Log 4: Mexico--Season 1--'99-'00

Log 4 of Albion (and other travels)

These are the selected e-mails sent back to family and friends from our sail down the Coast of Baja California and into Mexico. It was our first trip into a third world country by boat and the anxiety ran high.

11/18/99 -- 12/13/99 Subject: Chula Vista to Cabo San Lucas

We're off! Five boats headed out for our adventure down the Baja coast into Mexico. After topping off our fuel tanks and crossing the San Diego bar, we got a call from Jasmine Isle, who left early because of their slower speed. They had engine problems and were going to have to turn back. Since there wasn't any wind, they were just rolling around and couldn't make it back in. So Albion, being the faster cruising boat, took them into tow and would catch up with the rest that night in the Coronado Islands. Jasmine Isle could not get a slip at the police dock, so we had to tow them halfway up the bay to another anchorage. It was determined then, that we would not be able to make it back out to the Coronado's that night and decided to spend another night in San Diego, and catch the rest of the boats in Ensenada the next day. In Ensenada, we all met up again and checked into Mexico. To our surprise, Kim and Chris on Jasmine Isle drove down to Ensenada with another Portland couple. We all had a great reunion and enjoyed the best fish tacos in Mexico. Since Reprise and Seadater had gotten to Ensenada early and checked in, they decided to head south. Tica and Albion had to wait until Monday to check in and then leave. Our first anchorage that night was below Punta Colnett, a very rolly anchorage. The next was after a day trip down to the Bahia San Quintin anchorage. There Molly and I anchored and were waiting for Tica. But they got a lobster pot line in their prop, and we had to go out and tow them into the anchorage. We spent the next day (Thanksgiving) anchored and relaxing and had a great dinner on Albion with Tica. We met another boat (Cyrene) that joined us for the rest of the trip down the Baja. The next anchorages were down to Punta Baja and then an overnight to Turtle Bay. We spent two days in Turtle Bay refueling, eating local foods, and meeting new friends. Then it was off to Punta Asuncion, Bahia San Hipolito, Bahia Abreojos and then another overnighter to Bahia Santa Maria. We spent two nights in Santa Maria, exploring up the lagoon and snorkeling. The next stop was just around the corner into Puerto Magdalena Bay and Man-of-War Cove. There we topped off with fuel again from the Port Captain and chartered several pongas with him to take a bunch of us cruisers up the bay to San Carlos......a real town with phones and ice cream. And we ate more local cuisine (lobsters again!) and had several boat parties with new cruisers. From Mag. Bay, it was another overnighter to the real culture change of Cabo San Lucas; para-sailers, mega-yachts, cruise ships, and big hotels. We took a buoy off the Hacienda Hotel for $10/night and had a great view of the beach and short dinghy ride into the harbor to town. We checked in here, went through immigration, and got our 10 year boat import permit. During that last leg to Cabo, our battery was loosing charge even with the engine running. We concluded, with Jan & Alan's help on Cyrene's , that it was the alternator regulator. We ordered another one from Downwind Marine in San Diego and Jasmine Isle's parents would stop on their way down and pick it up. We would just have to rent a car and drive halfway to La Paz to get it......just another adventure.

12/31/99 Subject: New Years in Cabo!!

Well, we didn't make the weather window in time to head to Mazatlan and we were comfortable here where we knew where things were.....so we decided to have a quiet dinner with friends, go back to the boat, open a bottle of Champagne, and toast the new year in watching the fireworks on the beach from our cockpit. The new alternator regulator is in and working, but the Link10 meter (that reads what is going on with the batteries) has not come up to full charge yet??? And now our engine temperature gage is reading hot??? I've checked all the logical possibilities (good water in, good water out, engine is actually not hot, so we're thinking it's just the gage (we hope). We will know when we start off to Mazatlan!!! Maybe it will be a short trip and we will be back here in Cabo for a little longer. The cruiser personnel are changing around here. That's an indication that we've been here too long (almost three weeks now). Some of the friends that we've made down the Baja coast and camped out here with, have left for other ports and new ones have come in and taken their place, but it's hard to replace "originals". Our typical day here starts with the morning Canadian/Baja SSB net at 7:00am. We listen for weather and check in ourselves...."still here in Cabo". One of the net controllers is another good friend here that we met in Mag. Bay. Then it's breakfast, do the dishes, get the dinghy in the water, and put the motor on the dinghy. By then it's so rocky and rolly because of fishing boats leaving, jet skis buzzing, and ship tenders running past, that we have to head to town to relax. We generally head to the internet cafe to check e-mail and then go to lunch. It's a nice challenge to pick a new place each time, trying something new. We may wander around town looking into shops...not buying of course, no room! We have taken little side trips like driving to Los Brillos for the new alternator regulator, bus trip to San Jose del Cabo, or a day snorkeling at Lovers Beach. But mostly we then head over to the pool at the hotel, lay around reading, swimming or taking a shower in the poolside outside shower. We may have a margarita or two, and then it's about happy hour, so we get dressed, and head for the hotel cocktail lounge where a lot of the cruisers meet just to un-wind and tell of the days activities. After a few more margaritas and chip & salsa, we all head out for dinner....again trying to fine a new place. Then it's late enough that we head back to the boat, take the motor off, lift the dinghy back on the deck, and check in to the evening "Portland" SSB net at 8:00pm. Sometimes (not very often) we get back in time to check in on another frequency at 6:45pm to see if we can reach Summer Rose back at Tomahawk Bay Marina and see how things are going. We have used that avenue to get messages back to the kids on occasion. Well, it's time to head to town.....a new cruise ship has just arrived and we have to get some things at the grocery store for the Sea of Cortez crossing, and of course get this sent! We wish you all a very Happy New Year for 2000!! We will try to keep in touch with our adventures and trials and tribulations (which aren't many), and you try to do the same. When we have access to e-mail, we love hearing from all of you.
Brent & Mollyf rom Cabo Internet Café

