Julio – The Visa Agent’s Story

We find ourselves anchored in Bahia Catalina, Guaymas, a welcome return to civilisation after a fortnight in secluded anchorages. It’s Sunday, and our provisions are dwindling, necessitating a shopping trip. Our stay was not meant to be this extended. The urgency is palpable; we’re out of milk for our morning coffees, and even the powdered substitute is depleted. Bahia Catalina, perched on the outskirts of Guaymas, is barley accessible by car, a fact that deters most taxi drivers. Our usual go-to, César, is regrettably away, celebrating his father’s 76th birthday in Hermosillo, some 150km distant.

Resorting to WhatsApp, I liaise with a taxi firm. After some negotiation, they assure us of a pickup at noon. Yet, 12:20 rolls around with no sign of a taxi. Just then, a white car cruises past, executes a U-turn, and approaches us. The driver, a Mexican, rolls down his window to inquire about our destination. We’re headed to the centre, we inform him. Coincidentally, so is he, and he invites us to join him.

Conversing in fluent English, he reveals he hails from Monterrey, near the American border. His role as a visa agent brings him here, assisting a company in securing US visas for its Mexican employees. An unexpected extension of his stay led him to explore the local sights on TikTok, which is how he discovered Bahia Catalina and its stunning seaside stone arch.

Curious, we inquire about the complexity of obtaining a US work visa for Mexicans. He reassures us that it’s straightforward, barring any prior incidents. His expertise lies in arranging seasonal work visas for American agricultural enterprises. Business is thriving, with around 1,500 applications processed annually, a reflection of Americans’ reluctance to work on farms. His comprehensive service, priced at USD 650, covers accommodation, meals, and cross-border transport during the three-day visa procedure.

He then turns the conversation to us, asking about our line of work. We mention our involvement in social media management for small businesses. This piques his interest, and he wonders if we have a business card. Contact details are exchanged, pleasantries are shared, and he kindly drops us off at Walmart, marking the end of an unexpected yet enlightening encounter.

Alfonso – The Taxi Driver

We’ve just finished our shopping spree at Walmart, with milk for our morning coffee safely in tow. Now, the challenge is finding our way back to Bahia Catalina. But before that, we have a little detour to make. I stumbled upon an advert for Indian cuisine in a Facebook group and couldn’t resist ordering some Butter Chicken and Naan via WhatsApp. Picking it up is our next mission.

Our game plan involves summoning an Uber for this errand and then persuading the driver to take us all the way to the boat, even though Bahia Catalina lies beyond Uber’s usual operating area. Enter Alfonso, steering his Chevrolet Beat. We lay out our plan and ask him to quote us a price for the extended journey. He ponders for a moment, noting that the area’s remoteness makes it an unpopular destination for drivers. Eventually, he quotes us 150 pesos (USD 7.50).

As we drive, Alfonso inquires about our origins and our purpose here. We share that we’re from Switzerland, exploring on our boat, and turn the question back to him. He shares that he’s been taxiing for a few years, following a two-decade stint running his own video game store. But the business eventually took a downturn.

Alfonso confides that he harbours dreams of becoming a truck driver, armed with all the necessary permits, which he proudly indicates are stashed in a red folder between the seats. However, his lack of experience has been a stumbling block in securing employment. He’s even contemplating investing in his own truck, a 500,000 pesos (USD 25,000) investment, to kickstart his independent trucking venture.

As we pass a bus depot, Alfonso muses that while he could opt for bus driving, the earnings are modest (10,000 pesos / USD 500 per month) compared to what he can make as a taxi driver. Nearing Bahia Catalina, he reflects that it’s been two decades since his last visit. He hints at the area’s seclusion and potential dangers, given its isolation.

Upon arrival, Alfonso assists us with unloading our groceries and takes a moment to admire our small dinghy and the anchored boat. We express our gratitude, “mucho gusto,” pleased with the encounter, and hand him 200 pesos (USD 10) for his troubles. After all, it was quite a journey into the unknown.

Mario – The Author

I’m walking along the main road in Guaymas, with a blue duffle bag on my back, heading to the laundrette. I hear a “hola” behind me and ignore it. Then, a bit closer, I hear “hola, buenos dias” again. Not wanting to be rude, I respond with a “hola.” The young Mexican smiles at me and asks in good English if I’m an American tourist. I clarify that I’m from Europe, Switzerland. He expresses curiosity about what brings me so far from home, and I briefly mention my journey on the boat.

We continue side by side along the main road, which is also a construction site, dodging holes, piles of gravel, and barriers. He then offers to help with my backpack, but I politely decline. I ask him in return where he’s from and what he does. He’s a local, from Guaymas. He inquires if I’m familiar with “Creativo” in San Carlos, a creative studio that offers various courses like pottery and painting. He works there and suggests it’s a great place to meet people, mainly gringos (Americans). It’s easily accessible from Guaymas by bus. I dodge the suggestion; I’m not looking to take a course to meet new people. With the boat, I meet new people almost daily.

He asks if he can walk with me a bit longer and shares that he’s about to publish his first book, which he’s been working on for four years. Interested, I inquire about the book’s content. He shares his personal revelation he says, detailing his past struggles with drug addiction, single parenthood, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Seeking an escape, he ventured into the desert and experienced a transformative epiphany.

As we reach the laundrette, he expresses his gratitude for our exchange and heads back the way we came. He only wanted to withdraw money in the first place.

Francisco – The Versatile Helper

I’m anchored solo with Milagros in Guaymas, as David has set off for Hong Kong. Weary from a night disturbed by gusty winds, I still resolve to go ashore, craving some physical activity and needing to replenish our water reserves. I prepare to take two empty 20-litre bottles to shore, a task made manageable by the water refill station’s proximity, just 500 metres away. At the dock, I find a trolley I can borrow, easing the burden of my errand.

Midway to my destination, a car with its windows down pulls alongside me. The driver, calling me by name, offers assistance with the water bottles. It’s Francisco, a jack-of-all-trades day labourer familiar with all things nautical. We had been introduced by another sailor a few weeks back. Without hesitation, he’s out of his car, loading the bottles and trolley into his vehicle. He explains he’s just returned from San Carlos, where a promised job fell through. Now, he’s checking if there’s any work to be found here.

Together, we head to the water station and fill the bottles. Francisco insists on carrying the full bottles himself, a gesture of kindness I’m grateful for. We return to the marina, where he unloads the bottles and transfers them into the dinghy. I attempt to offer him a tip, but he refuses, stating it’s a favour among friends. He then hands me his number, suggesting I reach out if I ever need assistance again.

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Der Beitrag Journeys and Connections: A Week in Guaymas erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

Now, it has been a full four weeks since we arrived. Our original plan was to limit our time in dry dock to a maximum of three weeks. We aimed to be back in the water a week ago. Did it happen? Of course not. As the saying goes, everything takes twice as long when you’re on a boat. We’re still actively engaged in preparing for the upcoming season. It’s the familiar dance of two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back.

We’re lacking motiviation

Upon our arrival, we took a week to unwind. We soaked up the sun, which was over 30°C warm, worked on our computers, and tidied up the boat. Our enthusiasm to return to Milagros was not at its peak. It’s not so much about Milagros herself – she’s now a radiant and beautiful sailboat with her brand new deck paintjob – but more about us. The last season was a mixed experience, and we simply cherish being at home everytime we’re there. We could have easily prolonged our stay in Switzerland by another three months. However, the flights were booked, and it was time to head back to Mexico.

Holà Mexico! We’re back!

Thus, we commenced our return at a leisurely pace. Initially, our task was to clear Milagros of all the dust and dirt that had accumulated on the deck. For the remaining time, we embraced relaxation and settled into our second home in Mexico. We fully immersed ourselves in vacation mode, enjoying social gatherings with friends such as Rob and Sarah on SV Mapache 2.0, savoring evening beers in the enchanting light of dusk.

