Getting ready to head South...

SOLASTRA, last season, anchored in the Sea of Cortez

I decided to write this blog prior to take off because I have handed out numerous boat cards already to people with our new blog address on it which has had nothing on it until now. If you want to catch up on previous blogs from the last three seasons, you can find them here:
 2016 Blog, 2015 Blog, 2014 Blog

One week from tomorrow we will be jumping into our SUV which will be loaded for bear. Keeping our fingers crossed that the doors will close with ease. In fact we purchased a new/used SUV with our journey to Mexico in mind. Our Mini Cooper just wouldn't have begun to tolerate the load. Poor Harley will only get a teeny tiny space to curl up for the ride this time. Last year we drove the motorhome which obviously had plenty of room. 

 So our plan is to leave early morning on Monday the 11th, just after our plumber comes to the house to help us winterize the home. What does winterizing the home entail you might ask....well, we have to turn off power, gas and blow all of the water out of the pipes. Then we pump anti-freeze into the water lines and then pour more anti-freeze into the sinks, shower drains and in the toilets which keeps any moisture from collecting that could freeze during the upcoming freezing temperatures that could end up bursting the pipes!  We also have to unplug the batteries from all our remaining vehicles...truck, motorcycle and RV.  Then lastly lock up the house and head out!

 Once on the road, we will make two stops along the way. From our driveway to Mexico is approximately 1,251 miles. We will possibly stop in New Mexico & Arizona. From Arizona, we will head straight to the Mexican/American border in Nogales early in the morning. We will check in there with our Passports and get our 6 month Visa's. After checking in we head straight for San Carlos, Sonora MX to a little hotel near the Marina, Posada del Desierto (for only $175.00 US per week). Can't beat it! It's a quaint room with a little kitchenette and a relaxing common patio area. Best part about it other than the price is that it's a stones throw to the Marina where Solastra will be when we get her put back in the water (she has been in dry storage since last May). We will be staying in the hotel while we are painting Solastra's bottom and taking care of some other little projects that need to be done in the work yard (Marina Seca). After that, Solastra will be hauled down the road to Marina San Carlos and put in the water. and tied to the dock. Shortly after, Rick will then get on a Luxury bus to Mazatlan to get Notre Isle (our old sailboat). It's about a 10 hour drive. Harley and I will stay behind and work on cleaning the insides of the boat & provisioning. 

 Rick should be gone approximately a week if the weather & seas allow. He'll take a couple of days getting Notre Isle sail ready. Then our friend Mike Sandusky who is currently in Mazatlan on his sailboat, will get on Notre Isle and help Rick get the boat back to San Carlos which should take 4 straight days more or less. Once the guys get to San Carlos, we will have to all work to get Notre Isle cleaned up again and sails etc put away and put her in dry storage & leave her in the hands of a boat broker there. ?? Not certain on those details.

 Once all the details are straightened around we will get Solastra's sails put up and all of the other things that need to get her sail ready and then wait for a good weather window. Then Mike, Rick, Harley and I will sail back to Mazatlan to return Mike to his boat at Marina Mazatlan. So, it's not going to be the most relaxing opening to our season on Solastra. 

 From there we really have no set plans. Each season we always say we want to make it to Zihautenejo but that has not happened yet. As far as we have gone, is to Mazanillo. 

 All we know is we have 6 months to do what we want until it's time to be back in the U.S. We'd love to bump into friends that we've made over the last few years...that is always fun. But our biggest wish is to have a safe passage and to enjoy as much of our time even if it some of it will be working on the boat. A saying that is heard a lot from other cruising sailors is that, "cruising is working on your boat in exotic places." So true!

 Hope to update this blog shortly after we arrive in San Carlos.

 So for now... as my father used to say, "Salud, Amor y Pasetas y Tiempo para Disfrutarlos". Translates as Health, Love, Money & Time to enjoy them!



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