Baja Ha-Ha - Cruising

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  • Last Post 28 November 2017
Rick Jones - CI2322 posted this 13 November 2017

I just returned from 11 days at sea on Baja Ha-Ha.  This was a really well-orchestrated event for couples and groups interested in cruising. I helped a friend I originally met while day sailing at Channel Islands Marina Sailing.  He went on to buying his own boat, a Catalina 36, 2 years ago.  Recently, he met a new girlfriend, decided to retire early, convinced her to do the same and then to go on to cruising the Sea of Cortez - planning for 4 years.  He was reluctant to do 3 + day-night legs with just the two of them, so he asked me to crew.  

Crewing for an extended period of time - first 2 days from CI Harbor to San Diego Harbor, then 11 days from SD to Cabo San Lucas - was a lesson, and an experience, of a lifetime.  We had both light wind motor sailing days and heavy weather sailing days, easy nights on the hook and howling winds.  We had to provide for foreign country permits, boat registration, and insurance.  The fleet constantly stayed in touch on vhf and we learned from one another - boat repairs, weather forecasting, standing watch, sailing skills, etc.

I had been looking to take my boating experience to the next level and having finished this, I'm ready to start chartering boats for overnight cruises to the islands.

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Gordy posted this 16 November 2017

Sounds like a fun trip. There is also the option of joining the Flotilla sail to Tahiti next year. We are going---this will be our 3rd flotilla with the group.

Catalina is a nice easy sail from Long Beach, and the harbor guys in both Avalon and Two Harbors are so nice and help you pick up a mooring. They never look down on you if you ask for help.

Merry Time in Long Beach is an excellent boat, (we may be biased though.... :-) ), it comes with two FREE paddle boards and a dinghy, and is 25% off right now for the winter months, but is filling up fast.

Merry Time

 

Life may not be the party you hoped for, but while you're here, you may as well dance !!!

graney posted this 28 November 2017

I agree with T&T, Long Beach => Catalina is a great way to ease into taking a boat to the islands on your own. Isthmus harbor (main mooring field on the mainland side of Two Harbors) is an island trip on easy mode and a great one to start out with before you skipper a charter out to anchorages on the backside or up at Santa Cruz. We (just 2 of us!) just did a 4 day trip on Quiver to Two Harbors and didn't even have to tack once on the way there or back; straight shot both ways. Geoffrey, the autopilot, drove most of the way; very luxurious, very cruisery .

I took the catamaran course from CI Harbor, but I haven't sailed to any of the islands up there yet. Talking about putting together a plan to make a trip around more of the Islands, now that we've completed many all around Catalina and are looking for something more adventurous!

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