This month, thousands of recreational boat owners along the West Coast are making preliminary plans to head south and leap off into Mexican waters come November. Most of them fall into general categories such as (1.) cruising powerboaters, (2.) cruising sailors and (3.) long-range sportfishers.
Some of these Southbounders organize themselves into fun rally groups. Take a look at these examples, because the welcome mat is still out.
“Nordhavn Taco Run 2026” will be a repeat of Nordhavn’s first successful Mexico-bound rally in 2025. As we go to press, this year’s Nordhavn Taco Run (NTR) had drawn 17 Nordies ranging from 41’ to 80’ LOA. Headed by Eric and James Lieshman and Devin Zwick, the group plans to depart San Diego November 15, make stops at Turtle Bay, Santa Maria Bay, Mag Bay, Bay of Dreams (Muertos Cove), and finish grandly at Marina Puerto Escondido near Loreto on or about the 24th.
The idea for these Taco Runs developed spontaneously several years ago from Red Rover’s casual grouping of Nordies and other powerboat pals while summering in Washington’s gorgeous San Juan Islands. Many boat owners were veterans of the venerable CUBAR (nee FUBAR) powerboat rallies that, after seven successful years, fizzled at San Diego Yacht Club. Lack of slips in Cabo San Lucas and La Paz eventually lead the powerboat cruiser to carry on up to Puerto Escondido, which this year offers new concierge services and tournaments. Some Nordies will home port here for the 2026 cruising season, while others will foray off into further adventures around Mexico or Central America. For details, see https://nordhavn.com/nordhavn-2026-taco-run/
Baja Ha Ha 2026” will be the 32nd annual rally for sailboaters who are southbound down Baja, organized by Latitude 38° magazine, lead by new poobahs Chuck Skewes and Patsy Verhoeven. As we go to press, 78 sailboaters and their crews have already signed up for the Ha Ha, but more are expected to join before the October 15 deadline. After the annual Ha Ha Crew List Party in Sausalito September 13 and the crazy Halloween Costume Party in San Diego November 1, the Baja Ha Ha 2026 Kick-Off Boat Parade departs San Diego Bay to much fanfare on November 2. Though it’s been 95% sailboats, stink potters are welcomed.
This year’s Ha Ha sailors plan to first anchor half way down Baja at Turtle Bay for a beach party and baseball game with local kids. Next stop is at Santa Maria Bay just north of Mag Bay for more partying, but here Immigration officials will be on site to stamp passports and process documents using the Ha-Ha’s special Mexico check-in system. At Cabo San Lucas on November 13 and 14, they’ll dance at Squid Row and present fun awards at Mango Deck. As with the NTR, this organized Ha Ha group plans to disperses so boats can peel off adventuring with their newfound friends. Some Ha Ha folks usually carry on around East Cape to La Paz for one final beach fiesta on November 20 at La Costa Restaurant. This extension gets them launched into the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California). For all details, visit www.baja-haha.com
“Ocean Posse” After four days of cruising seminars, this group voyage departs south on January 6, 2007, from Marina Puerto de la Navidad at Barra de Navidad, Jalisco, already down on Mexico’s fabled Gold Coast cruising grounds. This posse group lays a coastal course along Central America to end at the Panama Canal. Boaters (power and sail) travel independently as fast or slow as they wish, stop where and when they want, snagging discounts at all the many sponsor marinas, boat yards and eateries along their way south.
Originally called the “Panama Posse,” it’s the brainchild of travel organizer Dieter Petutschnig. Over the past decade the posse’s independent format gained such popularity worldwide that Dieter expanded his posses to include more ocean routes throughout the Americas, Caribbean, Atlantic, South Pacific. Sound good? West Coast boaters check it out, join Dieter for his informative Ocean Posse seminars in Chula Vista, 9 am to 9 pm, October 20 through 24. For more details, visit https://oceanposse.com/about/
Hurricane? What hurricane!
Despite Hurricane Marie unscientific threats to hit Los Angeles and the UN’s meteorological projections of a possible “Godzilla” El Niño event this year, thousands of recreational boaters are planning to head south this fall – including the long-range sportfishers.
Sportfishers are delighting in the fact that these super hot waters already pumping up from the equator promise to bring with them the most popular pelagic catches – bluefin, yellowfin, skipjack and albacore tuna; all powerful migratory fish. Bill fishers too are hunting for blue marlin, striped marlin, sailfish, and swordfish, all prized for their size, long bills and acrobatic leaps when hooked. Nobody doesn’t appreciate boarding a couple delicious dorado (mahi mahi) and wahoo.
The 2026 Tuna & Wahoo Shoot Out will be fished September 19, hosted at Los Barriles quaint Hotel Playa del Sol. This shoot out is dubbed one of the most adrenaline-charged fishing days of Baja’s fall season. At Los Cabos, Bisbee’s Offshore tourney will be fished October 14, 15, 16. Then Bisbee’s fabled Black and Blue will be fished October 21 – 23. What hurricane!
Starlink’s new “Personal Maritime” for Southbounders
Starlink has been one of the biggest advances for offshore boaters in decades. Cruisers can now call, text, and video chat from anchorages in Mexico where such communication used to be impossible. But Starlink is not only for those who want to keep up with the news or download movies in remote spots.
That’s because, each year, more boaters need to keep running their profitable businesses while while out traveling, so that they can stay out traveling. Or they need to interface with their stateside work from their boats underway or at anchor down here.
So as Starlink’s customer base expanded, it’s no surprise that generally the cost per gigawatt was going to increase, which it did. And then, long-range cruises in particular had balked at Roam’s recent 30-day limits of service, as it is impossible to go home to start the calendar over again.
Hence the recent roll out of Personal Maritime. According to YouTube pundits who dig into Starlink’s complex details of service, this new subscription might have tried to address the issues of price increase per gig and the 30-day time limit of service.
Everyone’s Starlink account is tailored to their stated needs, but it seems like, generally, for $185 per month ($10 per month more than before), Personal Maritime gives the subscriber unlimited data with no 30-day restriction, and it works outside the previous 12 n.m. territorial limit, such as the previous costly Ocean Mode.
Although Personal Maritime details state it’s only for use on private vessels of 40’ LOA or less, which cuts of quite a few long-range cruising boats, the good news is that some Mexico cruisers who already signed up for Personal Maritime and are using it aboard their 45-footers have posted on YouTube and Facebook that so far that boat length limit has not been a problem for them. This is a new new thing, and details are still sketchy. So do check it out for yourself by visiting www.Starlink.org
