Land Lubbers... at least for now

Well, it's official, we have and apartment on land.... well at least for two months while we do some nasty work on Reisender. As most of you know Reisender is a continuing constructions zone. I don't mean install a new piece of equipment, I mean we are still putting in port-lights, head-liner, and trimming. I mean full on constuction. We've been living in her this way, with just a few small breaks, since 2008. The entire crew of Reisender has voted to move off while we make this final push, OK, I suggested and Scott seconded.... the cats are pretty much along for the ride, but honestly I don't think they mind having a place to run through. Losing us in a different room is actually pretty funny for us and has added a new show to the Cat Channel.

We'd spent several months with family and friends and it was finally time to return to our beloved Reisender and see what months in the desert up on land had done to her. Our border crossing was absolutely uneventful. We left Tuscon around 9 am on Sunday and crossed the border around 11:30. There was no one on the American side and we hit the green-light both times on the MX side. There was no waiting and we saw no one being inspected at either station. Damn, I wish I'd brought more wine back on this trip. We arrived in San Carlos around 4:30 and went straight to the same hotel we said on our way out in July. Early Monday, we went to the marina and checked on Reisender, settled our bill for the summer, and inquired about apartments. We knew we had some nasty work coming up and I wanted hot water and not to clear up after every project everyday. Nada. The boatyard owner made several calls coming up empty. We left rather disappointed. What to do, we'll in true Jerid and Scott fashion we started driving. Our preferred neighborhood is Miramar on the edge of Guaymas. It looks very clean and safe. I didn't think we'd find anything. The one apartment I found on line before leaving the US was unfurnished and running $400 USD a month without utilities. The second street we drove down, there it was. A for rent sign with furniture. No way it was in our budget! With out a phone, I suggested we go up to the door and inquire. The gate was open and it turned out so was the front door, a very good sign on the security of the neighborhood. Scott knocked and the owner of the home came out. A grinning 60ish Mexican with a big bushy mustache to be followed by his equally grinning and stylish wife. We introduced ourselves and ask about the apartment. He gave us the rate, it was actually right at the top of the budget! Ok, let's take a look. It was extremely clean and the furnishings were all fairly new. Score again! The kitchen, no oven, but it's only two months. Hot Water! Utilities Included! OK the budget was looking better. Covered and gated parking! Score again! A policeman lives across the street! Better and Better! We got to lunch to discuss it. On the way out of the neighborhood we see absolutely no other for rent signs. We were back in 45 minutes to accept the apartment. What paperwork did they need? NONE! It's Mexico my friends! We were only staying two months, why bother with a lease. They'd simply write us out a receipt for the two months. Not even a deposit. Cats no problemo! When could we move in, that afternoon if we wanted. I've never found a place so easily in my life. Tuesday morning we packed up from the hotel and came over to settle in. Turns out they allowed us access to their WiFi, another score! Making the budget even better. Then yesterday I was asking for directions to a Lavendaria (coin laundry service) and she says they are dirty and to use her washer. OK-Between the saving on Utilities, WiFi and Laundry we are totally ahead of the game.

So here we sit, waiting on the last of Octave to blow through to start our work on Reisender, but what do I care, I've got air, WiFi, a hot shower, and a fridge full of food! Ah, the simple comforts of land life.

Fair Winds My Friends,

Armchair Admirals

For those of you who've never heard the expression, it refers to someone who has plenty of advice, but none of the experience in cruising or boating in general. We've come across any number of "Armchair Admirals" in the 9 years this idea of cruising has been formulating. We discovered that while many of our friends are genuine in their concerns for us, many other are simply jealous. I know that sounds harsh, but hey why wouldn't they be? I'm not an egotistical person, but I do live on a boat in Mexico, I've thrown caution to the wind, and I'm doing something out of the norm on my own terms. Not everyone has the ability to break out and do something adventurous. I know that without Scott I'd never be out here. It's always much easier to stay home and go to work and follow a routine than to redevelop oneself almost everyday.

