WE MADE IT TO MEXICO!!

Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico!!!

Arrived late afternoon on Wednesday after leaving at midnight from San Diego. It was a smooth motor – no winds at all, so no sailing, and calm seas. Leaving Mission Bay, I had to stand at bow for lobster pot duty – no easy feat in pitch black; made easier however with a high powered flashlight. I bet we woke all the live-aboards with our yelling. Standing at bow and having to yell back to Ed whose standing in the cockpit, where the most engine noise is, and he being deaf in one ear...good lord, I'm sure we sounded just like my parents in the old two story house! Once underway I went below to sleep until dawn. I woke to the most beautiful sun rise and the Coronado Islands. After Eds downtime, I went back down to sleep off the dramamine and woke again an hour outside of Ensenada.

Cruise Port Village Marina is where we're docked now. I was a bit worried when we first got in; a lot of noise/activity outside of the marina as well as a cruise ship port, with a cruise ship docked, next to the marina. Come to find out, it was the night before the start of the Baja 1000. A big motor car race that ends in LaPaz! If you've never heard of this race, it's something. I heard about it because of the many spectators hurt. If you've ever watched the spectators during the Tour de France, it's the same thing with this race, except people don't seem to get that a vehicle can kill! And you should see these cars – super charged – and loud. Really loud. Mostly white people racing. We were told only 5% of the racers are Mexican. One racer didn't make it out of the city and tore apart their car right in the middle of the street!

Great staff here at the marina. Today we had to check in, get our visas, etc. It took us three hours and that was with no lines and the help of Enrique. I can only imagine what would have happened if we didn't have him!

Headed to the market and passed a real Christmas tree lot. The smell was wonderful. Once in the market we had to listen to American Christmas music over the speakers. It was nice but made me sad, never having spent Christmastime away from Molley or the grandkids.

Speaking of holidays, we thought we'd be in LaPaz for Thanksgiving, but we're at least a week behind schedule, maybe a bit more. And our stops down the coast will put us further behind, so we have no idea where we'll be. That's o.k., our spam turkey will keep. Adios amigos.