA MARINA SITUATION IN MEXICO
With 140 days to go the current number of paid entries for the Baja Ha-Ha XXIX is 71. As such, the Poobah suspects it's going to be a smaller than-normal fleet this fall.
This doesn't come as a big surprise, as the numbers are down in most sailing events. For example, this summer's TransPac has 60 entries, down from 81 in 2019, which was the last pre-Covid year. And both the big international regattas in St. Barth, the Bucket and the Voiles, were off substantially this year.
Who knows why? It might be cyclical, it might be real estate and stocks being off, it might be post Covid blowout hangover, or it might just be something in the air. Nonetheless, the Poobah is expecting something in the realm of 120 paid entries, which would be just fine. After all, quality always trumps quantity, and the current fleet looks terrific.
(By the way, as usual, the leading occupation of Ha-Ha skippers is Engineer, usually in the world of Tech.)
While exact numbers are impossible to come by, the additional good news for people looking for berths in Mexico is that it seems as though a larger number of boats than usual left for the South Pacific this spring. This means it's possible there may be more slips and haul-out slots available in Mexico than there was last year.
Nonetheless, the Poobah thinks berthing will still be tight, as Starlink means many people can work from their boat in sunny Mexico rather than making a long commute to a drab office in San Francisco or L.A. So the Poobah urges everyone to make their Mexico berthing arrangements as soon as possible. Like today. Although yesterday would have been better.
Cabo has one of the most popular and expensive marinas in the world.
The chances of getting a slip for the holidays are so slim they are almost invisible.
Familiar with the economic concept of 'supply and demand'? This is how it works in Mexico, too, where the demand for slips is high and the supply is low. So don't expect to have to pay less for a berth than you did in the States. But just about everything else is much less expensive in Mexico.
It's good to have options, and one of the great things about cruising in Mexico is there is a great option for needing a slip. It's called anchoring out. There are so many great places to anchor, and close to most big cities, too. There are lots of folks who have adequate solar panels, a watermaker, and Starlink, who never go into marinas. In fact, there are places such as Tenacatita Bay on the mainland where there are dozens of cruising yachts that stay on the hook for the whole season. By doing so it's possible to keep the cost of cruising in Mexico extremely low. Mind you, anchoring out for long periods is not everyone's style.
There was a recent post from a Ha-Ha entry asking for advice on marina space in the Cabo area for the holidays. Oh, dear. Perhaps the Poobah can give a little perspective on the overall marina situation in Mexico.
There are two marinas in the Cabo area, Marina Cabo San Lucas and Marina Puerto Los Cabos. Over 90% of the slips in Cabo San Lucas, one of the most popular and expensive marinas in the world, are on annual contracts. There are guys with sportfishing boats who will semi-happily pay for 52 weeks of expensive berthing even if they will only use their slip for a month or so of fishing tournaments.
Given the demand, the chance of getting a holiday slip in Cabo San Lucas is about as great as getting one at Monaco during the Grand Prix.
When the fishing boats return to Cabo, it's a madhouse at the fuel dock. They also fire up their diesels at 6 am. Anchoring out is often the preferred option.
Demand for nearby Puerto Los Cabos is sure to be high also. We wouldn't be surprised if it's already booked for the holidays. Today is the latest you should make an inquiry. It is, of course, possible to anchor off Cabo. The further you anchor to the east, the quieter it is.
The next nearest option to Cabo is La Paz, about 135 miles to the north. There are a number of marinas there, but last year they all filled up for the holidays. So if you want to come home for the holidays, make reservations now.
La Paz, which is home to perhaps the most extensive marine services in Mexico, does have a very large anchorage area, and there are excellent anchorages nearby or at the 25-mile distant islands. Sometimes it's possible to find a reliable person to boat-sit your boat on the hook, although leaving a boat unattended on the hook is never the best idea.
If going north after the Ha-Ha, Frailes is one of two great stops.
But there is nothing there.
As popular as La Paz is as a post Ha-Ha destination, it can sometimes be easier get to the third closest option, Banderas Bay/Vallarta, which is 290 downwind miles away.
