Reculer pour mieux sauter.

The first couple of days in Ensenada, the hot and dry Santa Ana winds were blowing, causing sporadic wildfires, smoke on the water, fiery sunsets, and desert dust on deck. Now there has been a serious temperature drop and acting frisky in the outdoor swimming pool is no longer an option. Despite this November chill, we have packed up the greater part of our cold weather gear to take back to Belgium with us. A fellow cruiser happily accepted our now redundant Sea of Cortez navigational books. Those describing the Caribbean and the Northeast Pacific we have left behind on a bookshelf of the marina library. We have replaced them by what we could find on the South Pacific. Which proved to be not much. 

Part of passage planning is getting rid of excess stuff to create maximum room for new stuff. New stuff as in a fresh batch of bottles of wine for instance. Polynesia is frightfully expensive, we’ve been told. Mexico less so and the famous wine region Valle de Guadeloupe lies conveniently just around the corner from the marina. 

Wine was not the only item on a long list of essentials which needed to be ticked off. Is our Life Raft up to date? Check. Has the spare parts inventory been restocked? Check. Are the scuba tanks recertified? Check. Do we have the correct lure to fish for tuna, mahi-mahi and wahoo? Check. Has DHL delivered our Hong Kong made new “screecher” sail? Check. Do we have enough extra lines? Check. Do we have extra jerry cans in case we get stuck in the doldrums for ever and ever? Check. We do have a bit of a budget deficit because of “the list”. But hey, who’s complaining. Our boat has just morphed into a wine cellar. 

With the airplane tickets in our pockets and O2 in hibernation mode, we will end the season in style. This evening, Marc and Serena, our boat neighbours, will take us to dinner. Salty sea yarns will be spun, and sailing plans will be forged. There has been tentative talk of “buddying up”. We might launch our vessels at the same time for the 3000 nautical miles that separates Huku Hiva on the Marquesas Islands from Ensenada, Mexico. Of course, if we do, it will take no longer than one day out on the ocean, before we have lost sight of each other. But it’s the thought that counts. And whoever drops anchor first, will be the welcome party for the one who arrives next. It’s a win-win. Either you enjoyed a speedy passage, or you come second and get pampered. But first, we will have dinner together to discuss the plan.

The next day, we have a plane to board to go dancing in the Belgian rain with family and friends. We have been advised to bring our snorkeling gear and some sandbags. Enjoy the holidays everybody. See y’all again in February, 2024.