XIX Baja Ha-Ha

The Vikings are Coming!

After a week at home, Don and I flew with our crew, Hugh and Nicki Talman back to San Diego.  After a final check of all systems and provisioning, all aboard Viking ship Valhalla headed off to the Baja Ha-Ha kickoff party dressed in full battle gear.    

  

Let the Race Begin

Fireboat Blessing

   On the morning of October 29, Valhalla would set sail along with 143 other boats registered in the XIX Baja Ha-Ha.  All the boats met in the San Diego channel to parade in front of a yacht full T.V. crews, the Mayor, Mexican Dignitaries, the Coast Guard and the fire boat spraying water in a glorious display.  At 1100 hours, the starting gun fired and the race was on to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Momma and Baby

Dolphin Show

   Leg #1 – San Diego, CA to Bahia De Tortuga, Mexico we would cover 350 nautical miles in 86 hours.  The wind averaged 8 to 15 knots allowing us to sail 70% of the way.  The 86 hour run meant 3 full nights at sea.  Each couple stood 6 hour night watches.   

   The sky is full of stars and the nights were peaceful under sail as the full moon rose.   After a couple of nights, fatigue sets in for all on our longest leg with our funny sleep schedules. We saw many beautiful sunrises and sunsets with awesome falling stars in between.

Another All Nighter

     Leg #1 – San Diego, CA to Bahia De Tortuga, Mexico we would cover 350 nautical miles in 86 hours.  The wind averaged 8 to 15 knots allowing us to sail 70% of the way.  The 86 hour run meant 3 full nights at sea.  Each couple stood 6 hour night watches.

   The sky is full of stars and the nights were peaceful under sail as the full moon rose.   After a couple of nights, fatigue sets in for all on our longest leg with our funny sleep schedules. We saw many beautiful sunrises and sunsets with awesome falling stars in between. and proud. 

Sushi Anyone?

Leg #2 – Bahia De Tortuga to Bahia Santa Maria we would cover 244 nautical miles in 50 hours which meant 2 full nights at sea.  The winds averaged 8 to 18 knots which allowed us to sail over 85% of the way.

 We woke up on time and got ready to depart from Bahia De Tortuga.  We fired up the instruments and discovered an issue with our electronic chart plotter.  The disclaimer notice would not clear off the middle of the screen!  We pulled up anchor in the dark and left port anyway using our compass and paper charts, the oldest and most reliable method of navigation.  Later we learned it was a stuck button, which cleared the disclaimer so the chart page is usable now, but now we have also lost use of the radar.

   This leg would prove to be some of our best sailing yet.  During the day, as tired as we were, no one wanted to nap and miss out on this premier sailing!

Dippin' In

    Every mile farther down the Baja coast we get, it is definitely getting hotter and hotter.  We ended up slowing down the boat and dipping in the ocean to cool down.  We are beginning the think MAYBE a bimini shade would be nice with the light breeze and hot sun down here.  We’ll definitely work on that later.

   This leg would prove to be some of our best sailing yet.  During the day, as tired as we were, no one wanted to nap and miss out on this premier sailing!

    Every mile farther down the Baja coast we get, it is definitely getting hotter and hotter.  We ended up slowing down the boat and dipping in the ocean to cool down.  We are beginning the think MAYBE a bimini shade would be nice with the light breeze and hot sun down here.  We’ll definitely work on that later.

42" Dorado!!!

 Due to the light wind we fired up the motor;  6 knots the perfect trolling speed!   More fish anyone?   It went like this.  We put out a line using pink with black feathers (our lucky lure).  Hugh said…”Here fishy fishy, fishy”.   Two seconds later…Nicki says, “Whoa, I just saw a fish jump”….BOOM fish on again!   Don grabbed the pole and reeled it in.  Nicki drove the boat, Hugh gaffed it and I, Katie, took the pictures that tell the tale.  This time, it was a beautiful female Dorado at least 42”…very nice.   

Home Sweet Home

   One more night at sea and we land at Bahia Santa Maria.  We went to shore for a “Mexican Fiesta” and to pick up our visas.   There was music and beer, that was good.  No drinking water…not so good.  Oh and NO VISAS that we paid a service in advance for.  Also not good!  Well it got worse…the food the Mexican’s served us was way overpriced and over rated!  $15 a plate and excuse me, but it was CRAP!  Pun intended.  We, on Valhalla, and many others in the fleet were exposed to food poisoning which was not realized until we were well on our way  almost to Cabo.

Fish Camp

Bahia Santa Maria is a very remote village with appears to us to be a meek existence.  There are fish camps, no electricity, no fresh water or refrigeration.    It’s a beautiful bay that comes to life once a year when the Baja Ha-ha fleet sails in. 

      Leg #3 – We would cover 183 nautical miles in 32 hours and arrive in Cabo San Lucas.  Now, our sailing percentage average has diminished terribly!  Okay, we MOTORED 30 out of 32 hours due to a total lack of wind!  Bummer.

  At the end of the 2012 XIX Baja Ha-Ha, we all attended the awards ceremony.  Valhalla finished 3^rd along with all the other boats that didn’t finish 1^st or 2^nd.   From October 29 through November 8, 2012, we, with Valhalla and crew completed 777 nautical miles 168 hours!   Our Viking ship Valhalla has now gone from Cruiser to Racer to Fishing boat to Motor Sailor!

Pooo Bah at Bahia Santa Maria

 Due to a predicted Northerly blowing hard down from the Sea of Cortez, it was advised that the Ha-Ha Fleet stay in port until Wednesday.  Following more advice from our POO Bah, we stayed in Cabo for 5 full days in the marina, which gave us time to get medical advice on how to take revenge on Montezuma. 

    While in Cabo, we celebrated Nicki’s birthday.  Party time!   We all headed out to dinner to the restaurant of Nicki’s choice.  She wished a word with the Captain…Captain Jack that is!  Well…what do you know…Captain Jack Sparrow himself was there in the flesh!  REALLY… let the picture tell the tale! Sometimes birthday wishes do come true.

OMG

Captain Wighty

   Cabo is a HUGE tourist town that has grown so large, it can’t get much bigger.  They have world class fishing here and it is the main industry.  There was a Tuna Tournament going on with the 2^nd place winning fish being 263 pounds.   1^st  place was an unbelievable, 327 pound TUNA FISH with a prize of over $100,000!

Dinghy Katie

   Being the end of the Baja Ha-Ha, Valhalla will set sail on Wednesday, November 14, 2012.  Without the company of the Ha-Ha fleet, we will make our crossing of the Sea of Cortez.   We will cover 268 nautical miles to our next destination is a small town called Chacala, which is just north of Banderas Bay. 

   All aboard Valhalla send their love to all our friends and family.  Internet access is far and few between so my apologies for the lack of activity on our blog.  Hasta Luego.