So back to our "Armchair Admirals". It starts with our friends who know nothing about boating and warned us of our foolish idea to go cruising. We'd be dead, or pirates would get us, or how dangerous Mexico is, or insert any other excuse our friends used to keep us from taking off.  Then there are the boaters who never go anywhere. They give one hundred and one reasons why we can't go or why we aren't ready to go. I'd like to think it's simply they'd miss our company, but I know it's a little more complicated than that. Some of them will take off a year or two after us and it's simply easier to sit around and dream in company than watch friends take off on that adventure while one sits back and continues to dream and waits for the day when they will join in on the fun and action. There are also those who like to give advice about how we aren't ready, because they've been out there and they know what it takes. These guys are the worst. They do have the knowledge and the experience, but every experience is not the same. Times change and La Paz 17 years ago is not La Paz today. One set of friends told me not to rely on cruising guides for store locations because they change so quickly, so why rely on advice  from someone who hasn't been to a place in over a decade? Inside this group there is a sub-set who deep down inside would have to realize that more boats being "out there" cuts down on how special the experience was for them. Suddenly they aren't that special and it can be deflating to an ego. It actually couldn't be farther from the truth. Every journey is unique and special. For every person who takes it on only adds to the richness of this adventure. That's another boat full of interesting people that I hope to meet.

I don't know how long this lifestyle with exist for us, but I'm glad I did it and I'm glad that I've got a partner standing next to me who does it with me. I'm also glad that whenever an "Admiral" gave us advice we simply smiled to each other and kept on going. There's a million reasons not to be out here, but they don't come anywhere near the reasons to be here for us.

Fair Winds My Friends!

Cruising in the "slow lane"

I'd apologize for the delay in posting, but to tell the truth I've just not felt like it. I'm not sure why, but I don't really think there has been much to post. It wasn't quite idyllic, but it wasn't the horrible experience we've had in the past either. We left La Paz during the beginning of the worst of the heat taking our time north to Loreto. The idea was to make our way up to Santa Rosalia and across to Guaymas for the summer, but as always with us, plans changed. There were several beautiful anchorages on our way and at least one great new friend. Then there was a super moon party held on a desolate beach with other boaters we'd just met. That's the way with cruising. A different anchorage and different people every few days. We did have a little excitement with what we are calling "The Great Bee Swarm of 2013" I was the only victim receiving 5 stings and several bruises, but we won the war! Never has lobster tasted so good as after the swarm, but that's another story. After making it as far as Loreto, we made the decision to dump our plans to go further north and start making our way to Guaymas. It was a difference of a couple of weeks and we were ready to get off the boat. We hadn't been away from her in over 6 months and a break was much needed. The voyage was 26 hours and 120 miles across the sea, but what a great voyage we had. The sails went up 2 hours into the trip and didn't come down until almost and hour from the harbor. It's the longest we'd sailed and the furthest. To say we are proud of ourselves is an understatement. This trip has proven Reisender as a sailboat and given her crew more confidence. It was also nice to sail all night and only put on a sweat shirt and not full foul weather gear. Scott was a bit hardier than I and made it across in a T and Shorts only! Once in San Carlos we decided to put the boat to bed and head up and out of the worst of the heat. What a busy few weeks we had, but Reisender is up on stands and safely tucked away for the summer.

Yes, we seem to sail at a snails pace. The funny thing is on our trip east we made about the same distance in 2 days in our car as we did in 24 months on Reisender. We've been told that if we do decide to make a circumnavigation we would be somewhere in our 90's  when we finish. I have to laugh, because it's oh so true! We have noticed that things are so much faster up here in the States. The crowds and the noise are new to us. I was overwhelmed in Tuscon by the traffic and Scott had to drive through almost any city we came to if it wasn't 2 in the morning. The other part that is throwing us off is when asked where we are visiting from. How does one say "Mexico" and not sound uppity? Well, that's about all for now. I'll try to do better and post more info about the voyage up from La Paz to Gauymas and our haul-out.

Fair Winds My Friends

Whose a Cruiser?

Now that we are away from La Paz (although only 12 miles) we've been taking time to rest and think about things. Our life has been such a rush these last few months. Rush to get the boat ready, rush to make it to Mexico, rush to do the outside of Baja, rush to get into the Sea of Cortez, rush to La Paz, and then in La Paz it was a rush to fix the things that broke on the way here or a rush to finish things that will make our lives easier while in the Sea of Cortez (of course that was in between being social with the wonderful people we'd met there). Since coming to Balandra Cove, we've started talking to each other about different things. Things other than the water-maker, the muffler, or some other boat part, but our biggest conversation has been about when we feel we became cruisers. Sounds weird, but it happened so gently for us I'm not sure, as a matter of fact I know, neither of us can really put our thumb on a time and place. Was is when we left Portland, or Astoria, or Oregon, or when we entered Mexico, or when we started spending more time at anchorage than in a marina? We just can't say. Each was an accomplishment in it's own, but what makes a cruiser a cruiser? Is it when we start to experience a different culture from the one we know? If that's it then I became a cruiser (albeit with out a boat) back in 2005, when I left my home in South Carolina and moved out West, but that doesn't really feel right. Was it when we started moving our home? We could say we started cruising in 2006 when we brought our little boat to Mexico by trailer, but again that doesn't feel right either. It was our home, but it just doesn't feel right to us to say that was the beginning. Maybe it was when we left our home port, but we never really thought of Portland as home. We lived there a number of years, but it was never a home that tugs at the heart strings, so again I'm not sure that feels right to say either. The closest we can come to that definition is when we left California. We spent 18 months there and both of us love CA, but we were already on the move with our home and we'd traveled almost 1500 miles in her by that point. So it doesn't exactly feel right saying that's the point we became cruisers either. As you can see, it happened gradually and at many different points for us. We both agree we are officially cruisers (we've put close to 2500 miles under our keel), we are in a different country far from home, and we are experiencing new and exciting things all the time. To say we are soaking up the customs, food, and scenery is a little obvious. We are trying to embrace Mexico and I think she is embracing us as well. Well we are cruisers, even if we can't say “when” it happened.