A very special invite

As if we weren’t already in vacation mode, David the painter graciously invited us for an afternoon boat trip around Guaymas and San Carlos. Our good friend Pete, whom we had also hosted in Switzerland, joined the crew. Meeting up with the other David and his family outside the Oxxo next to the boatyard, armed with snacks and beer, we set off. Along the way, we came across a group of dolphins, and both Davids wasted no time in taking a refreshing dip in their jeans. The enjoyable moments continued to unfold!

Out with the old, in with the new

However, lazing around was not an option for us. We had a substantial to-do list, including two major projects, alongside the usual 8,000 smaller tasks that needed completion.

• Our first major undertaking was to replace our old battery bank with a state-of-the-art lithium battery bank. The significant advantage of lithium batteries lies in their ability to discharge more, providing us with significantly more power at once.
  
• The attempt to install a new propeller shaft had encountered setbacks during the summer, and now we had to persevere with this project.

Our focus shifted to the removal of the old batteries. Extracting three massive AGM batteries, each weighing approximately 60kg, from the engine room was no small feat. With this accomplished, we suddenly had half of the engine room available for innovative ideas. As depicted in the photos, I even contemplated transforming that space into my new cabin.

Everything takes longer as usual

Meanwhile, we were also dedicated to the shaft project. Our initial plan was to install the new propeller shaft in July. However, due to various setbacks and delays, the project had to be temporarily shelved. Fortunately, our dependable mechanic, Salomon, already had the new version in his workshop. Thus, it was just a matter of time until our new shaft could be installed. Or so we thought. Unfortunately, the new propeller shaft had to make three return trips to the workshop for additional adjustments, causing further delays. Finally, after these setbacks, we could direct our focus to the installation. Yet, even four weeks later, the installation remains incomplete.

The bent shaft is mind-bending

It’s another Sisyphean endeavor. We aim for perfection to avoid any future issues, and achieving this demands considerable mental effort and, inevitably, more time. Precise alignment of all bearings, seals, couplings, and the installation of our new shaft brake are essential tasks. As you might anticipate, progress seems to follow the pattern of two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back.

The snowball effect

The classic snowball effect reared its head once again in this scenario. Initially, our plan was to install a new self-aligning ball bearing. However, the onset of rust on the bearing after just three months of sitting around in the ship prompted a change of plans. We opted to go with the old plain bearing. That decision led us to an unwelcome revelation: the bearing was worn out and required recasting, with play measuring 0.2mm instead of the expected 0.04mm (!!).

Upon the installation of the newly cast bearing, another unpleasant discovery surfaced: we needed to replace and elevate the supports on our engine. This is the consequence of a more thorough examination necessitated by the shaft. The duration of this undertaking remains uncertain…

Partying the Mexican way

In addition to our work on computers and Milagros, we’re indulging in our usual enjoyment. For instance, we received an invitation to a typical Mexican house party. Painter David welcomed family and friends to unwind at his place. And unwind we did. The entire neighborhood resonated with the lively beats of “Tecnobanda” – two young women passionately drumming to pulsating Mexican music from colossal speakers. I was truly impressed by their skills and even had the opportunity to try it out, much to the amusement of the party. While my performance was decent, I couldn’t quite match the proficiency of the two girls, no matter how hard I tried. Respect!

Nico the little pirate

On a different evening, we took care of Nico, the son of Rendt and Marea on SV New Life. They were celebrating their anniversary and wanted a pleasant evening, so the not-so-little Nico stayed with us. We did our best to keep him entertained with our limited children’s gear. The highlight of the evening was the assortment of plush mascots that accompany us, most of which are gifts from our friends in Switzerland. We think we did a commendable job. The evening included pizza, drawing, playing with the stuffed animals, and writing cute letters to his parents.

We’re back in Mexico

And thus, the days swiftly passed, and we gradually reacclimated ourselves with Milagros in Mexico. We’re finding immense joy in working on and upgrading her. Virtually every nook has been fine-tuned, every space upgraded. Yet, new ideas for enhancements continue to emerge. Many of our friends suspect that we derive more enjoyment from tinkering than actual sailing. While that might hold some truth, we are still eagerly anticipating the moment when Milagros can finally embrace the water. She longs for a wet belly, and we’re determined to make it happen as soon as possible.

Yes, we’re well aware – once again, we find ourselves working instead of sailing. It’s just the way things are. If you’d like to add a touch of sweetness to our life on this dusty boatyard, you can buy us a beer with a simple click of the button! You can also become a monthly contributor by heading over to Patreon. Thanks a lot!

Der Beitrag The Snowball Effect erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

It was slowly getting hot in Guaymas. And not just a little hot. We were sitting in a sweltering heat like we’ve probably never experienced before. The thermometer reached 40 degrees Celsius practically every day. And then there was the intensity of the sun, too. During the day we mostly hid in the coolness of the air conditioning in a small apartment we had rented for a couple of weeks. We didn’t want to stand on the feet of the painters working on our deck all the time and wanted to let them do their jobs.

Working in the Guaymas heat

The two painters David and Raul suffered from the heat, we could tell. When it got really hot, the pace of her work slowed noticeably. We can’t blame them. The work in the Guaymas oven is brutal. Drinking regularly, taking a break in the shade and not overdoing it was the way to go for them. Sometimes we almost had a guilty conscience towards the two.

Things are going well

But we could see: Something really impressive was on the way! The deck was the final piece in the puzzle for Milagros to become a little masterpiece. Our boat will appear completely transformed. Days and days of fairing and sanding work resulted in perfect surfaces. It’s laborious work but pays off in the end when painting. We ourselves would not have faired and sanded as much as the painting crew. But we didn’t do the work ourselves in the end so all we could do is shut up and watch.

Small projects

Apart from sitting around comfortably in the air conditioning, we also took care of smaller boat projects. For example, our new propeller shaft brake had arrived. The little piece of equipment should prevent us from bending our shaft again in the future. A shaft brake prevents the propeller from spinning freely while sailing. This results in much less stress on the material and less noise.

We also gave our teak a little love. We carefully washed it, lightened it and then oiled it. All with a practical 3-piece teak care set. Worked out great, and the result is really pretty.

Bigger projects

And at some point, the time had come: the first layer of paint was put on the deck! This in the form of a two-component epoxy resin primer, sealing and strengthening the surface. Because it consists of two components, the paint and a hardener, the paint layer is extremely strong. It will protect the old fiberglass of Milagros. After the job was done, we got a first impression of what Milagros would look like with the new paintjob. The white surface literally blinded our eyes. A great moment.

Hot, hot, hot, hot

And what came after the primer? Well, guess. The whole boat was again coated with putty and sanded. For days on end. At up to 47 degrees Celsius (116 °F) air temperature. We were getting tired of the heat. We can only imagine how the painting crew must have felt. Our foster cat Sailor was suffering too, panting when he met us for his food in the evenings. The heat in Guaymas is crazy. Time that we could finally go home. But we couldn’t. Not until our deck was finished. And what’s better than a cold beer to cool down?

Tasty craft beer just around the corner

As always in our blog posts and sailing career, beer is involved. The owner of the boatyard in Guaymas opened a Cervezeria right next to the boatyard with his brother (or so, I don’t remember exactly). Craft beer from Cervezeria Fauna is served there. Of course, we couldn’t miss the opening night. We sat there for hours with Tom and Keith (we met them back in the kingdom of El Mero) and tasted our way through the range of different cervezas. The Boatyard employees were there too, it was a cozy get-together.

Color layers and window delights

The days that followed passed as the ones before did. We passed the mornings working on our computers in the cool apartment we had rented for two weeks. In the evening we headed out into the heat to pay Milagros her daily visit. More layers of paint had been added onto Milagros in the meantime. The cabin was already done! So finally, we could devote ourselves to another monster project. In a moment of weakness, we decided to unmount, completely dismantle, rebedd and reinstall all the windows on Milagros again. Sounds good, but omfg. What a huge freaking job.

A monster of a project

Many a boat owner shies away from this very project. Rightly so. The window project really called for every skill we had learned since purchasing Milagros. I could write an entire blog post about the work on our windows alone. Here is a small excerpt of the work steps:

– Remove the windows

– Take a close look at everything

– Assess what needs to be done

– Find much more work than originally planned

– Seal and smear everything with fiberglass and epoxy

– Clean, drill, Dremel, sand the fiberglass and epoxy

– Clean the frames from a collection of old filler, putty and grout from over 40 years of Milagros

– Have new windows made

– Have everything made and corrected three times until it fits, because Mexico

– Ask yourself «why?»

