THE GRAND POOBAH ENDORSES
AN ENSENADA HA-HA START
Marina owners have a habit of wanting to keep their marinas full, so it's not easy getting a slip in San Diego just prior to the start of the Baja Ha-Ha in early November.
As a result, each year a number of boats elect to start from Ensenada, where berths are available. The Grand Poobah fully supports them doing this. In fact, he points out that there are two advantages to doing it.
First, for slower boats, it reduces the 350-mile first leg, the longest in the Ha-Ha, by 50 miles. That's significant.
Secondly, it means that all the required paperwork can be taken care of in Ensenada. This is particularly advantageous for boats with crew who have to fly home from Cabo on the Saturday or Sunday after the Ha-Ha ends.
It's also a place where boats with Temporary Import Permit (TIP) problems, such as their boat having an existing one in someone else's name, can be taken care of. Reps of the marinas will drive you to the various offices and hand walk you through the process.
Fito, the Marina Director at Coral Marina, which has lovely pools and hot tubs, and superb marina security, today assured that Grand Poobah that between his marina, Cruise Port Marina, and Baja Naval, they can handle every boat that needs a slip. They are all happy to work together, too.
It's true, starting from Ensenada would mean that you'd miss the big parade on Monday, but in the big scheme of Ha-Ha things, that's not the end of the world. For by the time you get to Cabo, San Diego will seem like something that happened years before.
There would be no reason you'd have to miss the Skipper's Meeting, where you get the Meet the Fleet Bios, the Rally Instructions, the Swag bags, and get to participate in the Costume Kick-Off Party and get your free, for Skipper and First Mate, Last Cheeseburgers in Paradise. In fact, the Grand Poobah strongly urges you not to miss these.
There are two options for not missing these things.
The best is you come up from Ensenada on Saturday the 2nd, and spend the night in a Shelter Island area hotel. (To get from Ensenada to Shelter Island is easy, just reverse the directions we give few paragraphs down.) You can often get a decent, but not a Four Seasons room, for about $100/night in the Shelter Island area. We often stay at the Comfort Inn on North Harbor Drive. Ask for AJ, tell him you're part of the Ha-Ha, and you might get a discount.
By spending the night of the 2nd in Shelter Island, you'll have no trouble making the 10 am Skipper's Meeting and Kick-Off Party on the 3rd at the West Marine Super Store. That's where you sign in, provide any missing crew waivers, participate in the Skipper's Meeting, and get the Rally Instructions, swag bags with goodies, and so forth.
When the party is over at about 4 pm, you: 1) Uber to the Red Trolley in downtown San Diego, 2) then take the Red Trolley to the border at San Ysidro, 3) Cross the border on foot; 4) Walk less than a quarter of a mile to the ABC bus station; 5) Catch the luxury bus that leaves every hour, and you're in Ensenada. Taxi to the marina you're in.
It might sound a little complicated, but it's so simple the Grand Poobah can do it. He did it a couple of weeks ago for about the sixth time. You should be back on your boat by about 8 pm. Because you're starting from Ensenada, you can sleep late because you don't need to cast off until the afternoon breeze fills in about 1 pm.
While the Ha-Ha will not have an official presence in Ensenada, our good friend Fito will be happy to help you out in every way he can.
By the way, Ha-Ha vet and 2019 entry Jeff Wahl of the Sundeer 60 Passing Wind will also be taking off from Ensenada, and will also be happy to answer all your questions. Jeff has had boats in Mexico for about 15 years, then sailed to Panama and French Polynesia, so he knows his stuff and is current.
So yes, if you want to start from Ensenada, there are advantages. And the Grand Poobah supports doing so.
P.S. Ensenada is the gateway to the often swanky Guadeloupe Valley wine region, which is reminiscent of a drier version of the Napa Valley.
For more information on the Ensenada option contact Fito at: 1-(866)-302-0066. Tell him the Poobah sent you.
P.S. II — Jeff Wahl is looking for three crew for his Sundeer 60 in the Ha-Ha. While we don't endorse any skippers or boats, interested parties may want to contact him at jeffreydwahl@yahoo.com.
|