Fair Winds My Friends!

Sunset

Sunset and two of the many amazing people we've met here in La Paz!

Sunrise

Sunrise in La Paz from our boat

Haulout!

Well, we've been in contact with the haul out yard for Reisender's summer home. The yard should confirm the exact date in a few days. It's been a long time since we've had our baby out of the water and it'll be exciting to see her up on stands, also a little forlorn, but she needs the attention of a good bottom paint job and some TLC after the last 2 years. Scott and I are both looking forward to a little "land" time. Our families are expecting us late in the summer and when we return we'll start to work on the boat, but Scott agreed to splurge on a rental apartment for a month while we do the work. Living in the same space one is working on is not fun! I'm also dreaming of taking a shower everyday after we finish our work and having a nice meal without cleaning up our work first. The one request from the cats is a nice window to lounge in. I think we can try to arrange that, they have been dragged 2500 miles by sea and countless trips across country via car. The challenge of not getting accustomed to having space will be an effort, but somehow I know once we've done the work on Reisender I'll be ready to be back in my home.

The last week has been a little sad for me. We've gotten pretty close to two other boats in the marina and we've all left the marina now and gone separate ways. I know our paths will cross again, but it was a bit of a tug at my heart to see Goldenheart leave yesterday and True Blue last week. I'm happy and elated for our dear friends to be off the dock and pursuing their dreams, but at the same time I'm gonna miss my girls, the late nights of conversation, the shared challenges of projects, and the all around great company. Scott and I usually try to be away from the marina when friends leave, pretty selfish, but neither of us like "goodbyes' and choose to say, as a good friend said to us when we left, "I'll see you down the road", but this philosophy doesn't make it any easier. What does make it easier is an agreement that whenever we come into an anchorage and one of the other boats is there, the first one in makes the cocktails!

To Cynthia, Lee, Leanne, and Craig.... I raise my glass to you and the very special time we all shared!

Fair Winds My Friends!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Since arriving in Mexico I've been exposed to some wonderful new things and concepts. I thought I'd take a few minutes and review and list some of the items I really like:

Street Food
Mole
Ceviche
Friendliness of the Locals
The Locals are constantly cleaning
Platina Movie Theatres
Indio Beer
Arrachera
People going out of their way to be helpful
Full Service Laundry
In a restaurant the check isn't brought until it is asked for
No server ever rushes a guest in a restaurant
Smiles on just about everyone's face here
The Beautiful Red Sunsets
The strong sense of family that everyone has
Tajin spice on fruit
The color of the water

This is just a short list of what I'm enjoying about my time in La Paz. I can't say this list is for all of Mexico. I've only been exposed to a small portion, of what so far I find as a fascinating country.

Fair Winds My Friends

Winding Down in La Paz

Well, our time here in La Paz is winding to a close. With a few more days here at the marina it's time to get the last of the major projects finished and start stocking in provisions for the 4 to 6 weeks we plan on taking to reach our summer home of Guaymas, Sonora, MX. Lot's of reviewing of anchorages has been going on here in Marina Cortez around the docks. It's too late to go in any direction but north at this point, due to hurricane season with starts in a couple of weeks. We should be able to find good anchorages every 10 to 20 miles and once we are about 20 miles out of La Paz the risk of the Coromuels diminishes greatly.

I've been mentally reviewing our time here over a cup of tea this morning and I thought it was a good idea to list a few of the things I've learned. I've learned to either cook early in the morning, after sunset, or out on the grill (it's just to hot any other time of day). I've learned that the best way to learn a language is to use it and practice every chance I get. I've re-learned that friendships can be almost immediate and lasting. A true friend will also be walking the docks with you at midnight looking for your lost cat. Laughter is good for so many ills! and a good potluck simply means everyone left with a smile.