– Glue the panes into the window frames in a huge mess

– Glue the fitted panes in the window frame, add those to another window frame

– Screw the frames in the frames tight together, add more sealant for yet another mess

– Before reinstalling the windows in the cabin walls, test EVERY ONE of the 100 screws and mark which one their screw hole is, because nothing fits like it did before

– Scream out loud

– Tear your hair (if you still have some)

– In an intermediate step, adapt window frames that do not fit to the windows with some more fairing

– Fit the window frames into the cabin wall with some more sealant in another monstrous mess

– Notice that it is too hot and the sealant dries too quickly

– Come back later

– Keep on sealing like crazy

– Be disturbed by the cat at the dumbest moment

– Just keep going because Sailor is a sweetheart

– Keep messing around all over the place until the job is done

Just like that

That’s pretty much how we remember the procedure. We don’t want to go into any further details here. We’re just glad it’s done. Woe betides a drop of water straying through the windows into our cabin in the future. At some point we were done and we couldn’t have done better. Not because we’re convinced that our job is perfect, but because we simply don’t know if we could have done it any better. Should you be reading this, own a boat and you are considering whether you want to tackle your windows: Think twice. Or maybe even thrice.

Milagros looks like new

And once our windows were in, the painters were soon done too: The deck paintjob was done. And what can we say? Our dear boat looks like new. The new deck paint makes a huuuuuuuge difference. David and Paul really did a great job. Unfortunately, bad news were just around the corner. Problems with our new prop shaft!

Oh crap!

When Salomon from the metal workshop arrived at the boatyard with the object of desire, it quickly became clear: There was a problem. The shaft bearing and the new shaft brake did not fit over the shaft. There was only one thing that could help: the prop shaft had to be taken back to the workshop and made to fit. Shortly afterwards the message came that a whole piece of stainless steel had to be ordered. A worker had simply removed too much material from the shaft in the workshop (2/1000 in instead of 1/1000 in!!!). After we had waited and waited and waited for weeks. Oh dear Mexico, sometimes you’re just a little too much for us. Now we can only take care of the shaft again when we return in winter.

We need to get outta here

Slowly the loooong season began to gnaw at our morale again. Too much heat, too much waiting, too much boatyard, too much boat work. Normally, early in the season, sailors spend a couple of weeks preparing their boats so they can head out as soon as possible when they return. We have spent too much time working on the boat this season. Yes, Milagros is in better shape than ever – but we’ve heard a few times that our working/sailing time ratio is completely out of control. Yes, this season was not easy. But our Swiss perfectionism simply doesn’t allow it any other way sometimes. Next season we will be sailing an absolute gem of a boat. Slowly but surely it was time to stow away Milagros and take a break again.

Mexican party

But before we flew home, there was another celebration in order. And this time, things got really Mexican. We were invited to the birthday party of boatyard employee and crane operator Mario. The event took place shortly before we left in an event hall he had rented for the evening. The two of us, our Australian friends Jen and Cam and about 50 Mexicans joined the party, which started cautiously. Everyone sat at their tables and listened to the warm-up band, a rock cover band made up of Mario’s friends. Armed with freezers and beer supplies, of course. The foreigners were eyed curiously from all sides.

Baila, Baila, Baila

It only really got going when cumbia, classical Mexican music, was put on. Everyone jumped out of their chairs and danced and danced and danced. To everyone’s surprise, the «Gringos» were also taking part in the dancing. The “DJ crew” was made by two dudes on drum sets with all kinds of kettledrums and other drumming equipment, who played along with the music from the speakers. With increasing beer consumption, the fear of contact disappeared and so we took all kinds of funny photos with the guests present. The evening was once again a reminder of what a great people the Mexicans are. Muchas Gracias!

A travel lift ride with consequences

Then it was soon time to move Milagros to their summer location. However, the changeover of locations did not go without damage to Milagros. I’ll spare you the details for now – we already reported on how we were treated by the yard in the last blog post. It shouldn’t get any better. And it won’t get any better in the future either. I can only say this much: We have definitely been to this boatyard for the first and last time. Despite advance warnings from various quarters, we decided to visit – and skilfully stepped in a pile of c***. We only have ourselves to blame. More on that another time.

The end is near

Because the work on our deck (did I notice that it turned out freaking AWESOME?) took a few weeks longer than expected, we had to cut all the preparatory work for the departure, which lasted about two weeks last time, into a few days. It turned out quite stressful. The day before we left, we worked our asses off from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. just to get it done, after more prep work in the days before. The almost 30-hour return journey back home to Switzerland went smoothly. Time to clear your heads and gather anticipation for your return.

Bad news upon arrival

But as soon as we got home, we had to start worrying again. Facebook and WhatsApp are our main sources for all sailing related news from Mexico. And what did we see? As soon as we left, an impressive and violent storm swept over Guaymas and San Carlos in Mexico. The area is known for raging summer thunderstorms called Chubascos. But this time, things were different. In videos and photos, we saw a wall of wind and dust battering the region. Absurd wind speeds were measured everywhere, power went out, entire brick walls collapsed in the boatyard and more of the aging boatyard electric posts bit the dust and fell over.

And what about Milagros?

Fortunately, Milagros escaped unscathed, she weathered the storm well. But unfortunately bad news also reached us from other sailor friends. The kingdom of El Mero, for example, is no more. It was completely destroyed in the storm. Unfortunately, some friends’ boats were also affected when their dock lines failed and they were washed ashore. Elsewhere, some boats in dry dock have tipped off their stands. We hope for their owners that the damage is manageable.

What’s next?

Well, apparently we’re not spared any frightening moments at the other end of the planet either. That’s the way it is when you embark on an adventure like ours. Why we were more concerned in this case than the last times, we will tell in the next blog post. But for now, it’s time to recharge the sailboat batteries in Switzerland so that we can start another attempt towards the south with fresh motivation. Only the gods of the sea know how far we will come. Things happen all the time.

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Der Beitrag Lessons Learned and Memories Made erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

The marathon of visiting friends passed as quickly as it came. After Juli packed his things and we said goodbye to him at Mazatlán airport, we returned to Milagros, which layed anchored in the old port of Mazatlán again.

Home alone

Being back on the boat alone again was weird, but nice. For the first time in a long time, we had the whole boat to ourselves. Having all those friends over was great and we’re already looking forward to welcoming folks back aboard Milagros – but now we were been able to stretch our feet again, and immerse ourselves in our little everyday rhythm that we’ve built up on the boat over the years.

Something’s different

One morning, we experienced Mazatlán from a side that we hadn’t seen before. As always, we woke up early in the morning at first sunlight. But this time something was different. It was extremely quiet and only the occasional horn blast from large boats echoed through the area. I had to put my head through the hatch right away and check on the situation.

Cruise ship in the fog

And I was amazed: We were sitting in dense fog. We hardly saw the boats next to us it was so dense and Milagros was covered with thick drops of dew. However, the Mexican sun had already risen and quickly put an end to the spectacle. The fog cleared, revealing an impressive scene. With a deep, loud horn blast, a huge cruise ship pushed through the port entrance and the remaining clouds of fog and past our friends on SV Munday’s Off into Mazatlán harbor.

Back at the Kraken

We also visited the «El Kraken» football stadium again. The local football club had a home game against Monterrey. It was our third visit to the stadium already! We should have gotten a season ticket right away. So, we headed back out to cheer for the purple heroes. Instead of Florian, Tyr and Onno were with us this time around. Before kick-off we made ourselves comfortable in a restaurant near the stadium.

A stroke of luck

The restaurant we chose randomly should turn out to be a stroke of luck. We were received super friendly by the owner, who explained to us that in addition to various barbecued meat, the owners also served their own homemade cheese. Of we ordered a mixed meat platter with the cheese.

