Author: Neil Scheuerlein

Our day started as always with devotions and breakfast. Then we got underway with our sailing buddies Lost Pearl and Merry Lee. Our weather sources all said light winds, but close to shore we had 15 knots for the first hour or so. When we turned south True wind was from directly behind at about 6 knots. We gave up trying to sail, and started the motor. We have about 50 miles to go south.

We are making water, and running all three A/C units as dehumidifiers, trying to dry out the inside of the boat. Renee’ just started the laundry. We are planning on doing 2 loads today, which means that about an hour and a half of water making will be just for clothes today. But we have nothing but time today.

It is a glorious day! We are about 6 miles off shore, with pretty small swells from the north, almost no breeze and only a few small clouds in the sky. The message we listened to this morning was from North Coast Church Pastor Chris Brown on Hebrews 4: 12-13, on the accuracy of the Bible based on non biblical sources.

Well, it was a pretty quite day. We motored most of the way to Bahia Blanca (white beach) and dropped anchor right after sunset. Lost Pearl and Merry Lee are still out there. We expect Merry Lee about an hour from now, and don’t have good radio contact with Lost Pearl, so they will probably be later. Hopefully the moon will be up for them. We expect to still be up when Merry Lee comes in and we will turn on our deck light and dinghy light to provide some illumination. There are no other artificial lights on in this bay, only us and the stars. It is pretty dark.

Renee’ is working on dinner, chili, rice and salad. We will have ice cream later. Then turn in when everyone is here. We have not yet decided on when we will head to Cedros Island, it is about 60 miles south west, which means another long day sailing. We might stay here another day, and maybe even dingy/kayak ashore. There is currently almost no surf, which is to be expected as there was almost no wind all day.

I will get the weather report later, there are two files that I have to download that about 4 MB each. Last time I downloaded them it took over 4 hours. On Satellite, nothing is fast.

So, we all made it to Bahia Blanca. We got in at dusk, the Merry Lee about an hour after sunset. With cloud cover, so no stars. The Lost Pearl had their anchor down about 8:15 or so. Stars were visible, but no moon yet.

Well, time for us to get to bed.

Josh (from the Merry Lee) & Jeff (from the Lost Pearl) putting the hinge pin in. I was busy with the winches helping get the boom in place.

Nov 16

Well we have another day to practice patience. The part is in the hands of the daughter/sister of Orelio and son. She was supposed to get here last night, but let’s get real for a minute. This is about a 200 mile drive, with the last 40 or so on dirt roads with no lights that stated sometime after 5 pm Friday night in Ensenada (rush hour traffic). Oh and she has relatives in San Quintin. Realistically she would have stopped for the night with them, and will be back on the road sometime this morning. Hopefully.

In the mean time, I have verified that I have wrenches to take the broken part off and put the new one on. I have also verified that I have “Tef-Gel” the go-to grease for stainless steel and other dissimilar. Metals. So, we practice patience.

We started our day with breakfast of pancakes and honeydew melon. Then our devotions were from “Morning Mercies”. Then it was time to consider what to do while we wait. Renee’ cleaned out the cockpit, finished putting the dinghy and its stuff away. I cleaned strainers, one each for the engine, and generator, then I checked the one for the water maker (clear plastic, so I can see that it is still clean). Then cleaned the strainer for the shower drain pump in our head. I will clean the strainer for the forward shower the next time we get into the storage area under the port settee. It is more work getting into the settee storage than cleaning the strainer, and nobody is taking showers there for awhile.

We got the kayak down and setup, Renee’ is going to get Josh from “Merry Lee” and their dog Bodie and go ashore where she can get WiFi and send a text to the daughter. Patience does not abound around here. As many of our friends are aware, patience is something we have asked God for on occasion, and some have suggested that we should be careful what we pray for like that as we will get opportunities to practice patience. This is an example of that practice. We have tried texting via the Iridium but some combination of numbers is not right and the iridium only says “Sending” whether the number is right or not. As a result, I don’t know if she got the message. In Mexico to send a text to a cell phone you have to dial “11” before the number. To dial an international number, you have to dial +52 before the area code etc. I am not certain that you have to use the 11 to dial a cell phone from the Iridium. So far we are not communicating.