What I haven't learned is when will Linux and Pixel stop shedding from the heat?

Fair winds my friends!

What's Next?

It's been quite a while since my last post and much has occurred. I'll recap pretty quickly: we left Ensenada for Turtle Bay. That was the longest passage to date we'd made, 73 hours. Along our way down to the Sea of Cortez we not only stopped in Turtle Bay, but also Abreojos, Bahia Santa Maria, and Bahia Magdelina. Our time in each location was not really noteworthy. We didn't really see anything that thrilled us. There were some lovely views and lot's of sea life, but nothing really jumped out to us about our voyage on the outside of Baja. Once we broke out of the Pacific and made into the Sea of Cortez all of that changed for us. The weather turned amazing and the seas a bit warmer. The scenery began to get more welcoming to us and we started getting more excited about this adventure we are on.

So where does that leave us? Currently in La Paz, Baja Sur, MX. We should be here another 2 weeks or so and start up further into the Sea for the summer. The next question I need to answer is why I haven't blogged sooner? I've been pondering this for quite some time. I could say "we are having such a great time I haven't had time", or "I really don't want to make people envious of our life", but the truth of it is after nearly 7 years of refitting the boat and finally achieving our goal we aren't really sure what is next for us. Our life has been consumed with getting Reisender and ourselves ready for this and it actually feels like someone let the air out of a balloon. It simply deflated with out a bang or a bust. I've found myself sleeping in and excited about cooking again. I've spent my days exploring the streets, markets, and restaurants, but mostly just letting go. I attend Spanish lessons 4 mornings a week, walk to the grocery store, help Scott with projects, and organize social activities here on our dock. That's what I do. Scott spends his time with projects, helping neighbors with their projects, reading, studying the cruising guides of the Sea and decompressing. Yes, we are having a wonderful time, but we really are just looking around and asking each other what's next? We've taken on the world and while the world won a couple of battles that took the wind out of us, we feel like we won the war and we are enjoying that win. We know we will spend the summer within about 400 miles of where we are and that's a lot of space with a long time window to enjoy it. So for now we are just simple enjoying the fruits of our labor. Some times life is just that simple.

Fair Winds My Friends!

Diversity

One of the pleasures for us is our ability to stay put and get to know a place, weather permitting. Ensenada has been a great introduction to Mexico for us. It's the people who really make it interesting. First impressions it's run down, dirty, and loud. Second impression it's a tourist and shipping city with a decent economy, but it's more that these things. It's the diversity of the people that has started to fascinate me these last few days. So full of life and vitality. Eager to help, eager to please. It's a city where strangers will stop on the street and help when it's obvious we are lost and don't speak Spanish. Somehow it works out. Willing to offer directions, or another option, or where to get the best...(fill in the blank). It's a city of proud people. Pride in their food, history, culture, wine, and even their fish. They boast with pride that Ceviche was started here or that Ensenada is the home of the Margarita. They are a conservative people. Men still being gentlemen. Women still being ladies. There are churches abound here, and every denomination. Yesterday on the Malecon there was a group of several hundred Amish singing hymns to the Lord in Spanish. Even within that group there was diversity. Northern European, African, Spanish, Indian and Mestizo. There is also the seedy side of the city. Prostitutes and strippers are all through the tourist section. We've been offered their wares on several occasions (The grocery store I go to passes through that part of town and I move through it as quick as possible). There are the ladies at the food stalls near the fish market claiming each to have the best fish tacos and belittling the tacos of the next stall over. It's a friendly competition and very interesting to watch. The fish mongers themselves do not compete in this way, but are quietly proud of their fish and it's quality and are happy to show you the latest and freshest assortment. Then on Tuesday and Saturday the cruise ships arrive. That's when the chaos ensues. We try not to go out on these days, but it never fails to need some item or another from the market. I'm embarrassed at the way so many Americans behave when they are a guest in another country. Some of the young girls are dressed no better than the prostitutes and many are dressed worse. The young men wearing only shorts and if we are lucky they will have a t-shirt on, but the locals just accept them for their ignorance and know they will be gone in a few hours. They take the time to sell all sorts of Mexican made items to these boisterous holiday makers. Then there are is the cruising community. A mixture of sailing and power boats spread over three marinas. Some passing through (like us), some getting work done on their boats at the yard, and some using this as a base for retirement. They come together in a true spirit of community. We help each other out, and offer information about the place. After even a few weeks we start getting proud of Ensenada. I know several retirees here who couldn't imagine going back to the US or Canada. They also are part of what makes this city to fascinating to me. Our time to move on is coming up quickly, but I now I will miss this diverse and interesting city. I will take a part of it with me and be grateful for even the short glimpse into these wonderful generous, tolerant, pious, and welcoming people.

