November 11, 2023
As the weather in Ensenada began to cool, we knew it was time to continue sailing down the Pacific coast of Mexico and head south in search of warmer waters. With the boat regularly covered in morning dew and friends already setting sail, we were ready to leave and try to catch up.
After gathering intel from fellow cruisers at the marina, we opted to skip the famous Sea of Cortez and instead head towards Barra De Navidad, approximately 1,000 miles away. We had many stops planned along the way. Our first planned stop, Bahia Tortugas, was just 300 miles away.
Setting Sail from Ensenada
We enjoyed a slow, relaxing morning, making the most of our last moments with endless hot showers, tasty tortas, and the calm, secure environment of the marina. Around noon, we finally set off, only to have to wait for a cruise ship maneuvering into the harbour. Mark dropped his hat into the water during the wait, allowing us to practice our man-overboard drill. We retrieved the hat after only running it over twice - a friendly reminder to not fall off the boat!
With light winds and no rush, we let the sails fill and turned off the engine, peacefully drifting under the warm Mexican sun. As day transitioned into night, we began our six-hour watch shifts. I took the first watch, which went by quickly, with stars and bioluminescence. By midnight, we switched places, and I was tucked into the bed with Sprocket and snoozing in the gentle rolling Pacific swell.
Sailing the Pacific Side of the Baja Peninsula
The following 60 hours passed with calm seas and light winds. The highlight came 48 hours in when we caught two yellowfin tunas. We settled in for one last night at sea with bellies full of fresh sushi and a full freezer.
As dawn broke, the rugged outline of the Baja Peninsula and our destination, Bahia Tortugas, came into view. We motored into the bay, dodging buoys and anchoring off the small fishing village. This marked our first anchorage in Mexico, and we were filled with excitement and curiosity about what was in store for us along this coastline.
We couldn’t decide if this had been our longest passage so far, the North Pacific was a distant memory (thankfully). It had been 72 hours on the dot to travel 308 miles. It wasn’t speedy, but we enjoyed the slow pace of life onboard.
Exploring Bahia Tortugas
The bay was lively, with fishing pangas darting around, accompanied by dolphins, seals, and various seabirds. We spent our first afternoon in Bahia Tortugas, relaxing on the boat and watching the bustling marine life. Our friends Dave and Heidi from *10X* stopped by, generously gifting us a fish they couldn't store. We happily accepted their kind offer and, you guessed it, ate more sushi.
We took the dinghy ashore the following day, eager to explore and let Sprocket stretch his legs. This was our first beach landing with a swell, but thankfully, someone onshore helped guide us past a hidden rock, and we landed safely.
We explored the small village; I wouldn't call it a tourist destination. A visit to a local tienda (market) for drinks turned memorable when I (Jaclyn) tasted some off-coconut water. Unfortunately, this led to food poisoning from Bahia Tortugas to our next anchorage. I'll spare you the details, but it was an unexpected and unpleasant twist in our journey.
Preparing for the Next Leg: Bahia Ascension
With less-than-ideal weather approaching, we decided to move further south, where the weather looked better. Mark prepped the boat for the next leg of our cruising adventure, setting course for Bahia Ascension.
NM Sailed: 308
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