So, as the frustration builds…. Finally about 3 pm, Renee’ noticed that there was a truck on the shore that was flashing their lights at us. We had been expecting the part to be delivered. Since, our dinghy and kayak were stored on deck and on the davits. We asked and Jeff from Lost Pearl took Renee’ ashore who was convinced that the part was too small when she had it in her hands. We were communicating by radio and I said well bring it back anyway. The surf was pretty heavy and they got pretty wet.

The part was the right one, Jeff and Josh both came over and helped installed it. Josh installed in Jeff helped and I handled the lines to get the boom in the right place to put the part in. A bit of Tef-Gel on the threads and a change of a washer position and we were back in business! We have taped the small tear in the mainsail (it is in the Sunbrella material over the corner of the mainsail that sticks out of the mast when it is put away), and the top of the dodger that had the mast sitting on it and tore just a bit. Nothing significant, except we are not good at sewing canvas, and when we get to Cabo or La Paz it will get fixed. The total repair took about 1 hour and 10 minutes, that included all the time from the part is here to the guys showing up and doing the work and then cleaning up the deck, putting the lines back etc. All in all a pretty small job, but VERY important.

It is really great to have friends, some in the states to get the parts and handle the details, some made along the way to help fix the little things in life that break. All of this is working with God’s help.

I just checked our tank levels, Water is 60% (of 260 gallons) waste is 70% (of 55 gallons) and just over fuel 3/4‘s of a tank (of 160 gallons). Tomorrow we will be out more than 3 miles from land (far enough to dump the holding tank) and then make water and wash clothes etc. I really want to do some research in to the best (and quiet) wind generator to add to power sources. It seems like we have some really power hungry devices on board, like a freezer, two refrigerators, an anchor light (it will be changed over to LED but that did not happen before we left San Diego) and several other odds and ends.

We had a slow start this morning, but finally got around. It was a gorgeous start to the day, clear blue sky’s and a light breeze.

As we waited for 9 am, when Bob had to have contacted Baja Naval about coming up to San Diego and bringing the part back down, we had breakfast and read our books. Then I checked with Bob, and Baja Naval was not sending anyone up until Wednesday. So, that part of the plan fell apart. He had been given another name and number, but we had to wait until 11 for her to call back.

By 11, Renee’ and I had gone ashore to make sure that we had the contact info for the lady who make the trip from Ensenada to San Carlos. So, we got the dinghy ready and had the important stuff in the dry bag and lunch in a cooler got in the dinghy and headed in.

As we approached the beach, we put the wheels down, these are a great addition to the dinghy! They extend below the prop so that they hit the sand and keep the prop out of the water. They slow the boat down some, so most of the time they are up out of the water. The track they ride in is an interesting device, it is a pair of bars with a slot on the inside for some small tips on the end of the bar that connects to the axel of each wheel part way down the bar are two longer tips that stick out and fit into a notch at het top or bottom of the track. If they are out of the water, they are in the top notches if under water they are in the bottom notches. This is repeated on the other side of the boat. We timed our approach to be with the minimum waves and got it a bit wrong and I wound up in the water as the dinghy was sideways to the waves just as we got to the beach. We got the dinghy part ways out of the surf, but still had about 4 inches of water in the bottom of the dinghy. Way too heavy to pull any more. So, we bailed the water out, and got some help from a local to pull the dinghy further out of the water.

Then we sat there waiting for Orelio and his son to get back from getting lobster to find out the contact info for the daughter/sister in Ensenada. We were able to use the Satellite phone to keep in touch with Bob. We were somewhat frustrated with our inability to communicate or find out what was going on. We had our lunch.

Orelio and his son came in and we walked up to their house to use their internet. I called the rigger and found out that the part was there and ready to go! (Yeah,, I already knew this). No, they did not know any way to get the part to Mexico, (Bob already knew all of this). He had almost no luck contacting the lady that he had been referred to, he called the number and the message was in Spanish (he doesn’t speak it). We could not call, even with WiFi as our phones are not setup to use WiFi calling. (They were on Verizon but not on AT&T, a VERY long story). We could not call from our phones, or text non Apple devices. So, we were stuck with Renee’ using her phone to get her email off the WiFi, and me on the Satellite phone texting and getting no response. I occasionally swapped over to the WiFi and was able to check my email and we paid some bills, including the invoice for the part we need.

