Goodbye USA! After just over a year here, we’re moving on. The sail from San Diego to Ensenada in Mexico is about 60 miles – a decent length day, and wanting to arrive before dark to avoid lobster pots, we left as the sun was starting to rise and wake the city up.
Then from Cedros, we had a day sail across to Turtle Bay. Left early in the morning so that we’d get into Turtle Bay by dusk. Next morning, getting into the dinghy to go ashore for fuel, I noticed that the backstay chainplate had cracked welds – not good! Spent an hour or so ashore mulling over options; get a new part in from US, get something made here, get this one welded here, carry on with jury rig … ended up going back to the boat, taking off the backstay and chainplate, and taking it into town. Turns out the town’s stainless welder is up in Ensenada with the start of the Baja 1000 race and not back till Sunday. Erk, we’ve not got time for that. After a few hours of chasing people around town we finally catch up with a guy that can weld stainless and he fixes it up. Relief.
Once the boat was back together, we filled up with nearly 40 gallons of diesel, hoping that we don’t have to use much of it! From Turtle Bay we had another 230-odd mile leg down to Bahia Santa Maria, a cove tucked around the corner out of the north westerly winds. Sailed almost all the way! Couple of nights out at sea.
We arrived at night, maybe 0400, got some sleep, and then spent the day relaxing. Had a great swim. In the evening, went ashore, our first dinghy landing in the surf, and wandered on the beach.
Next morning, about 0500, we left for San Jose del Cabo, around the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. See On Passage With Rafiki for that leg, typical of the sailing we’ve had all the way down from Ensenada – though further north we’ve had less wind and a lot more motoring.
Road and Ocean 