Current Position: 24 3.582’N 109 47.467’W (Ensenada de Los Muertos); Course: At anchor; SOG: N/A; BSPD: N/A; TWS: 28.0 kn; TWD: 305 degree; TWA: N/A; Distance to waypoint: N/A;
Comments: The wind backed to the south today and brought warm air. I did some domestic chores (made water, did the laundry, washed the boat and myself) and I did some projects on the boat (installed a small 300W inverter on the starter battery bank for charging my laptop and in case of emergencies if my house bank goes down, made a plan to replumb my day tank to fix the problem with air in the line, deflated all my fenders for storage, and broke out my Kindle for the first time to load a bunch of books). I also made a grand punch list of things I need to do at anchor in the next couple of days. Lots to keep me busy.
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When you live and work full time on a relatively small boat, you become acutely aware of all the sounds. If something is not right, you’re awakened from a dead sleep. There has been a scratching noise that has been driving me nuts. It’s the scraping of metal on metal of the fasteners that secure the boat’s ensign to its pole on the stern of the boat (you are required to fly the flag of the country in which your boat is registered). Despite exhaustion from the sail yesterday, it woke me up an hour after I went to sleep. I got up and took the flag down and in the morning I fixed it by replacing the metal fittings with Dyneema cord. Small victories. Footnote: there is a large fish next to the boat that has jumped out of the water a dozen times as I wrote this … trying to break my concentration.
I had no way of testing the watermaker I installed a few months ago (a Katadyn 40e PowerSaver) as I have either been on the hard (no salt water) or in the marina (too dirty). I did take a quick sail in November, but I was reluctant to test it then because it would have been necessary to pickle the system for a four month storage. Yesterday I tested the system for the first time and it works! The TDS was 450 ppm (high, but drinkable) and the water tasted fine. While it is my plan for now to use it mainly to produce water to rinse dishes, wash clothes, bathe, and clean the windows of the hard dodger, I celebrated this morning my making myself a bath of chai tea.
The watermaker is just about the smallest one on the market (does not take up much space in the engine room). But, it has the advantage of being a single unit without hoses to leak, has the fewest moving parts and seals to fail, and it consumes an amazing little power. It produces 1 1/2 gallons/hour and only consumes 4 Ah (2.66 Ah/gallon). I could produce 150 gallons of water and not even use 10% of my house battery bank. In practice, I can run it for an hour in the middle of the day (when the solar panels are producing most effectively) and not even notice the power consumption. The advantage of running it every day is I don’t have to worry about pickling it for storage. But, I have plumbed it to take fresh water to flush it out (which is fine if you’re not going to use it for a week or two. However, it is important to use fresh water that has been produced by the watermaker. If you use other sources (e.g., tap water), you run the risk of introducing chlorine, which would destroy the osmotic filter.
Current Position: 24 3.582’N 109 47.467’W; Course: 133 degrees; SOG: 7.0 kn; BSPD: 8.0 kn; TWS: 28.0 kn; TWD: 305 degree; TWA: 180 degrees; Distance to waypoint (Los de Los Meurtos): 123 nm
Comments: I slept 11 hours and woke at anchor to 25 kn winds from the NW. The stern of the mega yacht Northern Star was dangerously close to me, apparently because it had dragged anchor overnight. I tried to hail on 16 but got no answer. I finally flagged down one of the crew and signaled he need to move the boat forward to give me room to maneuver from a tight spot, pinned between him and a breakwater. They did move the boat and I was able to weigh anchor and turn my boat around. It was 65 nm to the next anchorage, and I got a late start. Once at sea, I found 30 kn winds and steep seas. I deployed half of my Yankee jib, which propelled me downwind at 6 kn. After I had cleared Isla San Francisco/Canal de Dan Jose, the wind backed to the N. See conditions were confused with wind-driven waves from the NW and surge from the N, causing the boat to corkscrew badly. More significantly, the angle was bad to clear Isla la Partida to get into the Cerralvo Channel. I decided to take it on the chin and head SE to get a better angle on the Channel. This meant taking 6’ waves to the port stern quarter. I fired up the engine to minimize the time to the Channel (and my pain). The boat rolled badly 30 degrees. At one point the engine stopped because the sloshing of fuel in the day tank was foaming the fuel and letting air in the line. I kept the engine off long enough to pump more fuel in the tank, then the engine ran fine. During the ordeal, I learned how quickly the scuppers in the cockpit empty the cockpit of water. As I approached the Channel, the seas settled down a bit. No longer confused, I just needed to deal with 6’ waves to the quarter, some breaking due to the wind. The Channel was uneventful, but as I expected, the big waves were back after I turned Punta Arena de la Ventana. Fortunately, it was a short distance to where I am now, Punta Perico, and when I turn it, I will be protected from the waves and wind. Ensenada de Los Muertos will be only two nm away. I should reach it just as it gets dark.