January 1, 2000 Subject: Mazatlan

On January 1, 2000, the first day of the new millennium, a beautiful sunrise came up over the Cabo San Lucas arches. It was also the first day of our new adventure across the Sea of Cortez to Mazatlan, 200 miles. We weighed anchor with Tica and headed East. The motor started running hot, so we slowed down, tried to find out what the matter was, but eventually shut the motor off and sailed with good wind all the way to Mazatlan arriving the next day about 5:30pm. On the way over, we were in contact with Richard and Anita on Moonshadow. They told us that our marina was about 8 miles north of the old harbor, which we were then heading for. As we arrived outside the entrance to the harbor, several dinghies full of Portland cruising friends were there to greet us and show us the way in. Upon docking, it was a welcomed reunion and party! It was like Tomahawk Bay Marina, G-Dock, all over again because 5 of us were all on the same dock again, except Albion which was right behind them all on the next dock.Mazatlan is a great city. It is easy to get around by a very inexpensive bus system, you can find almost any part you need for the boat or they can make it, there are many fine restaurants for dining, and there is a very exotic old town with the Central Market, Cathedral, theater, and many many shops. Another Portland cruising friend knew a doctor here, and every year he has a big BBQ. This year we were all invited out to his place for the pig roast and dancing. The cruisers at Marina Mazatlan also are busy arranging many parties, activities, and trips. One trip we signed up for was a bus trip to El Quelite, a small old town up in the hills behind Mazatlan. They are known for their cheese making and cock farms. While there we also took a house tour with the Mayor, had a great lunch, and watched an ancient Aztec ball game and rodeo. We stayed in Mazatlan until February 16th, then headed South another 200 miles to Puerto Vallarta. As we were making final preparations to leave, a friend of a friend (Miriam) needed a ride down coast to Chacala to help out on a Homes-for-Humanity project so we gave her a lift. Our first destination, however, was a small off shore island called Isla Isabela that is a bird sanctuary with a small scientific crew camped out on it. After an over-night trip, in company with Wes and Karen on Caprice, we anchored off the island and went ashore to explore and take pictures. After spending two days there exploring, snorkeling, and relaxing, we headed back to the mainland to anchor in Bahia Matachen. The next day we went around the corner into the San Blas estuary and anchored. We went ashore, checked in, and met Captain Norm and his wife Jan. They helped us with options for check-in since Miriam was not on our crew list when we left Mazatlan.....no problem!San Blas was one of the first shipping towns in old Mexico and the object of the poem about "The Bells of San Blas". They also have a great Jungle Trip up the estuary. It was one of the best trips we've every taken. Our 4-hour trip lasted 6 hours after the guide found out Molly and I were birders. We added many birds to our life list and the guide even caught a small Crocodile for us to take pictures. At the end of the trip, he came out to our boat. Molly gave him a Spanish Translator, since he was enamored by it during the trip, and he gave Wes and I a Crocodile tooth necklace. We also went on another trip while here to a coffee plantation. San Blas is also well known, however, for their bugs......the "No Seeums" but you can! They are horrible and the bites itch, swell, and last for weeks. Karen really got bit, and we all decided that 4 days was all we could stand. We then headed for Chacala, another small beach village where we were taking Miriam. We anchored there one night and then on to La Cruz in Banderas Bay. While underway, I discovered a leak in a return fuel line. Caprice was several miles ahead of us, but came back to stand by while we made a temporary fix.