Fair Winds My Friends!

Broken Gear, a way of life?

As the post title says, broken gear is a way of life. It's part of boating. One hopes for as little broken as possible, but one should always prepare for the worst, or at least the worst one can imagine. When boaters get together the subject usually turns to "remember that night when we lost....." I'm not really sure why we talk about it, perhaps it's the badge of honor to say we'd survived a problem at sea. We've all had them. Some are simply little mishaps, others are giant "Oh Shit" moments. Scott's first was on a dear friends boat coming down the coast in 2007, the boom sheared off. For my dear friends who don't know, that's really bad! My first was our Astoria to Newport leg coming down the coast and we were in fog so thick we couldn't see 50 feet from the boat for hours. We wouldn't leave the next port until we had a radar. I took several slugs of rum upon our arrival safely at the dock that time. Problems at sea are a way of life for boaters. I think part of the reason we talk about them is to help other boaters realize they aren't alone.

Over the years we've been boating I've heard all sorts of "emergencies" at sea. Our friends who's windlass decided to fry on the way coming down the coast starting a small fire aboard. Then our friends who timed the bar crossing at Astoria and were off by quite a bit. The following seas were pushing them and they had a rather uncomfortable, to say the least, crossing. That trip had two of the most skilled sailors I've known, with countless bar crossings. I've been taking mental notes recently of the issues friends, new and old, have had coming down to Mexico. One set of friends had all sorts of issues with the boat itself: rotting wood, de-lamination, just to name two. We've recently met a couple here in Ensenada who made it 300 miles south of us only to have trouble with the transmission and need to be towed back. Then there are the little problems, fowled prop, dirty fuel, and silly mistakes from being tired that almost every boat at sometime or another experiences. We ourselves have had all of those at one time or another.

So why do we do it? I can't really say. It's different for everyone, but it's the accomplishment that keeps me going and the promise of the next port. The next port, new, unseen by us, full of some kind of wonder or another. I can't answer for the others, but for me, it's to continue to see what's out here. A spirit of adventure that is part of some humans make up. "To Boldly go" for those of us geeks. That's why when these "emergencies" at sea happen, we come into port, regroup, take a slug of rum, and then bugger on. The rewards outweigh what we might consider any inconveniences. Looking back, I usually find the situation wasn't as bad as I thought it was at the time. I now feel foolish about some of the times I've panicked. I've grown from those situations and while now I see them for what they were, I'm better for the experiences. Maybe that's the reason we sailors talk about them. There's a growth to us everyday out here. It's true, you never are to old to learn.

Fair Winds My Friends!

The Why!

I've been asked "why" we've taken so long to get here. It's actually a pretty simple answer: We needed to be able to sail. Up until our journey from Avalon to Ensenada, we'd never fully sailed with main and jib. Our entire journey down the coast had been one of motor-sailing, mostly motoring. The boat wasn't ready to move under sail alone. We were, but she wasn't. Not only did we not have her rigged, the ability to store our things was quite limited. The bunk was usually covered with gear and items we didn't want flying about the cabin, the sink was stuffed with kitchenware, and I'm not even sure where we hid the grill as it's not mounted. These have all been addressed and we and the boat are much more ready for he task of navigating the Baja Coast. We might have attempted this earlier, but we are limited on fuel and needed the ability to actually sail to conserve. She is after all a sailboat and there was no need to take her out of the US waters until she lived up to that definition.

Our other concern became apparent shortly into our trip down the coast from Oregon. We needed some sort of self steering. We now have about 1500 miles of hand steering under our belts, but to make this more enjoyable and for us not to come into port drop dead dog tired we needed a self steering system. We'd traded for one in Portland, but never had the chance to mount her. Thirteen months in Newport Beach solved that. He is now proudly mounted and added another 2 feet to our length. We named him Baron VonSteuren, as a reference to the German themed names we have given our boat and dinks (Reisender-Traveler, Komen-Coming, Gehen-Going). Steuren is the German word for Steering. We though it was pretty clever. We'll we christened him and he did a great job. During our 27 hour passage we only had to hand steer for about 8 or 9 hours of it. During the day we could just sit and read in the cockpit and look around every few minutes. Our course took us far enough off shore that we were pretty much alone and in deep enough waters we didn't need to worry about crab pots. It was a relief coming into port a little bit more rested. Our usual routine was check into the marina and sleep. Now we check into the marina, eat, and then sleep. A little better I think!