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Current Position: 24 49.057’N 110 34.128’W; Course: At anchor on the north side of Isla San Francisco; SOG: N/A; BSPD: N/A; TWS: 8.9 kn; TWD: 48 degree; TWA: N/A;
Comments: Strange combination of wind and waves last night made it difficult to use the wind vane. And, even the tiller pilot had difficulties … the off-course alarm went off all night. Eventually, I found it most effective to oppose the jib and main and just run. I set one hour alarms, went to bed at dusk, and did not get up until 4:30 to find winds light and the sea unusually calm. I took advantage by driving from the middle of the sea towards shore, thinking that would by hard later in the morning when the wind/waves pick up … and I would need to gib later to get around Isla Cerralvo. With 9 kn winds from the NW, I was only doing 3 kn with 75 to go. By dawn there was almost no wind. Furthermore, the forecast looks like no wind until Wednesday. I bailed and when to Isla San Francisco (25 miles away) where I arrived about 11:30. The north bay was packed with super yachts. With relatively clean seawater available, I tested the watermaker for the first time, producing three gallons of water with 420 ppm DSM, acceptable for drinking. I celebrated by taking a fresh water shower and rinsing the dishes I had previously washed in salt water. The “propane leak” that set off my detector was actually some solvent. I spent the rest of the afternoon cooking and setting up an iPad with some apps in case I drop my iPhone overboard. I had to do that while I still had Starlink. In contrast to today, the wind will be screaming tomorrow. I will probably take advantage of it to drop down to Ensenada de Los Muertos, the place last year where my engine seized up, and a better jumping off point for the Pacific. There will be zero wind Monday and Tuesday, but Wednesday/Thursday looks good for San Benedicto.
Current Position: 25 576.983’N 110 28.720’W Course: 142 degrees SOG: 7.4 kn BSPD: 8.1 kn TWS: 17.0 kn TWD: 355 degree TWA: 156 degrees Distance to waypoint (Los de Los Meurtos): 123 nm
Comments: At dusk on Thursday, there was light wind (4kn) (but 3-4’ waves from the NW). The wind was all over the place, bouncing between N and S, so it was impossible to sail. I left the main unreefed and the Yankee deployed and took advantage to get some sleep. Before going to sleep, I checked the AIS to confirm there was no commercial traffic in a 60 mile radius, I set a wind alarm for 12 kn, and I set a periodic alarm for 1h. At 8PM, I noticed the lunar eclipse beginning. As the eclipse progressed, the seas became strangely quiet … no winds or waves. At the climax of the eclipse (about midnight), the seas were dead calm and bathed in a blood moon. At the 1A alarm, I checked the AIS and found the tanker Torm Angus 30 nm off my bow (headed for Gauymas) on a near collection course. The wind had picked up to 10 kn from the WSW. My sails were on the wrong tack, so was only doing 1.5 kn. I got up, changed the tack and my heading to pass the tanker on its port side. Wind was 8-9 kn on my starboard beam and I was doing 4 – 4.5 kn. When the storm Torm Angus was 60m out, I turned the radar on. We passed at 3 nm. The wind continued to build throughout the rest of the night. By morning, it was blowing 25 from the NE with gusts near 30. Seas were about 6’ from the same direction with very short intervals. Rather than reef, I simply presented no sail to the wind and still surfed all morning at nearly 9 kn. By mid afternoon the winds had backed down to The 14 and were blowing due north. I gibbed, which gave me a better and to the waves and land. The wind direction began fluctuating between N and NW, making it difficult for the wind vane. Since the sun was starting to go down and the batteries were on at 92% (because the panels were shaded most of the day), I motor sailed. I took the opportunity to turn on the AIS and confirmed a ship I had spotted earlier was going to pass 30 nm to my port. The weather is supposed to be nasty Sunday. It does not look like I will make Los Frailes by dark tomorrow night. I changed my destination to Bahia De Los Muertos, 125 nm away (40 closer) and an anchorage I am familiar with (in case I come in after dark). Since I am making 7 kn at 1400 rpm motor sailing, I believe I will continue to do that until the batteries are fully charged, which will give me more options with the instruments tonight (radar, autopilot, etc.).
