I am not going to pretend that I am not a bit apprehensive about leaving Ensenada and heading south. After what happened on the way down here with the flood and the rough seas and the winds the weatherman lied about, I have almost forgotten why I wanted to sail in the first place. And I am afraid of getting sick again. When that happens, I am no good whatsoever and all the work falls on Mike. Couple that with my lousy helming skills and Mike will get no sleep at all. I desperately want to pull my weight on this trip. But that was the only time I have ever been seasick, and I got some medication down here that the other cruisers swear by. I have also been told that ginger is good, so I plan to mix powdered ginger in hot water with a little honey if my stomach starts to get rocky. I have ginger candy, but last time that was not strong enough - or, more likely, I waited too long before I started in with it.
Additionally, bad things have happened to some people heading that way from here over the last couple of weeks. One boat was dismasted and another was driven up on some rocks and destroyed. We actually met the people with the ruined boat before their accident and they were very experienced sailors. Their boat was an absolutely beautiful - solid teak and 50 years old. They had been sailing her for eleven years and had even taken her around Cape Horn, which is like climbing Mt. Everest for sailors. If someone with that kind of experience can have bad things happen, so can we. But the weather window looks great and we plan to stay way off shore (which is safer, you are more likely to have a land based problem than a water based problem). There are at least four other boats leaving from here around the same time we do, so we can all stay in radio contact. It might be kind of nice knowing we are not alone out there.
We had dinner with our friends Margo and Tony last night, and we all had a great time. They are wonderful friends and I am sad to be leaving them. We all plan to meet up later this year in La Paz and I see no reason why that will not happen. They are waiting out the winter here in Ensenada and plan to head south in March or so. That is one thing about this lifestyle - meeting people then leaving them just as you are really getting to like each other. But we are all headed for points south, and there is not telling who one will meet up with at what time. It is also one of the fun parts.
Our plans are to head south and stop eventually in Mazatlan, with some stops along the way. We might have to stay in Cabo San Lucas for a couple of weeks due to mail issues, but I think that will be okay, even though Cabo is not my favorite place. It is still pretty nice. I have heard that marina slips are outrageously expensive there, but we can anchor for little or nothing.
Ensenada has been wonderful and in a lot of ways I don't want to leave. We have made some friends here, and not just other gringos. In spite of the obvious toll the economic problems have had on the city, it is still very vibrant and lively. There is a sense of optimism I do not see in the US. Despite all the economic problems, no one sits around bitching about the government or blaming everyone else for their problems. They are wonderful hosts who actually seem to enjoy having guests, and it is not just about the tourist money. The drug wars have not affected this area, and I am here to tell anyone who is willing to listen that it is not as bad down here as the US media would have one believe. I would not be in a hurry to go to Ciudad Juarez or Nuevo Laredo, but here in Baja, all is peaceful and calm. Everyone is busy going to school, working, and just being alive in this wonderful place. They love helping me with my Spanish. In fact, the last person who was even the slightest bit unpleasant was a US customs officer!
The first leg of this trip should take about three days, depending on the weather. That will take us to Bahia Tortuga (Turtle Bay), which is about halfway down the Baja penninsula. It is a tiny little bay that has no marina, but has a fuel dock, water, and a good anchorage. We plan to spend a couple weeks there, practicing some sailing skills and just kicking back enjoying being on the water. Our next stop is about 100 miles south of that, at a place called Bahia Magdalena (Mag Bay to us cruisers). There is a cove just outside the bay where we plan to anchor, and depending on how we feel, we will stay there for days or maybe a week or so. Then comes Cabo, where we hope to get some more charts and stock up on stuff like food. After that, we plan to shoot across to the mainland, and Mazatlan. But all of that is subject to change at any time. Who knows where we will end up and when? We never planned to spend six weeks here, but I am glad we did.
I am hoping to be able to do a blog post while we are underway. I know how to do it using my SSB (marine short wave) radio, but I have no idea if typing will make me feel sick or not. Otherwise, there might not be an update here for at least a week, not that THAT is anything new. But I will try. I want to share as much as I can with all of you, and the closer in time the posting is to the events, the more real it will be. And less edited, especially if I am all het up about something. I won't have a chance to sanitize things.
Well, here is hoping there are no floods and that the seas are at least somewhat calm. Wish me luck!
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