Filling our bellies

We were amazed when not just one, but two table grills filled to the brim with pork, chicked and beef seasoned with different BBQ sauces were placed in front of us. Wow! We enjoy the game satisfied and with full bellies where Mazatlán was defeated by Monterrey (as expected). In general, it was more of a Monterrey home game. The stadium was filled with black and white jerseys, and the Monterrey fans were LOUD.

Topolowhat? Topolohow?

Soon it was time to look for a weather window for the onward journey. A larger hop of about 200 nautical miles (370 km) was pending. The next destination was a small port town called “Topolobampo”. That would be yet another tongue twister for our good friend Hürzi, who has contributed a blog post about his visit on Milagros. At that time, he had a hard time pronouncing “Zihuatenejo”. Before leaving, we had to fill our diesel tanks, as we expected to be motoring during night time.

Topping up the diesel tanks in a different way

Getting diesel was a bit more complicated here in the Mazatlán harbor than anywhere else. We had to pack our diesel cans in our dinghy and cruise across the harbor to a dock where taxi boats took day trippers to a secluded beach. There had to be a gas station somewhere over there, Google said. So, we first did an on-site inspection, because here in Mexico you never know if the places that are marked on Google Maps actually exist. And indeed: there was a gas station with diesel, gasoline and even propane gas.

The viking rushes to help

We summarily recruited Tyr, who accompanied us on our drive through the harbor and helped us haul diesel. Under the incredulous eyes of a few dozen Mexicans, we docked our dinghy, got the diesel we needed at the gas station and were promptly given a ride back to the dock by a friendly local. Back on Milagros we filled her belly.

All the better!

Topolobampo is about 200 nautical miles north of Mazatlàn on the mainland of the Sea of Cortez. Unlike the much-visited Baja California Peninsula, only a handful of sailors lose themselves on the mainland because the general consensus is that there isn’t much to see, which is simply not true. All the better for us, so we could explore the area undisturbed. What is true is that on the mainland, the distances between the anchorages and cities that you can visit by sailboat are bigger.

Let’s gooo!

So, to our great joy (not) there were two nightly sails to be done. But you can’t always choose, so we had to bite the bullet. It is important that we have to jump over our own shadow from time to time. Our theory is that all we need to do is experience a few great night shifts for our attitude to change. Let’s do this!

Goodbye Mazatlan!

Unlike our last visit to Mazatlán, Burrito (our engine) started without a murmur and we were soon on our way. We expected southerly and easterly winds and no wind at night for the entire trip. The trip started with great sailing. Bye Mazatlán, it was fun! Vamos Maza!

The weird waters of Mazatlán

Along the way we noticed the same phenomenon as during our crazy crossing from La Paz to Mazatlán with Flo. The sea was choppy, with waves hitting the boat from different angles and at irregular intervals. Milagros’ movements, while weird and unfamiliar, were not uncomfortable. The wind also did what it was supposed to and pushed us towards Topolobampo.

Managing night shifts

We also managed the night shifts well. The moon was shining brightly in the sky, which helped a lot, our surroundings weren’t just pitch black. As expected, we had to cover part of the nightly route under engine, which at the same time always means that the sea calms down. Only having to deal with the noise of burrito, we could sleep without being constantly pushed around.

Sea creatures everywhere

The second day was peppered with great encounters with sea creatures. A humpback whale surfaced right next to the boat to take a breath, sea lions were haning out the waters everywhere and could hardly believe their eyes when they saw Milagros passing by them, dozens of sea turtles were on the move.

We’re too early

Since we wanted to take advantage of a window of good wind, we left Mazatlán a little early. It quickly became clear that we were a little too early to enter the channel to Topolobampo. We had to actively waste time. In the early morning hours of the second night, a light wind picked up. So, I could enjoy beautiful and very slow sailing on my shift while Patricia could snooze. When fog came up, the scenery turned into a dreamland.

Magical, foggy night time sailing

The moon in the sky lit up the whole sea of fog, the sea was smooth as glass and the light wind pushed Milagros very slowly but steadily. We sailed absolutely silently through the fog at a snail’s pace. Nocturnal bird calls, which we normally never hear, rang out from the humid environment. Light rippling on the hull, no noise from the wind blowing around our ears, no creaking and squeaking from the cabin, no rushing of the waves. It was pure magic.

Buying time

Although we only made slow progress during the night, we were still too early. When it was Pati’s turn for her shift, we just decided to drift for a few hours and wait for the first light of day. It was my turn to take a break and I didn’t wake up until we were slowly but surely moving toward the entrance to Topolobampo Bay.

Through the canal to the marina

The small town lies inland in a beautiful bay at the end of a man-made excavated canal. Large container ships and a ferry pass through the sandbar, so the canal is well maintained and buoyed. So, it was easy for us to find the way. The night before we radioed back and forth Tim from SV Coconut, who was also on the way from Mazatlán to Topolobampo right in front of us. He found a place in the marina there, told us that there was free space, and so we spent two nights in the pretty little marina of Topolobampo.

Exploring Topolobampo

As soon as we arrived, we set off to take a closer look at Topolobampo. With almost 6000 inhabitants, it is a tranquil town, but it has a large port where big cargo ships can dock. The houses painted in many different colors are particularly beautiful to look at – they reminded us of our great visit to the mind blowing Iztapalapa district in Mexico City together with Nic and Janine from SV Rua Hatu.

Tacos at Don Gato

After indulging in tacos at Don Gato (which are probably some of the best we’ve ever had), we just walked around town, following our noses. This under the curious gaze of the inhabitants of Topolobampo; apparently not many foreigners stray into the city. Topolobampo is very pretty and definitely worth a visit. Unfortunately, the ugly side of humanity showed itself, too.

Ewwwwww

At the very end of town, a river of sewage pours straight into the waters in front of the town. In general, Mexico, like so many other countries on the planet, has a problem with the treatment of its sewage. In many places, these flow directly into the sea, often completely unfiltered. The kind of mess we are making of the only freaking planet we have leaves us speechless over and over again.

Discovering yet another new to us anchorage

Back on the boat I discovered an anchorage just at the entrance of the canal in our navigation program that looked promising and which we had overlooked in the planning. “Hook’s Anchorage” was its name. What a salty name for an anchorage – of course we had to check it out. Said and done.

Hook’s Anchorage

After two nights in the marina of Topolobampo and far too many days in the filthy but fun old port of Mazatlán, we were finally back in a real anchorage. We made the best of it relaxing, exploring, dinghying into the nearby mangroves and planning for the next leg which would take us to our final destination for the season – back to Guaymas and San Carlos.

Plastic everywhere

But here, too, we were caught up in the grim reality of the state of our environment. The long, beautiful beach was covered in pieces of plastic of all sizes. A particularly large number of the bottles were marked with the famous red caps of a well-known beverage giant. We didn’t let that spoil our mood because we had the whole sandbank to ourselves. So, we enjoyed long walks every day, the peace and quiet and being alone. We just love having anchorages all to ourselves.

Someone wants to move in with us

Apart from us and our floating home, there was only the animal world, which wanted to make Milagros its home. Pati was busy reading in the cockpit, when suddenly our solar panels started making a racket. After an initial startle, she set out to find the source of the riot. The culprits were small birds that seemed to be busy scouting a possible nesting site under our solar panels. They flew in and out and landed on the mounting plates on our railing. We let them have their way because we had to move on anyway, which would not leave enough time for nesting. And they were cute, too, those little guys.

The last crossing of the season

The days passed and soon it was time for the last passage of the season. We wanted to pay a visit to the kingdom of El Mero, where we tackled some projects before being southbound at the very beginning in the winter of 2022. There we had to prepare for the haul out of Milagros. This last crossing of another 185 nautical miles was relatively uneventful with changing wind forces and a few hours of great but uncomfortable sailing in the last part before we finally turned the corner back into the kingdom and anchored there, under the eyes of many old acquaintances and a few new faces.

Preparations for the haul out

Instead of docking at the old El Mero docks, we decided to anchor further out. This enabled us to dismantle our sails and make initial arrangements for getting out of the water. We had big plans. Our choice for the time at the Boatyard was «Gabriel’s Yard», where Iñaki and Carmen did their big refit of Anila. They didn’t leave the best review, to put it nicely. Now we wanted to take a close look at the situation ourselves. Exciting times are ahead!

