Chapter 1: All Ready To Go - The Rains Route

Photo Credit - Dan DuMong

Chapter 1

THE RAINS ROUTE - CALIFORNIA TO FLORIDA VIA THE PANAMA CANAL

(WITH SIDE TRIPS)

After last year's ill-fated attempt to sail to Alaska, we shifted gears.  We had to.  We didn't make it to Alaska due to a variety of reasons related to family and business, not to mention a number of boat-related mechanical issues which reared their ugly heads impeding our planned departure date threatening to put us way behind schedule. So, we are going to try it again.  However, this time, we are heading south, not north.

Our renewed focus and planning will be guided by what we shall refer to as "The Rains Route".  John and Patricia Rains are not only known for their contributions to the yachting community but also for their extensive experience and dedication to boating. They have both logged hundreds of thousands of sea miles and have authored several nautical guidebooks, including, “Cruising Ports:  Florida to California via Panama (and vice versa)”.  Our voyage will be inspired and guided by their book.

This book intrigued me when I first read it because of how it demonstrates the the opportunity to circumnavigate Central America visiting many countries including but not limited to Baja, California, (especially the Sea of Cortez) Pacific Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Rio Dulce, Western Caribbean Islands, Panama's Caribbean and Pacific cruising grounds, the Panama Canal, Fonseca, Pacific Mexico before returning to the USA arriving in Florida.  Note, that I did not say it will be easily accomplished.  But, this is the route we will be following. 

We begin this voyage this year by joining the Baja Ha-Ha fleet and sail with more than 130 other cruising boats and crew to Mexico, with stop overs in Bahia Tortuga, Bahia Santa Maria and concluding in Cabo San Lucas. We joined the Ha-Ha and paid the entry fee, so we are confirmed and the best part is that we have to go as the fee is non-refundable.  After the Ha-Ha, we plan to spend the remainder of the season cruising (November through late May) in the Sea of Cortez before returning home for the summer - just us and the cats, not the boat.  Much more to come.

THE BAJA HA-HA XXXI

© 2025 Baja Ha-Ha, LLC.

The Baja Ha-Ha, it is a two week cruisers rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas which takes place every fall - and has for the last 31 years.  As I understand it, however, this may be the last one unless someone else takes it over as the organizer, who refers to himself as the Grand Poohbah, has declared it so.  As I write this (10/08/2025) there are 134 boats signed up.  There are boats from all up and down the west coast of the US and even from as remote destinations as Vasa, Finland.  

The Rally begins in San Diego on November 3, so all the boats will rendezvous there by the end of October. There will be an orientation, skippers meeting, and parties for all to enjoy.  We reserved a space in the anchorage between San Diego and Southwestern Yacht Clubs for the last 3 nights before the start of the rally as it will put us in close proximity to the location where all the events are scheduled to take place.  Here is a link to the Rally Notice:  2025RallyNotice.pdf

The website for the Baja Ha-Ha is easily accessed here if you are interested in checking it out.  It has a FAQ section and information going back years with photographs and other interesting tidbits:  Baja Ha-Ha Cruisers Rally

This is the Schedule of Important Dates for the 2025 Ha-Ha:

November 2, 8:30 - 9:15 am Sunday – Mandatory Skipper check-in at Rally Headquarters outside West Marine.

November 2, 9:30 - 11 am Sunday — Mandatory Skippers' Meeting in the West Marine parking lot. Rally Instructions will be handed out and questions answered. The Skipper or representative only, please.

November 2, 1 - 4 pm Sunday — The Annual Ha-Ha Kick-Off Costume Party and BBQ in the West Marine parking lot. Co-hosted by West Marine. Come in costume! Skipper and first mate pick up their swag bag with t-shirts, hat, tote bag, and other souvenirs, as well as a free BBQ dinner & drinks.

November 3, 10 am Monday — Baja Ha-Ha Kick-Off Parade:

9 am - 9:30 am – South Bay boats pass San Diego to Harbor Island.

9:45 am – All boats gather off America's Cup Harbor between Harbor Island and Shelter Island.

10 am – Start boat launches the Baja Ha-Ha with a parade off the southwest corner of Shelter Island.

November 3, 11 am Monday -Start of Leg One for all boats off Coronado                     Roads.

November 6, 2 pm-ish Thursday — The epic, world-famous, Baja Ha-Ha Cruisers and Mexicans bazeball game at Turtle Bay. Evening: Restaurant hopping, such as it is, in Turtle Bay.

November 7, Noon-ish Friday — Famous Turtle Bay Beach Picnic until sundown. Bring chairs, beach gear, toys, and anything else you need. Hot dogs will be sold for charity. Beer and maybe other food for sale by locals. Take a panga or your dinghy but be careful landing – you don't want to be dumped & have your outboard chop you up!

November 8, 9 am Saturday – Start of Leg Two to Bahia Santa Maria.

November 10, Monday — 'Bahia Santa Maria Day' – a lazy lay-day meant for relaxing and exploring the bay.

November 11, Tuesday — Hiking, beach walking, sports, and the annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Beach Party, sponsored by the local fisherfolk. A surreal scene set on a bluff overlooking the bay with food and beer for sale by locals. Subject to surf conditions.

November 12, Wednesday — Today passports will be stamped on the stern of Profligate and check-in documents processed for everyone who has used the Ha-Ha's unique Mexico check-in system.

November 13, 7 am Thursday — Start of Leg Three from Bahia Santa Maria to Cabo San Lucas.

November 14, 8 pm Friday — ‘Can’t Believe We Cheated Death Again’ dance and party madness for the young at heart at Squid Roe until the last body falls. Optional.

