TURTLE BAY, AKA BAHIA TORTUGA, 360 HA-HA MILES SOUTH OF SAN DIEGO, WILL BE THE FIRST OF TWO STOPS IN BAJA HA-HA XXX
And what a great stop it is! Superb protection from the prevailing winds, room for a couple of thousand boats to anchor, excellent holding — and great locals who have been wonderful friends of the Ha-Ha for 30 years.
Need a boat part, advice on a diesel issue, a sail repair? All of these things and more are often available in the fleet. There are so many resources in the Ha-Ha.
Need diesel, ice, or a water taxi to shore? All these things are readily available from locals.
And once ashore, the locals roll out the welcome mat, as the arrival of the Ha-Ha fleet is their biggest day of the year. Little bars and restaurants open just for the occasion.
Turtle Bay is also home of the world-famous Cruisers & Locals Bazeball Game, a bastardization of the real game, but 10 times more fast-paced and fun. One reason is because kids — some as young as two — and women are always 'safe!'.
After the game, thousands of dollars of baseball equipment is left for the kids of the tiny but baseball-crazy village.
But wait, there's more! I'm speaking of the Turtle Bay Beach Party at the east end of the bay, in the shadow of the Baja Badlands. It's here that friendships are made or solidified, some of which will last for the rest of the participants lives.
There will be drinks, food, Poobah Dogs for the Poobah's Feed the Kids Charity, volleyball, tug 'o war, music, playing in the surf, beachcombing, and just chilling.
We hope you'll join us for the Ha-Ha XXX. It will be the 30th for me, the Poobah, and I'm looking forward to it with as much enthusiasm as any of the previous ones.
Sign-ups for the Ha-Ha begin at noon on May 9, while the event leaves San Diego on November 4.
Over 13,000 sailors have done the Ha-Ha so far. Make this your year to do it!
The Turtle Bay anchorage, which provides superb protection,
good holding, and flat water, could easily hold 1,000 boats.
When cruising, there is nothing more important to 'kids', and their parents,
than to meet up with other cruising kids. Usually there are 15 to 20 kids in a Ha-Ha,
and there are special events for them.
The Turtle Bay locals set up concessions just for the Ha-Ha fleet.
Each year they are different.
The stairway from the dinghy dock to the pier has been classified as "sketchy" by OSHA.
There is also the less thrilling option of taking your dinghy or a taxi to the beach.
Beach party! There is so much to do and so many people to meet as this gorgeous site.
The vibe at Turtle Bay is chill.
The beach party venue from the air.
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