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Der Beitrag The Comforts of Solitude erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

After several days of strong, gusty north wind, we were really exhausted. The constant noise, the swaying back and forth at anchor and the night’s unrest left its mark on us. We were tired and just happy when the end of the almost week-long troublemaker was in sight. As quickly as the «Northers» show up and hassle everybody in their way, they disappear again. All of a sudden, calmness returned. And as almost always, we had to devote ourselves to one very important object on the project list. Our mast. What was an impossibility in 30 knots of sustained winds, now we could finally tackle.

A Quick Review

As we found out at Cabrales Boatyard, our mast is a banana. The rear mast support (the so-called backstay) on Milagros had been much too short for years or even decades. This pulled the mast backwards too much. Our mast is made of thin, lightweight aluminum, which has resulted in some backwards warping. We carefully examined the whole situation at the boatyard and came to the conclusion that we can correct the deflection with the new rigging, which we did as best we could. Still, we weren’t satisfied as photos of Milagros taken by SV Swan Song’s Pete and Shinyi still showed the bend. After a bit of brainstorming via Whatsapp with Marga (we love you so much for all your help) we decided that the mast had to be corrected again in its position, which required a lot of work.

Important work on the mast

First, we had to loosen all the mast supports, which was the main reason why the wind had to drop first. With two lines we extended a sling that we wrapped around the mast. This allowed us to use the winches to crank the mast back and reposition the rubber wedges that hold the mast in place through the deck. After that we had to readjust the rigging. What sounds short and painless took a whole day. The fact that, contrary to expectations, the wind picked up again in the middle of the project only helped to a limited extent. But in the end, we were very happy with the result. We have lost all reservations about working on even the most crucial parts of Milagros, which is so, so incredibly important.

One hop further

We weighed anchor early the next morning. It was time to move further south. Our friend Florian was counting the days and hours at home in Switzerland, because it wasn’t long before he came over for a two-week visit. He reported regularly how much he looked forward to his time with us. Us too dude, us too! We were on a tight schedule because we had to be in La Paz at the end of February for his arrival. The sun barely showed an orange shimmer on the horizon before we were on our way again and set out to sea. The almost 6 hours passed in no time, a nice little Bonito for Tacos included, and when suddenly a westerly wind blew across the sea from the mountains of the Baja, which made for an hour of two of great sailing. We were happy and enjoying ourselves.

Finally north wind again! Not.

We continued with our plan to visit anchorages we had never been to on our (probably) final trip in the Sea of Cortez. Our destination San Marcial was such an anchorage. The cove offered protection to the north. Wonder why? Well, guess why. A few days of north wind were coming! Haha! Great! Finally, a Norther again! We couldn’t wait. F****** hell. At least, the forecasts only showed moderate winds compared to the monster that had just passed.

Bahía San Marcial

As we rounded the corner into the bay, our little sailor hearts beat a little faster. Not a single other boat far and wide! That’s how we like it! Anchorages are always at their best when we have them to ourselves. Just us, Milagros and the nature around us. And wow, Marcial was a great stop. The hills around the anchor bay shone in all the colors the Sea of Cortez has to offer. Earthy brown tones fading into reddish copper, plus the rain from the hurricane had caused grass to sprout, which has now dried out in a light yellow over the entire impressing scenery.

Quickly ashore!

Our time in San Marcial was spent going ashore, flying the drone for pictures, fishing and just plainly enjoying. For example, we followed an old river bed that led inland through the flora and fauna of the desert. During these excursions we notice again and again that the desert may appear dead and lifeless, but it is a complex habitat for countless animal and plant species. Birds sounded the alarm in the bushes and announced our appearance, various lizards sat on stones and warmed themselves, brown heaps or small balls on the ground indicated the existence of wild mules and goats.

Another small weather window to move on

Of course, our old, unwanted acquaintance joined the whole pleasure and holiday feeling – the cold northerly wind. This time, however, it didn’t blow so mercilessly and couldn’t spoil the beautiful San Marcial anchorage for us, because it only kept us company for two days. So, we were soon able to prepare Milagros again for the onward journey. Back towards Isla San Francisco we went. But this time we would only pass the island close by and hunker down at the very southern end of Isla San José. A large bank with a small mangrove forest awaited us. Well protected against the NORTH! Because of the NORTH WIND, which would annoy the entire Sea of Cortez again shortly after our arrival at the new spot.

Sheltered by the mangroves

Very early in the morning we set off on a long, 10-hour trip from San Marcial for a stretch which unfortunately we could only cover motoring. The wind was too weak or non-existent. We chugged along, enjoying the view and looking out for dolphins or whales. Not much to report on that front. Burrito purred along in his engine room and we sat on deck, taking in the scenery. Who knows if we’ll get lost in the Sea of Cortez again. Who knows, maybe we will. Nothing is for certain. What is certain is that this place will forever hold a very special place in our hearts.

Bahia Amortajada

When we arrived at our new anchorage “Bahia Amortajada” we first had an anchor beer. We anchored 5 meters deep, but the water was so clear it was almost a little scary to look down the side of the boat. Only the big “5” on the screen in the cockpit confirmed that everything was fine. SV Grace was also anchored in the same bay. Of course, we recognized their backside immediately. The boat’s backside that is. Yet another sister boat of Milagros! “Grace” is actually a Formosa 46, basically the same boat as Milagros, just different. Makes sense? Yeah, we know. So, we met Joseph and Louisa to inspect each other’s boats. Always a very interesting pasttime!

Lush greenery on shore

The fact that the shore was made of greenery as far as the eye could see was a novelty for us. Of course, we had to go and explore. As the tide was low, we were unfortunately unable to take the dinghy into the mangroves. So, our dinghy tour turned into a short walk. Mangroves form an extremely important ecosystem wherever they grow. Mangrove forests and mangrove swamps are mainly found in tropical coastal areas. Comprising a total of almost 70 species of trees and shrubs, they have adapted to brackish salt water in which they stand with their root systems. They are an important habitat for specialized animal and plant species and a nursery for numerous organisms and animals. Unfortunately, like many other habitats, mangrove forests are threatened by rising sea levels, pollution, drainage, fishing and other human encroachment. Brave new world.

Florian, here we come!

At each new anchorage on our way towards La Paz, we informed Florian, who was counting the days in Switzerland, about our progress. After two nights in the mangroves of Amortajada, we hoisted the sails in a stiff leftover northerly breeze and set off towards Isla Espiritu Santo. We have already visited many anchorages on this paradise island, so we had to add another stop in a new anchorage as planned. But first we had to get there, and the road to get there was rocky.

Until it hurts

The way to Isla Espiritu Santo turned out to be a tough one. We were able to sail along nicely, but at the same time the notorious Sea of Cortez swell built up – small, steep waves at an unusually short distance. This made the movements of Milagros quite uncomfortable, after almost 6 hours of rodeo my already damaged back started complaining. My back is much, much better now, but the being pushed around for hours was still a little too much for my herniated disc. We were happy when we finally arrived in the new bay called «Ensenada Grande». It consists of three smaller bays, each of which extends in a different direction. There was still space for us in the middle lobe.

Isla Espiritu Santo – one for your bucket list

Entire books could and should be written about Isla Espiritu Santo and Isla Partida. A stone’s throw by boat from La Paz, its entire east side can only be described as: anchorage after anchorage after anchorage after anchorage. One could spend days and weeks just on this one island. One corner is more beautiful than the other. The proximity to La Paz also means that hundreds of excursion boats visit the island every day and tourists populate the beaches. But that doesn’t detract from the beauty, because in general a lot of consideration is given to the island. The largest bay at the very southwest end of the island has now even been completely closed to visitors and anchored boats.