How might it be faster and easier? Because of the weather. The normal wind in mid-November is from the north and northwest. If it's 15 knots or more, the short and steep Sea of Cortez chop — a real shock after Ha-Ha downwind conditions — could result in most boats holing up in Frailes or Muertos, the only two possible stops on the way to La Paz. And between the stops, there is just one restaurant, and nothing else. Holed up for as many as three days. By that time they might have had a pleasant off-the-wind sail to Banderas Bay/Vallarta.
The alternative to marinas is anchoring out. There are countless places to do this, from Z-town in the south to the northern reaches of the Sea of Cortez.
This anchorage is just outside of La Paz with Espiritu Santo in the distance.
(Mazatlan is the second closest destination to Cabo after La Paz, but depending on the strength of the wind, it can be a tight reach in beam conditions to Mazatlan. That's not so fun. Motoring would be fine, but it's a longer trip than to La Paz. Although Mazatlan tends to be one of the last places to run out of slips.)
For what it's worth, Assistant Poobah Patsy Verhoeven heads right up to La Paz after each Ha-Ha. She likes the snorkeling at Frailes and Muertos on the way up and notes that in 16 years she's only had to hole up once for three days on the way to La Paz. She loves La Paz for the big free Ha-Ha Welcome Party, the great cruising community, all the great services, and the fabulous food.
The downside of La Paz is by the end of the first week in December or so, the water becomes too cold for comfortable swimming. And to the surprise of many, stays too cold until April. Air temps are rarely an issue. La Paz is so popular with cruisers that many end up staying for years, if not buying homes there.
The Poobah, on the other hand, takes Profligate directly to La Cruz on Banderas Bay, which is about 250 miles further south where the water stays much warmer and out of the reach of Northers. In addition to having one of the greatest flat-water tropical day sailing bays in the world, it's got great surfing, countless whales, and the conveniences of a much larger city. And there is a big Ha-Ha Welcome party in La Cruz in mid-December as well as the annual opening of the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club during the Banderas Bay Blast.
There are four large marinas in the Vallarta/Banderas Bay area, each one of them very different, from the resort-like Paradise Village Marina to big city Marina Vallarta, to Marina Riviera Nayarit in the funky cruiser heaven of La Cruz. Boats that get there quickly after the Ha-Ha often have a chance to snag a berth for the holidays.
There are additional marina options further from Cabo, and at the beginning of the season, they are often more likely to have slips. But each marina situation is unique.
Marina Puerto de la Navidad has become an extremely popular cruiser
marina
in recent years. But there is also a great free anchorage
in the lagoon a short distance away.
A complete updated list of marinas in Mexico, as well as their contact information, can be found on the Ha-Ha website. See the 'Mexican Marinas' blue tab on the left. It can also be found in the 2023 First-Timer’s Guide to Cruising Mexico, which is sent free to all Ha-Ha entries.
If the Poobah had one season to cruise Mexico before returning home or heading off to the South Pacific, he would immediately jam up into the Sea of Cortez, perhaps as far north as Isla San Francisco, then head to Vallarta/Banderas Bay for the holidays. After that, he would drift south, perhaps all the way down to Z-town for SailFest in early February, then start working back north. Come mid-March he'd head back over to the Sea. If heading back to the States, he'd ideally not Bash until August or September when the weather windows are more frequent and longer, and the coast of Baja is warmer.
That's the way the Poobah sees it, but other opinions are encouraged.
Did the Poobah forget to remind you to make marina reservations immediately if you're going to want a slip? I hope not. Airline reservations are just as important.
El Cid of one of several marinas in Mazatlan, a booming city beloved by many of the liveaboards there. But be careful at the entrance if there is a swell running.
One last comment on slips. As you might expect, lots of skippers make reservations for a slip months in advance, but for any one of a million reasons don't make it the 1,000 miles to their chosen marina. Which means it's not unusual for slips to unexpectedly open up. But you have to be on the scene to take advantage of such openings.
Looking forward to sailing to and in Mexico with all of you.
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