"Heaven, I'm in heaven ..." Pamela is crooning in the corner of the cockpit as we enjoy breakfast here in Bahia Tortuga (Turtle Bay), 360 miles south of San Diego on the west coast of Baja Mexico. We're having a BLAST! Everyone is well and happy, the boat is awesome, and tonight we are planning a party in our floating hot tub. SWEET! Following are notes from our delightful passage so far. Sending love to all –Betsy/Mom.
10/25
Dry. Boating.
The challenge: use these two words, truthfully, in a sentence.
Impossible. My experience is, they're just incongruous.
It rained all night prior to departure, and we listened for the telltale drip-drip-drip of previously unknown leaks. There are very few, but the deck and everything on it (still waiting to be stowed), is drenched. Ashore, the bathrooms have been cleaned (with a fire hose, it appears) and every surface is flooded. Then Pamela and I venture to top off the water tanks and the hose breaks loose, dancing wildy on the deck, saturating everything in its perimeter. By the time we start, I'm soaked. (Thankfully I have all my socks and thermals in ziplocks -- hey, this isn't my first rodeo.)
It's 3PM when we finally depart San Diego, missing the big Baja Haha parade and sendoff. But we're glad everything is finally stowed – from Apples to Zincs, you might say – our tanks are topped off, we have a new phone (for use with our temperamental satcoms) and we are ready!
10/26
Yesterday was dreary: lumpy seas with just not enough oomph in the breeze to thrust us through, so we wallowed south under grey skies.
But 24 hours into it, Pamela is dancing to the Black Eyed Peas ('I've Gotta Feeling'). Blue sky is breaking through, we've successfully made water and several meals, and the wind has built to 15-20 knots – just enough for TUGTUB (a very comfy Irwin 43) to push through the huge seas.
We've caught up with a few boats despite our late departure. There are various makes and models of vessels out here, all with their unique sail plans (jib and no main, full main and staysail, all sails set, or none ... ) to battle the lumbering seas that smack our beam as we course south.
As for TUGTUB, we're sailing under reefed-down genoa and main making about seven knots. It's rolly but at least predictable, and by now we know exactly when and where to brace ourselves as the boat heaves.
10/27
With every tick of latitude we drop, the pleasure meter climbs.
Today's the day we've been waiting for! This sun is shining. We set the kite. Take showers, and don t-shirts. Throw the fishing lines out. The seas have evened out and no-one is queasy or drowsy or experiencing any form of malaise. We are rolling lazily toward Bahia Tortuga, on Day Three of the Baja Haha.
Somehow you wish the first leg weren't the longest, but geographically that's impossible. We are doing great, but there has been a bit of carnage in the fleet overnight. Pamela sat patiently through the roll call listening to casualty reports, waiting to check in. We heard of a broken forestay and a dislocated hip, an issue with a stuffing box, and somehow, just three days out, an already depleted supply of diesel.
Now, after several ups and downs and variations on our sail plan (you can take the girl out of the racer but you can't take the racer out of the girl) we're motor-sailing in the waning sun: happy to have the engine on, as it means hot showers and cold beers when we arrive. Paul and Pamela are curled up in the 'love nest' aft; Dan is at the helm, listening to some unknown tunes; and I'm on the rail enjoying the last rays of warmth, and the vast beauty and serenity of the sea.
ADDENDUM
Pollywogs of light dance on the oily sea -- we're thankful for the three-quarter moon illuminating our landfall into Bahia Tortuga. Still it's daunting, and we compare the paper and electronic charts, the radar, the description in Charlie's Charts, and a hand-drawn map Holly scribbled out at a pizza parlor ... Picking our way through dozens of anchored boats (looking so much like the fake fireflies at Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean ride) we finally choose our spot, drop the anchor (and 225 feet of chain) and set. Pamela breaks out a bottle of chilled champagne, cheese and crackers (and subsequently, some wine ...) and we celebrate a very successful voyage!
After two days of fun here, we'll depart Saturday for Bahia Santa Maria, another 200-some miles along the coast. Over & out!
Oct 29
We bypassed the crowded palapas at the foot of the rickety pier (pocked with holes and rotting planks of arbitrary lengths, you must truly watch your step on the Bahia Tortuga wharf -- particularly on the way back to the boat, if you've imbibed in a few cervezas!) and instead wound our way to our favorite – Carlos y Mercedes -- on the east side of the calle principal (main drag). There, of course, we ran into people we know: Mike and Kelly Priest, Haha'ing aboard the Swan DEFIANCE. Mike tipped us off to the softball game about to begin, Kelly recommended the lobster burritos, and they took off.
Dan insisted on tequila for the crew, so we enjoyed a few shots and beer chasers, with our lunch; then picked our way through town (the entire place is like a construction site: all dirt strewn with rocks and cinder blocks, lumber, rebar, and other debris) to the ball park. Built in the 1960s, the stadium has been in disrepair for the last few decades. Mike, a professional delivery captain, transits through Turtle Bay several times a year, and found out about his friend Benito's renovation project ... so he rallied the Baja Haha fleet to bring gear, equipment and toys for the kids, AND challenge the locals to a game.
It was in full swing when we got there – a bit puzzled, as we tallied five 'outs' during the inning we arrived. The Grand Poohbah (Richard Spindler) pitched the entire game ... no-one was counting balls or strikes ... fouls caught by the pitcher weren't considered 'out' ... truly it was 'sandlot rules'. But the stadium was PACKED, ranchero music was blaring, vendors were selling beer and popsicles, and people were cheering and laughing. Pamela and I were rooting for the locals – mostly kids, in spanking new uniforms – as they clearly outdid our ragtag team. It was an absolute riot -- tons of fun -- and after the game, Richard and Dona handed out toys and equipment to a queue of eager children. How warming to see the Haha-ers give so generously to the community hosting us these few days.
Later we visited a small market to pick up eggs, beer, potatoes and boxed milk ... struggling with our rusty Spanish (sometimes blurting out the French equivalent: whoops!) to get the right stuff, then ventured back to the boat to make fresh pizza and watch the movie BORAT – projecting it onto a jury-rigged 'screen' made from a bedsheet lashed to the back of the bimini. This trip has brought me to a new level of decadence in sailing (I think they call it 'cruising' :-?) and a lot of JOY! This afternoon we'll add to the debauchery when we anchor off the beach party and deploy our floating hot tub ;-). Yes, we are having happy times on TUGTUB!!
PS – Hol, gave your regards to Ruben who came by with diesel this morning!
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