Edgar – Lord of the Kayaks

We found out that a few hiking trails were marked in Ensenada Grande, which we wanted to explore after a little rest. We inflated and our kayak, paddled into one bay after the other and found an old creek bed in the southernmost corner through which one could climb up to the hilltops of the island. On the beach we also made the acquaintance of Edgar, who was in the process of setting up a small camp. A storage tent, a small off-site toilet and about 10 kayaks were lined up on the beach. Edgar is a cook for a kayak tour operator and has already prepared everything for the guests’ arrival the next day. We arranged to meet him for a cold beer after our walk, because we didn’t have any more on Milagros. An emergency situation!

Hiking up the barren island hills

Our little excursion was not a walk in the park. The way up the river bed was rocky. The further we penetrated into the interior of Isla Espiritu Santo, the steeper the creek bed became, until finally we were just climbing. Over millions of years, large boulders had accumulated left and right from the top of the valley, which we had to climb up. Stone by stone, step by step. Until we got to the top. And the climbing was worth it. The view was crazy impressive.

Isla Espiritu Santo from the other side

The east side of the island is completely different from the west side. Instead of bays for anchoring, there are steep cliffs that plunge vertically down into the sea. Not great for anchoring but great on the eye. It doesn’t get much more dramatic than that. So, we just sat and enjoyed the view before heading back down. After half an hour on the way back, a classic “David” happened to me. I was able to tackle back up the steep terrain again because my sunglasses got lost on the way. Cursing, I climbed up the stones again, because I knew exactly where I had lost them. When I found the sunglasses, I climbed down the path cursing a little less.

Conversations the Mexican way

Arrived at the beach we enjoyed a few cold Pacificos with Edgar and talked about God and the world. We really enjoy such conversations with the Mexicans, we never learn more about the country and its customs. And our Spanish stays in tip-top shape. We’re still far from fluent, but nothing stands in the way of conversations with the locals. And every time we put a smile on the Mexicans’ faces and we regularly get compliments. See, can’t be that bad.

Trouble anchoring – for the first time

The next morning, we continued our journey back to La Paz. After a short trip along the island, we wanted to anchor in the Ensenada La Gallina. Wanted. Our anchor just did not want to hold. For the first time. We tried three times and then we gave up. It felt like we were trying to bury the anchor in concrete. It just scraped along the bottom, I even had to reluctantly jump in the cold water because we wanted to know what the problem was. However, the visibility in the water was so bad that in the end we simply decided to head straight to La Paz.

A sporty ride to La Paz

We had already come to terms with the fact that we had to motor the entire way, when a strong easterly wind came funneling through the Canal de San Lorenzo. With the wind 90 degrees off the side, Milagros activated monster mode and we blasted through at 7 knots to Bahia Pichilingue, our destination. Another new tick on the “bays we’ve never been to”-list. We anchored in a busy bay, as is often the case near the big(ger) cities. Lots of boats both big and small, lots of people on the beach, loud music on the beach and a few restaurants. We went to the latter immediately upon arrival and enjoyed the sunset with a beer and absolutely mediocre food. We had done it again. We were back in La Paz. Time to prepare for our passage to the mainland of Mexico. If only we had known what was lurking on the horizon…

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Der Beitrag Our Farewell Tour erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

As soon as we had returned from our trip to Iztapalapa, it was time for the concert! The band Greta van Fleet has been with us for a few years now. The 4 guys from Michigan thrill us with great retro rock album after album, but somehow, they never made it to Switzerland. Well, then we had to visit them in Mexico City. A concert in Latin America had been on our bucket list for years. Ch-ch-check! Another thing off the list! The concert was great, the audience anyway, the beer “Indio”.

While Dave and I jumped into the fray a bit further forward (Co*** is a thing of the distant past, isn’t it?), Nic and Janine stayed a bit further back. After the gig, we left the concert venue sweaty and in a good mood (the Pepsi Center holds about 7000 people and must have been half full). Outside the venue, we noticed noise and commotion coming from the street.

Tohuwabohu

Another spectacle awaited us. Noisy like a bazaar, various traders were offering all kinds of Great van Fleet merchandise in the streets around the Pepsi Center: mugs, cushions, shirts, pens, jumpers, stickers, bags – you name it! We’re pretty sure it wasn’t official merch 😉 We had never experienced anything like this before. We imagined the sellers getting out the heat gun the next day, removing the band logo and sticking the next band’s logo on the fabric.

By foot

Although Mexico City is a metropolis of millions, much was within walking distance of our flat. And it’s worth walking the streets. There are great restaurants, street food and street art on every corner and lots to see. No two houses are alike, and the streets are flanked with trees, flowers, and lawns. As we wandered the streets towards the National Museum of Anthropology, we treated ourselves to taco snacks, admired a pretty sweet skate park (and we’re not even skaters) and found the Milagros Temple.

At some point, we must have taken a wrong turn and found ourselves in front of a large, locked gate at the entrance to Chapultepec Park. So, what to do? Without further ado, we slipped through at the bottom of the big metal gate. We didn’t feel like going all the way back and looking for a different entrance, so we decided to break in like the gangsters that we are.

The National Museum of Anthropology

The National Museum of Anthropology houses an extensive collection of archaeological and ethnographic pieces documenting Mexico’s development. From room to room, different peoples and eras are on display, from prehistory to the present. So, we could marvel at pottery from the Mayas or the Teotihuacáns. After looking at clay figures, plates, and arrowheads for 2 hours, our heads were spinning. Who made what and when again?

The Spaniards again

What amazed me was that the Spanish had already started colonising Mexico in 1520. As a result, many adventurers and settlers from Spain came to central Mexico, and the Aztec religion was displaced by Christianity and much of the indigenous culture was wiped out. On one hand, I was not aware that this had happened so long ago. On the other hand, I found it impressive how much the Spaniards had destroyed during their invasion. Nevertheless, it was exciting to see how missionised Christianity was integrated into Mexican or indigenous customs. Incidentally, Moctezuma’s revenge, the traveler’s diarrhoea, dates from the time of the Spanish invasion. Moctezuma was an Aztec king who took revenge for the Spanish raids and destruction by giving the Spaniards digestive problems. Or maybe it wasn’t him at all, but just a bit too much chilli. Who knows?

Lucha Libre

Another highlight was the wrestling event of the Mexican league “Lucha Libre“. At 30 USD per person, the entrance fee was not exactly cheap. But we were first searched by a person at the entrance. Then a second person checked our tickets. A third person led us to our seats. And a fourth person immediately took the drink order. Also, the second-row seats that we chose would cost many times more at wrestling events in the USA and Europe.

Entertaining show

The evening started with a men’s “junior” match. This was followed by a very entertaining women’s round. 2 teams of 3 female fighters each, with names like Metalica and La Seductora, fought for victory. With, in my opinion, also nasty methods like hair pulling. With each round, the audience heated up more and shouted all kinds of insults into the ring. Esfinge (Spanish for Sphinx) was simply renamed “Pikachu” (the yellow Pokémon). The highlight of the evening was supposed to be the fight between the reigning champion Templario and his challenger Soberano. But shortly after the fight started, Templario held his ankle after kicking Soberano. We all thought it was part of the show, even when the doctor in the typical white coat came into the ring. But Templario had really hurt his foot and had to give up. That was an abrupt end to the evening!

The ruins of Teotihuacan

The last attraction we visited in Mexico City was the ruins of Teotihuacan. It is home of the third largest pyramid in the world: The Pyramid of the Sun. It is located about 1 hour’s drive outside the city. Thanks to Nick and Janine’s rental car, we didn’t have to worry about a taxi or a bus. We followed the recommendation to take a guide, who walked us through the impressive site for 2 hours. The 2000-year-old ruined metropolis with its stepped temples and pyramids is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The huge complex was built stone by stone by hand back then. And the fact that this was only one of countless buildings of this kind throughout Central America only makes the visit even more impressive.

A lot of effort went into it

Since the arrival of the Spanish, archaeological excavations and restorations have been carried out at Teotihuacan – sometimes in an amateurish way. For example, the Pyramid of the Sun now has 5 steps instead of 4 because one of the restorers made wrong assumptions. Also, when the walls were rebuilt, small black stones were inserted, so that the restoration is clearly visible today, but no longer corresponds to the original. After the tour, we could taste Xoconostle liqueur, which is fermented in the stump of the agave where all the leaves come together. It tasted like sweet kombucha. Although we are not usually fans of such drinks, we would have bought a bottle if we hadn’t been travelling only with hand luggage.

