November 5-7, 2005
We left the Shelter Island guest docks at 4:15 AM. So early, but we don't want to pull into Ensenada in the dark. We passed two large cruise ships on our way out of the harbor, and two smaller boats as well. Lots of activity for such an early hour. Again, we had an uneventful trip south, other than some large following seas that Sadie didn't seem to like too much. We've decided we love our new autopilot and the comfort it gives us underway. In fact, we think we may name it "amigo."
We crossed the international line at 9:45 AM and are now officially in Mexico. We didn't get in to Marina Coral until around 5:30 PM. It was dusk so we could still make out the breakwater and harbor entrance, but I certainly wouldn't want to enter this harbor in the dark. It is a very small, narrow passage. The marina, however, is wonderful. After showers and all the other post-passage rituals, we had a fabulous dinner in the restaurant to celebrate our arrival in foreign waters. We explored the grounds, and decided the pools and jacuzzi (both indoor and outdoor) would need to be visited in the next day or two.
On Sunday, we hung new life line netting that we purchased in San Diego. Hopefully it will give the dogs a little more security on deck (and give us greater peace of mind!) I don't want to do a doggy-overboard drill again if I don't have to! In the afternoon we had the jacuzzi all to ourselves, and indulged in a few adult beverages while relaxing. All in all, a pretty mellow day.
On Monday, it had been arranged for a driver from the hotel to take us to Customs and Immigration. We had been told to be ready at 9:00 AM, so of course we were. When we checked in at the marina office, however, we were told that the driver was running late and we wouldn't leave now until 10:00 AM. We killed time looking through the hotel store and having something to drink in the restaurant, before checking back in. At 10:00 AM, we were informed that we would need to wait another 30 minutes, as the driver still had not arrived. Bryan and I chuckled to ourselves and decided this was our first lesson learned in "manana land"... it doesn't do any good to be in a hurry.
Customs was a breeze, and in total, cost us under $100. I would definitely recommend using an agent, as we did with Hotel Coral's driver, unless you have a really good knowledge of the language. Only one of the four people we had to interact with spoke English. I spent the rest of the day doing laundry while Bryan finished the netting. Before dinner, we washed the boat, which had gotten pretty filthy over the last week. Then we took our guidebooks and sat at the bar reviewing the charts and planning our course for the next few days. In the background, Monday night football was on the big screen, and although narrated in Spanish, it was a reminder that we still aren't that far from home. After studying the charts in greater detail, we have decided to skip the anchorage at Colonet. Instead, we have opted to make a 24 hour passage straight to San Quintin. It will be our first overnight trip together, and Bryan asked me if I am nervous. I told him that I'm not (which is true), but that staying awake for my watches might require large doses of caffeine. I also made him promise to wear his SOSpenders and tether at all times. To me, this is not negotiable. I hope that it will be a comfortable passage, and I am looking forward to what I'll learn from this experience.