We were ready to give up, and go back to the boat, and then Bob said he got in touch with her and found out that she could not help. So, now we have more frustration. Bob then said he had a courier who could get the part to Ensenada by 5 pm. He sent that text just as I was shutting down the Iridium, so I had to start it back up and coordinate that. The situation at this point was that we had a part (yeah!) it was in San Diego and we had a way to get it to Ensenada (yeah!) but we had not yet talked to the lady about where to get the part and how to contact her. Now Renee’ is talking to Orelio Jr. and he is using two cell phones, apparently only one is set up for WiFi calling (the bosses?) and he finally gets in touch with her. Renee’ is texting her at the same time, and we get her phone number and her husbands phone number to Bob who gets it to the courier. Now there is nothing to do but wait for things to happen.

We head back to the boat, Orelio Jr. helped us get the dinghy back in the water and Renee’ and I headed back out. By the time we got to the boat, the winds had picked up, probably in 25 knot range. We put the dinghy away, which means we took the outboard off, and picked the dinghy up and put the cover on tied everything off. This took about an hour maybe a bit longer. Then we came inside the boat and hooked up the Iridium again and found out that the part had been picked up and was headed to Ensenada! About 3:30 we heard that the courier was an hour away from the lady in Ensenada and they had been in touch. About 5:20, we got the text that the daughter had the part in hand! So, all that is left is to get it down the coast to us. About 150 miles or so. With the last 40 ish miles being a dirt road off highway 1. Orelio Jr. said when the part is here they will deliver it, I am not sure if they will bring it out tonight or wait until tomorrow AM.

In any case, we have had a long day, some frustration and some awesome news! The part is on the way, prayers definitely work. I think we will probably head to bed sooner rather than later. But it is only 6;40 now.

We had a fairly restful night, it was pretty calm, and we got up and folded laundry from the day before, we had run two loads of clothes and made water for about 5 hours (probably 100 gallons of water) each load takes about 18 gallons of water, and we gave about 12 gallons to Jeff and Angie on the “Lost Pearl”. I have checked at the tap in the galley, we have about 80 ppm Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and the water tastes pretty good. We do have to run the generator to make water, which is why we ran two loads of clothes. We were getting behind on laundry and it was a good day to do it. Then after the laundry, we had breakfast and did our devotions, we usually use PORTALS OF PRAYER on line, but there is no cell service much less internet here. When we don’t have a signal we alternate between the book JESUS CALLING and MORNING MERCIES, this morning we used MORNING MERCIES. It is a great way to start the day by remembering who is in control of everything.

After getting all of the morning stuff taken care of we started into our other projects, I checked in with Bob about our part issue and washed the solar panels, (it is amazing how filthy they get). I found some blood on the deck from the fish from the day before and cleaned it up. We have an Anchor Wash Down pump, this is a pump that takes a suction on the bottom of the boat and goes to a fitting on the deck at the bow. I have a short hose with a nozzle that plugs into this for washing the anchor. I also have a longer hose that we bought here in Mexico just for washing the boat in the marinas down here. I hooked up the longer hose with the nozzle and I can rinse the boat with saltwater this way. It is not perfect, but it did get the blood off the deck, or at least most of it.

I chatted some more with Bob about our broken part issue, and spoke to Josh when he was taking the dog into shore about helping him with his wind generator, then came back to continue with Bob. About this time we heard a voice outside and went to see what was going on.

Three Lobster guys in their boat wanted to know if we wanted a couple of lobster? We said sure how much? They said free, when Renee’ protested, or perhaps sodas? We wound up with two pretty good sized lobsters for about a dozen cans (8 oz) of ginger ale and 7up. Lunch today will be a mix of Lobster, and fish taco’s.

While chatting with the guys, Renee’ asked if there was a way for one of us to get to Ensenada, they questioned why, and when she pointed out the broken part, he Orelio said that his daughter would be coming down from Ensenada on Saturday, and that she could get the part and bring it with her. God certainly works in mysterious ways. BTW, the lobster guys did not stop at either of the other boats this morning and after talking with us headed into shore.

All this and it is only just now 10:30!

So, Renee’ spent the morning working on lunch. I put the dinghy back in the water, so that the other people could tie up to the swim step. At about 12:30 everybody got here and we had drinks and sat around while Renee’ finished up lunch, I made Pairkillers, and then we got down to LUNCH!

Lobster and Bonito taco’s with home made refried beans cabbage, lime’s hot sauce and salsa with corn tortilla. After lunch Renee’ sent 4 packs of frozen fish vacuum packed back to the other boats. (I think only Lost Pearl took the fish). The tacos were delicious! After lunch I towed the other boaters back in their dinghy (outboard left on deck because it is a pain to get it on and off), then Renee’ and I went ashore.

