Plans Change

 Well an update to the previous post.  We just extended our stay in Ensenada for another month.  Mark got a call to help take a tug and barge from Washington up to Skagway and back.  Since the cruising kitty is a little light we jumped on the offer.  It is for only about two weeks so he should be back for Christmas.  Mark had to take taxis back to and across the border but the process went smoothly.  Pauline had to keep up the Sari Timur line and joined the other cruisers for two for one margaritas!

Ensenada

We have been here just over two weeks.  We paid for a month, but we are starting to get itchy feet and will probably leave near the end of next week.  We have been relaxing and getting small jobs done.  We wanted to tackle a couple of bigger ones but this marina is very touchy about working on your boat here.  We did get the cover fixed on the starboard lazarette.  We made new spreader boots and installed them on the mainmast’s lower set of spreaders.  We installed the new masthead light.  We purchased a speargun for when we get a bit further south.  We are working on the guards for the water maker.  Celebrated Thanksgiving.  Tried the margaritas at the supposedly original margarita bar (a few establishments claim this throughout the country). Had several street fish tacos.  Fantastic and under a buck and a half each.  And of course have started learning Spanish.  As usual Pauline is way ahead of Mark at picking up the language.  But he is persevering and hopefully can order more than a cold beer or margarita before the New Year!  All in all we are having a great time.

The original? Maybe, but pretty damn good for certain

Food and music in a local cantina.  The sauce that Mark is dipping the chip into is mucho hot but very tasty

Mexico

 We left San Diego last night at about 1900.  This so we could make the overnight journey down to Ensenada and arrive in the morning.  We picked this time even though it was no wind the day before and the immediate days after we’re predicting winds from the south.  So we decided a motor was in order.  

Ensenada by road from San Diego is over 100 miles but by sea it is about 70.  We arrived at 0845 this morning and were greeted on the dock by two staff members catching our lines and a member from the dock master’s office beginning our paperwork procedures.  He asked us to come up to the office at 0930 to fill in the rest of our paperwork.  This we did and they soon drove us to a money changer to get some pesos and then it was off to the various offices to clear in and get a temporary import permit for Sari Timur.  The TIP as it is called gives Sari Timur the ability to stay in the country for up to ten years or the ability to go in and out of the country.  So a very valuable item.  The crew on the other hand only get 180 days.   

All of this was done with the assistance of the dock master’s office and we were back on the boat having lunch by 1130.  We can’t say enough nice things about this marina.  We were even told about two Cantinas for fish tacos and two places for margaritas.  Welcome to Mexico!!!!

New Water Maker

 Part of the reason for taking a berth in San Diego was to install our new water maker.  We chose the Sea Water Pro modular unit which makes 20 gallons an hour.  This unit comes with an auto back flush system and high and low pressure gauges as well as a real time TDS monitor.  Plus it is a low current draw device so we can run it on a portable generator or hopefully an inverter while we are motoring.  

It was a little more of an event than we thought it would be to mount it.  A lot of the places to put things proved to be an inch or two too small so lots of last minute rearranging and trips to the marine stores to purchase the necessary extra parts.  But the good news is Saturday morning we made water and everything works ok.  We still have some last minute tidying up to do, i.e. plumb the line to the tank and mount the control panel.  We also need to build some protection guards for the hi pressure pump and pre filters as these are in a rather large storage locker and we want to use the rest of the locker space for storage.  But these are smaller projects that can done in Mexico.  Except mounting the panel, that needs to happen before we leave.  We need four 4.5 inch screws for that and the longest we can find are 4 inch.  But I am sure we will solve said issue in the very near future.  

Our plans look like Thursday night we will have a reasonable weather window to make the jump to Ensenada.  Guess we better start working on our Spanish!

Panel still hanging on strings the membrane (top) is nicely mounted though

The locker where the pre filters and high pressure pump are mounted

The mounted filters and high pressure pump

San Diego

 We left Oceanside at 0815 this morning and made our way out with an offshore breeze.  Once out of the breakwaters we quickly set the main and we were getting ready the staysail when the wind dropped down to under 5 knots.  So we resolved ourselves that we would end up motoring to San Diego.  We kept the main set to help steady the boat and take advantage of any breeze that did appear.  As we neared Point Loma we found ourselves dodging lots of fishing buoys so we secured the main and jogged our way through until we entered the inlet.  As we were coming in we observed the wind was increasing and sure enough started to see gusts into the twenties which we would have on our tail as we needed to land in our berth.  As we came around the corner we noticed it was going to be a tight fit and a little tricky as the boat sharing our pen was rather beamy.  Pauline called Flora and they and another guy offered to catch our lines.  Mark swung out wide as to get a straighter approach in and brought Sari Timur into the berth at a speed a lot higher than he would like but luckily our prop walk is to starboard (the same side we were tying to) so all went pretty lickety-split.  Thanks guys for the help.  We learned from Flora that they had similar issues when they came a couple days ago.  And the wind will be done in a couple of hours.  And sure enough it was.   We are secured here for 10 days.  Our water maker arrives Tuesday.  The Skerritts are coming for lunch tomorrow and The Garrisons are coming Monday.  Then it is heads down and bums up getting the water maker installed.  

