I wanted to show you a spectators view of Baja Ha-Ha....for your motivation and mine.

Gotta be honest….after meeting with our mechanics and hearing that they probably won’t make the 4-week deadline (we had originally been quoted) for fixing our sailboat engine, my motivation was lower than usual.  In reality, if the engine isn’t fixed by November 4th we’re still going down Baja whenever it does get fixed, but we have been shooting to go with the Baja Ha-Ha Rally and have already paid for the event…which is strictly “No Money Back”.  I understand…cause they have an event to run and they usually have 10-20 boats that sign up but don’t start the Rally.  We just never thought we might be one of those stats.  But in thinking through this whole mess with our sails and engine I knew I needed perspective..so I went through all the photos I took on a gray morning last October 29th, 2018.  There were 11 Ha-Ha Boats in our Marina, both sail and power; and the energy in the run up to the event was contagious.  We were already hooked, but this was a whole new level of energy for us.  There was also a bit of somberness to that morning, cause our previous boat (renamed) was leaving and other friends on S/V Follow You Follow Me were leaving too.  After getting the kids to school, I was on the docks to watch most boats leave.  Then me and Michelle took off for the best seats in San Diego to watch Baja Ha-Ha…the fishing pier off Shelter Island, Point Loma.  SO, for some Saturday motivation here’s my photo essay of Baja Ha-Ha 2018 embarking on the first day of the rally- 2018.

My Perspective of Baja Ha-Ha 2018 (Casting Off The Docklines)

 

Preparation is the name of the game before the Ha-Ha. S/V Advantage checks a sail at sunset a few nights before departure.

 

S/V Follow You Follow Me, before they cast off the lines.

 

Final prep, morning of the Ha-Ha

 

S/V Advantage heads for the Ha-Ha.

 

S/V Follow You Follow Me heads out, ready for their second Ha Ha. This Hunter has crossed oceans and is tough as nails.  Both the owners and my parents always give us great boat advice. 

 

A pretty Island Packet departs her slip.

 

S/V Narcissus departs the pattern.

 

Heading to their next adventure.

 

Pirate ladies in costume as S/V Nomad leaves for Baja Ha-Ha 2018.

 

S/V Amelia Rose cuts the docklines.

 

Amelia Rose leaves the Marina, Tulum in the foreground. (Amelia Rose was our first sailboat and named Tulum IV previously)

 

Morning Calm

 

The Baja Ha-Ha “Officials” Boat, waiting on the action.- Just off Shelter Island, Point Loma, California.

 

The first boats come down the slot to start the Baja Ha-Ha, just off Point Loma.

 

Boat Parade continues, with Profligate (large catamaran) in the foreground.  The rally is run from Profligate each year, as the catamaran is owned and operated by the Baja Ha-Ha Rally Founder.

 

The parade continues.

 

Yep, that’s a Navy Destroyer coming into San Diego Bay at the same time as the 150+ sailboats with Baja Ha-Ha leave.  In a very cool gesture, the Captain of the Ship gave all boats in the Baja Ha-Ha Fleet a “Bravo Zulu” for their trip.

 

These guys were on the Pier with a sign to send off their friends. 

 

A pretty catamaran glides by.

 

Ha-Ha Fleet departs San Diego, 2018

This brief photo essay provided great memories of the fleet prepping and leaving San Diego and I look forward to Baja Ha-Ha 2019.  We live on our cruising sailboat as we prep to leave; subject to our engine rebuild getting done on time to have it properly reinstalled, tested and prepped to leave on November 4th.  We live on the boat with our two children and Great Dane and hope to not only entertain you a bit with our website but to also provide resources as needed.  We’d love to have you follow us and check out our Patreon site as you browse these stories. 

Here’s one of the posts I did last year prior to Ha-Ha 2018, discussing the boats and equipment that I had informally surveyed on our docks: LF2SF’s Informal Survey of Baja Ha-Ha South Bound Boats

Note:  Not the greatest photos cause we were looking into the sun, but better than nothing. 

4 Responses

  1. No! I’m not going to believe until the fat lady sings. Continue working hard on what you can work on. And by the grace your talented mechanic, all work will align to cast off.

    I’m putting it out ”there” for you all.

    🙏⛵🤞

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