After what seems like forever here in San Diego, it's finally time to go south. There have been documentation delays, work delays and just plain nerves that have kept me from venturing farther down (nerves about paperwork / bureaucracy / "checking in", the quality of my Spanish, unfamiliar anchorages...). But at least now I have crew. Denali and Malavika are inexperienced but smart. They're great companions, and fascinating people. They will learn about sailing soon enough, but for right now, at least they'll be able to keep watch while I get some sleep.
It's 7pm PST, and we'll be leaving about 10 or 11pm in order to arrive in Ensenada (68 miles away) around 10am. After checking into Mexico at the CIS (the combined check-in office for all three agencies we have to alert to our arrival), we'll fill up our tanks with fuel (at 2.50/gallon, I hear), have lunch, and then very likely head out again. I've considered staying a night in Ensenada, but as much as I hate to say it, a schedule dictates that we make more south before relaxing. I need to be in Cabo for a flight to Seattle on Wednesday the 29th, so our plan currently is to head down to Bahia Santa Maria (which is right next to San Carlos, Magdalena Bay), where I'll hop on a bus to Cabo. When I return to the boat on Friday 1/31, we'll continue south, and maybe spend one night anchored out at Cabo (I've heard slips in the marina quoted anywhere from $150 to $180/night for a 43' boat) before heading for La Paz, where we'll rest and relax for a few days before crossing the Sea of Cortez to Mazatlan.