February 29, 2000 Subject: Paradise Village Resort

Banderas Bay is a very large bay with several resort communities located around it, including Puerto Vallarta. We were heading for Paradise Village Marina and Resort in Nuevo Vallarta, about 8 miles North of Puerto Vallarta. Paradise Village is, in our opinion, one of the nicest resorts in Mexico for Cruisers. We have access to pools, showers, tennis courts, restaurants, zoo, cable TV at the dock, and a shopping mall. A great place to spend several months! Jeanette, Terry and Travis flew down to spend a week with us and enjoy the Mexican sun after leaving the cold rainy Oregon winter. We went on a tour vessel snorkel trip out of P.V. to Los Arcos and enjoyed watching the boat parade for the Banderas Bay Regatta. They brought several boat parts down from the states, including a new return fuel line. Only a few of the Portland Cruisers came down to P.V.; Moonshadow and Reprise, and of course there was Caprice who we met back in Chula Vista and became very close friends. Two of the great activities at Paradise are Tequila tasting parties on other's boats, and dock potluck parties every Wednesday night. This is great living!!! One of the most notable Tequila parties was on Caprice when about 14 of us cruisers jammed in this small rounded cockpit of their 31 foot boat. There were so many aboard, the bow was out of the water. We made an inland bus trip with Wes and Karen to the town of Tequila where they in fact make Tequila from the Blue Agave. We stopped at an ancient Aztec ruin, a lava field, and toured the Sousa Tequila plantation and distillery. Our friend, Al Mirati an ODFW co-worker, came down to visit us in Paradise. We had a great time showing him around Puerto Vallarta, then he helped us take Albion back up the coast to Mazatlan and flew home from there. We spent almost 6 weeks in Paradise Village and then hopped up the coast returning to La Cruz (had dinner with Portland cruisers Nancy & Herman from Sea Tern), to Chacala (had shrimp & lobster dinner with Monte & Barb from Reprise), to Isla Isabela, and then the over-night sail back to Mazatlan.

April 21, 2000 Subject: Back in Mazatlan

After a few more parties, introducing Al to some more of our cruising friends, he was off to Portland again. During our stay, we took another marina sponsored bus trip to Copala, another small village in the Sierra Madras' behind Mazatlan. We toured the town and all had to sample their famous banana cream pie for lunch. The rest of the time in Mazatlan was spent getting Albion ready for the hot summer storage in the marina. We contracted with another cruiser that lives in the marina and watches boats for the summer. She will wash it, make sure the bottom is cleaned, anti-cockroach stuff is fresh, check the batteries, and disconnect the power if an electrical storm comes through. We also leave extra mooring lines available for an emergency. After a week of preparation, we flew back to Phoenix and picked up our car that Tom and Sue had left for us at the airport and headed for Tucson to visit Nada and Dorsey. Then it was off to Mazatlan again, this time with the car, to bring a bunch of our stuff back to the RV.

5/11/00 Subject: On the Road Again!

Here we are, back in long pants and sweatshirts! Was warm (hot) in Arizona, but now we are in Chula Vista and it's on the cool side. We had a nice visit last night with Portland cruisers Tom and Sue, Earl and Donna, Brian and Laurie, and Fred and Kathy. Also, a couple we cruised the Baja with, Cyrene, are back here now having left their boat in LaPaz for a couple of years while they earn another cruising kitty. Have to go to the fabric place here and get some material for the RV windows and some more for the boat. Then we plan to head up the freeway and spend a few days in Thousand Oaks with Lynda and family. Looks like it is still raining in Portland. Guess we won't be able to avoid that. Driving to Mazatlan and back was no problem. The road is really good..four lanes all the way. We were even understanding most of the road signs by the time we got to Mazatlan. There are several inspection stops along the way for agriculture and drugs....we discovered that as soon as we rolled down the window and found ourselves staring at an army guy holding a semi-automatic weapon, every word of Spanish we ever knew was suddenly erased from our brain! Actually, once they determined we were gringos and couldn't communicate with them, they would wave us on through! The border crossing and customs was not a problem once we finally figured out what we needed to do and where to do it. We had to turn in our car permit and visas, and also we had the Mexican customs officer sign our list of equipment that we were taking off the boat to be returned again this fall. Nancy and Herman told us about that so we would not have a problem next fall and have to pay import tax on any of it. We had a very short visit with Nada and Dorsey as they were in a rush to head back to Portland also. We were loading the RV as they were loading the u-haul with golf cart and stuff. Will be seeing them back at the coast this summer, we hope. We don't know what our plans are yet. Have to check in with the taxman and get that done. It's good to be back in the RV...feels like home. Doing my own laundry will take some getting used to, but I will adjust! All for now,
Molly