Friday, March 06, 2009 |
Author: Julia
Yesterday we spent a lovely afternoon poking around tidepools and then hiked up to the top of the hill that forms the Northern end of the anchorage. From there we had a great view of our next sailing leg around to Isla Espiritu Santo.
Lunch break between tidepools and hiking
After deciding not to leave today, we headed to the beach and Shawn and Chris showed us how to do yoga.
After yoga and a dip in the ocean we went up to the fancy resort at the Southern end of the anchorage, they had issued an open invite to all boaters to come to the restaurant and pool. Some of our other friends joined us there to enjoy the beer, pool and totally awesome waterslide!
The anchorage has new boats in it every day who are coming up and across from the mainland, Mazatlan and PV mostly. From here people are going all sorts of places; heading up to La Paz and into the Sea for the summer, heading back to California for the end of the season, or doing final prep for crossing across to the Marquesas...
Lunch break between tidepools and hiking
After deciding not to leave today, we headed to the beach and Shawn and Chris showed us how to do yoga.
After yoga and a dip in the ocean we went up to the fancy resort at the Southern end of the anchorage, they had issued an open invite to all boaters to come to the restaurant and pool. Some of our other friends joined us there to enjoy the beer, pool and totally awesome waterslide!The anchorage has new boats in it every day who are coming up and across from the mainland, Mazatlan and PV mostly. From here people are going all sorts of places; heading up to La Paz and into the Sea for the summer, heading back to California for the end of the season, or doing final prep for crossing across to the Marquesas...
5 comments:
Hi J&J - the highlight of my day is checking your blog. I'm always very excited when there is a new entry. Chips and I talk about your journey all the time and about how much we admire you and all
that you are accomplishing. I look forward to many more updates. Be well and safe.
Paula
Hey Man, Good chatting with you the other day. Still following your adventures on your blog.
Hope to see you guys in the near future, stay safe, and bring me back something haha.
Take care guys!
WOW! Now you guys look like you're on a vacation! And a very nice one! Thanks for the great descriptions and photos in the blog - I can almost smell the bread Julia baked. Save some for me, we'll be there soon.
Love,
Anne
Jacob and Julia,
we are six months behind you, from the San Juan Islands. could you, in one of your posts, enumerate some of the entry costs we can anticipate? we're doing a budget, and getting scared by some of the unforeseen payouts (bribes, er .. taxes) that seem to be necessary. it makes us feel uncomfortable .. and inadequate!
thanks .. and bodacious winds,
daniel & debbie
s/v Sequel
Friday Harbor, Wa.
Hi Daniel & Debbie,
Thanks for your comment! I really wouldn't worry too much about the bribe aspect of Mexico. So far (knock on wood) we haven't encountered a single instance where we felt we needed to pay someone for something that wasn't on the level.
Actual check-in costs can vary depending on where you check in. If you look below you'll see a step-by-step of the check-in process at Ensenada (where most people check in these days) from some friends who went through it. We checked in at Cabo and posted a blog entry about it, I can't remember the expense, but I think it's all captured in that post.
We only met one person who paid a small ($20) bribe at Ensenada customs to 'ensure that they got the green light when the pressed the inspection button.' On the other hand, they are young party-animal surfers, and you can tell from looking at them. Personally I think they were singled out because of this, and probably had a bit more to hide than the normal :)
Good luck on your preparations, and perhaps we'll see you down here, we will most likely be around next season as well.
Enjoy!
Jacob & Julia
Quoted from Tao:
"So, in case you haven't checked in yet (if you have, skip this section), this is what we learned (All our offices were in the same little complex as I think they will be in Cabo as well. Note: keep receipts as proof of everything you've paid for):
1) Visit immigration; there you will show your passport, documentation, insurance, and crew list (four copies). Fill out your visa/tourist card and they will send you to the bank for some reason as all funds must go through a third party or something ($42). Once you return and show proof that you paid for them, immigration will stamp your visas and your crew list- all four copies.
2) Visit the port captain; You will need to present your passports, they'll want to see your tourist visa and proof that you've paid for it. They'll also want to see your all the rest of your documentation (vessel documentation, insurance, and crew lists). There is a port captain fee for the entrance of your boat (203 pesos, we put it on our credit card). After you pay, they also stamp all of your crew lists.
3) Visit customs; Somewhere along the way (Chris got it at the bank as the woman there took pity on him) you should receive paperwork to fill out to temporarily import your boat- this included a list checking what specific equipment was on Tao and pay for it as well($49.50 and you get a nice holographic card). Aduana will want to see all your paperwork is done and paid for so far (crew list, tourist card, temporary boat importation). They'll give you a form to fill out anything you want to declare
(arms, animals, alcohol, etc.) You'll push a button, if you get a green light you're good to go, if you get a red light someone goes to your boat to look for everything you've declared.
4) Visit the port captain again to check out; They will want copies of documentation, insurance, and original stamped crew lists plus a form that basically says our boat name, number, weight, where we checked in and where our next port of entry will be, the date, and that we are leaving. We got this from the marina we stayed at and they wrote and stamped a letter to the port captain saying we had indeed stayed there and paid and were leaving. We also had a receipt from the marina that would have
worked as proof as well for some reason. The port captain stamped the destination letter and we are supposed to show it at the next port of entry. They said once checked into the country and out of that port, the work is really done. Further south we may be able to get away with hailing the port captain (VHF 14 or 16) upon entry and exit and not having to show the paperwork again. Dios mio?!"