November 15, 4 pm Saturday — Awards Presentations at the Upper Patio at Mango Deck overlooking the fleet. Huge 20% discount on food, wine, beer & margaritas.

November 23, 4 - 7 pm Sunday — La Paz Beach Party at La Costa Restaurant. Mexican folk dancing, live music, food and drinks, door prizes, and more. 

We are going to leave a little early and unwind a bit as the last few months have been a whirlwind of boat and personal preparations.  I'm tired and just want to get off the damn beach and go to a quiet place to allow the wounds, dings, cuts and scratches, not to mention the pulled muscles from all the boat-yoga over the past 3-4 months, to heal.  We will make our way slowly down to San Diego and see what breaks on the way - repair it/them - and then settle into San Diego Bay for a couple days before the festivities begin.

OUR RIDE - Sailing Vessel "Tazzy"

S/V Tazzy at Smugglers Cove, Santa Cruz Island.

Tazzy is a 1988 Taswell 43. The Taswell 43 sailboat is a cutter-rigged vessel constructed with a fiberglass hull, designed by renowned British naval architect Bill Dixon. It is known for its balance and responsive handling, making it suitable for both short coastal cruises and longer passages. The boat features a fin keel, which provides stability and agility on the water, although it has less directional stability than a long keel. The Taswell 43 is equipped with an inboard Yanmar 4JH-HTE diesel engine, providing a reliable power source for its performance. 

The boat's interior includes an aft owner's suite with an island berth and a private head with a stall shower, as well as a forward stateroom with a private head and stall shower.  The Taswell 43 is a versatile sailboat well-suited for both coastal cruising and offshore adventures, with balanced design parameters that offer a good compromise between performance, comfort, and safety.  We carry more than 120 gallons of freshwater in 4 onboard tanks and 85 gallons of diesel fuel.  Her specs are described here: TASWELL 43 - sailboatdata

Tazzy Pelican's Harbor, Santa Cruz Island

Look for the "Tazzy Flag"

Lots of preparations have been made to go cruising again.  We have new marine electronics thanks to Joel at Beacon Marine Electronics - all Garmin's best.  We have new radios, running rigging, refrigeration, and canvas (a full enclosure with screens and Isinglass).  We have new sails thanks to the folks at Precision Sails, a Canadian outfit that makes the fabrication and installation of new sails for any boat "easy peasy".  We have a new dinghy and outboard.  We serviced our faithful Yanmar Engine.  We have all the bits we need for our watermaker (and it actually works, al beit slowly).  The boat is in very good shape.

LEAVING IS A MULTIFACETED ISSUE

I have to say that I have strangely mixed emotions about this cruise.  On the one hand I am very excited to get going.  I really enjoy being on water I have never seen before and exploring new places and meeting new people. The challenges associated with sailing never fail to captivate me.  Sailing is one of those avocations that never gets boring because the conditions change constantly and one must really be on the ball at all times.  

Sailing from point A to point B is always a challenge.  I had a friend once tell me that power boats were a means of transportation, but that sailing is an activity.  It is true, one can leave the harbor in a sail boat and go out and sail to nowhere, allowing the direction of sail to be determined totally by the direction of the wind.  Now, sailboat racing is different.  One must drive the vessel to predetermined points on a course regardless of the direction of the wind - tacking or jibing to make headway towards said predetermined points.  

Cruising is sort of a combination of the two.  To the extent the wind blows from whence it blows, there is a destination that must be achieved.  This is where one's skill as a sailor and understanding of the wind makes it possible to travel by sailboat, even in this modern age of powered conveyance.  Don't worry, almost all sailboats today have an engine.  So if the wind dies or refuses to cooperate, one can motor to the destination.  

So, while I am extremely excited about leaving, I also enjoy where I live.  It is beautiful and comfortable.  I have friends and places I like to go to and while away the time.  But, simply whiling away the days can lead to nothing productive and, while there is definitely something to be said about planting roots, one must be careful that those roots don't start to rot. And recently, we are becoming acutely aware of the rot. So it's time to go again.

CATS ABOARD

And, yes, the cats, Scupper and Lily - aka Scupper-Nut and Lily-Boom - are coming with us.  They probably hate it, but what choice do they have? Actually, they are both very comfortable on the boat and have made several trips.  The older cat, Scupper, has been cruising with us for the past 11 years.  Lily is our new girl.  She has been on the boat a couple times since we adopted her in February.  As a kitten, she is enthusiastic about everything - always searching for something new to bat around the floor and destroy.

Scupper and Lily (Scupper is the big one on top)

WEATHER

To sailors weather is everything.  It tells us when to stay and when to go.  Now, long before we had satellites and weather radar, websites, TV forecasters, and smart phones to tell us what the weather is going to be the next day, sailors have been predicting the weather by studying what’s happening in the sky. How the clouds are changing and where the wind direction is shifting can tell you a lot about what’s to come if you know a few things about meteorology. If there is anyone who needs to be adept at predicting the weather, it would be us sailors. Out at sea, changes in weather mean changes in sea conditions, wind strength and direction, and the sailor who does not pay attention to the signs might find him- or herself in a very dangerous situation.

On our boat, we have Starlink.Starlink provides high-speed internet on our boat, enabling us to access weather data and forecasts more efficiently.  Combined with a number of weather apps, we are able to know what is coming in terms of the weather and thus to calculate routes to avoid rough seas and too strong winds.

Starlink also enables us to communicate virtually anywhere when there is no cellular or data  service. The ability to stay connected and receive real-time weather updates is invaluable.  It enables us to make informed decisions. Here is a link to the Starlink website:  Starlink  
Starlink also enables me to keep working and to communicate with my valued clients as often as they require.

OUR DEPARTURE IS IMMINENT

First stop, somewhere on Santa Cruz Island.