Fair Winds My Friends!

70 Miles and a New Attitude

We're coming to a close on our first week in Mexico and I've begun to notice little differences in the attitudes of Mexicans in this area and the fast paced life lived up in the United States. It's just little things and I don't mean the whole "Manana" lifestyle. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen any of that since we arrived. My experiences so far have been of a hard working friendly people. They go out of their way to make us comfortable and welcome, but what I most see is a trust I no longer see in the United States. I didn't realize it until coming here. Our first experience with it is when trying to pay for something. Example: our first day here and we filled out our paperwork for the marina. In the US you pay in advance, after they have checked your insurance, credit, etc. Here when I asked if he needed a card or payment in advance his response was bewilderment. Why would we want to pay in advance, he doesn't even know our bill yet. OK, I let that one slide, but it was my first culture shock. Another example is when I went to do laundry. American coin laundry you put your coins in and go from there. Another form of paying in advance, but here the attendant puts a token in and keeps track of everything for you and you pay on the way out. It's all about trust. It's the first of what I'm sure will be many cultural differences, but I have to it's refreshing to be trusted by a stranger. I'm hoping this isn't just an Ensenada thing but something we find through Mexico.

Fair Winds My Friends!

Avalon to Ensenada

Welcome to Ensenada! That's what the sign said as we motored into the harbor on Tuesday afternoon. It was a bright sunny and warm day. We'd left Avalon, on Catalina Island, 10:45 am on Monday. It was completely calm as we left the harbor. Barely a ripple on the water, but as we cleared the breakers we decided to raise the jib to see if we could get a little extra pull, and we did. We jump up about half a knot. Scott had that look in his eye and suggested we put up the main to see what happens. It would be the first time we used the main. Coming down the coast in 2011 was a motor sail. We never were under sail alone, except once and that was because we had engine trouble, but it was only for about 15 minutes or so and then only with the jib. This time it was full sail! We raised the main and put the motor in idle for about 15 minutes in the event of a problem. After 15 minutes, the decision was made to sail the boat with out the back up of the engine. Quiet! Complete quiet! It was breath-taking. I handed Scott the helm, the honor was his. He'd had a dream and he did so much work, it was only right he should be at the helm the first time out. His eyes shown bright with pride and accomplishment. I broke out the rum and we toasted him and the boat, as always a little for the God of the Sea. Thirty minutes later Scott handed the helm to me and he set to work on our self steering wind vane. It was a trade prior to leaving Portland and we didn't know how well it would work. Perfect is how it worked. It took Scott about 30 minutes to get her all sorted out, but once we engaged her she took over and we took a break. We simply had to check her course every 10 minutes or so and keep an eye out. It was a clear and lovely day. We only had to glance around every 5 minutes or so. We celebrated with a small glass of wine on the foredeck while Baron von Steern (our name for him, or Baron for short) did all the work. We normally don't drink underway, but we had a little celebrating to do and we were well clear of shipping lanes and land. The plan was to sail for about an hour, as we had light winds, but that turned into two which turned into 8 by the end of it all. After all we weren't in any hurry and we were making about 4 knots anyhow. Our plans had allowed for 4.5 knots just to be conservative on our time of arrival. We hadn't planned on doing so much sailing. The wind dropped shortly after nightfall and so did the main. We brought her down and tried to just do a little motor sailing. Then the wind started to vary and we were done with any sailing for the night. The wind remained fluky the rest of our voyage. We weren't upset, as it was a full moon. We could see for miles in every direction. While running the engine we thought we'd pick up a few extra knots and make up for our slowness during our sail. We did, but not enough to bring our average back up to the 4.5 we wanted, by dawn it looked as though we'd be getting in just before sunset. I hate night approaches to harbors we've never been in before, but it would be what it would be. Somewhere around 8 or 9 am the rum we gave the God of the Sea must have kicked in because we started to get a little extra push from the current. Suddenly we were cruising along at about 6 knots! We engaged Baron and were off and running again. During the night we had to hand steer due to the lack of wind, but only for about 7 hours of our full trip. Not bad! Coming down the coast in 2011 we had steered the entire 1500 miles we made. We were tired each time we made port. This time we were coming in much more rested, but a different kind of tired would over take us that evening. By the evening, it was obvious that the excitement and tension of preparing and actually making this first leg of our new life had taken a toll on both of us. We'd made it to Ensenada by 2:30 and were tied off in Baja Naval Marina by 3pm. We'd just missed the closing of the Customs and would need to remain on the boat for the night before clearing in the next day. I'm pretty sure we could have tip-toed out and no one would have cared, but as stated above we were tired and wanted to go to bed.

