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Sailing Four Weeks from Ensenada Mexico to Marquesas Island, French Polynesia

Crossing the Equator and Sharing Wine with King Neptune. We are now two Shellbacks!

(Sunday, April 30 to Saturday, May 27, 2023) At the beginning, we were excited about crossing the Pacific and exploring the beautiful islands of the South Pacific. It had been our plan to do it in 2015 and 2020. We didn’t do it in 2015 due to El Nino and in 2020 due to the COVID Lockdown.

Before this trip, I had sailed 20,000 NMS (nautical miles) and John had sailed 25,000 NMS. We had both previously crossed the Atlantic Ocean round trip,

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Setting Sails for French Polynesia: Our 3,000-Nautical-Mile Journey from Ensenada

Long waiting! We are about to set sail to the South Pacific, tentatively on Sunday, April 30, 2023. The distance is about 3,000 nautical miles from Ensenada, Mexico to Nuku Hiva Island in French Polynesia. This will be the longest nonstop sailing distance for us.

What will happen during this trip? I am excited and worried at the same time. The grand sea, sound of the ocean, countless stars, beautiful sunrise/sunset, free from the internet, clean mind, and just being ourselves! We have able-minds and plan to tackle obstacles whenever they occur. The rest will depend on Mother Nature.

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Preparation for Sailing with Cats to French Polynesia

Guard Cat “Happy” from Panama

Guard Cat “Swat” from Puerto Rico

Spring weather is an ideal time to sail from the US/Mexico Pacific Coast to the South Pacific. After a three-year delay due to the COVID pandemic, we are finally preparing to set sail for the South Pacific. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer.

We have two cats on board, Swat and Happy. John decided to keep Swat, who was born in 2013 in Puerto Rico, and Happy, who was born in 2020 in Panama. He loves cats more than anything. As for me, I think sailing around the world with pets is a bit nonsensical,

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Night Sailing Crossing the Sea of Cortez

Night sailing in the Sea of Cortez, making bright blue bioluminescence on the side of the boat, gliding on the water, from Isla San Marcos to Bahia San Carlos, Mexico

On January 18, 2022, the winds were forecasted right for sailing, we changed our original plan and sailed from Baja California to San Carlos, the Mainland Mexico side. The reason is to see our friends from Florida. We met them five years ago in Bermuda so we don’t want to miss the opportunity. Grab the opportunity of meeting friends whenever we can as the future is unknown.

The sea water temperature has been around 68f (=20c) degree.

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Sailing from Loreto to Conception Bay

Bahia Conception, the Sea of Cortez, Mexico

(December 23, 2021 to January 8, 2022) From Christmas day 2021 to January 7th of 2022, we had neither cellular connection nor Wi-Fi. Without it, I went to bed earlier and earlier. For my New Year’s resolution, I set my bed time from 9:30pm to 5am. It is a good balance for me. I am an early riser. I read somewhere, if you are a worm, it is better get up late.

We are about in the middle of the Sea of Cortez (Baja California), at Bahia Conception. There are many small islands and protected anchorages.

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Loreto Bay National Park, Protected Natural Park

Salt Mining Abandoned, Isla Carmen, Loreto, the Sea of Cortez, Mexico

(December 10 to 23, 2021) We are about 6 miles from the town of Loreto. Due to strong winds from the North (called “Northers”) we have been stuck here for a week behind Coronados Island, a part of the Loreto Bay National Park. This National Park is the largest marine protected area in the Sea of Cortez. Each island in the park is easily accessible by tour boats or small rental boat (Panga). There are flights from Loreto to the USA.

Checking the weather again this morning,

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Luxurious Stay in Marina Puerto Escondido

Marina Puerto Escondido, Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico

(December 3 to 10, 2021) Oftentimes, we are used not to connect to the world. Coming to the marina, we took care of things online (excellent Wi-Fi speed in the Marina), this time, mainly renewing the Iridium Go Satellite Service to get the weather forecast.

This “Hidden Port Marina” (Puerto Escondido in Spanish) is a nicely built, relatively new marina. The surrounding water protection is naturally perfect. This marina aims to be the best marina in Mexico.

The weather has been awesome. As we have no firm sailing plan for next summer,

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Sailing from La Paz to Puerto Escondido in Mexico

(November 20 to December 3, 2021) The Sea of Cortez has been amazing us. Many mountains and many islands, they stand by the open sea, as deep rooted with proud.

After leaving La Paz, we mostly motored from one island to another island and kept going north, about 15-20 miles a day. Our Thanksgiving Day was uneventful with our gracious guests, all shining stars in a dark sky!

One day, we passed a sailboat that we met in Panama. I spoke to them on the VHF radio for a while. They sailed up in the Sea of Cortez,

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Pictures from La Paz, Mexico

(November 7 to 20, 2021) As always, the most important thing in life is timing. We are happy! The weather here now is beautiful unlike the summer weather which is hot, and sticky. We are sleeping with our windows open, under blankets, and a cool breeze blowing through the boat.

Even the cats have noticed the difference. During the “coldest” part of the night my cat Happy is sleeping on my arm, on my leg, between my knees etc. Usually she sleeps near me, but not touching. Now, she can’t get enough contact. I feel like a human heater.

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Sailing from La Cruz to La Paz, Mexico

View from Puerto Balandra Hiking Trail near La Paz, Baja California Sur State, Mexico

(November 7, 2021) We have been tacking upwind (Zig Zag sailing) and motoring for more than a week. We left Mainland Mexico at La Cruz, crossed the Sea of Cortez, and arrived near La Paz, Baja California. In the USA, there is the state of California. In Mexico, there is the Baja California Peninsula. Baja means low/drop in Spanish. There are two Mexican States in the Baja California Peninsula: Baja California and Baja California Sur (South).

Sailing from La Cruz, we anchored a night at Punta de Mita and Matanchen Anchorage (San Blas,

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