Ensenada to Turtle Bay

We are now located in San Jose Del Cabo,(23.02.841N x 109.38.512 W)  just a few miles east and north of famous Cabo San Lucas Mexico.  Comfortably in a slip at Puerto San Jose Del Cabo, it is our first opportunity for internet access other than via satellite phone which is very expensive and painfully slow.   It is the longest I have gone without internet I can remember, perhaps the longest since I first logged on to “Compuserve” many, many years ago.   Wonder how many remember the dialup days BEFORE AOL?

The next entries will tell of our trip south to San Jose Del Cabo.

We began our trip south from Ensenada (31.84N x 116.62W) to the first stop, Turtle Bay  (27.67N x 114.88W), 280 nm south by south east.   The longest leg of our trip we, scheduled it for 38 hours run time @ 7.5 kts.   Departing at 10:02pm on Friday evening running 3 hours shifts of one person on watch and one “in the watch berth” in the pilot house, the trip was uneventful for WORKNOT.  

Thirty three boats left Ensenada and one turned back within a few hours.   For the boats folks, a Nordlund 68’ switched to an empty fuel tank and promptly stalled both engines.   Unable to restart, a tow was arranged from Ensenada.  The rescue boat was expected to take 4 hours to reach them, when it did the captain of the rescue boat was able to restart the engines but they choose to turn back and exit the FUBAR.    This was one of the larger boats, professionally crewed and it was a surprise to see them out at the beginning of the first leg.  Fortunately the seas were very calm but 4 hours abeam, in the dark, could not have been fun.

We arrived in Turtle Bay at 1:20pm on Sunday.  On the way we fished and actually caught several yellow tail tuna worthy of cleaning.  Kagi, a friend who set me up with fishing equipment and tried to teach me would have been proud.   Our normally clean and shiny aft deck was turned into a blood bath as Dave and I landed 12- 20 pound tuna, cleaned tuna, caught more fish and continued the cycle until we quit fishing.   A larger cooler will be required if this is to continue.  Gaff skills improved with each catch but nothing like the skill demonstrated by Kagi. 

Fuel burn was 170 gallons - 4.4 gallons/hr.  Several boats required fuel at Turtle bay. An interesting negotiation with the single source provider who controls the only fuel dock available.   Glad we did not need to approach it other than by panga.  It’s an old cannery pier, very frightening steps to the water and many missing planks etc.   Although fuel prices, panga ferry service, dinner etc. had been pre-arranged it quickly broke down to “price at time of service” for support.  Got a perfect glimpse of our host as he was sitting in a new, clean, Chevy quad 4 x4, counting a wad of Pesos while directing his “crew” supplying fuel, ice, panga ferry service and support of the fleet.  The gold rimmed glasses and the quick smile made me feel more NY city than Mexico but he was there to support a captive market and all went well.  

More when we have some time to rest.  Next report Turtle Bay to Magdalena Bay (24.651N x 112.12 W) and then San Jose Del Cabo and finally La Paz. 

The first leg

The whirlwind of activity finally came to an end at 5:07 am this morning.  After weeks of preparation and planning there was no more to be done.  Our family/crew Dave & Lori, arrived last night, water tanks were filled and dock keys dropped off.  For the first time in 12 years I was not carrying an Almar marina dock key in my pocket. Odd how little things strike you when facing change.  We started our west coast boating with a slip in Ventura California, operated by Almar and moved to an Almar marina in Alameda California and finally to an Almar facility in San Diego.  When we reached Ensenada today, just as I left the boat I reached for my Almar dock key out of habit.  Just one of many habits to modify in the coming months.

Today's trip of about 70 miles got underway just at daylight.  We planned to get up at 5:30 am and be underway by 6 am.  Guess there is a bit of excited little kid left because Dave and I were both up at 5:07 and ready to go.   We left the dock at 5:33 am and were safely tucked into Cruiseport Marina in Ensenada Mexico by 2:30 in the afternoon.  The wind was from the east and grew to about 15 knots before calming and clocking around to the NW.  The gave us a very comfortable following sea of about 2-3 ft with minimal wind waves. Water temp was 62 F and air rose from a chilly start of 58 F to a very sunny and pleasant 72 F on arrival.   Great start to the journey.  Several dolphins joined us for a play session in the bow wave.  Always a good feeling to see them.  They always seem to be smiling and playing.  

Estimated fuel for the trip is 40 gallons.  Forgot to reset the Flowscan but will do so to provide more accurate fuel logging in the future...Average speed was 7.6 kts at 1,500 rpm.  No mechanical issues (appropriate knock on wood here) to report and the rhythm of watch-standing, engine room checks and rest interrupted by lots of snacking was very comforting.

Mary led us to town for a fish taco dinner but we were sidetracked by a plate of ribs at a local burger and steak sidewalk restaurant. Finished off with a walk across the street to Mary's favorite churro purveyor and a quiet walk back to the boat.  

We rest here while the rest of the FUBAR fleet arrives and fuels for a departure on Saturday morning.   We followed 3 Nordhavn's down the coast and there are a few more already here for the trip.

www.fubar2013.com

The journey begins in earnest

After years of living aboard boats from a 42 Grand Banks, then a 46 Grand Banks and finally the current Worknot a Nordhavn 50, we have dreamed the dreamers dream of living aboard and traveling WITHOUT A SCHEDULE.   For the past 10 years we have enjoyed moving our boat and home from San Francisco Bay to San Diego but always under pressure to meet a work schedule.  We gained coastal cruising experience and tons of "how to live on-board" experience in the past years.  Now we hope to add to that experience with longer and longer journeys, farther and farther from the Southern California coast.  

Our first trip after my retirement is the FUBAR,  www.fubar2013.com , group trip from Ensenada to La Paz Mexico.   Yes, its a highly scheduled trip but take a look at the website and you will see about 40 other like minded boaters are making the same journey.  There is much to be said about safety or at least comfort in numbers.  At the end of this 1000 mile trip we will be "on our own" in La Paz Mexico with the Sea of Cortez and the mainland of Mexico to explore at will until we need to return north avoiding the hurricane season in April of 2014.

We committed to the trip early this year and it forced me to put a line in the sand for a final stop working date.  Without this commitment I would have extended my work life for just one more project or one more "important" event and never taken the leap.  With a firm deadline for the FUBAR trip looming and money committed there was no graceful way to put off retirement any longer. Its a great way to start a retirement and change the focus of the day to day.

As the big day to shove off got closer the pace of activity reached a fevered pitch.  Lists were made, accomplished, another list soon appeared. Someone would suggest you just could not go without this or that and the frenzy to find it, buy it, install it, stock spares and at some point read about how to use the newest "it" took over the day.  To name a few items we added an ultra violet water treatment system, upgraded radar, second backup chartplotter, 100's of # of engine/generator spares, fuel, lube oil, filters, light weight dinghy, charts, cruising guides and enough food to last for the journey down and back.  If the trip we delayed another week the waterline on WORKNOT would have disappeared  forever.

We are accompanied on the FUBAR trip by Dave and Lori Martin.  Dave is Mary's brother and Lori his wife.  They got the boating bug from us on a trip to Catalina a few years ago, quickly purchased their own trawler and put many miles under the keel in a short time.  Its great to have family to crew and share the FUBAR trip experience.  Even better when they know their way around a boat!  They seem to have mastered the retirement program and Mary and I are taking notes.