It was an early night and the morning even earlier. We've started to live by cruiser's mid-night. That means we are usually asleep by 2100 and awake by 0600. Well I'm awake by 0600, Scott is closer to 0730, but for those of you who know him, that's pretty damned early for him! We were up and excited as Wednesday would be our day to check into the country. I was nervous, but Rogelio, the amazing harbor master, came by and took us to his office for the first of our paper work. He handed us two two packets and told us which window to give which packet to. He took us through the process step by step and it was as easy as he said it would be, until I almost left without getting out “temporary import permit” a very important piece of paper for our boat. Legally we can now leave our boat in Mexican waters for 10 years. Scott pointed out I didn't get it and I'd simply forgotten to go to the Banjercito to pay for it and declare what items we had on board. No problem, to the window and the very nice woman behind it, 15 minutes later all done. All in all it took us about 45 to do all our paperwork and check into Mexico. Even the cats are checked in. As a matter of fact they didn't even ask about them, and I declared them on the paperwork. There is a new expression I've recently heard and Scott and I are beginning to understand “Welcome to Tim” or “This Is Mexico” and it's very refreshing. Everything seems to be so much easier and laid back. It's what we were hoping, but the hoop hopping that happens in the US had clouded our vision and I was expected things to be difficult, but what a pleasant surprise. Even upon checking into the marina I was a little surprised. When the harbor master got our info he handed us a key to the gate and said “enjoy your stay” I turned to him and ask if he'd like an imprint of the credit card or cash. He shrugged his shoulders and said “Why? I don't know what your bill is yet.” I walked out of his office feeling a little shocked by this attitude. It's the way I remember business being done when I was a kid. It's a feeling of trust and honor. What a great feeling. I think I'm gonna like it here and I better, because Mexico is our home for a good part of the rest of the year!

Fair Sailing my Friends!

The Weekend and the Yacht Club

Scott and I tend to shy away from yacht clubs. Not that we believe anything wrong with them, it's simply we tend not to fit into that social scene. We could never really find a yacht club that made us feel we fit in properly. Back home we say it's like finding a church... it really takes a lot of things to come into alignment for it to be a right fit, and the stars never seemed to align on the yacht club scene for us. This weekend, however, while we still are not yacht club people, we did find a lovely group of yachties who invited us to join their festivities for the weekend. They were over to Avalon for their annual St. Valentine's Day Event. It was a perfect weekend for it also, as the weather held in the low to mid 70's all weekend. The group of clubbers each night hosted  a cocktail reception on a different lovely boat. I'm still amazed at how many bodies can be fit into a boat! We got to see a beautiful Tazwell and a lovely Chris Craft. Scott and I both drooled over the space in the Chris Craft! 3 staterooms, a garbage compactor, full size fridge, dish washer, and a library! A Library! I think Scott was in love with that room, if he could have a private office again I think he'd never make a complaint for the rest of his life. Oh, well, the compromises to go cruising.

Yesterday we said "goodbye" to many new friends and by mid-afternoon we were surrounded by quiet again. We were filled in for a few days and now, not a boat within three moorings of us. We renewed our mooring for another week in anticipation of receiving the new alternator we purchased. It's currently out for deliver and should be at the Harbor Patrol's office today. I was amazed at the customer service we received when ordering the part. The wonderful man who helped us went as far are to call the Harbor Patrol's office to verify that we could receive it at their office and  that the address was correct. When we went into their office yesterday, we were told they will even bring it out to our boat when it arrives. Now that is service! I don't know if I'm getting old or if it's simply the work ethic doesn't seem to be up to what it once was, but I always appreciate good service with I experience it. This is a resort town and they seem to go out of the way to give exceptional service! Well, that's Avalon! I recently read a T-shirt that said "Avalon: The Graveyard of Ambition" I certainly can see that. It's a laid back resort town that can make even the most unsocial person relax and join in. It keeps us coming back!

Fair Winds My Friends! Keep your fingers crossed on the alternator!

Alternator

Well, it turns out the alternator we purchased as a spare isn't exactly what we need. It's the wrong size to fit on our engine. Scott has considered a few options, but isn't quite sure any of them will completely work. That means it's waiting time again. He has located one that might work and we are waiting on an e-mail with the exact measurements. Then there is the issue of where do we ship it. We gave up our box at the UPS store in Newport and while we might be able to send it out to the island UPS and Fedex don't ship out here. We could send it general deliver if they can send it US Postal Service. That's all a waiting game until tomorrow, hopefully we will get a response. Then there is the time involved in shipping it down here... get this the company is in Portland!!! LOL!!! We are scheduled to on Monday, but we can extend another week if need be. The rates are super cheap this time of year and we've located the much needed propane to keep us warm. With those two things we can be quite comfortable if it takes until the end of next week to receive the item, again depending on the size of the thing. It's a circle.