Point Loma ( the entrance into San Diego)

In Oceanside, California

 Sorry we have been here a few days before we posted.  Just after we departed Newport Beach ( barely out of the breakwaters) we noticed our engine was running hot.  We hoisted the headsail with all of 3 knots of breeze to help us maintain steerage away from danger while Mark investigated.  We were getting water out of the exhaust but still running hot.  Upon deeper inspection Mark found there were only 4 blades left on the 8 blade impeller.  We keep a spare water pump with an impeller in it for just such an occasion.  It is a real pain to change the impeller only on this engine.  Easier to change the whole pump.  Plus that way we can remove the broken blades from the lines.   Anyway it set us back by an hour or so but another problem was sorted.  

Once we approached the dock the crew of S/Y Flora came to catch our lines.  Always a nice plus when approaching a new dock.  Pauline had met Flora in Sitka and we met them again on the dock in Avalon and in the dinghy in Newport.  We decided we needed to meet up for Sundowners so invited them over.  

While we were visiting a newbie boat owner came by (Scott on White Bird ) we quickly invited him as well and we had a party!

The second day Jan and Steve drove up to meet us for lunch and drop off some mail we had delivered to them.  They also drove us to a local AutoZone to purchase some oil. 

We have done some chores, replaced the broken stern light, fixed the control lines on the spin pole, and changed oil.  Today we are planning a bike sightseeing trip into town and along the beach.  Tomorrow it is off to San Diego.

Flora took a drone shot of our two boats.  That is them on our bow

In Newport Beach

 We arrived in Newport Beach at 1315 and after tying up Mark went to Blackie’s to confirm they could show the rugby on Saturday.  We then met up with Barb and went to dinner.  On Saturday morning Mark cycled over to Minney’s a second hand yacht parts store.  Then West Marine on the way back.  Pauline took advantage of the free laundry and got a load done.  After replacing the life rings and the mizzen halyard we set out to Blackie’s.  This World Cup Final was a problem as Pauline is a staunch All Blacks supporter and Mark follows the Springboks.  It was a close final and we were both on the edge of our seats.  I am sure everyone knows the results so that is all we will say about it.

Pauline, Mark and Barb

Avalon Bay

 

 

Tied up on the moorings in Avalon Bay.  Took advantage of the special pay for two nights get five free.  That means a week of not moving!

 

When we got to the pier after mooring Sari Timur, we were greeted with dancers.  We thought it was to welcome us but everyone was actually waiting to welcome the traveling image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  What an experience for us as Catholics.

the dancers in their regalia

they placed flowers on her head and at her feet

A group of ex cruisers meets up every year in Avalon for a reunion to reminisce and tell cruising stories.  We were planning to join them and were going to stop for a night at Santa Cruz Island before heading to Catalina Island but decided the timing was perfect to keep going.  It was while we were passing Santa Cruz Island that we heard weather reports of high waves barring the entrance of the southern bays so were glad we chose not to stop.

 

These are the friends we rushed to see in Avalon. We met them when we were cruising in Southeast Asia.

 

L to R : Mimi, Catherine, Cheryl, Pat, Resa, Beth, Jim and Al.  Mark looks big because of the wide angle lens.  Resa and Ralph are the hosts and Ralph is missing in the photo.

 

Half Moon Bay to ?

We got fuel and departed Half Moon Bay on Tuesday in what might be called sporty conditions.  We were heading south, hoping to get all the way to the Santa Cruz Islands but not ruling out ducking into Monterey Bay somewhere.  The wind was gusting to 40 but it was behind us.  A little too square but behind us so we kept on south.  The seas were on the aft quarter but as we neared the point above Monterey we had a few larger ones swing a little more toward the beam.  

Anyway just after departing HMB we got a message from the old Sunflower crew that they were heading to Catalina Island for their annual reunion of some of the old time cruisers of SE Asia.  This sounded interesting, so as we were making great speeds under sail we skipped pulling into anything Monterey had to offer and set our sights at least on Santa Cruz Island.

We lost the wind yesterday morning so have been motoring since then.  We are a few hours from Santa Cruz Island at present but are expecting the wind to build from the not so favorable direction.  So our present thinking is to take advantage of the light airs and motor sail straight to Catalina.  But who knows.  Watch this space.

Mark Made it back to Sari Timur

 The bad weather scheduled to hit Dutch Harbor was delayed and the flight was allowed to leave early.  So after an all night trip Doug and Suzie picked him up from the airport and drove him back to Pillar Point.  Thanks Doug and Suzie.