Leoma 2023 to Mexico

[JD-MDR]

I think I will depart Ventura CA on Wednesday Feb 8 and hope to be at Ensenada MX Saturday to check in with immigration.. I may beeline strait thru to Ensenada or maybe I will anchor at the south end of Catalina Island or San Clemente Island.. San Clemente is a little out of the way and landing is restricted to military. I've anchored there once at Pyramid Cove .I don't really need to go there again. There is an island off of Ensenada that I would like to anchor at if the timing is right. After a few days at Ensenada I would like to go to Isle Guadalupe( another closed Island ). Then To Isles Benitos ,close to Isle Cedros

[JD-MDR]

Here are the Isles Todo Santos Close to Ensenada

[keneasley]

Sounds like a great trip!

I'm envious being in Connecticut where it was -5 one morning this past weekend.

About 20 years ago I went on a scuba charter out of Long Beach to an area neart the Los Coronados Islands off Mexico. It was a one day outing with an early departure and late return.

Highlight was the friendly sea lions that would charge you and veer off at the last second.
Like playing "chicken". One bit onto my flipper and pulled me around a bit.

Hope that your trip goes well and the new engine performs.

[JD-MDR]

Arrived at Ensenada on Friday. Steve/ Valhalla is right. This place is very nice. Now that I know my way around. The boatyard quoted me 40% of what California wants for bottom paint. I think I will haul our here on my way home. Weather is a little rough now. It rained for two days. I plan to set out fir Isle Guadalupe on Thursday. Problem is winds are supposed to be very light. I have a hard time getting the boat to go in light winds. I always use the motor. Maybe I just need to be patient. If i cant get 3 kys. I start the motor. Im not really a sailor. Oh well. Here is a photo just noe

[JD-MDR]

I’ll leave tomorrow morning. Looks like better wind. 180 mi toGuadalupe island (center). Ill anchor for one night then to Benito islands or maybe go to Cedros Island Village (lower right).Weather looks boring on Friday. The cheapskate marina wont refund me or credit me one day, $45,since I paid thru Thursday

[John Stone]

Excellent. Good luck JD.

[JD-MDR]

Guadalupe Island was nice. Tail winds all the way 48 hrs. Anchored one night Next day a villager came by. They only have 17 residents Not alliwed to go ashore. Military and research only. Navy contacted me as i was leaving. They were nice. Just logging my info. Im at cedros island village where i got wifi. PhotoleavingGuadalupe. And a typical street at Cedros. Population about 5000
I motored 36 hrs to get here. Light easterlies all the way i regret motoring so much What does everyone else do. I cant see sailing at 1-2 kts in the wrong direction.

[John Stone]

John, sounds great. I don't understand your comment "...sailing in the wrong direction."

I have only the engine the one voyage. I used it a couple hours to get to the Gulf Stream and clear the coast before a wx system arrived. I used it one other time for a couple hours. Drove me nuts. I can't imagine 36 hours of motoring. But I also don't have an auto pilot. So for me motoring means hand steering and I just don't dig that. I'd just drift, which I did on the voyage home.

Where are you headed? Are you singlehanding? Are you fishing underway? Any luck?

[JD-MDR]

Im leaving here thursday to bahia Totuga( turtle bay) eventually im going to Magdelena bay and up the channel to Puerto San Carlos. See route on earlier post. Not fishing. I cant eat the whole thing and dont liike to waste. Jeffa steering is great. I'm not using the windvane. I cant get it to work. I meed a better plan for the control lines. Here is theroute to Mag bay andup to Puerto San Carlos

[JD-MDR]

Sorry i cant post decent charts or maps. Here is a couple more photos of Cedros Island Village. The people seem prosperous and happy. Probably most work at the huge salt mine about 3 mi south. There are always a couple giant ships anchored waiting for a load. Today is Ash Wednesday. They have a nice church. I will leave tomorrow, 30 mi to Tortuga. Like all these places there are a bunch of ruins 50-60 yrs old. There must have been some economic boom and investors thought all these waterfront places were gonna be like resorts. Its sad to see some of them looked like they were bombed. There is even a concrete boardwalk with plywood umbrellas. All abandoned

[JD-MDR]

Im at Bahia Tortuga now. Nice sail 30 mi from Cedros. I gave the windvane another chance. I found the lines arent staying on the quadrant. They included a piece of bungee cord i found a way to attach it it worked fine all the way down

[John Stone]

I did a map reconnaissance of Bahia Tortuga in Google Earth. Pretty neat looking place. It's open to the SW. is it rolly or pretty protected? What is the water temp like?

Glad to hear the windvane worked better. I'm impressed it can steer the worm gear. There is a loop of shock cord you figure 8 over the horns of the quadrant. It's critical to keeping the control lines riding in the grooves on the quadrant.

[JD-MDR]

Tortuga is protected and calm in the prevailing winds. I dont know what they do in strong southerlies.
I see an island over there with some structures. Maybe the can get up there. The water is about the same as San Diego all on this side of Baja necause of the Pacific currant. It looks dirty here in the bay

[JD-MDR]

Here is a sketch from a guide. That is a penensula with a tall mountian at the end. It llooks like some protection from southerlies

[John Stone]

Love hand drawn charts. Is the depth in fathoms? You say the water is dirty...meaning muddy it with trash and oil? Many cruisers there?

Am I correct in recalling there was a murder aboard a cruising sailboat in Turtle Bay back in the 1980s?