We got underway early (0600)
this morning from Punta Arena...the wind was blowing about 10 knt from the west
so we sailed off the hook and sailed for the first couple of hours. As always, wind seems to be a temporary
phenomenon it Mehico so the sailing was a temporary event that ended about 1000
mtn time when the wind died to zero and the seas became flat calm...we're under
a huge high pressure...like sailing through the doldrums...
About 1100 we were almost to the
San Lorenzo channels when a Mexican Navy patrol boat that we had been observing
of the southern coast if Isla Cerralvo launched a couple of ribs and a
panga...They were about three miles off when they launched but I headed below
and organized our ships papers...
Sure enough, by the time I got
back on deck with our documents they were within half a mile...we mainained
course and cut speed and they came along side with the rib, asked permission to
board and then conductred an inspection of our papers...they were very
courteous and the inspection was perfunctory.
I basically filled out the forms for them and they were really relieved
when I had all the papers on deck when they boarded. They photographed (video and photo)
everything we did from the time they boarded to the time they left...the whole
thing took about 15 minutes and there no problems!
I didn't mention that the rest
of our anchorage from the prior night was about 5-10 miles behind us (only
because they didn't get up and depart as early as we did)...the same Navy guys
stopped and inspected each of those boats as well...no problems that I'm aware
of, but some inspections took longer than others...
The entrance to La Paz is not
complicated but we decided to stop in a beautiful little cove (Puerto
Ballandra) instead of proceeding directly to La Paz...there were only about six
boats here when we arrived at 1300 but there are already about 20 boats here as
I write this at 1530...we always anchor deeper than everyone else, but deeper
here means we're anchored in 25 feet instead of 15 feet...I like to have a
clear shot to sea if the weather changes whereas most of the Mexico cruisers
seem to want to have one foot on the beach...
We celebrated with a little more
of John Ingle's Tequila and now Danny and Jose are taking a nap...we're having
tri-tip for dinner...yum yum, life is good...
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