Bye bye

Our great stay Mexico City had come to an end. Our days were packed with work, sightseeing, relaxing, and eating. We treated ourselves to Indian food a whole 4 times – why not? We were surprised at how diverse, green, and clean the city was, and even in the poorer neighbourhoods, the streets were paved everywhere. Early in the morning on the day of our departure, we got a parting gift as Nick drove us to the airport. The police stopped us, checked the vehicle documents, and found that the registration had expired. Presumably the car rental company had failed to provide the latest printout. We were only allowed to drive on after paying a “fee”. Many thanks for that! Without further incident we were able to board the plane back to La Paz and were already back with Milagros in Puerto Escondido in the afternoon.

Aaaaaand we started planning our last 6 weeks of this sailing season. Stay tuned!

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Der Beitrag Milagros in the Big City – Part 2 erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

If our refit plans had worked out as planned, we would have been in the area around Acapulco in May 2022. From there, we could have made the journey to Mexico City easily by rental car or bus. As is well known, for one reason or another everything turned out a little differently and we spent a few more months in Puerto Peñasco.

Back to Puerto Escondido

But at one point, our sailing journey could start anyway and we made it all the way to the south of the Sea of ​​Cortez to La Paz, where we spent a couple of nice weeks exploring, enjoying ourselves and also cursing. Then we headed back north and now we were in Puerto Escondido again. Does that place ring a bell somewhere? Exactly! We were stuck there for almost 3 weeks with a broken diesel injection pump and therefore a defective engine. What craziness our maiden voyage was! If you have missed out on that part of our journey, don’t forget to read it and then subscribe to our newsletter to never miss any stories again!

We leave Milagros alone

Because we didn’t make it far enough south in time to travel comfortably by bus to Mexico City, we decided without further ado to leave Milagros at a mooring buoy in Puerto Escondido. The mooring field is well protected against all wave and wind directions, employees of the marina make visits to the moored boats to check every day and it is also a beautiful place overall. Here we could confidently let Milagros bob around happily on her own.

Taxi service from lovely people

Chad from sailboat Velella (greetings also to his Swiss wife Katrin) picked us up at Milagros and brought us to the dock in their dinghy. And Ray, with whom we brought his Sea Note to La Paz, lives nearby in Loreto. When we met him for lunch with Cavu, he volunteered to pick us up early in the morning in Puerto Escondido and drive us to the bus stop in Loreto. From there it took almost 5 hours to the airport of La Paz, from where the plane would take us to Mexico City. One of the nicest things about our sailing trip is how many lovely people we get to know. Everyone is always so helpful. Thanks to the lovely help of Ray and Chad, everything went like clockwork and we were soon on the bus to La Paz.

Mexico City is flexing its muscles

We don’t know how many more times we’ll turn up in La Paz again, but apparently this city has a magical attraction. The bus ride was uneventful and fortunately, also the flight from La Paz to the capital went smoothly. Approaching Mexico City Airport, the full extent of the city revealed itself. Depending on the source and which parts of the city you want to include, between 9 and more than 20 million people live in Ciudad de México. The approach by plane was impressive to say the least. Shortly before our arrival two planes at the huge and completely congested Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México almost collided, which added to the experience! But we made it to the ground in one piece.

Rua Hatu are following

And so, after a full day of travelling, we found ourselves at the Mexico City airport. Nick and Janine from SV Rua Hatu would complete our small tour group a little later, coming from Acapulco on a rental car, with their two cats Coco and Milka and dog Kiwi (we still have high hopes that they’ll let us adopt her one day). Unlike us, the Rua Hatus actually made it to Acapulco and carried out our original plan. The two had booked us a large Airbnb where we would all spend the few days in Mexico City together.

Evening traffic in the Uber taxi

At the airport, an Uber taxi was available and picked us up within minutes and so we were able to enjoy the dreaded rush hour traffic of Mexico City for the first time. And you know what? It’s not so bad. Although the 5-lane road from the airport to the heart of the city was packed with cars, with a little patience and stop-and-go we arrived at our home for the next few days within just under 30 minutes.

Our luxury Airbnb

The spacious apartment was centrally located and within walking distance of a few sights and the concert venue. The floor plan of the building was very narrow, so the living space stretched over 4 floors and was very modern and built with many concrete surfaces. Spread over 4 floors were the living room and kitchen, two bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and a beautiful little terrace on the roof of the building (including a cat flap for the furrier residents). Well chosen, dear Rua Hatus!

Of forests and Indian food

Pati and I had two days to enjoy a bit of togetherness (we didn’t have enough of that on the boat already, you know) and moved around the houses a bit. The “Bosque de Chapultepec” (Chapultepec Forest), a huge park, was nearby and had to be explored. Nicknamed “the lungs of Mexico City”, the park covers almost 700 hectares and welcomes up to 15 million visitors a year. The Bosque de Chapultepec is home to greenery as far as the eye can see, lakes, museums, a zoo and much more. It felt so good to finally have trees, grass and plants around us again after all those months in the desert. After we had already ordered Indian food via Uber Eats the night before, we ended the evening in an Indian restaurant again. That’s how we roll. Time to catch up on all the good stuff we can’t have on the boat!

Touristy days

The next day we decided to let ourselves be chauffeured to the sights and booked a ticket on one of the open roof tour buses. We cruised all across town, where the branches of the trees along the streets were sometimes a little too low for the roofless double deckers. So, we had to be careful not to lose one of our eyes. At the “Plaza de la Constitutión” we marveled at the world-famous cathedral and the surrounding buildings. The president of Mexico also has his office there somewhere. However, we didn’t stay too long. Too many people, too much noise, too many street vendors. Not our thing. So, we hopped back on a bus, marveled at the busy streets of the city and then stopped off in a beer garden in pleasantly mild temperatures. Good times!

Full house

And suddenly, our beautiful apartment got way busy! Nic, Janine and their gang had made it to Mexico City. Since the entrance to the apartment was also the garage, they could practically drive into the apartment. While a few of the arrivals immediately hid under a chest of drawers (not Janine, but Coco) or explored the apartment (not Nic, but Milka), we were greeted exuberantly and showered with love (Kiwi) or greeted quite normally (not Kiwi, but Nick and Janine).

Indian and Indian and Indian!

Apart from an uncomfortable and expensive run-in with Mexican police (they apparently ran over traffic lights, which wasn’t entirely true, of course they still had to “pay a fine”), they had a quite pleasant journey. And what did we have for dinner? You guessed it – Indian. We’re so freaking creative! When the sun hid and the moon poked out his funny face, we got to experience something truly special. Having a roof terrace was the perfect choice. A complete lunar eclipse was imminent. The terrace was perfectly aligned and we were able to enjoy the whole spectacle on a cloudless sky. The Aztecs must have gone completely crazy back then when suddenly a black disc appeared in front of their face in the sky. Thank you, Coyolxauhqui. Google knows in this case.

Is Mexico City dangerous?

The next day it was time for the concert! Finally! Greta van Fleet live! And that in Mexico City! Whoooo! But since the concert was only in the evening, we had one more day to fill with Mexico City activities. In the run-up to the trip, I had researched a bit about the city. Of course, safety also comes up quickly. One reads of trick theft, fraud, rip-off, murder, manslaughter and kidnapping. Very frightening and dangerous! In the end, it’s the same for all cities and regions of the world – it’s all a matter of common sense. In all of Mexico, unless you’re head over heels drunk in a huge shiny sombrero and throwing yourself into the red light and drug districts, you’re usually fine and will have the greatest of experiences. Mexico City may have an image problem, but it’s just as safe as any other big city.

Iztapalapa

One of the more “dangerous” areas of Mexico City is a district called Iztapalapa. Iztapalapa is on everyone’s list of neighborhoods to avoid. On the other hand, Iztapalapa boasts over 7000 murals, markets, art and craft, is colorful, lively and far from expensive, fancy downtown Mexico City. In addition, the government has built a 10km long cable car (the «Cablebus») there, from which you can admire the whole district cruising over its rooftops. Far from tourist crowds, made to explore, made for Milagros and Rua Hatu.