May 13
Current Position: 27 28.160’N 110 55.933’W Course: 161 degrees SOG: 4.8 kn TWS: 9.6 kn TWD: 310 degree TWA: 150 degrees Sails: Unreefed main and Yankee jib Distance to waypoint (Los Frailes): 258 nm
Comments: Left Marina San Carlos at 9:30A local. 10-16 kn winds from the W and waves from the same direction. Averaged 6.5-7 kn. As the day progressed, wind moved more northerly and lightened. Using wind vane to effectively steer directly towards the waypoint.
After loading my asymmetrical spinnaker onto the top-down furler and taking on fuel, I will be leaving my home for the past three years, San Carlos, Mexico. This was my view from the stern on my boat this morning.
I have spent the better part of the past two days in the office of the Capitania de Puerto Regional de Guaymas trying to sort out the paperwork to leave Mexico. It turns out, that even though Guaymas is considered to be a “seaport” (the only other one in the Sea of Cortez being at La Paz), the authorities there are unaccustomed to preparing a Zarpe (or Despacho as it is called in Mexico) for anything but large container ships. Furthermore, those ships use local agents, so the authorities are unaccustomed to dealing with individuals. It seems that cruisers simply never use Guaymas as their last port. Most cruisers sail to Mazalan or Puerto Vallarta before leaving Mexico. And, I suspect most cruisers don’t properly check out of Mexico. That is probably not a problem if you’re a US-flagged boat returning to the US, but it is a problem for someone who plans to sail to another county, where the Zarpe is likely to be required.
The first stop is at the building for the Capitain de Puerta (labeled “1” on this map):
I was met by the Capitain, who spoke little English, but I explained … Necisito un Zarpe para mi barco.” He understood my poor Spanish and put me in touch with his understudy, who spoke enough English that between us we got the job done. My documentation was examined and I was told I would need additional documentation (the letters, etc.), so I returned to the marina to try to get what I needed. The staff were completely unfa\miliar with the process, but eventually the lawyers got involved, and they communicated directly with the port authorities to get them what they needed.
I was under pressure to complete the process by Friday, March 8, because the following Sunday I was to return my car to the US, and without a car, it would have been difficult to travel back and forth to Guaymas (about 30 minutes away). Furthermore, I had arranged for a ride to return that Tuesday, the same day I was expected to remove the boat from nthe slip I was renting.
The marina provided the the letters at 11:30 AM on Friday. The office of the Capitain de Puertan is only open 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM M-F. I arrived at the office at noon and waited for about half an hour before I could be seen. After I quick examination of my documentation, I was taken to the Secretaria de Marina (labeled “2” on the map):
The following documents were required:
My FMM form
The boat’s TIP
A document showing where the vessel is flagged (I used the USCG National Vessel Documentation Center “Certificate of Documentation”).
A crew list
A letter from the marina stating I did not owe them anything
A letter from the marina stating I had been living there on my boat (so I didn’t have to use an agent)
A list of all the safety equipment onboard
Documentation that I am qualified (I used ASA certifications)
A copy of my passport
My itinerary (specifically, the next port)
With the exception of the two letters, they wanted copies (not originals) of these documents. Since only the owner of the marina and her lawyer have permission to sign anything on behalf of the marina, the marina lawyers drafted the letters, which took an extra day. After they collected the documents, I was provided a receipt:
I had to fill out two forms, which were then entered into the computer by the staff. This took nearly an hour. I was now 1:30. I was give a form to take to the bank about two blocks away, where I paid 401 pesos. I returned by 2:00. The Secretaria de Marina was only open until 2:30 PM, and I was told I would have to return the following week for the Zarpe. I explained my situation, and they told me to wait. About 3:30 PM, the staff produced the document, and just like that, I was official.
