THE BAJA HA-HA IS KID FRIENDLY
Anyone who has ever cruised will tell you there is one overriding consideration to everyone's happiness: That the kid or kids aboard have other kids to talk and play with.
As one Kid Boat owner told the Grand Poobah, "I'd rather have three feet of water in the bilge and my kids have at least one playmate than a dry bilge and my kids having no playmates.
So it's with pleasure that the Grand Poobah can report that the Ha-Ha, which currently has 131 paid entries, with more than a month to go before the start, has a bunch of kids slated to participate.
As of now, there are 19 kids ages 16 and under signed up on 11 boats. The kid count is:
Boat Name / Boat Make/Model / Boat's Homeport / Owner's Name (s) / Kid Count
Ara / X-Yacht 46 / San Francisco / Nigel & Yulia Beck / One Kid - Age 6
Avogato / Amel Supermaramu 2000 / Port Angeles, WA / Richard and Kathy May / One Kid - Age 12
Daze Dream / Islander Freeport 41 / Hood River, OR / Brent & Dayna Johnston / One Kid - Age 16
Jane'O / Privilege 39 / San Francisco /
Ron Kuris / Two Kids - Ages 10 & 12
Jedi / Beneteau First 435 / Hilmar /
Bryan & Alicia Souza / Two Kids - Ages 6 &4
Kokopelli / Hylas 46 / Vashon Island, WA / Ben & Kate Davidson / One Kid - Age 10
Ohana / Beneteau Oceanis 440 / Santa Monica / Jeff & Sarah Orgill / Two Kids - Ages 11 & 6
Sonho/ Tayana Vancouver 42 / Alameda, CA / Aaron & Heidi Stagg / One Kid - Age 10
Tiamat / Fountaine Pajot Orana 44 / San Jose / Owen & Stephanie Anderson / Three Kids - Ages 9, 8 & 5
Wilder / Beneteau Oceanis 45 / San Diego / Josh Grillo & Natasha Risovanna / Two Kids - Ages 10 & 8
Willow / Cal 2-46 / Santa Cruz / Bucerias / Brian & Carolyn Kelley / Three Kids - Ages 9, 8 & 6
What are the fun things for kids to do on the Ha-Ha?
Naturally, kids love the Costume Kick-Off Party. With music, dancing, costume contests and other kids what's not to like?
While sometimes shy in the beginning, kids do love clowns and face paint. This is why the Ha-Ha has contracted the services of Frannie the Clown for this year's Kick-Off Party.
Frannie, who is friendly rather than frightening, will be painting faces, twisting balloons and blowing bubbles to delight the kids.
Get there early though because Frannie will only be available for the first couple of hours, so it will be kids painted first, and then adults if there is any time left over.
During the Ha-Ha itself, and especially late at night, the kids enjoy talking to each other on the Kid's VHF Channel. "No parents!"
They love to report for their boat during the morning VHF radio net and during roll call, too.
Once they get to Turtle Bay, they love exploring the town together and playing on the beach. And all kids are big hitters when the Poobah is pitching in the Mexican Kids versus Cruisers baseball game. In over 7,000 batters, nobody has struck out.
The next day is the beach party, where each kid gets one free Ha-Ha dog with mustard. Later the kids hit the beach with boogie boards, kayaks, and whatever. Once again the Grand Poobah might offer himself up again as a target for kids throwing biodegradable water balloons. They love getting to enjoy a little anti-authoritarian fun.
By the time the fleet gets to Bahia Santa Maria, the kids are having sleep-overs, and parents are sharing babysitting duties so they can have a little free time — and get some much-needed and probably much-postponed sex. And don't forget, there's the Kid's Diving and Cannonball Championship off the back beam of Profligate.
By the time the fleet gets to Cabo, the kids have usually completely changed Mom and Dad's cruising plans so they can continue to travel in company with their kid friends.
And they love dancing on the platform at Squid Roe. They might have become little monsters, but they are happy little cruising monsters.
So, if you're a Kid Boat headed to the tropics this winter, your kids have a friend in the Poobah. We will allow you to sign up right to the last day so your boat can join all the other Kid Boats on the Ha-Ha.
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