Helpfulness à la Mexico

And what can we say? Luckily one is advised not to visit! Because we were the only touristy faces far and wide when we arrived at the station of the cable car. And we weren’t robbed, instead a nice elderly lady immediately helped out with her cable car pass when she noticed that we had bought the wrong tickets. Also, we were never pushed into buying a half-value plastic souvenir! If you change your mindset just a little, leave your comfort zone and don’t believe everything you read and hear, completely new possibilities and adventures open up. Iztapalapa showed off his best side in the form of the helpful within a few minutes. We probably won’t soon forget what followed. Luckily, we visited Iztapalpa! The view from the gondolas was nothing less than breath-taking, we had not only had Iztapalapa, but the whole city at our feet. The fact that the many murals had also turned into “roofals” was probably due to the “Cablebus”. The 45-minute ride was a treat.

A highlight

We also took the opportunity to stroll through the streets a little, where we visited a small street market and immersed ourselves in all kinds of culinary experiences. Thanks to our Spanish, which was getting better and better, we were also able to talk to the “Iztapalapians”. Without exception, they were all very pleased with our visit to their home district. Many people here live at the subsistence level, but we still had to do a lot of convincing when refusing we wanted to pay more for all the delicacies than we had to. This is Mexico for you, ladies and gentlemen! It’s not all drug wars, cartels and petty theft.

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Der Beitrag Milagros in the Big City – Part 1 erschien zuerst auf Milagros.

Ever been to a cemetery? I am not someone who regularly visits the graves of my deceased relatives. I don’t really like cemeteries. As soon as you step over the property line, there is a strange atmosphere, you move more deliberately and automatically speak more quietly. I prefer to keep vivid memories of my deceased family members and relatives. The dead don’t see or hear you anyway. Or maybe they do? We shall see…

These days belong to the dead

In Mexico a big holiday took place these days: The Día de Muertos – the day of the dead. It is celebrated in Mexico on and around the days of November 1st and 2nd. Families gather to celebrate the lives of their deceased relatives, friends and acquaintances. But not only the lives of the dead are celebrated, but also life. People gather in the streets, there is music, dancing and partying. There is plenty of food and drinks and sweets are handed out to complete strangers. Everything is very cheerful and colorful, accompanied by traditional rituals and symbols.

Everyone participates

Of course, we couldn’t miss the festival. Ever since I traveled to the realm of the dead and back with Pixar’s “Coco” and ran across the rooftops of Mexico City with James Bond in “Spectre” during the Día de Muertos, this tradition has been on my list. Now the dream actually became a reality. In Puerto Peñasco, too, a whole street was dedicated to the festival. Everyone at the boatyard was in festive mood. The crews of SV Pablo and SV Pulsar made a piñata that the kids in the boatyard took turns on with sticks and bats and basically everything that made a good device for blunt force.

Día de Muertos face paints

A small group gathered at Pete’s SV Mazu, where we tried ourselves with the traditional face paintings with water-based paint. They are there to make the dead feel welcome in the world of the living. Once in the street, the party took its course and we could completely immerse ourselves in the day of the dead. The streets were not nearly as crowded with dead people as I expected. Nevertheless, one could imagine what had to be going on on the Día de Muertos in larger cities. Colours everywhere, happy faces, good food, beer and tequila. Pete had a big bag of sweets too much on the boat, which he handed out on the street without further ado. In the end we were a group of crews of no less than 7 boats who had gathered to take part in the festival.

Cavaleras and Ofrendas

Marigolds and cavaleras, small colored clay skulls, play a major role. You can see those everywhere. They are used, for example, on ofrendas, small and large altars. These are set up and decorated by the families. Draped with photos of a deceased person, plus all sorts of objects, flowers, candles, the dead man’s favorite foods are also set up on the altars. The ofrendas should invite the honoured person to participate in the festivities.

Spectacular Catrinas

The highlight of the evening was the honouring of the most beautiful Catrina. It is said that the catrinas are the secular representation of Mictēcacihuātl, the goddess of the Aztec underworld Chicunamictlan. In our world, she wears expansive, colorful costumes and large hats, decorated with all kinds of attention to detail, symbolizing the Día de Muertos. Since all sorts of Catrinas are out and about in the streets during the Day of the Dead, of course the most beautiful of all had to be chosen. And, how should I put it, I’m still completely blown away by the couple of costumes we got to see, one more beautiful than the other. The evening slowly came to an end with the award ceremony. Another one off the bucket list. Boom!

Wasn’t there something else?!

Oh yes, there also was a sailboat that we were working on. And you know what? Our (second) coat is ready! Why the second coat, you ask yourself? Then it’s time to sign up for our newsletter and you won’t miss a thing! We have calculated it: Had we invested all the effort and sweat that went into the hull of Milagros into a single boat, we would have repainted a vessel of a mere thirty meters (98 retard units) at this point in time. BUT WE ARE DONE!!!

We are being guided

Again, we sanded and sanded and sanded and sanded and sanded and sanded. As always, we took things seriously. A so-called guide coat was used before sanding. It consists of a black powder that is applied to the boat’s hull so you have a full overview of where more work has to be invested. The Guide Coat mercilessly shows where the imperfections are on the surface.

The umpteenth white coat

And then, at some point, it was that time again. Pancho, the master painter, came to the boat and sprayed the last three coats of paint. Since new paint shines and resembles a water surface, insects naturally gather, to plunge head over heels into the wet paint and get stuck. Fortunately, we could count on Nic from our neighbors on SV Rua Hatu, who, armed with a ladder and pink tweezers, helped us pick insects, while I assisted Pancho.

Finally done!

Suddenly, the time had come: the work on our boat’s hull was a thing of the past. We are now the proud owners of a shiny, strong, two-component painted hull. If everything goes well, no grinding machine will be used for years to come. Provided we don’t crash into a dock somewhere, of course.

Turtle race

Highlights are piling up: We also witnessed something very, very special. The Sea of ​​Cortez is home to 5 different species of turtles. Of course, all five species are threatened, how could it be otherwise? It is estimated that 35,000 turtles have fallen victim to illegal fishing in the Sea of ​​Cortez alone. You have to imagine that, almost 100 animals a day. One of the main problems is that turtle hunting is widely accepted and not stigmatized. So, it is no coincidence that a handful of people are committed to supporting the sea turtles in the Sea of ​​Cortez.

Egg collection

The turtles return to the places where they hatched to lay their eggs between August and December. Also, to the beaches of Puerto Peñasco. Here, a whole crowd of good people take care of the clutch so that the baby turtles can find their way back into the water and on their big journey. The eggs are collected and hatched. And as soon as the little ones see the light of day after about 50 days, they are being released.

Nothing is left to chance

The releases can be visited publicly and so of course we couldn’t say no when SV Skookum and SV Mapache told us that a turtle baby event would take place. We drove to the beach of Las Conchas where a crowd of people had already gathered. The sand was cleared and smoothed by a few workers to clear the sand of obstacles for the little ones. A sort of race track was created. There were also a few security men who made sure that no one came in the way of the baby turtles. So that they can find their way back to Puerto Peñasco later, they cannot be released directly into the water, but have to calibrate their internal compass by crawling across the beach towards the sea.

The big journey begins

The babies were brought to the beach in a plastic box and hardly put in the sand, they already knew which way they had to go: Always towards the water. Some got the hang of it faster, some less quickly. All visitors helped the turtles find their way. Obstacles were cleared out of the way and seagulls were scared away, which of course would have liked to have a snack.

When does our trip start?

And so, in the end all 60 animals found their way out into the great blue unscathed. Hopefully not much longer, and then we’ll do the same. With a few helpers, Milagros can finally, finally, head out into the Sea of ​​Cortez and into the great adventure. Just away from Puerto Peñasco, clueless whether she will make her way back or not.

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Der Beitrag When the Dead dance erschien zuerst auf Milagros.