Ola!

We arrived in Ensenada at 4:30p.m. the 20th, having left San Diego's town dock power under at 6:15a.m., same day. The seas were rolling and the sky overcast. We took two hour watches, the first watch being most notable for beam seas and for the fleet of large, private fishing vessels that raced past as we left the town dock, sending us rolling like Weebles. Wolfgang suffered confusion and nausea, and I empathized with the latter.

We entered Mexican waters around 8:00a.m. All was quiet. Off Rosarita were tugs on a mooring, and two container ships, one being from Panama.

By the second watch the cats had settled in, and by the fourth they were napping. I was wakened during the third when the wind picked up and George decided to set the sails. Unfortunately, the main winch gave out (probably needs new pauls). We headed back on course under power, glad to be basking in sunshine and traversing blue waters.

We always monitor VHF-16 while underway, but yesterday was the first MayDay we've encountered. Three men in a small vessel radioed in distress: their vessel was taking on water through a hole in the stern and they were unable to keep ahead of it by bailing or bilge. They estimated they had 20 minutes before sinking. The U.S. Coast Guard out of San Diego picked up the call and kept them active on 16, gathering information -- ages, descriptions, country of vessel registration -- and instructing (don life jackets; take your flares if you have to get in the water). A harbor patrol boat dispatched from the port nearest the distressed vessel's location. We headed in their direction as well, and arrived just as the Coast Guard helicopter left. The men had been taken aboard the harbor patrol vessel, the waterlogged boat abandoned.

We continued on our way. With the sunshine, the trip went fast. Soon we saw the massive flag that marks Nava Bajal and the entrance to Cruiseport Marina. To our surprise, the Washington State Ferry Nisqually was at the entrance to our new homeport! It had been brought here in hopes the large seal/sea lion populations would opt to lounge on it. That didn't take, so it is being disassembled. Nevertheless, it was a nice reminder of our original home.

Our welcome has been warm. We were greeted by cruisers from Federal Way and Arizona, and by the time we had rowed back and forth from the showers we also had met people from Seattle, and Whidbey Island.

It's going to be a good trip.