As for our time here, we are back in the swing of things from our time in December 2011. We've been surprised how many people remember us. William a member of the Harbor Patrol came by to welcome us back, our favorite bartender at the Marlin Club was glad to see us. Even a guy who winters here on his boat remembered visiting with us before. It's nice to know where to get my groceries and laundry done. Everyone is so helpful and easy going here. I can see why so many boaters over winter here every year. It's supposed to be in the 70's this week and once we've got the alternator set we are planning on doing some hiking in the hills. It should be beautiful. We probably won't go ashore on Saturday or Sunday, as it is usually crowded with tourists, but we've got plenty to keep us busy. We are safe and have a rough plan for the next few days. So Mexico is pushed back a few days. We've got the time and we are only planning on going as far as the Sea of Cortez for the summer. That's about 1300 miles to put us out of the hurricane belt and we have 5 months to do that. So many cruisers push through so quickly and never get to know a place, it's nice to have the option of really slowing down and seeing some of Mexico. From our experience 6 years ago in the Sea it's like sailing through a desert. Should make for some beautiful scenery.

Well, Cheers and Fair Winds!

Avalon Here We Come... again....

OK, OK, I've done a couple of previous posts on Avalon and us visiting. So, here is another... Scott and I left Newport Beach at around noon today. After 4 days at the anchorage we woke to another boat anchored near us. We don't know when they came in, but it was nice to have neighbors even for a short time. The crew of Reisender was up and gone before they. We wanted to make Catalina Island before nightfall..... after all it's only 20 miles..... see the foreshadowing?  After stopping off at the pump out dock to clean give the boat a good wash down we were on our way  after 14 months. She shouldn't have received such a good wash down. It's turns out we were on the very, very tail end of a small craft advisory. While that really isn't a big deal it did slow us down quite a bit. Normally we make the run in about 4 1/2 to 5 hours......... today's run was just over 7! I was not happy! We were only making about 4 knots, mostly due to the wind and waves against us, but  a little to the garden growing under us. It's been decided to splurge on someone scrubbing the bottom of the boat in Ensenada. Scott and I are really glad we do these things in steps. The fridge ran for much of our voyage, and so did the nav-computer, and the radar, and the AIS, and the....... well... it turns out that our alternator was at the end of it's life. I came down to get the paper version of the lay-out of Avalon and smelled something burning. I told Scott to get below while I took the helm. We were minutes away from a possible fire. Scott knows our boat, that's one of the advantages of him doing almost all of the work himself. We were only down about 20 minutes and on our way again. Both of us remained calm and were able to do our respective tasks to get us underway again. While the alternator isn't quite toast, she is definitely retired. Thanks to our good friend Eric for the wonderful swap meet he put on a couple of years ago, we happen to carry a spare on board. The question is now, when do we buy another spare? We will figure it out before leaving Avalon. In the mean time, we will enjoy being in a wonderful setting and enjoying an almost empty mooring field.

Cheers for now and fair sailing!

Day Two at Anchor and the Wild Goose!

It's day two as we wait out this front coming through. We wanted to leave tomorrow, but there are some pretty high winds and even higher gusts that would be on our nose for the trip out to Avalon on Catalina Island. We want to try and do some sailing now that Reisender is rigged for the main and we want some mild winds to play with the first time out.

It's been raining today and we even got some hail, almost unheard of around here. We've both been getting little projects done. Well, I've been getting little putter projects done, Scott is actually working on some rather important projects, namely getting our AIS up and running again. We changed computers and he's working on getting the program working on it. For my non-boating friends, AIS is a system where we can recognize commercial vessels by name, length, vessel type, direction and speed. They are required by law on all commercial vessels, but not on recreational craft, but many boaters are moving to installing them as they are a wonderful safety feature. We have both a transmitter and receiver. It was a great investment that we are so pleased to have aboard, especially in heavy shipping lanes like San Francisco and LA. I know we'll love it when we get to the Panama Canal.

The most exciting part of our day was when we realized we were anchored near "Wild Goose"!!!! That's John Wayne's boat. It's used now for events and parties. Scott and I are both John Wayne fans so this was one more piece of evidence of what geeks we are. Here's a little about her! Hope you enjoy!






http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_YMS-328