Orelio’s son Orelio Jr. helped us pull the boat up onto the sand then escorted us to his house where we used their WiFi to send pictures of the part to Bob and Baja Naval (the boat yard in Ensenada). I called Bob on the Iridium (as the battery was almost dead) the calls kept dropping, but we eventually communicated well enough to find out that the part was in hand in San Diego, and that Bob would call Baja Naval before 9 am to coordinate getting the part to Baja Naval. We (Renee’ and I) communicated with Orelio about the woman bringing the part from Baja Naval in Ensenada to us. It appears she may be coming south at 5 pm tomorrow, so we could have the part either late tomorrow or early the next day. So far all the pieces are in place for us to have the part soon and be able to get back underway.

Now it is time for showers and then bed. Probably without dinner, lunch was huge!

Wednesday Nov 13

We had a fantastic day! We (all three boats) set sail at 7 am, had the sails up and the motor off by 8 and Renee’ had her first fish on the line by 8:30.

Then, the reel exploded and she had to bring the fish in by hand winding the line around a 2×2 piece of wood. So, the fish was aboard by 10:30. It was identified as a Skipjack Tuna (dark meat, not particularly tasty, according to the fish book) about 2 feet long. Probably 2 lbs of meat off the fish.

We sailed all day, Around San Geronimo island and the Sacramento Reef. We were probably the faster boat, (length and clean hull) “Lucky Pearl” was probably the slowest, (dirty hull, and reefed mainsail due to having torn along the boom previously). We had great wind, around 20 knots or less most of the day. Then in the late afternoon, after we made the turn in from due south to east to get to San Carlos, the wind came up, stead at up to 30 knots, with gusts to almost 40. The “Merry Lee” got beat up pretty good in this, Josh lost a hoodie that was almost dry from his previous falling in, and it went over the side. They also had a shelf that was above their bed fall down, and all the plants and dirt that was supporting the plants. All in all a huge mess, they also broke a spinnaker pole. As we were approaching land, with the wind in the high 30 knot range, we started to get our sails down. We got the Jib in, and in the process had an accidental Jibe, and broke the gooseneck on the boom, specifically the HINGE PIN a solid block of aluminum that has one bolt through it to connect to the boom (a horizontal bolt) and another bolt that connects it to the mast (a vertical bolt). We got the mainsail in and arrived at the anchorage just after “Lucky Pearl” and maybe 20 minutes or so before “Merry Lee”. Probably all three of were anchored by 3:30 or 4pm. 55-60 miles today.

I texted Bob via the Iridium that I was going to try and call him when we got anchored. The phone call did not work well, the iridium had too low of a battery charge to work on deck, and while in the window and plugged in, it lost the signal as the boat swung around the anchor. So, we texted back and forth about the situation. He got in touch with Steve at Pacific Offshore Rigging in San Diego who is going to look up the part number and figure out how to get it south.

Josh from “Merry Lee” took Bodie (their dog) ashore and then came over and brought his fish (a Bonita about 2 and a half feet long) and showed us how to clean the fish. Then he left his fish here, and went back to his boat and worked on cleaning it up. The plan is to get together tomorrow for fish tacos.

We went over to the “Lucky Pearl” to see their boat, chat and have a beer. About the time we were ready to leave our boat, the dinghy in the water and we had hosed down the deck to wash off the blood from the fish and had our flashlight etc. we went on deck in the dark and Renee’ said….. “Where’s the dinghy?” We used the flashlight and found it about 100 yards south of us and drifting away. I called on the radio for Jeff from “Lost Pearl” for some help, this was based on knowing that Josh was beat. Josh beat Jeff out in the water and got the dinghy, got it started and was headed back to us. Just as he was about 3 feet from the back of our boat, I asked him about the painter he said he did not have it, almost exactly at that point is when it wrapped around the prop, and killed the outboard, and he started drifting south. He was able to untangle the line and get it restarted and brought it back to the boat. He then said he was going to bed, and headed back to the “Merry Lee”. So, Renee’ and I got in our dinghy and went to the “Merry Lee”. It was an enjoyable time.

During all of this Bob was busy in California working on our problem, he got in touch with Steve at Pacific Offshore Rigging who said he would look up the part number in the morning and work with an importer to get it to us.

Like I said, we had a FANTASTIC DAY! (Some good and some not so good, but that is what makes memories).